1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car !!NICE SURVIVOR!!

  • Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  • Condition: Used
  • Make: Lincoln
  • Model: Town Car
  • Type: Sedan
  • Trim: Continental
  • Year: 1979
  • Mileage: 106,000
  • VIN: 9Y82S697317
  • Color: Blue
  • Engine size: 400M
  • Number of cylinders: 8
  • Power options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
  • Fuel: Gasoline
  • Transmission: Automatic
  • Drive type: RWD
  • Interior color: Blue
  • Drive side: Left-hand drive
  • Options: Cassette Player
  • Vehicle Title: Clear

1979 Lincoln Town Car Continental Description

Offered here is my 1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car. Commonly regarded as the largest domestic automobile ever produced in the USA, this car is BIG... an icon of classic American Luxury Automobile design.
As stated in the title above, this car is NICE and is a true un-restored "survivor", having had only necessary maintenance and upkeep to keep it as a nice, clean, drive-able car. It's had no major work of any kind--hasn't needed any.
It is the last model (and model year) built on this grand (big!) platform. That’s right, in 1980 they switched the Continental and Town Car to a much smaller platform. The newer cars were over 4 feet(!) smaller than the 1979's. This is truly a classic!
This car is original, as factory-outfitted with its equipment and running gear. That consists of the 400M engine, the C6 transmission, Ford 9" rear axle, front disc brakes, power steering/brakes/windows/locks/seats/antenna and more. This car is original and unmodified, except for the addition of (legal) window tint throughout, a CB radio (under dash) and uprated shock absorbers (gas-filled on the front and air-over-gas in the rear... with on-board air compressor). The car runs and drives, and all the equipment works with only a few flaws/exceptions. Specifically, those are:

Known Squawks/flaws:
1, The A/C no longer works--all the components are there, and you can turn the compressor freely by hand, but it just doesn't deliver cold air. I assume it has an aged/failed seal somewhere in the system and simply lost its charge.
2. The electric locks are dodgy--that is, when you press a lock/unlock button you can hear the solenoids in the doors go "thunk" but the actual lock knobs don't always move/change status. (In fact the right rear door is currently locked closed and I haven't yet fiddled with it to figure out how to make it unlock... pushing the button or pulling the lock knob doesn't do it).
3. Small exhaust leak--there's apparently a failed gasket, or possibly a crack in the exhaust manifold, on the passenger side... but apparently only for one cylinder as it goes "pfht-pfht-pfht-pfht..." at idle.
4. The battery hold-down is broken--yeah, one of the ears on the battery tray is broken off so there's nothing for the hold-down to grab
5. Starting to show some paint blistering and (very) minor rust behind front wheels, in the dog-legs (just ahead of rear wheels), the shroud between front bumber and grille, and bottom edges of some doors. No "soft" spots or rust through areas. Metal is still solid, just starting to "show" some signs of rust.
6. Car has 2 small scratches (both in right rear door), a small dent on the crown of the trunk lid, and a few "distortions" (not big enough to be dents) on leading edge of trunk lid (I believe it was from Dad mounting his CB antenna there... barely noticeable)
This car is super-clean, and never wrecked/flooded/rusted and has lived indoors its whole life (parked on a concrete floor). I've got a lot more photos--and even a run/drive video--to share if you're interested.
I've known this car since summer 1983--when my parents bought it in southern Kansas (with 52k miles on it)--and have personally cared for and maintained it since. My folks used it (literally) as their "road car" using it primarily to visit me and my 5 siblings--all in different states. When Dad passed in 2006 the car was used much less frequently by Mother. Then when Mother's doctor took away her drivers license in 2013, I "pickled" the car and put it in storage (she couldn't bring herself to sell it). Upon her death in 2016, the car passed to me.
In terms of history, the car has had typical maintenance and care in the 30-odd years I've known it. Regular oil changes, lube jobs, etc. In 1989 the original paint was getting shabby so we had it resprayed (original color) and the vinyl top replaced too--it wasn't the worlds best paint job (questionable masking tape technique...see pix) but its still wearing that paint/top today, still shiny! At about 100k miles the front end was re-built (ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends, and new brakes front/rear), the shocks were replaced, the transmission serviced and the drive shaft rebuilt. It also got a new rear-half of the exhaust at that time.

Within the past year (and 300 miles) I've replaced battery, changed oil/filter, flushed the entire fuel system (Lesson: Stabil fuel stabilizer is NOT good for many months of storage!), replaced all "soft" fuel lines, replaced fuel pump and had carburetor professionally rebuilt.
The car runs and drives, but it is an original, old car--albeit a very nice one. Other than exceptions stated above, all the mechanicals and systems work as intended. However, a potential new owner should be reminded that all the belts, hoses and hydraulics (brake lines, etc.) are 30+ years old. In short; it's a running, driving car but you should plan on giving it some TLC. Oh, and the car comes with it's own custom car cover too.
I invite and encourage you to do a physical inspection of the car while the auction is active--come and drive it for yourself. You can bid with confidence as I can assure you that I've described the care both fairly and honestly (my terms below further ensure so).
TERMS:
As such, I am offering this car As-Is, Where-is (Blaine, Minnesota) without warranty or statement of suitability for any purpose. New owner will be responsible for pick-up and transportation of the car within 30 days of auction close. Car/owner will incur additional charges of $20/day for every day beyond 30 that it sits here (in my airplane hangar).
All interested parties are invited (encouraged!) to see and inspect the car while the auction is active. The winning bidder ("new owner") will make an initial, non-refundable payment of $400 (four hundred, U.S.) to be via PayPal within 48 hours of auction close. Balance due in cash, cashier's check or by wire transfer, upon delivery--and if you show up and find the car to not be as I've presented it here I will release you from the deal and let you simply walk away (but the initial $400 payment will be retained by me to cover re-advertising, re-listing and storage fees associated with offering the car to the market again).
One final thing: This car is BIG. It doesn't fit in my own residential garage--that's why it's living in my airplane hangar at the moment. It also doesn't fit onto my conventional 16' car trailer. Be advised and plan accordingly...


I am also advertising the car locally and reserve the right to end/cancel this auction prior to its scheduled close if a qualified buyer presents himself locally.
Happy Bidding--Good Luck!