It may not seem like it today, but there once was a time when Lincoln and performance were not mutually exclusive. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe MK VIII is an example of that era, but will its price have you singing happy days are here again?
In a shocking rebuke to both an unexplained salvage title and the general rep of high-end old Audis to magically make your money disappear, yesterday's 2003 Audi S8 dropped in a 70% Crack Pipe loss. Tears were shed and teeth gnashed over the inevitable result as the big Q ship and its compelling 6-speed conversion were seen as just too damn pricy at fifteen grand.
What if we dropped a gear and almost two-thirds of yesterday's price as well as a couple of doors, what do you think we could get for that? Well, right-here, right-now, you could pick up this sweet electric teal 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII, which like yesterday's Audi has made the move to stickdom.
That conversion probably wasn't a nut scratcher to do seeing as the VIII is MN12 T-bird-platform based, just like the lesser Cougar. Because the Lincoln shared its drawers with the T-bird it also is able to accept a whole lot of its kit as well. Maybe even some of their caboodle too.
In the case of this high-end and low-down Lincoln, that means a Tremec TR3650 5-speed, a trac lock rear end with 373 gears, and big-ass brakes from a Mustang Cobra. The five-spoke wheels are also pony-sourced but have Lincoln center caps giving the car a suitably finished look.
The engine is Ford's DOHC 4.6-litre 'Modular' V8, which from the factory was good for 280-bhp and 285 lb-ft of torque. The ad notes that this car features exhaust manifolds from a Mustang Cobra and custom pipes aft of that. One would assume that the cats are still included.
You might note that in some of the pics the car seems to be so low that it would drag its dangle, but that's not mandatory. These ran air springs when new, and this one seems like it can drop and give you 20 if the mood hits you.
Visually, the car looks excellent. It's a base VIII, but the nose has been upgraded to an LSC grille and light trim. Out back there's the vestigial hump on the trunk lid, a far cry from the phony spare tire of years past. In fact, I think the VIII was the last Lincoln so afflicted with that brand-defining styling trope.
On the inside, things look equally tidy. Sure, it's plasticky in there, but that was just what Ford interiors were like back then. Still, it's not shitty plastic, and the styling is dramatic in the extreme.
What's not to like? Well, there's a CEL that won't go out, ABS that sometimes does go out, and issues with the rear suspension that will need attention. There's also the issue of the mileage, which the seller describes as 'high.'
The price is something you may like, however,and in general isn't all that high. The asking is $6,500 and this does seem at least to be a lot of car for that money. What do you think, is this Lincoln worth that many Benjamins? Or does this VIII's price miss the Mark?
You decide!
Chicago Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Bigblockbear for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your Kinja handle.