Father, son and a V8

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LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
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Annnnnmd now the other side of the car is doing the same thing!

The mechanic thinks it’s the plastic piston in the caliper we didn’t change. Luckily he stopped before anything serious happened but the car is being recovered (again).

FML

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Thursday 23rd August 2018
quotequote all
New caliper and brake line (it wasn’t as rusted as the other one but makes sense to replace.)




The car will go for another shake down test tonight, fingers crossed nothing else goes wrong!

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Friday 24th August 2018
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Car is all ready for collection tomorrow. Second shakedown test was fine.

I’ve started to look into getting some replacement front L/R passenger wings from the USA

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Saturday 25th August 2018
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The good things about these cars is they are body on frame construction.. rather like a truck.

Which means at some point down the line you can do this...



allowing good access to the frame for shot blasting/galvanizing or powder coating.



LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Saturday 25th August 2018
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True! Though I don’t think my finances can stretch that far this year hehe


LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Saturday 25th August 2018
quotequote all
Drive home via tyre place to get the replacement new tyre put on was uneventful. The car feels like it picks up faster, which leads me to suspect both calipers have been binding a little for a long time.

Taking the spare tyre off and it’s from 1992. I need to get that sorted pronto.

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Sunday 26th August 2018
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What colour is the transmission fluid/ rear differential fluid and when was the last time it was changed?

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Sunday 26th August 2018
quotequote all
skyrover said:
What colour is the transmission fluid/ rear differential fluid and when was the last time it was changed?
Standard I think, it hadn’t been changed since the car was built. I had transmission fluid and filter change in June/July this year.

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Sunday 26th August 2018
quotequote all
So first drive with the replacement wheel.

On a technical level the car feels great, the new springs seem to be decent and the car feels stock floaty. Driving the car picks up far faster.

I still need to trust it through, every bump in the road makes me think the exhaust is going to scrape or something is going to fall off.

I took it for a 10 minute shake down run but bottled out on a longer one to the petrol station and back as I thought it better to quit whilst the going was good.

Need to have a good long think about the next steps.

Remaining work to be done if I keep it:

New front wings/rear quarter panels
New vinyl roof (plus excitable rust repairs underneath
Some rust work to passenger door
Respray

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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I'm having some right trouble trying to source a part.

When I purchased the replacement wheel, I thought it would come with the studs that the center cap attaches to, unfortunately that was not the case and my efforts to remove the ones on the old wheel snapped the studs frown

I've tried calling local metal workers in Essex but they do not seem to be interested in such a small job - any suggestions?

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Friday 16th November 2018
quotequote all
LincolnLovin said:
I'm having some right trouble trying to source a part.

When I purchased the replacement wheel, I thought it would come with the studs that the center cap attaches to, unfortunately that was not the case and my efforts to remove the ones on the old wheel snapped the studs frown

I've tried calling local metal workers in Essex but they do not seem to be interested in such a small job - any suggestions?
Can you post a picture?

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Monday 19th November 2018
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Here they are:





I think I’m going to put the car in storage over winter.

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Tuesday 18th December 2018
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With the weather turning it’s time for the TC to go to storage for a few months. The wings etc likely wouldn’t take kindly to another winter outside.

I’ve not touched the car since getting it back from the mechanics a few months back and taking a look the Town Car clearly needs a new power steering pump seal somewhere as it’s vomited the contents of the pump over the last few months. The Lincoln emblem has also fallen off the hood (again).

I topped off the PS fluid before, dropped the hood and turned the key. After a few seconds she roared into life (and promptly woke up my 11 month old son) and I eased the car into drive and set off on the brief journey to the warehouse.

The car in itself feels great, I still can’t shake the feeling that something else is going to break, fall off - or both.

Hopefully a few months separation will give me space to think about what I really want to do.


LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Sunday 12th May 2019
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With the weather starting to turn nice, my thoughts have returned to the Town Car and what to do next.

Last year was not as successful as hoped, with few miles covered and a decent amount of money spent. The car will yet need more cash thrown at it this year (exterior, some electrics, new brake lines, new power steering pumps (or gasket at the least).

I still am on the fence about investing.

I would also like to (in a dream world) do a frame off restoration so that the chassis is adequately protected, but I am not sure on how much that would really cost.

croyde

22,950 posts

231 months

Monday 13th May 2019
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Relief! I must of got your thread confused with another when the owner's restoration got burned down in a garage fire.

Glad to hear your dad's car is still around.

Alparkes

77 posts

68 months

Monday 13th May 2019
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cheesyblob said:
Nice story.

is may be a really stupid question, but what is it?
1989ish Lincoln Town Car to my eyes.

This would be a heck of a financial burden to keep and maintain for a young man to handle. I speak from experience.... Good on him if he can handle it.

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Monday 13th May 2019
quotequote all
Yup an 89 Town Car, I just need to win the lottery and then not worry so much about dumping £20k+ into one of the worst cars of all time wink

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Monday 13th May 2019
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LincolnLovin said:
Yup an 89 Town Car, I just need to win the lottery and then not worry so much about dumping £20k+ into one of the worst cars of all time wink
I would take that town car over the majority of crap on British roads today.

LincolnLovin

Original Poster:

2,777 posts

219 months

Wednesday 10th July 2019
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No doubt!

There's not much of an update on this at the moment, the car is tucked up in storage - likely for the year until I make my decision.

I have been idly speculating about buying and shipping a donor Town Car that has good body work from the USA to here - as I've started to total up the things that need replacing or fettling:

Bonnet
Both wings
Two doors
Rear bumper
Brightwork
Vinyl roof

A lot of those (bar the roof) could come from a donor car and save a lot of time.

I am not entirely sure of the costs however.

Kewy

1,462 posts

95 months

Wednesday 10th July 2019
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Just discovered and caught up with this thread. Awesome story OP and you'll look back on these times with fondness I'm sure, not matter how stressful and painful they can be when things aren't going right.

It would be a shame to sell up after all the hard work you've put in, surely there's not much left to replace?! That being said, your mental health is most important and as others have said, if you're really not enjoying it then don't feel pressurised to do anything. Your dad would want you to be happy more than anything.

Look forward to hearing whats next in store for the TC.