(Rough Start is a new feature here at BangShift. With this, McTaggart will scout a random Craigslist area for a car that can be bought and driven for $2,500 [under “by owner” only], and be made cool under a $5,000 budget. It’s how he’s operated for years, and hopefully it will inspire some creative ideas of your own. If you want to suggest a location for him to search for his next Rough Start vehicle, leave a comment below!)
To start this week’s Rough Start, I’m going to take a soft pitch. Welcome to Phoenix, Arizona. The hot sun keeps the rust at bay, but the electrical systems are eaten by desert pack rats, the interior roasts to a crisp, and paint just bakes right off. It’s easy to find older cars, but one that is useable as a daily driver…well, that’s a different story altogether.
It took fifteen seconds to find today’s Rough Start in a ’88 Lincoln Mark VII. The AeroBird-based Lincoln was doing quite well for itself. Lincoln had trimmed the fat from the Continental Mark models, and instead of being luxury-loaded aircraft carriers with hidden headlights, the Marks of the late Eighties presented themselves as a fairly serious threat with European styling and all-American horsepower, which culminated with the LSC, which got the Mustang’s 5.0 H.O. motor and AOD automatic.
This particular Mark VII has been treated to the flat-black look except for the hood, which appears to be the stock white color with a gray stripe down the center. Mustang Bullitt wheels look good and appropriately sized, though the center caps are AWOL. The 5.0 is present and accounted for in the clean enough engine bay. The pictures show a trashed interior, but nothing that can’t be scrubbed clean. The seats might need seat covers for the moment and some repairs later, and the driver’s door panel is missing, but there isn’t anything that can’t be taken care of.
The eye-raiser with this Hot Rod Lincoln is that the engine and trans have been refreshed recently, the trans getting a shift kit, and for extra kick, there is a set of 4:10 gears out back. Economy be damned, this Mark is a tire fryer! The buyer has drawn the line at $1500, mainly because a streetbike has caught his fancy and he’s trying to cough up the rest of the dough. People do strange things when they want something badly, and judging from the price, he’s decided that the Lincoln has to go.
Finish up the black on the hood, spend a few hours detailing the interior and this Mark VII could be a very sweet car. Unless there’s some hidden secrets with the powertrain, I’m certain that at the $5,000 budget you’d have plenty left to play with.
The link to the Lincoln’s Craigslist ad can be found here.
Would you roll the dice on this Mark VII? Be sure to suggest locations for the next Rough Start search!
Sure, why not? It’s a Mustang GT with Lincoln skin. The Hot Rod Magazine boys had decent luck with one as a 24 Hours Of LeMons car.
You bet your ass I would. A clean paint job, set it down about 2″ and either a new 5.0, or a DOHC 4.6 and call it a day!
Yes. A great foundation for a “dare to be different” street sweeper!
That back tire’s a little sketchy . . . too short.
Advanced Engineering West built one with a 351w and 5spd back in the late 80’s , I drove it and it was very nice…and quick. My wife even liked it.
With what available for a 5.0 this car could be a cool cruiser that runs 12’s.
Why not? I’ve taken chances with rougher looking cars.
You would most likely want to spend some of that budget on upgrading the air ride suspension those came with, something a little more robust. The door panel missing could be an issue as well. I would definitly take a chance with it though.
I like these cars, but I always see them dragging tail. They are neat. Would be fun to tool around in.
Hell yes! Its a foxbody- you can swap in a T-5 with no issues, and still have money left for exhaust and a cheater kit.
My uncle Ronald is a living legend here in New Orleans, had his own tv show for a min and he was also the guy u saw on horsepower tv doing the custom exhaust. Anyways he had one with a built 5.0 aod and then put a built 351. The car was awesome, my dad had at bird turbo coupe from 88 that we were going to put a 351 with a t-5 world class but other issues came upon. These cars are awesome and don’t get the respect they deserve.
hell yes! in Australia you could ask 15k for it and it’d still sell!
Where do you live in Australia? My wife’s from Sydney. She came to the States at 12.
Son, You’re gonna drive me to drinkin’ with that hot rod Lincoln!!!!
I would buy it throw on a cheap turbo swap in a five speed and have fun
Absolutley! I’m sorry I passed one up with 73k on the clock that was clean as a whistle! And with Maximum Motorsports having all things suspension available to Fox Body’s this thing could be a corner carving, cone eating, aluminator endowed track rat with some good bolt on parts.