My '89 Lincoln Town Car

[sly]

radial shifts can usually be worked out by cross rotation.

[L1011tristar17]

Just got the u-joints replaced and differential oil changed. I also bought a set of Monroe Sensa-tracs to put on later

[slack]

Side question, what's the car on the right in your signature? I don't remember seeing that there before.

[L1011tristar17]

That's the Shitmobile from Trailer Park Boys! I found it parked at one of their filming locations in Nova Scotia. The car is a 1975 Chrysler New Yorker:

[L1011tristar17]

I was able to install the front shocks, but the rears wouldn't budge. Any tricks for getting these off?

[sly]

box end wrench up top and vice grips on the shaft... some of the shocks have a hex head top of the shroud and you can get a large crecent or channellocks on those and turn them that way with the box end holding the nut up top.

[L1011tristar17]

I noticed mine had that nut on the top and it looked like it was 1". Even with the second wrench, the nut on the top doesn't want to turn at all.

[slack]

Ah nice! I never saw the show but google searched aftwards. I love the 70s New Yorkers. They look great but are hard as hell to find. I've heard there's major issues with rust with those years which might attribute to why they're so rare. Either way, that's a sweet pic.

As for the rear shocks. I had to cut my old ones out. I used a drimmel to chop the nut off the old shock and then slide it out. The back was the same as the front, using a wrench did nothing but spin the whole shock. In the front, I used a vice grip and the head snapped right off the shock anyway. After the head snapped off, it was cake to remove...

[87gtVIC]

Rear shocks that were installed for many years without any bit of anti seize lubricant will be an absolute pain. Much patience will be required...as well as stronger hands.

[L1011tristar17]

I was lucky enough to get the fronts off easily by sneaking a wrench and a pair of vise grips between the control arms. I was thinking of buying a 1" or 7/8" crescent wrench to go on that lower nut on the shock body and putting the 9/16" on top. Since I have more room for the lower nut, I'd try turning that one instead.

[L1011tristar17]

Does anyone know if the 90+ parking brake pedal (push on, push off) is a direct swap for the older style? (push on, pull handle for off)

[L1011tristar17]

I've decided to buy another car and retire the Lincoln from daily driver duty. I'll still keep it in the garage but I won't be driving it as much anymore. It is just becoming too expensive to maintain and is not as safe to drive as 95% of other cars on the road. I'm looking at a 2003 Lesabre for sale in my area. I might be checking it out later this week.

[79lincolnlover]

I'm looking at a 2003 Lesabre for sale in my area. I might be checking it out later this week.

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/buick/lesabre/2003/

[L1011tristar17]

It's official. Car is going off insurance and staying in the driveway for the forseeable future. I got the timing set on and the timing cover back in place, but after the stud near the smog pump broke, that was the final straw for me. I spent all of my thanksgiving break working on it, and even after stepping away from the project for two weeks, it was just as frustrating. I'm having it towed to the shop sometime after Christmas to get put back together. I know, I know, putting on the water pump and all the accessories should be easy, but that's what I thought about everything else on this car. I don't mind paying my mechanic for two or three hours of labor to finish the job so I can stop worrying about it. Once it's done, it will go to the driveway and wait there until I'm out of school and can give the time and money to have it fixed up properly.

I also decided to buy another car. Driving a car that doesn't have working rear doors, consistently-working seatbelts, or the ability to break 20 mpg isn't practical for me. I found a 2002 Buick Park Avenue (114,000 miles) for sale near my area and I am picking it up tomorrow night. The car is in nearly perfect shape on the inside and outside. It was owned by an older couple who kept it in a garage and only drove it before and after winter to Florida and back. I drove it last week and I could not find anything wrong with it. It drives very smooth and has plenty of passing power. I'm looking forward to picking it up tomorrow.

[79lincolnlover]

Good luck with your new-to-you daily driver!