New Owner Checklist

Disclaimer – This is our own routine. We are sharing this in hoping it can be informative to you. We are not responsible for your own decisions and actions with regards to you or anyone else work with cars.


Restoration Game Plan 

Congratulations!!! You are now the owner of the most beautiful American Made Sedan. However, there are challenges and safety issues to be aware of and addressed. The most common mistake is to do paint and interior first before making sure the Lincoln is running great. Therefore, it is preferred to do the following.

  1. Safety – These safety issues should be addressed first: brakes, electrical, suspension, steering, and fuel.
  2. Drivetrain – Then move on to the drivetrain: engine, ignition, cooling and transmission.
  3. Paint and interior – Address the body/paint and interior upholstery.

Safety
These classic cars are great but age and design flaws need to be addressed asap. NEVER leave the car running without blocking the tires. These cars are notorious for popping into Reverse on their own.

  1. Brakes – if possible, swap out of the single Master Cylinder and replace with a dual master. While at it, consider a brake booster rebuild. This is also the time to think about upgrading to front discs if you can afford them. A single master will leave you no brakes if there is a leak in the line.
  2. Electrical – The 64 and 65 have an poorly insulated amp gauge. This can result in a short and causing fire to the car. It is advised to bypass the amp gauge by cutting the wires at the gauge and connect them directly to each other. This is also the time to think about upgrading to a 1 wire alternator from Tuff Stuff.
  3. Steering and Suspension
    • From 1963 to early 1968, Ford added rubber to the steering gear box bushing. These deteriorate over time and will cause shaky steering. These will need to be replaced immediately. This is a good time to check all your ps lines to make sure it is not going to fail on you. The usual suspect is the line from the steering gearbox to the windshield wiper motor. Ford didn’t put a hydraulic line but rather a thicker rubber line. A local shop can rebuild this line for you.
    • For all years, buy a front-end suspension rebuild kit and replace all bushing. Optional to replace the bushing in the back rear springs as well as check your shocks.
  4. Steering column rebuild – Check your neutral safety switch to make sure the car starts in the P position without you playing with the gear shift indicator and moving it to the right. There is a video online that explains why this movement is a likely reason why the car pops into reverse. It’s a good time to check the linkage from the gearshifter to the transmission. There is a video online explaining this.
  5. Fuel – The goal here is to clean up the fuel system so that it doesn’t cause an issue with your car.
    • Decide whether to stay with a mechanical fuel pump or go electrical at this stage
      • Mechanical – Use a Carter 3 port fuel pump along with a heat shield to prevent vapor lock. Vapor lock is when the fuel becomes too hot and doesn’t move to the carb. A common symptom is the car can’t start after a drive and you have to wait for it to cool down before starting again. Have your pump rebuilt if possible.
      • Electrical – This will also eliminate vapor locks. But we recommend using a safety device with electrical pumps so that the pump shuts down in the event of a car accident. You can use an inertia switch (amazon) or an oil pressure switch. Google is your best friend.
        b. Replace all the rubber fuel lines and blow out the metal lines to ensure there is no obstruction.
        c. Clean the fuel tank and replace the fuel sending unit.
        d. Put in a fuel pressure gauge before the fuel reaches the carburetor so that you can see the status of the fuel, whether the system is delivering fuel or not at the proper psi.

Drivetrain – DO NOT LET ANYONE TOUCH YOUR LINCOLN WITHOUT EXPERIENCE OF WORKING ON THEM ALREADY. If your mechanic needs help, have him contact me or the experts on Lincoln social media groups.

  1. Engine and Transmission – This is a good time to decide if you want to keep it as is, refresh it, or rebuild it. Lastly, LS or Coyote swap is also a possibility.
    • The stock engine came with plastic in the timing chain. This will cause a catastrophic engine failure if these plastic coating pieces break and go in the oil pan.
    • This is also a good time to replace the water diverters and remove the thermostats located at the water pump.
  2. Ignition
    • The first thing you need to do is verify the top dead center of the harmonic balancer is still at zero degree. These do move over time and some will need to be rebuilt. We do rebuild these for you. There’s a video on our youtube channel on this subject.
    • Distributor – check to make sure your distributor is working as it should. At idle, you should be around 6btd for a 430 engine or 10 btdc for a 462. At 2k rpm, you should see the timing increases by 4 degrees. If you are not getting any advance, then it is time to rebuild your distributor as you will not have the proper acceleration or power.
    • Pertronix – This is time to throw away your points ignition and upgrade to pertronix. You’ll thank me later. Also, buy the a matching coil to go with it.
  3. Cooling
    • Clean and test the radiator and expansion tank for leaks.
    • Get rid of the thermostats between the water pump and engine block.
    • Check the water diverters where the water pumps lines up with the block. If they are in bad shape, replace them.

Paint, Interior and Chrome

  1. Paint – The early years tend to rust at the trunk lid and hood. Best to treat it now before it eventually bubbles on you. There are fiberglass alternatives on the market.
  2. Interior – Find a reputable shop. Expect 7 to 10k for a full job.
  3. Chrome – The rear bumper ends tend to rust. Dirt built up over time in them. Clean them out so that water can drain.

Resources
FB Groups
a. Suicide Slabs https://www.facebook.com/groups/suicideslabs/

b. The Rattys https://www.facebook.com/groups/233266360534615/

c. Suicide Kings https://www.facebook.com/groups/1766154260136474/ 

d. Lincoln Buy Sell Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1482962168621708/ 

e. Lincoln Hacks and Tips https://www.facebook.com/groups/953849578279952/