skymasteres
Active LVC Member
I was the very proud owner of three Mark VII's. Two 89's and one 91. One of the 89's is a beautiful blue color with 102k miles and I am not driving it yet because I want to convert it back to air ride suspension.
The 91 I picked up a few weeks ago as a parts car but when I got it, it was so nice I was having trouble deciding if I should use my silver 89 as a parts car for it.
Saturday night the decision was made for me. Coming home from a meeting at about 9:30pm I was in heavy traffic in the rain. While cruising at around 60mph in the third out of four lanes someone came up my left hand side, cut me off and slammed on their brakes. I put my brakes on and managed not to rear end them, but lost traction in the rear and started to spin out to the left. Really NOT wanting to hit anyone I went against good RWD instincts and went for the opening that the fellow that cut me off left to see if I couldn’t get it straightened out there.
I didn't.
I got the car a little straightened out but I still hit the concrete center divider at about a 45 degree angle traveling at 55mph. Let me just say that I love Lincolns in general and have always felt very safe in them. Just before I hit the wall the last thing that went through my mind was "gee I'm glad I have my seatbelt on", and I just went right in. I was very relaxed and hardly felt a thing. I have to admit though the noise it made was very impressive. After the impact the car rotated around counter clockwise and I was almost against the divider facing the wrong way down a four lane highway in the fast lane. The engine was still running but I could see steam so I know the radiator was perforated. Also the wheels seemed to be slightly jammed as I was now facing down hill with the car in gear and I was not rolling. I put my blinkers on and fiddled with the car a little to see what control I still had as I waited for an opportunity to get over to the shoulder. After about three minutes, three minutes seem like an ETERNITY facing the wrong way on a highway, I had enough of an opening to make a u-turn to get on the shoulder.
I then attempted to drive the car home but after about ten miles the engine began to overheat, with the serpentine belt off I was going to run out of juice waiting for it to cool while running my blinkers, so I had to call triple a and get it towed the final ten miles home.
All in all, I am really impressed that Ford got it so right when they designed this thing. With as much mass and momentum that was involved I was expecting to al least feel something when I hit that wall, but I only felt a gentle pressure against my chest where the seatbelt held me lightly against the seat. And to be able to even move the car, I mean that's just amazing.
Although I have to admit I was kind of pissed that it had to be this one as I just put a tranny in it, redid the headliner, fixed the sun roof, replaced the heater and evaporator cores, and put new wheel bearings on it.
I am both sad and depressed that I killed a Mark VII, now everyone else’s just got rarer, but somewhat relieved that I now have a parts car that is not too nice to part out.
The 91 I picked up a few weeks ago as a parts car but when I got it, it was so nice I was having trouble deciding if I should use my silver 89 as a parts car for it.
Saturday night the decision was made for me. Coming home from a meeting at about 9:30pm I was in heavy traffic in the rain. While cruising at around 60mph in the third out of four lanes someone came up my left hand side, cut me off and slammed on their brakes. I put my brakes on and managed not to rear end them, but lost traction in the rear and started to spin out to the left. Really NOT wanting to hit anyone I went against good RWD instincts and went for the opening that the fellow that cut me off left to see if I couldn’t get it straightened out there.
I didn't.
I got the car a little straightened out but I still hit the concrete center divider at about a 45 degree angle traveling at 55mph. Let me just say that I love Lincolns in general and have always felt very safe in them. Just before I hit the wall the last thing that went through my mind was "gee I'm glad I have my seatbelt on", and I just went right in. I was very relaxed and hardly felt a thing. I have to admit though the noise it made was very impressive. After the impact the car rotated around counter clockwise and I was almost against the divider facing the wrong way down a four lane highway in the fast lane. The engine was still running but I could see steam so I know the radiator was perforated. Also the wheels seemed to be slightly jammed as I was now facing down hill with the car in gear and I was not rolling. I put my blinkers on and fiddled with the car a little to see what control I still had as I waited for an opportunity to get over to the shoulder. After about three minutes, three minutes seem like an ETERNITY facing the wrong way on a highway, I had enough of an opening to make a u-turn to get on the shoulder.
I then attempted to drive the car home but after about ten miles the engine began to overheat, with the serpentine belt off I was going to run out of juice waiting for it to cool while running my blinkers, so I had to call triple a and get it towed the final ten miles home.
All in all, I am really impressed that Ford got it so right when they designed this thing. With as much mass and momentum that was involved I was expecting to al least feel something when I hit that wall, but I only felt a gentle pressure against my chest where the seatbelt held me lightly against the seat. And to be able to even move the car, I mean that's just amazing.
Although I have to admit I was kind of pissed that it had to be this one as I just put a tranny in it, redid the headliner, fixed the sun roof, replaced the heater and evaporator cores, and put new wheel bearings on it.
I am both sad and depressed that I killed a Mark VII, now everyone else’s just got rarer, but somewhat relieved that I now have a parts car that is not too nice to part out.
