Junk Yard Rescue 1990 Lincoln Mark VII

Hope you enjoy the story of my junk yard rescue 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC SE. This Garnet Red Beauty sat unwanted in a row with other Lincolns since January 3rd, 2003.

On March 6th, 2004, while scrounging for parts for my other cars, I came across this Mark VII. It stood out like a diamond among stones. I couldn't help but notice how nice the body and paint were! After looking at the interior, I quickly found out why this car was here!

Before I left the yard, I asked the owner if the car was for sale. He agreed to sell it to me if I wanted it. I could not afford to buy it that day, but I left the yard and immediately began scheming a way to buy it.

After obsessing for two weeks, I returned on March 20th, 2004 armed with a brand new battery, jumper box, tons of tools, a roll-around jack, 3 gallons of fresh fuel, and some diagnostic equipment to attempt to start it up.

Between discovering that someone had removed the ignition rotor and trying to disconnect an aftermarket alarm, the engine finally came to life! Surprisingly, the engine did not knock, smoke, or run rough. In fact, it idled VERY smoothly! While the engine idled, the air ride compressor filled the air bags up and the suspension returned to the proper ride height. The two flat tires were replaced with scavenged mini-spares, and off we drove to check the transmission and braking operation.

Although the transmission experienced "delayed engagement", the car did move forward and backward. Unfortunately, I could not go fast enough for the transmission to shift into anything above 2nd gear. The brakes worked fine. No dash lights or warning lights were staying on.

What sealed the deal was the air conditioning still worked! While sitting in the driver's seat and cooling off , I decided I needed to rescue this car from scavengers and THE CRUSHER!

I hope you enjoy the rest of my web site! You will find pictures of what I started with, the reconstruction, and pictures of some of the cruises and shows I have attended since finishing this car. In June of 2006, I participated in my first Hot Rod Power Tour. After driving down to Salem, Virginia , I "toured" on the Power Tour to Englishtown, New Jersey. All along, it performed flawless and earned the name "Red Shiny Thing".

During the reconstruction of this Mark, I met many Lincoln enthusiasts who share in my obsession. Our enthusiasm formed the groundwork to begin The Lincoln Mark VII Club, an national organization dedicated to the preservation of all Lincoln Mark VII Automobiles. And this is just the beginning.