1978 Town Coupe with Fixed Glass Moonroof

I was reminded I did not include a photo of Chris' Town Coupe.

Also a shot from the brochure. There fixed!

Cadillac & Lincoln Mutual Admiration Society

Well some people just don't learn, up late again last night. Car stuff this time, a friend dropped by with his new 1978 Lincoln Town Coupe with ultra rare fixed glass moonroof. I have only seen one of these cars in person before. Resplendent in metallic grey with unmarked grey velour, gorgeous.

I had a chance to show off the 59 Cadillac convertible and the 1971 Stutz Blackhawk, oh it kills me to have to think about ever having to sell one of these beautiful cars....sigh.

We took the 59 out for a quick cruise, top down, lovely warm night, full moon, running along Lakeshore Road with the light from Niagara Falls in the distance and the moon reflecting brightly on the water it could have been the Malecon in old Havana or the Corniche in Monaco. (I have actually driven along one of these roads in real life!)

Yes, I changed the oil and washed the dust of the 59 on the weekend, she is running well and looks like a million bucks IMHO. Last year for the canister style oil filter by the way.

Stopped off at my mother's house to show the 72 Lincoln Mark IV.

Then I had a turn being chauffeured in the Town Coupe, which I really enjoyed. Compared to last night's Cadillac and Lincoln fest it is sad to contemplate the sorry state of automotive design today.

Corvette to work this morning another glorious day, took some roads I don't normally use and was rewarded with some great scenery, oh I had seen it before but just not from that perspective.

Ok I will try and preserve this automotive high throughout my work day.

Lincoln Mark IV Super Jump

Since I am in a Mark sort of mood this week.

You will believe a Mark IV can fly, well kinda:

http://www.racevideoforums.com/forums/other/4194-video-1976-1-mile-car-jump-gone-wrong-lincoln-jet-car.html

Apparently the stunt was originally designed by the "Mad Canadian" Ken Carter but he was replaced by American driver Kenny Powers at the last minute. Needless to say things did not end well. However, kudos for using a Lincoln Mark IV, to paraphrase Dr. Brown from Back to the Future, if you're gonna build a jet powered car to jump the St.Lawrence River, why not do it with some style?

Full story here:

http://crudelyinterrupted.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/rocket-man/

Praise the Lowered

The 1976 Lincoln Mark IV finally had its custom made Eaton Detroit coil springs installed. The suspension work was done by Rob Neely for an article in Canadian Hot Rods magazine. Thanks to Mike at Eaton the Lincoln has left nose bleed territory and is now much closer to terra firma. The Mark IVs always rode too high in stock mode giving the impression of roller skate wheels. The 20 inch KMC SS mags now look like they truly belong on this Continental.

Two compliments yesterday while washing the almost non existent paint in the driveway yesterday, one from a real estate agent and the other from someone who looked a little more gangsta. Praise from such divergent demographics, I am quite chuffed.

http://www.eatonsprings.com/

Top Goes Down / Top Goes Up

A new 370 Z Roadster, I know not Toro XS's usual ride...it's a press car.

I am a Detroit loyalist (die hard, insurgent?) but this has been fun. I have a soft spot for the original 240Z and even considered buying one...kinda small though.

Sorry no technical ramblings just gut feel, speeding along with the top down on the back country roads I take to and from work was bordering on joyous. Perhaps it was just the blue sky, the promise of summer and new tunes on the ipod....but some part of me has to give credit to the 370.

Despite it being a cool morning I still put the top down and I was snug as a bug with the heater blowing in my face and the heated seats warming the rest. Fast too, pity I have to give her back.

A red roadster is however a bit of a chick car, women seem to really like the 370. Bottom line, everyone should own a convertible at least once in their life.

Summer's Here and the Time is Right....

A great photo of a prototype 1959 Eldorado convertible at the GM design center. GM always shot their prototypes in this private walled yard, in some photos you can see the car is sitting on a sunken turn table.

Think I stole this from http://www.deansgarage.com/ check it out a great automotive design site.

I think I am posting this an encouragement to myself and anyone else out there who has yet to get their pride and joy out of winter storage. My 59 series 62 has been gathering dust and is in need of some tinkering. Time to clean out the garage and belatedly celebrate earth day by running its high compression 10.5 -1, tri-powered 390 cubic inch V8.

May the biggest carbon footprint win!

Corvette vs Tesla

The 79 L82 Corvette received a new dual Magnaflow system a few weeks ago and she sounds great.

Yesterday evening I had to return a Tesla press car, actually very impressed. The best thing in electric cars since my Strombecker slot car track, but I am not here to sing the praises of electric cars.

When dropping off the Tesla I had to park my Corvette on the street in snobby Yorkville. I know the area well as I used to work at Bay and Bloor in a previous life and often took clients to lunch at one of the many expensive restaurants in Yorkville.

The street would invariable be lined with exotic cars, Bentleys, Ferraris and 911s. No different last night, even spotted a Lotus Exige (a close relation to the Tesla). The Corvette looked totally incongruous but cool amongst the euro trash. I am also proud to report that it got more than its share of attention. While I stood with the hood open, to let the engine cool off after a high speed highway run then stuck in a traffic jam on Bay St, I had strangers come and compliment the car or take photos.

Even driving up Bay in heavy traffic pedestrians pointed out the Corvette and seemingly ignored the new Tesla, worth about ten times more than the Corvette.

To be fair if one could time travel back to 1979 the Corvette would be the perfect poser car for Yorkville but age and timeless styling....plus that great sounding exhaust has served to make her the last word in cool....at least for a few minutes last night.