1959 Lincoln Capri update with pictures now!

"JR1" (type35bugatti)
06/24/2014 at 12:30 • Filed to: 1959 Lincoln Capri. Lincoln, Luxury

So as some of you may have seen yesterday a tow truck came along and pulled out the 59 Lincoln. Due to the rain it took way longer than I thought it would to actually get back there to pull the dinosaur out. I mean just look at these massive tracks left by the slow lumbering long neck dino:

Yikes. So that is what 5000lbs and 19ft does to the earth after it sat there for 20 years. With a tug and a pull though the car finally came out and it is now at our mechanic and he will deliver the verdict on if the car is worth saving or not. He will look at the engine and decide if the block is cracked or if the engine in seized. If either diagnosis comes back I am afraid this car will no longer be mine. The parental police may step in and tell me I can't keep it (even though I am legally an adult and it is my money going into the car.) I should know by the end of the day what will happen and let all of you wonderful people know as well.

Here are some more photos:

I could't believe how large this car looks when it isn't surrounded by trees and weeds. It really is a boat. Major cliche but it is true. Overall I am excited the car is out and I am crossing my fingers it isn't too far gone to get running. Here is the original post for anyone who cars how it originally looked:

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DISCUSSION (65)

KatzManDu > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:33

Good luck! Even if the engine is hosed the body looks good. If the frame is OK, you can always do an engine swap on it. Finding replacement glass will be a killer, though.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:34

You must keep it no matter what!!!!!!!!!!!! If not I will take it.

getFuckedHerb > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:34

Body looks to be in decent shape, probably worth saving man.

Sn210 > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:35

have you given any more thought to what you're going to do with it? You don't have to make it totally restored all at once

505Turbeaux > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:36

NICE!!! Glad to see it out!

camaroboy68ss > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:38

yeah if anything in the motor is bad your hosed. Those late 50s Lincoln's are full of oddball parts that are nonexistent and/or cost more than what the car is worth. Looks like a nasty dent in the driver side rocker.

EL_ULY > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:38

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!! DUDE BADASS!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:43

Ahh welcome back, glad to see it out of the woods.

Honestly man, the body looks fantastic on it. I'm really impressed.

I think a nice healthy bath and it's going to be pretty decent, obviously the interior is an issue and you need some glass pieces, which will be hard, but it looks the front and back glass are intact, and those are the high dollar ones.

If you end of scrapping the car (which would be a DAMN SHAME) make sure you get your cash out of those windows, you could probably sell them each for big money.

Jagvar > JR1
06/24/2014 at 12:57

I've been waiting for an update on this! What a beauty. It looks like the body is almost all there, too.

Whatever you do, don't scrap her!

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/24/2014 at 13:02

I will not scrap the car even if the motor is beyond repair. I will sell it for parts. In all honesty I wouldn't mind putting in a pos motor just to have a running and driving car. Body overall isn't horrible but that being said their is a great deal of rust holes. Mostly small but they are their unfortunately.

JR1 > camaroboy68ss
06/24/2014 at 13:04

Yeah the dent is pretty prominent. But right now that's pretty low on the list of my worries.

JR1 > KatzManDu
06/24/2014 at 13:04

Solution to windows is just keep them rolled down until I have the money to fix them!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:05

Keep in mind that the most important part of "biggest unibody car" is "old-fashioned unibody". You can cut and pick out and rework and replace metal *forever*, so with no frame damage to worry about per se, you can fix until whole sections of metal are gone. Typically not that hard, just work.

JR1 > Jagvar
06/24/2014 at 13:06

I will not scrap this beauty. I would surly end up in petrol head hell. And thanks for the compliments!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:07

Very cool! Let us know what happens.

JR1 > Sn210
06/24/2014 at 13:07

My plan is to get it driving and go from there. Even if it takes 10 years to give it a full resto. I don't mind driving around in a haggard driver until I get it looking like I want. I'm pretty patient. But I do want it running ASAP if it's possible

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 13:08

and bodyshop/welding payments unless you know how to weld lol.

JR1 > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
06/24/2014 at 13:08

If the parental police make me sell it. First place I will post it is here on Oppo if anyone is seriously interested

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:09

ok good, don't be afraid to cruise in a car with some rust, the Montego isn't rust free. But it was CHEAP!!

JR1 > getFuckedHerb
06/24/2014 at 13:10

I plan on saving it if I can. But I don't have 5k to rebuild a motor. Not do I have the expertise.

JR1 > EL_ULY
06/24/2014 at 13:10

Thanks EL! I'm pretty excited!

Party-vi > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:10

Big Ford engines aren't exactly hard to find. Besides, it would probably cost you as much to rebuild that 430 V8 than buying a running 460 and transmission .

JR1 > 505Turbeaux
06/24/2014 at 13:12

Me too! The sucker started to pull the tow truck until they chalked it

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/24/2014 at 13:13

Right - but until you have whole panels gone, it's mostly a cosmetic thing, and one that can be staged. I towed the Ranchero back over the mountains from Tennessee with no floorboards, the engine in the back, and a bad roof - didn't whimper. Surprising strength in those rockers and sides.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Party-vi
06/24/2014 at 13:16

But, but MEL.

Party-vi > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 13:21

MEL is DEAD. Long live the 385!!!

boobytrapsandtreasure > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:26

Whatever you do don't scrap her or part it out. Keep her or sell her whole.

I would rat rod it by cleaning the hell out of the paint and doing what you can to seal it. If the engine is bad I'd pull it, set it aside for another day, and drop in a 351W. Then I would replace the broken glass with modern safety glass and do the same in time to the rest of it. As far as the interior goes I don't know what to say since there are no photos. If the seats are just torn and the foam is crumbling you can get inexpensive seat covers to hide it. And you can buy new foam and layer it and tack it down with gaffer tape under the new seat covers. If the door panels are falling apart and the roof is droopy there are online resources to help if you don't mind using a swing machine. Oh, and the tires must be replaced.

That's all I can offer right now. She big and beautiful. Treat her well.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 13:51

I'm worried the old fashioned part could present a big issue with structural rigidity. Granted I don't know a lot but that's what i am worried about.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/24/2014 at 13:53

I'm not afraid of a little rust but some of the floor boards need repair sooner rather than later. Maybe I'll learn how to weld. My grandpa knows and has a welder

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 13:54

Not too worried about the rust holes because they are mostly small. I would think of them as weaknesses in the frame however because unibody. Some floor boards need patch work though.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:55

yeah I have some floor spots I was hoping to get done this summer. Not sure if I'll have the cash or not.

JR1 > Party-vi
06/24/2014 at 13:56

Never swapped an engine. I can't imagine it is that easy to do.

JR1 > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
06/24/2014 at 13:57

I plan too. I like keeping you guys up to date on this.

Party-vi > JR1
06/24/2014 at 13:59

Well, you do have a mechanic so there's one avenue. It's not too difficult with an engine lift and a buddy, especially with these older engines.

JR1 > boobytrapsandtreasure
06/24/2014 at 14:00

Thanks for the advice. The interior smells like mildew so I am pretty worried that stuff will need replaced. And I don't think I have the expertise or money for an engine swap. Most I've done is changed brakes and alternator!

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:04

Cool.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:16

Think about it this way: you lose comparatively less strength in a square section from a 1" hole in a square section a sixteenth of an inch thick and 6"x6" than you do from a 1" hole in a square section an eighth of an inch thick and 4"x4". The second case is more comparable to a structural element on a car with a chassis, the first case is more comparable to a case with a unibody. Whether in the first case the wall has gotten thinned or not, it's still less likely to have single points/areas of crack-through failure.

Whether the body had the stiffness of a wet noodle beforehand or not, it still probably has good *strength*. Torsional stiffness is harder to get right than beam stiffness - beam stiffness is kindergarten stuff. Unibodies of the old fashioned kind are infamous for bad torsional stiffness, but most of them don't fall apart in the middle, and rust is probably not going to hurt that much.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:23

I should also tell you something you may not know: the weld along the edge of a piece of sheet is probably weaker than a line of aggravated rust holes through the middle of that same panel. Why? Because welding flat out wrecks the strength of steel that has any type of strength from working or heat treating. It leaves bands of uneven mix in the metal that can lead to fractures. It's why, counterintuitively, sometimes it's stronger to rivet or bolt things together than to weld them, and also (when taken with possible fatigue) a reason that (again, counterintuitively) the panels with holes in them may be as strong as they were from the factory or more because where the holes are isn't where they "want" to fail.

If you've just got a cancer-spot here and there and not, say, holes or areas you can put a fist through, you're probably golden.

boobytrapsandtreasure > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:23

I'll keep my fingers crossed that all she needs is a new battery, new oil, a filter and some spark plugs. Also a liberal amount of carb cleaner may do some good. I have to admit that I am envious of your back yard find. Keep us up to date on what you discover out and are able to accomplish with her.

Sn210 > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:26

awesome, I like your plan! Good luck with it, I hope everything checks out

boobytrapsandtreasure > JR1
06/24/2014 at 14:34

If the material is vinyl if may come clean with a soft brush and Simple Green. If it's cloth it may be a lost cause. But the cloth is easily removed and tossed away. Since you want to go the rat rod direction with this stripping the carpet out and having the floors be the painted metal may be best. If the seats are a loss all the way down to their frames there is still hope. I am sure there are YouTube tutorials about how to go about doing the work yourself. With upholstery work you will save big by doing as much of that as you can with your own hands. A inexpensive sewing machine and some good material bought on sale can make a world of difference to a couch or your rolling loving room. Damn! I'm excitied for you.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/24/2014 at 14:50

It all comes down to priories I guess. They are kinda big and elongated

JR1 > Party-vi
06/24/2014 at 14:51

Well if that day comes I'll just cross that river. Really hoping that day doesn't come

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 14:56

Really informative. Thanks for the info! I will take that into account. Too bad it is a unibody though. Otherwise since the car is so cheap and undesirable I would chop the top off and make it a 4 door convertible without a roof.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/24/2014 at 14:57

I had no idea that was the case. Again thanks for the info. Very interesting. I did not know that.

JR1 > boobytrapsandtreasure
06/24/2014 at 15:50

I'm hoping the same thing you are buddy. And I'm sure you'll find something in a back yard eventually. Every petrol head does at least once.

JR1 > boobytrapsandtreasure
06/24/2014 at 15:53

Thanks! And I am thinking with a little cleaning the car interior will be in good shape. If not I will put a cloth on it until the time comes that interior seats become top priority! Thanks for the advice though.

briannutter1 > JR1
06/24/2014 at 16:25

Ahhh brings back memories of my 66 Lincoln. I have an 462 Mel that I built into a super badass 477. About a $6k build. Custom pistons, balanced blueprinted, 300cfm Big Valve Ported heads, shaft roller rockers, 233@.050 solid flat tapped cam, ported intake, etc. I never put it in my car, but gave it to a friend in Atlanta along with the shift kitted c6 trans. I don't know if he did anything with it either, but maybe could get it back if he still has it. I'd really like to see something done with the engine.

If you are in the market for an engine that is likely 425-475 horsepower and a ton of torque, let me know. It may not run perfectly with a stock converter and/or 2.73 rear end gear. Here's my deal. You can have the engine initially at no charge if you pay for freight from Atlanta to you. Put a new Street Demon 750 carb on it and start it within 90 days. If it runs like I expect, send me $2500. If you're not happy with it for any reason, pay freight and send it back to me. I'll still need to see if he has the engine, but let me know if that's something you're interested in.

JR1 > briannutter1
06/24/2014 at 16:28

Thanks for the offer. I will consider it for sure that sounds very tempting. The car would need it too considering it ways 2.5 tons

briannutter1 > JR1
06/24/2014 at 16:46

My original goal for my '66 was to put some 4.11 gears in it and run 13's. BTW, the c6 trans has a new 2500 stall custom converter for it as well. '66 was the first year for the c6 trans and there aren't any dedicated shift kits for that valve body. I used one from a later '68 that may or may not work.

Spoon II > JR1
06/24/2014 at 16:53

The actual upper part of the body seems to be in surprisingly good shape from the pictures. Hope it works out!

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > JR1
06/24/2014 at 18:15

If the engine is hosed, and you're not looking to keep it original, how hard would it be to put, say, a small block Ford in there? I couldn't bring myself to suggest an SBC

JR1 > briannutter1
06/24/2014 at 19:02

So you must have really wanted a hot rod Lincoln just like the old song? Hahaha I like it

JR1 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
06/24/2014 at 19:04

I would never put a Gm motor in a Lincoln. And I am considering it. I have never done an engine swap though and it has to be cheap (poor ass college student.)

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > JR1
06/24/2014 at 19:15

Since you're looking for cheap, you won't be looking for built (yet) Check junkyards and craigslist for something older as a good candidate. Maybe try looking at old F series with 351W's, those are fairly common. You could also probably put a 300 six cylinder if you tried. Once you have a candidate the hardest part would probably be getting fuel to it

ranwhenparked > JR1
06/24/2014 at 19:17

The paint and body don't look that bad at all, especially for something sitting neglected for 22 years. I'd assume the broken windows haven't done the interior much favors though. Fantastic car though, a nice reminder of what it was like when American luxury brands really did "luxury".

JR1 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
06/24/2014 at 19:23

That is what I am currently worried about the gas cap has sat open for 20 odd years. Gas tank and lines are probably dirty as hell

JR1 > ranwhenparked
06/24/2014 at 19:24

Thats one of my favorite parts about the car. It truly is one of America's luxury cars at it's finest. And the interior is pretty poor.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > JR1
06/24/2014 at 19:26

Probably, but that would be a step I suggest anyway. Sitting that long the metal tank is sure to be rusted (although i'm not certain where you're located) and fuel lines would be good to do anyhow

JR1 > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
06/24/2014 at 19:30

I am in a wet area so it needs to be done. The tank doesn't look all that terrible. I have even hit it which a hammer and no rust fell off!

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > JR1
06/24/2014 at 19:31

The inside would be what I'm worried about. Find out how to remove it and drain it (I'm sure there's some unknown fluid in there) and inspect the inside.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > JR1
06/24/2014 at 20:10

If the engine is blown put in a Ford 7.3l diesel. It'd be so wicked to see that thing pouring out black smoke.

JR1 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/24/2014 at 20:17

That would be excellent

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > JR1
06/24/2014 at 21:40

Looking forward to the build photos.

briannutter1 > JR1
06/25/2014 at 09:28

yeah, that engine build was a lot of fun and would have turned our 66 into a total sleeper.