Are our favorite vehicles the ones we imprint on in our formative years? I think so. At least, it’s true in my case.
My parents drove various boxy Volvos, from 240 wagons to 740 Turbos (plus Dad always had at least one Porsche 356 in the garage). My maternal grandparents had Galaxies and LTDs. My paternal grandparents had T-Birds and Continentals. And the neighbors of my childhood had Caprice Estates, Ninety-Eight Regencys, LTDs, Grand Prixes, Bonnevilles and Town Cars.
And yes, I love all those, to this day. I’ve mentioned it before but the neighbors two doors down had a light silver green ’80 Town Car, with white coach roof and dark green velour, a Signature Series. They kept it all the way to 1994, too.
So I love the downsized, extremely boxy 80-84 Town Cars and Town Coupes. So a few days ago I saw this and immediately went nuts.
Per the ad: “Gorgeous! 1980 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe.” (https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/bayonne-1980-lincoln-town-coupe-for-sale/7582226385.html)
“1980 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe, eight-cylinder engine with landau roof, split power front bench, approx 104,000 miles, recently replaced temp. sending unit.”
“Smooth ride. This iteration of the two-door Continental was manufactured in 1980 and 1981 only, which makes this a rare find.”
“Some bodywork is needed. Same owner since 1985. Asking $7,500 but negotiable. Vehicle is based in Bayonne, NJ. Serious inquiries only.”
This one even has the optional luxury wheel covers. This was a new style for 1980, and for some reason, was available only in 1980.
The 1981 Lincolns were barely changed, but these wheel discs were no longer available. Weird.
Anyway, I love it, and glad it’s far away because I don’t need a third Lincoln, ha ha.
You will need a wide parking space to open those doors.
And a one man car show in Asbury Park , I dig it.
Even though I’m a Chevy Impala guy , I still appreaciate a mile long boxey Lincoln.
Johnny O.
2020 Impala
2004 Blazer
1978 Impala 2DR. Boxey
I never could get into those. The wheelbase being too short, and the overhangs too long. Having owned a 79 Mk V, I wanted to like the 80 since it drove so much better. The only one I could really love was the 4 door Mk VI. But I can understand the appeal of this unicorn. You certainly won’t easily find another.
Me neither, way too square, the 1984 rear end changes really helped.
Tom, do you not think that the 1980-1981 Town Coupe was way to simular to the 1980 Mark. Unlike the prior generation of real full size cars where the Town Coupe was a 20′ luxury liner and the Mark was a personnel luxury car. As a Lincoln customer who wanted a personnel luxury car would chose the Mark over the same size Town Coupe and therefore Lincoln was marketing two almost identical cars to the same customer base. Also, the ad for this car says “some bodywork needed” ie: there is rust behind the paint on the rear quarters and rear of front fenders, think Rock Salt…. I would bet that if you got this car up on a lift there would be extensive rust on the complete undercarrage. Rust that is coming from behind the paint is the worse to deal with. That is not “some bodywork” That is a major issue, and I agree with Eric the short wheel base and the long overhang does not give the car balance IMHO.
Judging by the accent mark over the “e” in Coupe, it seems that Lincoln named it to rhyme with toupee. And this ad proves it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJoCmpSa4Yw
These floaty boats were flashy but a New Jersey example may be subject to a lot of rust.
A favorite warning from the mob-adjacent friends I had as a young man was, “Watch yourself, or I’ll have the Town Cars rolling.”
When these were new, how were they priced relative to the Mark VI?
These were cheaper than a Mark.