zeitgeist57

FIRST MOD: WHITEWALLS AND WIRE WHEELS. After driving this thing for a few weeks before the first December snow/icefall, I quickly fell in love with it. All of the couples my wife and I hang out with thought it was the greatest car: EVERYONE had a story of their father or grandfather having a Lincoln like this. People loved smelling the interior. I'd get texts from friends that would see me driving it around town. I'd get lookers at stoplights and thumbs-up as I cruised. My kids named it "Bunny" because of the soft, furry interior. This thing was pimp-tastic. As I mentioned before, I couldn't NOT modify this thing in the only way it should be done: lowriding, with a nod to the era it used to own. No crazy 20"+ wheels, no bumping stereo with fiberglass enclosures...just fresh, crisp, and clean. The wheel covers, shockingly, are a rare and relatively expensive 1978-only Continental option. It's funny what automakers spent money on in those days. I found used caps online for over $150 per wheel! http://imgur.com/BYFvtXml.jpg Holy positive-offset, Batman! They were clean, but they HAD to go. In my mind, the only good wheel for this type of car was a true wire rim. Over the winter, I spent an insane amount of time researching and shopping for wire wheels online: contacting shops in California, combing ads on Craigslist, and searching eBay. Trying to find the right fitment is tough enough with wire wheels - trying to do it with a stingy budget was maddening. THANKFULLY, I finally found some mis-labeled ad out in New Lexington from some guy selling "Daytons" (these aren't Daytons). for cheap. I called him and told him those are in great shape, but not Daytons. He knocked off a couple hundred, and I bought them for less than $400 with the knock-offs and adapters. http://imgur.com/rW8u4y3l.jpg Having wire wheels on any vehicle is a learning experience. There is definitely a few steps that have to be adhered to in order to keep you, the car, and others on the road safe. However, when it comes together I knew it would look good. http://imgur.com/t1xBq3Hl.jpg After meeting the old guy who had the wire wheels, I realized I had no idea what the offset of the wheels would be. At this picture with the test fit, I was initially afraid there wasn't enough negative offset. I didn't want the wheels to poke out, but at least let's try to fill the wheel wells. Secretly, I always had it in my mind that I'd need room to clear an air-ride suspension system. After getting the wheels, it was a little more searching online for the right set of whitewalls. I wanted to go fatter, but the game gets pricey very quickly, and Vogue's were insanely priced. I ended up calling Derek @ Best One Tire and he hooked me up with a compromise (thinner whitewall) but on a good tire at a great price. All of the guys in the shop were as geeked as I was to be throwing some whitewalls on wire rims. Again, everyone had a story about family/friends in the old-skool/lowriding game! http://imgur.com/UAGmBwQl.jpg http://imgur.com/I69Qcxgl.jpg I ended up loving the fitment - from 225/70-15 to 235/75-15, again...finding good whitewall tires on a budget was tough! - and even with a much fatter tire, you can easily stick a fist in the wheel gap and there is at LEAST 8" of wheelwell above the tires. How it sits today. http://imgur.com/sgDz7xnl.jpg I watched too many Compton references in the '90s...I had to get chrome half-shields for the headlights. http://imgur.com/CU76fyCl.jpg NEXT UPDATE: AIR BAG COMPONENTS!

My original pictures - including "FOR SALE" sign when I saw it on the back country road. Note the gravel driveway and the farm across the street. http://imgur.com/aevwc9nl.jpg You gotta appreciate some old-guy's handwriting flat-out CROSSING OFF the sale price. That's pretty much the "tell" to me that I had to call. http://imgur.com/5aRanidl.jpg Hello, my CTS-V! Tough to get traffic when the only things looking at your Lincoln in the driveway are farm animals. http://imgur.com/yIP3Nqal.jpg Headlight doors work, they just lose vacuum after a day or so and slowly creep back open. These were the money shots the guy sent me after our phone call. I sent them to the wifey. She was on board after that! http://imgur.com/9VGR4TIl.jpg http://imgur.com/Iya4nVjl.jpg http://imgur.com/2HcYmuql.jpg http://imgur.com/uYJLWsZl.jpg

BTW, if you're Corporate Ohio right now, you have apparently left your office to go to Cleveland for the parade. If tallies are accurate there have to be a half-million strong at that parade. A couple guys in our office here are up there...and nearly all of my partners in Cleveland are answering cell phones with cheering and sirens in the background. I'm proud of the Cavs, LeBron, and Cleveland...but LOL at needing to be there.

Honestly, with a lot of these around me in my high-school/college years, this car talks to me. LOVE that it's a 5-speed. Unfortunately, I really can't justify getting a car like that when it's going to need MORE than A/C work. I've got enough problems as it is with the junk I have! My standards keep rising. Not by much, but they're rising.

I *may* have emailed the seller... "It is not in mint-factory condition. It's a 26 year old car: there are scratches and marks in the paint, a few stains in the upholstery, ac needs recharged, etc. etc. But mechanically, everything works fine and can be driven."

I also first saw the Figaro through Mighty Car Mods, then saw a couple for sale through Japanese Classics right around the time you showed off your Fig, Doc. Looks great! I remember seeing a similar "Le Castellet" wheel on Wolfsburg-edition VW Cabriolets when I was growing up.

For as clean as that looks, I'd be careful it's not a scam. I've been looking at stick-shift F150s on and off, and a month ago on SearchTempest I saw the same picture in several regional CL sites with different - albeit all unbelievably low - prices for the vehicle. Different descriptions, too!!!

Thanks for the support, guys! I meant to get some pics up but had a Clippers after-work event last night and a birfday party and board meeting tonight. Will update shortly.

I just had a great lunch conversation with a business partner - one of his clients owns a private airstrip near Washington C.H. As a fellow car-guy, he said he'd be happy to let us use it for private gatherings and high-speed runs. I offered - knowing my CR and CC&C peeps - to vet the infrastructure needed to host an event like this. Let's line a few things up: - Assume it's a 3000-5000ft runway, - there wouldn't be side-by-side racing allowed. - There also wouldn't be any timing equipment unless someone brought it in. - There would have to be some sort of CR committee to regulate who registers, or at least who participates. What would the fee be? My head hurts thinking about all of the fun this could be - but also the responsibility to the strip owner and liability of things gone wrong. Anyone have experience with this? (Thinking also of Wilmington ECTA Mile volunteers/participants).

After stumbling over this old beast in Salem, OH last fall, I bought it from the original family owner (inherited it from his dad) and proceeded to fall in love with driving a land yacht. I quickly realized that - given my love for rap/hip-hop culture growing up in the '80s-90s - I had to airbag this thing. Over the winter, I spent countless hours going over and over internet forums and company recommendations/suggestions for air ride suspension setups. While there were a few kits that were close, no over-the-counter kits were available for the '77-'79 Mark V Continentals, so I realized I'd have to piece a kit together. Compounding my decision was the fact that I am a perennial cheap-a$$, and $1500 for a kit just wouldn't do. Thanks to Chris (Smokey), and a few other CC&C contacts, I received great advice on what to focus on: - aluminum air tank, at least 5 gallons. - Dual air compressors (NOT CHEAP ONES!) - 3/8" air lines if possible for faster fill/dump speed. - manual valves instead of electric solenoids. This isn't California, and moisture/cold temps can be a problem. - 2600lb air bags, all four corners. I ended up going through eBay, sourcing parts and prices. For what I was looking for, I found AirBagIt was a decent vendor. I purchased two kits: - 5gal steel tank, with 2 Viair 444C compressors: $294/shipped. - Full suspension kit: 2600lb bags, brackets, manual valves and gauges, lines and fittings: $600/shipped. Pics to come. I am excited to get wrenching on my Lincoln, and get this big bish bagged and slammed as soon as possible.

Good call. Was there last year and there were at least a dozen people perched outside of the fence between Barnstormers and the Fire House waiting for the Tri-Power to fire up. Sad...because it's great events like this that remind me how much I both love summertime and hate how quickly it goes by.

+1 for Marc. And that's an understatement. ....and I've worked in banking for 15+ years.

Thanks, Scott! I can give it to Kevan if you're not around.

I'm not a sports guy, but I watched the last 6 minutes of Game 6 and the last 5 minutes of last nights' game, and I have to say - it was amazing to watch. Throughout the year, I totally agree that, like MOST sports stars, they seem baby-ish when you're peppered by their antics and complaints. Listen, if people reported on the negative stuff YOU said through Sports Media 24/7, you'd seem like a whiny bish as well. My point is, for all their foibles, I find most Playoffs and Championship Series (for professional sports) to truly be the best-of-the-best and worthy of viewing. :thumbup:

Forgot about the s-m-l trick for Imgur photos. Fixed now.

Hey, guys...in watching this video, I was reading the comments and heard Matt Farah at the end talking about "whitelisting" this video on Adblock. Can someone provide a primer on what I should be doing for Adblocking? I run Chrome on a Mac. Thanks!

I bought this from TSC on West Broad last year around this time, to use on Chad(Starkmaster03)'s Duramax truck. I was "voluntold" by my wife to drive the preschoolers' float in the Upper Arlington 4th of July Parade. Hitch and tee-ruk worked perfectly. "Farm And Ranch" 2" ball Combination Hitch. Fits a 2" square receiver hitch. Rated for up to 12,500 lbs. http://imgur.com/7pGOhyRl.jpg http://imgur.com/Hx5D68ll.jpg http://imgur.com/HloiUBjl.jpg Only used ONE TIME as you can see from the 2" ball - very lightly scratched. I'd keep it but my Cleetus doesn't have a trailer hitch. $50. http://i.imgur.com/5TzUr1B.gif

Sold.

white-hot.:gabe: Great article, Wags!

May you have better luck than I have. I bought VEGI back in the winter anticipating that feeding the world and aggressive crop estimates would bolster the Ag market, and this thing has gone down 10-12% and just flatlined on me. Mutual Funds are less about the underlining stocks and more about the name and marketability of the fund family. At least ETF's are more linked to the market.

Jordan is the man. :thumbup:

I picked up the game at the last 6 minutes and it was - by far - one of the greatest spectacles in professional sports I've watched...and I was floorside last year for Game 4 of the Cavs/Hawks. Also, LOL: http://deadspin.com/the-nba-finals-have-blessed-us-with-dank-memes-1782139484

+1. ...and the bedsides are so high that you need a ladder to put your 4 bags of groceries in the back.

That is a nice wagon. Congrats!

Kerry, you are so full of yourself it's ridic. Thorne, greg, Benjamin, Trouble Maker...shit, I know a LOT of guys on this board that aren't right wing nutjobs like you feel the entirety of CR is. They just don't bother to fight to the guys that post regurgitated Glenn Beck/Trump/Hannity lines. Honestly, the only person "vigorously attacked" is you. Seriously, dude. In 14 years and a few election cycles, you're the only one I see on CR that keeps typing and typing and typing about some torch you're carrying in the darkness, wielding your sword of justice to slay the dark souls of CR......and you're the first one to cry bloody murder when someone responds.