How true. The coke can in the door . Back in the mid to late 70's My dads uncle worked in a toyota dealership. They took a car in on trade and was resold, the car kept coming back with complaints of a sliding to a knocking type sound noise in the back seat area of the car. After a few road tests and finding the complaints to be valid they searched to high heaven to find the culprit. Finally someone decided to pull the rear door panel and low and behold a coke bottle in the bottom of the door with a note in it , reading how long did it take you f---ers to find this.
Fun car: 1983 Town Car
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Originally Posted By: hemitom
How true. The coke can in the door . Back in the mid to late 70's My dads uncle worked in a toyota dealership. They took a car in on trade and was resold, the car kept coming back with complaints of a sliding to a knocking type sound noise in the back seat area of the car. After a few road tests and finding the complaints to be valid they searched to high heaven to find the culprit. Finally someone decided to pull the rear door panel and low and behold a coke bottle in the bottom of the door with a note in it , reading how long did it take you f---ers to find this.
I've heard this story in various forms from beer can, to washers tied around a string. I find it hard to believe it happened so many times with so many various objects. This could be an urban legend.
How true. The coke can in the door . Back in the mid to late 70's My dads uncle worked in a toyota dealership. They took a car in on trade and was resold, the car kept coming back with complaints of a sliding to a knocking type sound noise in the back seat area of the car. After a few road tests and finding the complaints to be valid they searched to high heaven to find the culprit. Finally someone decided to pull the rear door panel and low and behold a coke bottle in the bottom of the door with a note in it , reading how long did it take you f---ers to find this.
I've heard this story in various forms from beer can, to washers tied around a string. I find it hard to believe it happened so many times with so many various objects. This could be an urban legend.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: hemitom
How true. The coke can in the door . Back in the mid to late 70's My dads uncle worked in a toyota dealership. They took a car in on trade and was resold, the car kept coming back with complaints of a sliding to a knocking type sound noise in the back seat area of the car. After a few road tests and finding the complaints to be valid they searched to high heaven to find the culprit. Finally someone decided to pull the rear door panel and low and behold a coke bottle in the bottom of the door with a note in it , reading how long did it take you f---ers to find this.
I've heard this story in various forms from beer can, to washers tied around a string. I find it hard to believe it happened so many times with so many various objects. This could be an urban legend.
I am reminded of The French Connection when they took the whole car apart, THEN took out the rocker panels, THEN found the drugs. Had the car in pieces.
(This was later attempted with the Ford GT40, or appearingly so, in Fast and Furious 5, with the Kenwood radio in the dash, after they took the whole thing apart, bolt by bolt.. somewhat. And what they were looking for was in the out-of-place radio..)
Originally Posted By: hemitom
How true. The coke can in the door . Back in the mid to late 70's My dads uncle worked in a toyota dealership. They took a car in on trade and was resold, the car kept coming back with complaints of a sliding to a knocking type sound noise in the back seat area of the car. After a few road tests and finding the complaints to be valid they searched to high heaven to find the culprit. Finally someone decided to pull the rear door panel and low and behold a coke bottle in the bottom of the door with a note in it , reading how long did it take you f---ers to find this.
I've heard this story in various forms from beer can, to washers tied around a string. I find it hard to believe it happened so many times with so many various objects. This could be an urban legend.
I am reminded of The French Connection when they took the whole car apart, THEN took out the rocker panels, THEN found the drugs. Had the car in pieces.
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I think the F VIN 302 is a CFI on passenger cars in 1983
No problems there. No power at all above 5000 rpm but that is not really a concern on a Town Car.
No real concerns unless it is a Variable Venturi carburetor. I think oxygenated E10 has pretty much wiped those out of existance. Regular 2bbl? No problem. CFI? (TBI) Even better. Variable Venturi? Run away!
Aside from the VIN, is there any way for me to tell if it has the Variable Venturi carburetor? Nearly all the gas in my area is 10% ethanol, so I'd assume they've filled this car with it. If it runs well, is that a good indicator that it's the CFI or 2-barrel carb?
It's CFI.
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I think the F VIN 302 is a CFI on passenger cars in 1983
No problems there. No power at all above 5000 rpm but that is not really a concern on a Town Car.
No real concerns unless it is a Variable Venturi carburetor. I think oxygenated E10 has pretty much wiped those out of existance. Regular 2bbl? No problem. CFI? (TBI) Even better. Variable Venturi? Run away!
Aside from the VIN, is there any way for me to tell if it has the Variable Venturi carburetor? Nearly all the gas in my area is 10% ethanol, so I'd assume they've filled this car with it. If it runs well, is that a good indicator that it's the CFI or 2-barrel carb?
It's CFI.
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
That car would be as comfortable as sitting on your livingroom couch !
In the car I wouldn't have a cat hogging my lap!
Since the chance at a 1-owner Jaguar XJ8 seems to have evaporated -- I haven't heard from the seller -- maybe I will stop by "Deal'n Doug's" this weekend and take a look.
It will be a WHOLE lot more reliable than a Jag!
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
That car would be as comfortable as sitting on your livingroom couch !
In the car I wouldn't have a cat hogging my lap!
Since the chance at a 1-owner Jaguar XJ8 seems to have evaporated -- I haven't heard from the seller -- maybe I will stop by "Deal'n Doug's" this weekend and take a look.
It will be a WHOLE lot more reliable than a Jag!
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
Ah, just put a 460 in it.
But yes, at minimum it needs heads, cam, intake and headers to perform decently. HO conversion using factory parts is popular as its marginally better than the factory Low Output scrap and the Mustang people pretty much throw the stuff away anyway.
Next step above that would be the 5.0L Explorer heads (GT40/GT40P) and intake with an HO or aftermarket cam.
After that you start looking at aftermarket stuff. 351 swap is dead simple too, since it was an option in the police package CV.
But yes, at minimum it needs heads, cam, intake and headers to perform decently. HO conversion using factory parts is popular as its marginally better than the factory Low Output scrap and the Mustang people pretty much throw the stuff away anyway.
Next step above that would be the 5.0L Explorer heads (GT40/GT40P) and intake with an HO or aftermarket cam.
After that you start looking at aftermarket stuff. 351 swap is dead simple too, since it was an option in the police package CV.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
300hp isn't that easy either. And you would have to spin it pretty high(over 5000) to get it. How much high rev driving is a Lincoln really going to do.
The 460 idea is much better. Lotsa torque
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
300hp isn't that easy either. And you would have to spin it pretty high(over 5000) to get it. How much high rev driving is a Lincoln really going to do.
The 460 idea is much better. Lotsa torque
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Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
Mine ran 16.2@89Mph with a warmed over stock 302HO setup on it. Fast enough to beat an "EXTREME" S10 anyway, LOL!
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
Mine ran 16.2@89Mph with a warmed over stock 302HO setup on it. Fast enough to beat an "EXTREME" S10 anyway, LOL!
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
300hp isn't that easy either. And you would have to spin it pretty high(over 5000) to get it. How much high rev driving is a Lincoln really going to do.
The 460 idea is much better. Lotsa torque
Needs a converter and kit in it to work with a higher revving setup (I have a converter in my basement and a Baumann shift kit sitting on the back seat of my Townie....) The stock setup has it shifting WAY too early, and it can't come out of the hole with the stock converter in it. Mine had factory 3.27's and T-Lok.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Seen a couple of those for sale around here. Fairly cheap in good condition. Makes me wonder if you replaced the heads with a decent carb - headers with dual exhaust what those 5.0L would be able to do in those beasts.
Not alot. Too heavy.
It's still a 302. 300HP isn't that hard!
300hp isn't that easy either. And you would have to spin it pretty high(over 5000) to get it. How much high rev driving is a Lincoln really going to do.
The 460 idea is much better. Lotsa torque
Needs a converter and kit in it to work with a higher revving setup (I have a converter in my basement and a Baumann shift kit sitting on the back seat of my Townie....) The stock setup has it shifting WAY too early, and it can't come out of the hole with the stock converter in it. Mine had factory 3.27's and T-Lok.
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My old girl:
Overkill, now that looks like rolling dynamite. If I buy it, after I see to any mechanical issues, I'm going to price some nice chrome wheels in the original size!
(ETA: I finally ran across a car that Tire Rack can't display wheels on. They've got wheels for it, but no photo of that generation of Town Car.)
(ETA: I finally ran across a car that Tire Rack can't display wheels on. They've got wheels for it, but no photo of that generation of Town Car.)
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Have a look at what a local dealer has: http://www.dealndougs.com/1983-Lincoln-TOWN-CAR-SEDAN-Metairie-Louisiana-70003/4096628
He says it has 33K miles, but admits he doesn't know that for sure, so it could be 133K or even 233K. However, it looks great for its age. Any of you ever drive one of these?
This dealer is shaddy. He's saying 33K miles while Carfax shows that when the car was in the Lakeside Toyota inventory last year they (correctly) reported the mileage at 133K.
Since you love your Park Avenue so much, you are going to be sorely disappointed in this car. The early 80s were just about the nadir for Ford in terms of the quality of their interior plastics and fit and finish. The solidity you are accustomed in the Buick will make this car feel like junk.
Have a look at what a local dealer has: http://www.dealndougs.com/1983-Lincoln-TOWN-CAR-SEDAN-Metairie-Louisiana-70003/4096628
He says it has 33K miles, but admits he doesn't know that for sure, so it could be 133K or even 233K. However, it looks great for its age. Any of you ever drive one of these?
This dealer is shaddy. He's saying 33K miles while Carfax shows that when the car was in the Lakeside Toyota inventory last year they (correctly) reported the mileage at 133K.
Since you love your Park Avenue so much, you are going to be sorely disappointed in this car. The early 80s were just about the nadir for Ford in terms of the quality of their interior plastics and fit and finish. The solidity you are accustomed in the Buick will make this car feel like junk.
Originally Posted By: G-MAN
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Have a look at what a local dealer has: http://www.dealndougs.com/1983-Lincoln-TOWN-CAR-SEDAN-Metairie-Louisiana-70003/4096628
He says it has 33K miles, but admits he doesn't know that for sure, so it could be 133K or even 233K. However, it looks great for its age. Any of you ever drive one of these?
This dealer is shaddy. He's saying 33K miles while Carfax shows that when the car was in the Lakeside Toyota inventory last year they (correctly) reported the mileage at 133K.
Since you love your Park Avenue so much, you are going to be sorely disappointed in this car. The early 80s were just about the nadir for Ford in terms of the quality of their interior plastics and fit and finish. The solidity you are accustomed in the Buick will make this car feel like junk.
That occurred to me -- almost every dealer in used cars these days proudly shows the Carfax, as he knows that anybody can access it. The weasel wording in which he says they can't be sure it's 33K is just that, weasel wording in case someone calls him on it.
For an old car like this, my standards are lower. It would just be a fun car to drive occasionally. If I test drive it and it's truly terrible, I'm not going to buy it just to have a conversation piece! I know about the nadir business -- I had an '84 Escort for six long years -- but wouldn't Ford have put their best on their luxury car?
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Have a look at what a local dealer has: http://www.dealndougs.com/1983-Lincoln-TOWN-CAR-SEDAN-Metairie-Louisiana-70003/4096628
He says it has 33K miles, but admits he doesn't know that for sure, so it could be 133K or even 233K. However, it looks great for its age. Any of you ever drive one of these?
This dealer is shaddy. He's saying 33K miles while Carfax shows that when the car was in the Lakeside Toyota inventory last year they (correctly) reported the mileage at 133K.
Since you love your Park Avenue so much, you are going to be sorely disappointed in this car. The early 80s were just about the nadir for Ford in terms of the quality of their interior plastics and fit and finish. The solidity you are accustomed in the Buick will make this car feel like junk.
That occurred to me -- almost every dealer in used cars these days proudly shows the Carfax, as he knows that anybody can access it. The weasel wording in which he says they can't be sure it's 33K is just that, weasel wording in case someone calls him on it.
For an old car like this, my standards are lower. It would just be a fun car to drive occasionally. If I test drive it and it's truly terrible, I'm not going to buy it just to have a conversation piece! I know about the nadir business -- I had an '84 Escort for six long years -- but wouldn't Ford have put their best on their luxury car?
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