Versailles

Sandy

Registered
I've been lOOking at some Versailles sites. You know, this is a pretty interesting car. Sure, negitives are all around, but I have found photos of Versailles Limos, and even a 2-Door version. The more I read, the more interesting it gets. Had there not been a Granada nor a Monarch, this car would have been wildly successful. It just looked too much like a much lower priced FoMoCo product. But if taken on its own merits, it was pretty cool.
 
RE: Versailles

Interesting factoid: the 1978 Lincoln Versailles was the first Ford vehicle to use electronic engine management with the EEC-I.

I also know that the Versailles is sort of a "holy grail" of a junkyard find because it came with a 9" disc brake rear end that everyone wanted to swap into their Mustang or Maverick or whatever.

[font color = blue]Tony - St. Louis, MO[/font]
1998 LSC - Toreador Red/Light Graphite
1987 Mustang GT - Oxford White hatchback
 
RE: Versailles

Yes, that is true about the brakes. Funny, the most UNlikely speciman of the youth, hits a home run in the junk yard!

And, Tony I did not see you arrive, so WELCOME TO YOU and enjoy your stay
 
RE: Versailles

Sandy: a little out of place but since I have your attention. I posted the other day mentioning that I recently rode in a diesel powered Mark VII. He said he gets some ungodly high fuel mileage.
 
RE: Versailles

Funny, the most UNlikely speciman of the youth, hits a home run in the junk yard!

And, Tony I did not see you arrive, so WELCOME TO YOU and enjoy your stay
I thought the same thing. I remember reading an article in a magazine once where the authors went junkyarding. They found a Versailles that had been in the yard for TWO HOURS and already the rear end was gone. I've kept my eyes open in junkyards ever since, but I have yet to see any Versailles.

And thank you for the welcome, Sandy! I posted a message in "the glove box" - I have a new user name now so maybe it slipped past your radar ;)

[font color = blue]Tony - St. Louis, MO[/font]
1998 LSC - Toreador Red/Light Graphite
1987 Mustang GT - Oxford White hatchback
 
RE: Versailles

I saw it now.

Art, if you ever come back here, just in case....That's a BMW engine in THAT Mark 7, and it's damn rare. They could not give those units away. They all wound up at dealer auctions with low miles on them. Fo Mo Co company cars. Somewhere I have the EXACT number made. Bark here if you'd want it.
 
RE: Versailles

Sandy - My mother had a 1978 Versailles that I serviced for her. I found it not very reliable and a very difficult car to maintain. It also was assembled using parts from many others, for example the power brake system operated from the power steering pump and the AC compressor were both from GM. The 302 cu in V8 and 2V carb were quite weak on power. It did have a nice, smooth and quiet ride.

http://home.earthlink.net/~patrussell/images/mark_viii/rt66_car2a.jpg
Pat
'94 - 98,000 miles
 
RE: Versailles

I sold them, new. The funny part was that "traditional" Lincoln loyalists, such a stock brokers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, bankers, CEOs and business owners shunned the car like if it was the FLU! The buyers were the Ford & Mercury people who, because it LOOKED like a Monarch or Granada, they felt that they could buy it.....but it was like $3,000 more, and getting their credit thru was near impossible in most cases, thus the dismal sales numbers, thus the cancellation of the car, which is why the LS of current status does NOT look like a Taurus/Sable !
 
RE: Versailles

I was looking at an old Ford Street Rod at a show one time and it had Versailles front & rear suspension.

Must of had air suspension which the guy wanted.

[link:www.geocities.com/cping3/lincolnversailles.html|After a search, I realize why.] The Versailles combines the strongest rear end - the Ford 9-inch, with rear discs.


http://members.tccoa.com/lastmrk/Images/lastmrk2.jpg
 
RE: Versailles

Interesting thread. My brother's 2nd 68 mustang has a granda disk brake swap on the front, and we still troll junk yards looking for that holy grail 9" with disk brakes.

The Versailles kinda reminds me of that Continental with the sloped rear trunk that looked like a cadillac as far as popularity. I can't remember what that thing was called, but I think it was mid 80's.

Scott
 
RE: Versailles

Interesting thread. My brother's 2nd 68 mustang has a granda disk brake swap on the front, and we still troll junk yards looking for that holy grail 9" with disk brakes.

The Versailles kinda reminds me of that Continental with the sloped rear trunk that looked like a cadillac as far as popularity. I can't remember what that thing was called, but I think it was mid 80's.

Scott

You actually got it!~ It WAS called the CONTINENTIAL
 
RE: Versailles

The Versailles was garbage. Is garbage. Belongs in the garbage. I sold those pieces of junk too. Can't say a good thing about them so I will say no more. That, and the Cimarron. You can't take a POS Monarch, add (more like $5000) to the price and call it a luxury car. Even back then, people were too smart.

'98 Pristine LSC
'93 MonsterMark V-10 Twin Turbo (Project Car)
'93 Tri-Coat White High Miler
Bryan
 
RE: Versailles

Thing I recall most about them was that frequently the finance reserve commission was LARGER than the sales commission on the car! I'll bet somewhere there is someone still making payments on their Versailles ! :) Some financed it for 5 years, and still had no equity in it at the middle of the 5th year!
 
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