Hello everyone! Our names are Ren and Kara.
This is our inaugural post on LVC and am very happy to join you.
My wife and I are car nuts like most of you here. She is the speed demon and I am the show car enthusiast. We own 2 mark VIII's and a Crossfire. Call us crazy but all our cars have nicknames.
We've been an avid visitor to LVC since 2004, a year after we purchased our 1994 Deep Jewel Green and Saddle interior with a moonroof. We nicknamed her Magnatude. We were the second owner when it had 88k miles on the odometer. Today, she still ticks like a fine watch as she clocks in at 150K. Had all the common problems associated with an aging Mark but we were able to address alot of those issues thanks much to the great info here at LVC. Magnatude has garnered three first places in four Usaci and Iasca autosound SQ competitions.
Wifes DD is the '04 Crossfire, nicknamed Scarlet for its Blaze Red exterior complimented by its Black leather interior. Scarlet has been on two legs of the Hot Rod Power Tour, been part of the Tail of the Dragon cruise in TN and been at a few GT's. Wife has had a number of kills with Scarlet.
Our most recent purchase is a 1997 LSC Mark VIII Opal Opalescent and Ebony interior with a moonroof; nicknamed Octane. We are the third owner. Car was originally sold new in Alabama in '97. It was purchased by the second owner from Georgia with 20K on the clock in '98. We got her at 114K on the odometer in '2010. This car, Octane, is going to be our project vehicle as she has gone through a very rough history.
The second owner originally bought the car for his wife but she declined and preferred to drive their other Lincoln. Keys were handed to their 19yo daughter who then allowed her BF to drive the car hauling 2 large dogs in the back seat. Because it was not his car, he abused the crap out of it and one day it just shut down in the middle of an intersection.
Two Independent shops and a Dealer was unable to get it running again so it sat at a wooded field for two years rotting away, collecting dust, collapsed air suspension, weeds growing through the engine bay and through the Octastar wheels. I came upon it when a co-worker told me about it. Went to talk to the owner, negotiated a price and he offered it to me at way below BlueBook, necessitating an Afidavit of non-operational vehicle before I could register the vehicle in my state along with the title. I'm no mechanic but with enough information from my conversations with the previous owner, I have enough confidence in my abilities to get this car back to its glory.
Octanes original condition is poor. There are a number of dents everywhere, one as large as a fist. Suffers from oxidized headlights, lasagnia trim, torn weatherseals, failed compressor, Leaky air bladders, blown balljoint seals, crushed chrome tips from careless flatbed operators, spider cracks in the front and rear bumpers, although overall, the clear coat is if great condition.
The interior is in worse shape. Dog hair everywhere, Suffers from missing door trims, broken lower seat trim. no multi-function switch button, dirty, sticky from spilled softdrinks, melted chocolate candy and sand and more sand throughout the carpet including the trunk. Floormats so worn, threw them away. Backseat leather is ripped, torn and scratched up everywhere. No electrical operation and blown sunroof motor. Had to have it flatbed towed to Tennessee.
But, I see a gem with this car. Future mods include chassis stiffening, Upper and Lower control arms, Strut rod and bushings, Addco 1.25" anti-sway bar, Upgraded rear upper shock mounts, new shocks, 1-2 accumulator, M-5, JMOD, 255-45-18 front, 295-40-18 rear, Speedstars, 12" DS rear, 13" DS front, Cobra calipers, SS brake hose, Kenny and Norm, Drilled silencer, rear spoilers, custom front bumper facia w/ splittter, Kenne Bell Supercharger, larger fuel injectors, Walbro 255, Bright 3w LED reverse lights, Fiberoptics, Alpine/Focal/DLS, Leather dash center channel mod, rewire with Streetwires, Grover 1510 emergency horns, Viair, Freeflow Cats, 3rd Cat delete, X-pipe, 2-1/2" exhaust, Magnaflow stingers, Chrome oval tips and repaint.
From time to time, I will post a progress post for all of you to enjoy reading as you join me go through some of the joys and pitfalls of restoring and upgrading my '97 Mark.
Octane
This is our inaugural post on LVC and am very happy to join you.
My wife and I are car nuts like most of you here. She is the speed demon and I am the show car enthusiast. We own 2 mark VIII's and a Crossfire. Call us crazy but all our cars have nicknames.
We've been an avid visitor to LVC since 2004, a year after we purchased our 1994 Deep Jewel Green and Saddle interior with a moonroof. We nicknamed her Magnatude. We were the second owner when it had 88k miles on the odometer. Today, she still ticks like a fine watch as she clocks in at 150K. Had all the common problems associated with an aging Mark but we were able to address alot of those issues thanks much to the great info here at LVC. Magnatude has garnered three first places in four Usaci and Iasca autosound SQ competitions.
Wifes DD is the '04 Crossfire, nicknamed Scarlet for its Blaze Red exterior complimented by its Black leather interior. Scarlet has been on two legs of the Hot Rod Power Tour, been part of the Tail of the Dragon cruise in TN and been at a few GT's. Wife has had a number of kills with Scarlet.
Our most recent purchase is a 1997 LSC Mark VIII Opal Opalescent and Ebony interior with a moonroof; nicknamed Octane. We are the third owner. Car was originally sold new in Alabama in '97. It was purchased by the second owner from Georgia with 20K on the clock in '98. We got her at 114K on the odometer in '2010. This car, Octane, is going to be our project vehicle as she has gone through a very rough history.
The second owner originally bought the car for his wife but she declined and preferred to drive their other Lincoln. Keys were handed to their 19yo daughter who then allowed her BF to drive the car hauling 2 large dogs in the back seat. Because it was not his car, he abused the crap out of it and one day it just shut down in the middle of an intersection.
Two Independent shops and a Dealer was unable to get it running again so it sat at a wooded field for two years rotting away, collecting dust, collapsed air suspension, weeds growing through the engine bay and through the Octastar wheels. I came upon it when a co-worker told me about it. Went to talk to the owner, negotiated a price and he offered it to me at way below BlueBook, necessitating an Afidavit of non-operational vehicle before I could register the vehicle in my state along with the title. I'm no mechanic but with enough information from my conversations with the previous owner, I have enough confidence in my abilities to get this car back to its glory.
Octanes original condition is poor. There are a number of dents everywhere, one as large as a fist. Suffers from oxidized headlights, lasagnia trim, torn weatherseals, failed compressor, Leaky air bladders, blown balljoint seals, crushed chrome tips from careless flatbed operators, spider cracks in the front and rear bumpers, although overall, the clear coat is if great condition.
The interior is in worse shape. Dog hair everywhere, Suffers from missing door trims, broken lower seat trim. no multi-function switch button, dirty, sticky from spilled softdrinks, melted chocolate candy and sand and more sand throughout the carpet including the trunk. Floormats so worn, threw them away. Backseat leather is ripped, torn and scratched up everywhere. No electrical operation and blown sunroof motor. Had to have it flatbed towed to Tennessee.
But, I see a gem with this car. Future mods include chassis stiffening, Upper and Lower control arms, Strut rod and bushings, Addco 1.25" anti-sway bar, Upgraded rear upper shock mounts, new shocks, 1-2 accumulator, M-5, JMOD, 255-45-18 front, 295-40-18 rear, Speedstars, 12" DS rear, 13" DS front, Cobra calipers, SS brake hose, Kenny and Norm, Drilled silencer, rear spoilers, custom front bumper facia w/ splittter, Kenne Bell Supercharger, larger fuel injectors, Walbro 255, Bright 3w LED reverse lights, Fiberoptics, Alpine/Focal/DLS, Leather dash center channel mod, rewire with Streetwires, Grover 1510 emergency horns, Viair, Freeflow Cats, 3rd Cat delete, X-pipe, 2-1/2" exhaust, Magnaflow stingers, Chrome oval tips and repaint.
From time to time, I will post a progress post for all of you to enjoy reading as you join me go through some of the joys and pitfalls of restoring and upgrading my '97 Mark.
Octane
