Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

B

BigDaddy

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Hi all,
Mike from Tampa here. I've got a 1988 Signature Series.. I believe it's what is called a " Sail America" edition. Lincoln was a big sponsor of the America's Cup yacht race, so they wanted something witha nautical theme. It doesn't have any badging denoting such, but from the color schemes,it fits the description. It's white with white leather, dark blue carriage roof,two tone blue pinstriping and solid disc spoked wheels. ASC added the top and interior. I don't believe it's the "America's Cup" edition, because they had blue piping on the interior, and a red and blue pistripe... or at least the ones I've seen anyway. I'm trying to track down the sales literature for 1988 now, hoping that there's some information on this car in it. I know it was a limited production type, but don't know how many were made, or the right edition name.
I retired my previous '88 at 290k miles, and really missed it the two years I drove my '71 Coupe deVille. So, as luck would have it, I was walking through the parking lot at work, and what should come drifting majestically by, but this white '88 Town Car... I felt my heart skip a beat. It desperately needed a good detailing, but it ran flawlessly, so I caught the owner as he was getting out, and told him that if he ever wanted to sell, to look me up. Well, he told me to make an offer, I offered $1500, and he accepted ! The interior is near perfect, and it has 20k miles on a rebuilt engine and transmission.( He bought it from his mother in law..) Turns out, he didn't want to spend the $800 to fix the A/C, so he bought a '97 Town Car instead, as he wanted to go a bit newer. I don't really like white cars, and I don't really like carriage roofs, but the longer I own this one, the more attractive it becomes. Isn't it ironic ? LOL !
When they brought the car to me, his wife drove the '88, she got out and introduced herself, and said.." I want you to know I've been fighting him on this". She was half joking, I could tell, and I asked "Why?" She said " I like the '97, but it doesn't ride and drive like this one. This one feels so much better to me, I love it!" I replied " well, you keep this one, and let me have the '97!" Well, needless to say, I kept the '88 ( which I preferred anyway..) and gave her visitation rights..LOL !
I'm hoping that I'll get to post here regularly, and I apologize about being so long winded, but anyone who knows me will tell you that I HATE being deprived of a good story to tell..LOL ! Does anyone know anything about this particular edition of Town Car ? Any information will be greatly appreciated. I'll post pics as soon as I figure out how !

Thanks, Mike aka BigDaddy
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

Mike, I think you are wrong on the car's year. I believe that it's a 1987. The name of the package was "Stars & Stripes America's Cup Edition" ~
The features were:-
* Wire Spoke Aluminum Wheels (Genuine Wire Wheels)
* Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
* Carriage Roof
* JBL Audio System
* Leather Interior
The original list price was $2,456.00 / The invoice price was $ 2,063.00.

The body was white, the roof was dark blue & the interior was white.
It was NOT repeated for 1988.

It WAS in fact repeated in the 90s, when it was renamed "Spinnaker Edition".

It was also possible to get a 1987/1988 in white with dark blue carriage roof & white interior. The main difference was the wheels and on the deck lid there was a white decal with a blue sail boat drawing, and lkike blue waves under it, like vvvvv.
The order code was 6002 in 1987.
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

Sandy,
Thanks so much for researching ! Mine definitely is an '88.. the VIN checks out, the date of production,it's titled as an '88, etc. I've got the JBL sound system, teh carriage roof, the leather wrapped steering wheel, but mine doesn't have the sailboat on the decklid... I do know that it was repainted, but didn't add that back on for whatever reason. I'd like to add pictures to my post, how do I go about it ?
Thanks, Mike
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

Sorry, I meant the decklid alone had been repainted... the paint had checked, so the previous owner had it repainted. The rest of the car is original.
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

Okay, but further checking reveals that the same decal on the deck lid was also on the front fenders, down low, just above the bodyside moulding, between the door hinge area the the front wheel opening.. I think then that yours is a white TC with the carriage roof in dark blue with white leather. What leads you to believe its the sail boat Edition?

Regarding pictures. I am the computer-dumbest of all on this site, and have less of a clue than you have ! :) The pictures below of my cars was done for me.
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

Sandy,
I misunderstood your previous post.. I thought you had meant there was one sailboat decal on the decklid on the NON America's Cup cars. I had a blond moment, I hope you'll forgive me..LOL ! I had a friend who had an Americas Cup when it was new, and I remember the sailboat decals on the front fenders, the red and blue pinstipe, and the blue piping on the seats. I've had a couple of people comment that they thought it was an America's Cup, and I told them it wasn't, that I'd heard in 88 there was another name for it, the Sail America edition, but wasn't sure. So I hope you understand my confusion on what this car is, or isn't.
There doesn't seem to be many around in this color combination. There's only one in my area, and strangely enough, we pass each other every day going back and forth to work ! I haven't had time to flag them down and chat,we just exchange admiring glances and waves, and keep moving. I really am not fond of a white car, nor a carriage roof, so it's kind of ironic that I ended up with this one !! LOL! But the longer I own it, the more attractive it gets. It's a very striking car. I've named it "Lillibell", after a family friend... she was tall and willowy, light complected, graceful, charming, and could turn heads no matter where she went, so it seemed a natural name for this car... LOL !
Also, I wanted to compliment you on your enw Town Car.... VERY beautiful ! Thanks for exchanging posts with me, it's a pleasure.

Yours, Mike
 
RE: Special Edition Town Cars Revisited

So.....is it - or isn't it ??

My info shows that the sole "special edition" for 1988 was the silver body one with the cranberry roof & cranberry interior.

The "sail boat" (America's Cup) edition retured for 1990 (or 1991 - I'd have to check). That time it was called the "SPINNAKER EDITION". It was white with dual pin stripes on the side in dark red and navy blue. The interior was a killer. It was navy blue with white piping all over & white embrioarded Lincoln stars on the seat backs. Town cars have had alot of special editions since the redesign of 1990. Black Tie Affair was my favorite. It was black, with white leather interior with black piping all over. Jack Nickelhaus was popular in green, but also available in seldom seen white.
 
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