Since this is Lincoln week, I figured I'd showcase one last big-bad Lincoln before I break into the smaller cars to round out the week. What we have here is a mid-late seventies Continental Town Car, specifically 1977 to 1979 model judging by the grille. Unlike most 1977 cars, Ford left the Lincolns alone sizewise; as a result the Lincolns were bigger than the Cadillacs of the same year. They had bigger engines than their downsized Cadillac competitors (460 cu. in vs. a 350 diesel and two 425 cubers.) The Lincolns were pricier, too. A fully loaded Continental Town Car would cost about $19,000, compared to a hair under $17 grand for a Fleetwood Brougham. That may explain why so many (compared to this vintage Cadillacs) are still prowling the streets today.
This example was pretty clean, especially for a Minnesota car. The factory silver paint was straight, with nary a rust hole or ding. Faded, yeah, but what do you expect? Not only was all the factory trim intact, it was complete and damage-free. Even the trunk badge/lock was free of wear. How awesome is that? One thing I liked about this example over a few others I've seen is the wheel choice. Instead of opting for the turbine wheels used up until the early 1990s, this clean Continental sports full aluminum wheel covers over stock steel wheels. This combo, in co-ordination with the color, gives it a "eldery folks' car" appearance vs. that of a car owned by a businessman. Not too often I say this, but in this case, the full wheelcovers set this big barge off, rather than bring it down a few notches.
As a package, this car represents a time when big American cars were favored by everyone, not just the businessmen, or elderly. Tables have turned, and now Town Cars are reserved for limo fleets, and the Cadillacs are either performance cars or FWD-pseudo-luxury vehicles aimed at airport shuttle companies. We need more surviving big boats to remind the kids of the next generation what American luxury was all about.
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