Sig., exec,. et cetera... anyone good at explaining things?

[NitroNic]

Well, a friend at school today told me that his uncle has a town car for sale. All he told me is his uncle wants 100 bucks for it, it's 1989 or 1988 (I forgot which he said), and soft top. ANd that it has a 302... but I assumed that.

Anyway, I've never really been much of an LTC guy (I like them, but never researched any).... so when did the LTC's start having the "Signature" and "Executive" (and am I leaving one out?), and waht is the difference between them? I don't know which the partic. car I'm looking at is, but I figure it's one of those.

I don't know hardly anything about this car yet, miles, condition (he said it runs, interior is somewhat worn), I didn't have time to ask much, and I have not seen it, nor called the owner about it yet. But I figure if it at least has turbine wheels in good shape, it's well worth 100 bucks, running or not. The only tough part might be getting it home, it's in a town that is about a 20 minute drive from where I live, most of which is 55 to 75 mph driving. I forget the actual driving distance.

Some day I'd like to make a limousine out of a box TC. Maybe this is my good starting point :rock:

So anyway, if anyone can tell me anything about those different editions of TC, and when they started.... and..... well any other pros/cons of the 1988 and 1989 town cars... I would be quite happy!

Nic

[grandpaslincoln]

I will give you a quick history lesson on LTC and the trim levels as quoted from Wikipedia.com:

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The Town Car name first appeared in the Lincoln line in 1959, on a special, limousine-like version of the standard Continental. This first Town Car was available only in black and was identifiable by a unique padded vinyl top, which was a rarity at that time.

It's probably not a coincidence that "Town Car" is a pretty good translation of Cadillac's "Sedan de Ville," a model which was gaining popularity in the 1950's. Both names refer to a classic style of limousine, popular in the 1920s, which had an open chauffeur's compartment up front, but only Lincoln has sometimes attempted to make its modern models visually suggest their older namesakes. As an example, note the vinyl roof covering on the 1979 model shown below. It sweeps down the center pillar as part of a raised molding, complete with opera lamps, which suggests a partition between front and rear seats, while no vinyl is applied to the front section of the roof over the driver.

1971

After this first appearance, the Town Car name went dormant for 10 years, and re-emerged as an especially plush interior option package for the '69 Lincoln Continental. It next appeared as a trim option in 1971, and thereafter continued through 1980 as a Continental option package. The Town Car badge has always been applied to four-doors, but from 1975-1980 there was a similar option for two-doors called Town Coupe.

1981

Since 1981, the Town Car has been considered a model in its own right, replacing the Continental (whose name reappeared a year later on a smaller model) and it continues today as Lincoln's top-of-the-line car. This vehicle uses the Ford Panther platform, shared with the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis.

1990

In 1990 the Town Car's body went through a major redesign and rear axle air suspension was added on as standard equipment. That year it was also named Motor Trend Car of the Year. Through most of this model run, the car was available in three submodels: Executive, Signature, and Cartier, in increasing order of cost and trim level.

1991 saw the introduction of Ford's new Modular V8, a DOHC design which replaced the Ford 351 Windsor throughout the company's lineup.

Engine options:

5.0 L V8, 150 hp (1990)
4.6 L V8, 190 hp (1991-1993, 1997)
4.6 L V8, 210 hp (1994-1997)

1998

The 1990's body style remained primarily unchanged until the next new body style premiered in 1998, a redesign which included the removal of the car's hood ornament and more angular shapes. A Cartier model gets a 220 hp version of the Modular V8.

A factory option available to individual owners of Town Cars since 2001 has been a version of the Town Car with an extra six inches of rear seat legroom, designated as the "L" or "long" version. This model provides extra amenities for rear-seat passengers, including a unique rear-seat switch that allows the front-passenger seat to be moved forward as desired for extra room in the rear.

Engine options:

4.6 L V8, 205 hp (1998-2000)
4.6 L V8, 220 hp (1998-2002)
4.6 L V8, 235 hp (2001-2002)

2003

Another body redesign in 2003 added the hood ornament back again. 2003 also marked the last year that the Lincoln Town Car was available in a trim package with the name "Cartier" (1981 through 2003). Beginning with the 2004 model year the top-of-the-line Town Car is instead designated "Ultimate".

The Town Car chassis overwhelmingly dominates the limousine market in the United States, since it is the only U.S. luxury car still in production with a separate chassis, making the production of stretched versions easier than with unibody construction.

Engine options:

4.6 L V8, 239 hp (2003)

2006

The Town Car is rumored to be updated for the 2006 model year, remaining on an updated Ford Panther platform. This vehicle, code name FN145, would be the only Panther vehicle remaining in Ford's lineup.

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So, to answer your question, Executive, Signature, and Cartier, are the trim levels that LTC has used. You will have to look on the door sticker to see what trim level it actually has.

Check out the lincoln website for more interesting history of the Lincoln Towncar:

http://www.lincoln.com/

After 2006 or 2007, Lincoln will probably drop the Panther platform alltogether, and switch to the D3 platform, which is what the Ford Fivehundred uses. Which also means, that the LTC will be front wheel drive, which sucks.

[Paul_]

This model provides extra amenities for rear-seat passengers, including a unique rear-seat switch that allows the front-passenger seat to be moved forward as desired for extra room in the rear.

if the driver pisses you off, just push his seat right into the fuggin steering wheel, ala Christine.hehehe

[grandpaslincoln]

I got Christine on DVD. Excellent movie.

[Paul_]

btw, if ford ever drops the panther platform before i die i'm gonna go fuck all the executives granddaughters -in the back of a chevy :slug:

[NitroNic]

Wah! That said they will probably drop the panther platform after 2006 or 2007?!??!?!?! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, thanks for all the info man, that helps alot. I'll see if I can get ahold of that guy and invistigate that TC.

The 88-89 body of LTC's is my favorite.... (well, might not have the exact years right, but whenever the tail light lenses became flat... but I like it better than the 1990 model year.) Second favorite is the current body. Those things look mean comming down the road, I think the oklahoma highway patrol should buy those.