AM Blog:
May 2010 (Archived)

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Sunday, May 30, 2010 8:54:41 AM

Correction: We have updated the 1976-1979 Cadillac Seville page as of yesterday (as well as several other pages that referenced or linked to that page), after a site visitor brought to our attention that we were indicating that the first Seville of this generation was a 1975 model, which is not correct. To clarify, the Cadillac Seville was announced in April 1975 and appeared in dealer showrooms on May 1, 1975. They were all 1976 models, introduced early. All Sevilles built during the 1975 model year were titled as 1976 models.

We are including a 1975 Cadillac Seville Parts Auctions page because some sellers will likely list parts applicable to the Seville as such, and we didn't want anyone to miss a part they needed due to that. We have added a disclaimer to that page to ensure people don't confuse its presence with the availability of a 1975 Seville model.

The changes have been made and we apologize for this oversight. Further, we'd like to add that the 1976-1979 Seville has been moved up to Phase Two of site construction from Phase Three, which means it will be published sooner than originally announced. Please refer to our Site Construction page for more information.

Post 2: Thursday, May 27, 2010 7:30:41 AM

Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury VIN Explanation tells you what those 11 digits on your data plate mean. Once you learn the basics, it becomes easy to verify a vehicle's year, which is represented by the very first digit in the number, and you'll know where it was built, what engine it left the factory with, and its body style code and consecutive unit number. This information is important to collectors as it helps verify and authenticate the vehicle.

Thursday, May 27, 2010 7:13:21 AM

Site maintenance continues with a Classic Car Sites (links) page update. A few links to sites that are no longer online were removed, and one or two others were updated. We removed one link because the site was already listed on our Classic Car Clubs and Events page, and we felt it was more appropriate there.

Post 2: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 6:39:45 PM

Just completed a link check on our Classic Car Clubs and Events page, and fixed quite a few broken links. All are verified and working properly now.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 7:31:01 AM

The Showroom is now featuring a 1979 Ford Thunderbird Heritage Edition for sale. This one is a rare color combination, Polar White paint with a Light Blue vinyl roof and bodyside molding, and a Blue Heritage Luxury Cloth interior. Very few were built in this color combination, and it's quite distinctive. Even the front and rear bumper rub strips are color-keyed light blue! The Heritage models came with almost everything standard, but this one is loaded with options, too, including Silver Glass Power Moonroof, factory CB Radio, AM/FM/Quad-8 Tape System, etc. In fact, about the only option we noticed this car doesn't have is the leather upholstery, which some say isn't preferred on this model because you lose the special emblems on the seats, and the door panels still retain the luxury cloth inserts.

If you're in the market for one of the mid-sized Thunderbirds, this is a nice original one and you sure won't come across many like it at car shows, or anywhere else for that matter!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7:54:46 AM

Since we've been adding a few Lincoln show cars over the last few days, we thought it might be nice to include the 1964 Ford Thunderbird Golden Palomino Show Car as well. Unlike some of the Lincolns, the Golden Palomino was fully functional and drivable. The most notable feature of the Golden Palomino were the "flipper" roof panels over the front bucket seats. They were hinged toward the center of the car to open up and out of the way to provide more room when entering or exiting the car. This design proposal had been included in many drawings and prototypes over the years, dating back to late 1955, but was never seriously considered due to its cost and engineering complexity.

The Golden Palomino appeared in Ford dealer showrooms across the country when it wasn't on display at an auto show. We have a few other show cars to add to the site, and will be spreading them out over the coming weeks while we work on the 1974-1975 Imperial sections.

Monday, May 24, 2010 7:34:02 AM

1965 Lincoln Continental Town Brougham Show Car represented an exterior styling update to the 1964 show car so that it matched that of the production 1965 Lincolns. This meant new front fenders, grille, front bumper, etc., were all installed. The color remained the same dark blue metallic, but was now called Dark Blue Pearl instead of Plaza Blue Pearl.

This car was cobbled, and was intended to be used for display only. It was not manufactured to be road safe. As a result of the car's structural considerations, Lincoln provided Town Brougham Handling and Care Instructions to the auto shows and anyone who might be required to move the car, clean it, or maintain it. The instructions were pretty specific, and advised to not attempt paint touch ups in the field, but to contact Lincoln and someone from the Styling paint shop would be dispatched to make repairs!

There were a few other subtle updates between the 1964 and 1965 Town Broughams, and it (or they) remain one of the most interesting concept cars created for the auto show circuit in the 1960s.

Sunday, May 23, 2010 1:11:02 PM

1964 Lincoln Continental Town Brougham Show Car followed the 1963 Lido on the auto show circuit. This time, a more extensive modification was done, with the wheelbase and overall length extended and the forward section of the roof removed to create a formal town car look with open chauffeur compartment. These modifications rendered the show car unsuitable for use on any road, so while it was operable as far as the engine, transmission, drive shaft, steering, and brakes were concerned, it was not safe for road use due to structural deficiencies.

The gauges on the instrument panel were never connected, nor were the special components provided in the rear compartment. This meant that the recommended handling procedures for moving the car were to push it by hand where it needed to go. Since this was at times impractical, Lincoln advised the car could be operated under its own power, as long as it was done so very carefully, and at low speeds. No doubt one of the most interesting Lincoln show cars ever!

Saturday, May 22, 2010 6:30:49 PM

1963 Lincoln Continental Lido Show Car was the first car created for the auto shows by Lincoln in years. The Lido was a production Lincoln Sedan that featured special trim to test public reaction to features being considered for use on future Lincolns.

By all accounts, the Lido was a hit, and many of the special trim items went into production the following year on the 1964 models. The Lido was painted a special color called Persian Sand, which was used to describe a similar color (lilac) on the 1959 Cadillacs. The metallic leather interior matched the exterior shade, and a black vinyl roof topped off the car and provided contrast for the paint and interior trim color.

Lincoln would make show cars for 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969, so the Lido definitely opened a the door for more special projects at Lincoln.

Thursday, May 20, 2010 9:38:51 AM

The 1969 Lincoln Continental section is now online. This year truly represents the end of an era. Lincoln entered the decade with a design that it knew wasn't being accepted by the luxury car market. It was the largest Lincoln ever, designed to surpass Cadillac in every area, which it did...except for sales. A new smaller Lincoln would emerge for 1961 that evolved from a design originally intended for the Ford Thunderbird. This award-winning look would forever change the impression people had of Lincoln, and would influence many automotive designs for the rest of the decade, everything from the 1963-1966 Cadillac, to the 1964-1966 Imperial and the 1969-1970 Mercury full-sized models.

The 1969 Lincoln Continentals remain true to that original 1961 styling, and many Lincoln enthusiasts feel the 1969 models are the best of the sixties, since they were the most powerful and refined of the group, and quality control at that point was as close to perfection as humanly possible. If you park a 1969 model Lincoln next to a 1961 model, the family resemblance is very strong. But as with all good things, change was inevitable and marching forward. The Lincoln Continentals of the seventies would be very much changed cars, although the stylists maintained a deep respect to the original 1961 design.

1969 would be the final year for the center-opening rear doors, a styling touch that immediately gave the Lincoln a distinction unlike that of any other car, and the unit body construction used from 1958-1969 would be replaced in 1970 with the more traditional body on frame construction, to not only save money but to also better accommodate the new larger wheelbase. So take a few minutes and go back to the year of 1969. The year that closed one of the most tumultuous decades in history, put man on the Moon, and gave us the final opportunity to buy one of the most beloved Lincolns ever.

AM Blog readers are getting this announcement one day ahead of everyone else. Enjoy!

Monday, May 17, 2010 7:04:14 PM

Site Construction page has been updated. We've shuffled around some of the various classic cars, moving them from one phase to another, as well as approved a few makes and models and added a few new suggestions to the list of cars under consideration. There will be additional refinements to this list in the next few days, as we attempt to get the maximum number of cars on line as quickly as possible. Your favorite may have been bumped up for an earlier publication date!

Saturday, May 15, 2010 10:31:58 AM

The Showroom at Automotive Mileposts presents an incredible 1979 Continental Mark V Cartier Edition for sale. Located in Illinois, this Mark V has just over 14,000 actual miles on it, and one look will reveal this mileage is accurate. Hard loaded with Power Moonroof, Electronic Quad-8/AM/FM Stereo sound system, Miles-To-Empty indicator, and virtually every option offered for 1979. The original Light Champagne paint with matching Landau vinyl roof are as fresh today as they were when the car was built. Inside, soft Champagne leather with Dark Red accent straps looks as if it's never been sat upon.

The opportunity to buy an original, unrestored, non-modified, clean Mark V will never be better than it is right now. Visit our Classic Car Showroom for more details. If you've been looking for a Mark V, this is the one.

Friday, May 14, 2010 7:07:51 AM

AUTO BREVITY answers the question, What is The Difference Between EquaLok and TractionLok Rear Axles? We've had more than one person ask us this, so we thought perhaps others might want to know as well.

Saturday, May 08, 2010 11:22:54 AM

Classic Car Clubs and Events page has been updated. We're running a bit late getting this published this year, but most of the 2010 major club related events of interest to AM readers are listed. We'll continue to update over the next week or so as more information comes in. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! (We're currently working on 1969 Lincoln Continental section.)

Wednesday, May 05, 2010 10:24:16 AM

We've updated the Lincoln Versailles Contents page with a list of notable standard equipment for the line. It's interesting to note that when it debuted, the 1977 Versailles was the best-equipped Lincoln motorcar ever. Virtually every luxury and convenience was standard, in keeping with its premium luxury image.

Sunday, May 02, 2010 9:33:43 AM

AUTO BREVITY: One-Way Drain Valve
Ever wonder where water goes when it gets into areas of your classic car that are supposed to remain dry? Well, you might be surprised to know that auto manufacturers years ago determined it was next to impossible to prevent water from getting into places it wasn't welcome, so instead of trying to block all moisture, they developed a way to manage it.

For instance, those rubber belt moldings or window sweepers or whatever you may wish to call them that are mounted at the top of the opening for the glass aren't designed to keep water out of the door. Nor are they designed to wipe rain off the outside of the glass. They do two things: first, they prevent the door glass from rattling; and second, they limit the amount of moisture in the door cavity. So what happens to water that does get into the door during a down pour or after a car wash?

It runs to the bottom of the door, where channels are normally built in that are designed to regulate the water flow to little rubber one-way drain valves. Their design is simple, their role important. We often see these parts either missing or damaged on classic cars, so we thought we'd focus on them to increase awareness and understanding.

Post 3: Saturday, May 01, 2010 10:21:38 AM

Happy Birthday, Cadillac Seville! 35 years ago today, the new 1976 Cadillac Seville appeared in dealer showrooms across the country. The new "international-sized" Seville was the smallest Cadillac built at the time, and had the highest price tag. The Seville was 27 inches shorter and five inches narrower than the 1975 Sedan deVille, and it was priced over $2,000 more than a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, the top of the line Cadillac since its introduction in 1965 as a trim option for the Sixty Special, which dated all the way back to 1938.

Almost everything was standard on the Seville, and extreme steps were taken to ensure top quality control. The Seville was built on its own exclusive assembly line formerly used for Eldorado assembly at Cadillac's home plant in Detroit. The line moved much slower than the industry standard at the time to ensure no car was rushed through the assembly process.

The 1976 Cadillac Seville was an instant hit, with 16,355 built before the end of the 1975 model year. Each was $12,479 in base form and offered few options.

To celebrate the Seville's 35th Birthday today, we're publishing the 1976-1979 Cadillac Seville page as a place holder until that section is published, which is currently scheduled as part of Phase Two, and is being researched now.

Post 2: Saturday, May 01, 2010 8:20:31 AM

AutomotiveMileposts.com sets new all-time record for visits in April 2010. After breaking this record in March, we broke it again in April due to the support of our visitors. Our traffic was up .2% for the month. Thank you to all for your continued support of AM!

Saturday, May 01, 2010 8:14:27 AM

1968 Lincoln Continental was said to be America's most distinguished motorcar. Lincoln said there was a secret satisfaction that not everyone in the neighborhood owned one. And part of that was due to slower sales and production in 1968, the second year in a row for Lincoln to not show an increase after six consecutive years of production increases. It's not clear why this was happening, as the 1968 Continentals were certainly wonderful cars. They featured styling refinements to meet Federal mandates for side marker lights, which placed the front parking lights and turn signals as well as the rear taillights in the edges of the fenders, wrapping around so they were visible from the side. This look was very reminiscent of the 1965 models.

New options for 1968 included a Rear Defogger with Environmental Control that could remove fog and moisture from the inside of the rear window one minute, and the next pull the smoke from a cigar or cigarette (or perhaps Mrs. Robinson's smelly perfume) out of the car. The offensive odor was dumped into the luggage compartment. No mention is made of what this does to the luggage compartment over time, although a former Lincoln employee told us the deck lid weatherstrip allowed for the extraction of air inside the luggage compartment, due to gaps in the bonding for drainage. Those gaps also allowed air inside the compartment to be "sucked" out when the car was moving, due to the low pressure created by a moving vehicle. There are no records of anyone complaining about a smelly luggage compartment with this option, so there must have been some provision that allowed it to air out. An FM stereo multiplex adapter for the optional AM/FM radio was also offered for dealer installation.

Editor's note: This blog entry was originally posted on April 30th, but has been reposted on May 1st to correspond with the official announcement of this model's publication.