The more power features you have the more complicated the wiring system will be. Look at todays vehicles 200 computers and so on. Pain in the ass to fix!
Hey thanks for the heads up! I have one that needs a full on off frame resto in order to be working again and this helps getting me prepared for the unknown.
I have a 1963 Lincoln continental with suicide doors my husband wants me to sell it or trade it after watching this, but I am convinced once it’s done he will be so happy we didn’t. Lol hopefully I’m not wrong
im the owner of a 78 lincoln mark v, 69 lincoln mark iii and a lincoln continental 68, if you like to restore cars nothing is hard, you just need to know what your doing, i have no problem restoring my cars from inside and out.... those cars are gorgeous when you fininsh with them.... for me nothing is hard if you know your ectrical system and to rebuilt a 460 engine is not hard at all......
Well said, to do a resto on any car the more options as far as electrical working items and vacuum operational items the more complicated, just imagine doing a resto on a 600 Merc pullman which is all hydraulic operated and vacuum as well fitted options like windows, which is not electrical and then other aspects of the car as well ? ?
Unfortunately, this car has a 430, not the 460 which you are correct is easy to rebuild. There are tons of parts for 460s because they made them for literally decades. The 462 was only made for two years and only in lincolns and there are very few reproduced parts so many things have to be searched for and salvaged off of other lincolns. Things like water pumps and power steering pumps that cost you $40 for your 460 cost $400 for these engines. A new transmission filter for this 64s 430 is near impossible to find and can cost $300-400... for a filter! Yours is $5. So while it's technically not "hard work" it is very difficult, time consuming, and expensive to rebuild a 430 or 462.
You are correct. The key words are "if you know what you are doing".....I have had my '69 for 40 years. Yes, 40. I have NEVER had the nightmare problems that I see here and on Facebook. Many of the problems is that owners are trying to do these cars on the cheap. It doesn't work. You cannot "hit the valve with a hammer" (430 owner) and expect that to fix the stuck valve. The head needs to come off!! People swapping Chevy engines into these classics drives me nuts! If you think about it........there is NOTHING simpler than an old V8. The 430 / 462 / 460 engines are just plain simple. We are talking about cam-in-block two valve engines with carburetors! My God! Basic!! You just need to take it out of the car, properly and completely rebuild it, and put it back.....ONE time! Sorry for the rant!
Wow. Just came across this video and I really have to agree with you. These cars were super over engineered. I know. I own one. Mine is a 1963 Lincoln Continental with original rebuilt 430 7.0 L engine, rebuilt transmission. Mine has the hard top. Thank goodness. Parts were really difficult to come by. Really expensive. This car is about both time and money if you want to do it right. My advice is do your own work and keep mechanics away from it. I had the worst luck with mechanics claiming they knew this car. I cannot tell you who to take your car to in Nashville, TN but I can sure as hell tell who not to take it to. Good luck with yours.
THANK YOU!!! THIS.... is a worthwhile video! By far, the most informative video that I have viewed on youtube. This is exactly the the of thing that I needed to hear, from an experienced Lincoln man, such as yourself. You're absolutely right! People, myself included, get completely blinded by the beauty of these cars, and what they have the potential of becoming. So, what do you do, in a case such as this? With an entire wiring issue, in a big sloppy ball on the interior floor of the car?! Do you just say "Fugget about it", and deny the work, or do you painstakingly rebuild the entire harness? Wha's the answer here? And then, if you DO decide to build one from scratch, how do you go about billing a customer for that? There are a lot vacuum lines and wiring here, that can just RUIN the entire operation of the car. So, what I challenge YOU to do, is to do the research, make a manual and diagram this thing out. Make like two or three major harnesses, and a way to plug them into one another, or individually, and start selling them as an repair kit. I would by that! I cannot justify tossing-out such a beautiful car JUST because of shoddy wiring! I would HAVE to try and do something for it. If it took me six months to sit there with a notebook and go over the entire thing, then that is what I would have to do, and then start having them mass produced in either sections, or as a whole. But, I really do appreciate the fact that you have touched on this issue. The best information, to try and save someone a whole lot of heartache, and disappointment. Thanks, Man!
TITANIUM CRANIUM, LLC thanks. I recently posted some videos showing how I start a new wiring harness from scratch. Subscribe to see all the other Lincoln videos... czcams.com/video/ralZ473Ckpo/video.html
Dude I'm scared now that I watched your video, I just got a 66 Lincoln continental 2dr coupe and it's been my dream car and it is my first restoration project, but I'm gonna put my heart on it and get it done, I will post as I get goin, thanks for the advise good info,
Carlos watch all my other Lincoln videos for tips and motivation. Your coupe is much less complicated. I'm sure you'll be fine. Feel free to contact me if you need help. Congrats on the awesome car.
Do not be scare ,every one try to be revelent .the guy is not an expert, look at the windows cover with newspapers, real mechanic Employs masking paper
@@fernandoescobar6528 hey so far so good I'm gonna try and get it on the road this summer. I'm gonna post some pics soon of the vehicle where I started and where I am. Wish me luck I need it. 👍
I’m literally driving 2 hrs right now, to pick up a 69 4 door ragtop. I was like let me watch some videos to prep now i am about to turn the truck around
Wow, loved your overview, so happy I didn't buy this one, sheesh! From a guy who has restored several cars, I get it. Almost bought a '68 Continental (in 1980), lusted after it for weeks, but guess I should be glad I passed, great lines though. I did restore a '64 Riviera (also complicated), rebuilt the engine and under dash. When I bought it the rear floorboards were full of water. The car I loved the most and needed little restoration was a '69 Eldorado, it was similar in 'sophisticated' but easy to maintain, except maybe the vacuum climate control, and twilight sentential (just ordered a new unit from Cadillac), expensive, but worth it. All this was in the early 1980's to 87 or so. Thanks again for your post!
Had a 1990. Something fried in the dash while jump starting it. Engine was already shot. Ran but leaked oil like a stuck pig. Ended up letting it go. Miss that river barge, lol.
With the wiring and vacuum lines hacked up like that I'd just replace all of it with a product called the Infinity Box wiring system. Pretty much a master box that gets two or more slave boxes connected to it by a single wire. Master box can control everything in the cab, a slave box in the engine bay can control head lamps, electrical actuators to replace the vacuum actuators for the headlight covers, and etc. And a slave box in the rear to control tail lights, signals, and etc. You'd lose like 25-30lbs of wiring and vacuum lines.
I want to restore a Lincoln too. I appreciate the video. I figured that I would rewire the whole car. This is a very good warning. I will look for an unrestored example and start drinking momentarily after.
They are one of the most complicated cars to fix and restore period, hundreds of relays and switches and if you mess up one of them you replace 4 of them, they are the easiest to break, even Jay Leno flinched at the cost of restoring these cars. I love them they are gorgeous but I wouldn't even try.
Ford quit parts support for these cars really quickly after they went out of production, too. Lots of weirdo parts and mechanisms in this generation of Lincolns that were impossible to get from Ford by 1980 and much sooner than that for some parts.
Love the look of Lincolns but my parent's '65 was an electrical nightmare even when relatively new. Fun fact: The window motors went out a lot but they were the same as for a Ford station wagon tailgate that sold for a fraction of the price
Have you every used a painless wiring kit to rewire everything. I'm looking to remove all old wiring due to corrosion, burnt wires and chewed wires. Want to put electric door locks. Eliminate as much vacuum line as possible.
We have 2 continentals, both hard top, and one of them is from 1964, and the other is from 1961, the 61 runs, and is a beautiful cruiser, the 64 doesnt and hasnt ran in over 25 years, also missing the dashboard and key to ignition, the interior is basically gone and its missing lots of valuable and crucial parts, (the neighboring guy has a yard full of 40s chevy sedans, mopars, and a few fords) which leads us to believe he stole a lot of parts from it to sell for quick profit, like the grille, headlights, tail lamps, air filter, and interior door panels, which are a pain in the ass to get, the cars in rough shape and buried in the back of a pull barn, we have been thinking about restoring the 64 continental but this video has put a little more fear in me than i thought about restoring it... thanks for the advice
They were a nightmare when they were new, I got so sick of the electrical problems with the top and windows in the rear doors of my beautiful 1961 three way black 4 door Convertable. I parked it in the back of my shop at 30,000 miles back in 1963 and didn't touch it until 1970, when I took it out, and sold it for a bundle. There is no end to trouble with these cars because they are also a mechanical disaster along with the electrical problems. I got fooled by its beauty and just had to have one, fortunately it happened to be at a time when I was wired into the local Lincoln Mercury dealership, and bought it wholesale. My rashional for buying the car was that it was the first desirable 4 door convertible made in the US since 1941, other than for the few that were put out by the kaiser-frazer company sometime in the late 40s or early 50s. I had no idea at that time that it would make a better paper weight, than it would be a dependable car.
Those rear doors are complicate too because the windows drop 4" when they are up to assume that the too is also up . It has 6 relays and a knife switch on top of the door latch actuator , this lowers the glass to clear the overhang by the Top and the front door window gap . The only thing to do with a basket case is to scrap the soft top and treat it like a top-down car with the manual trunk with remote locks and prop-rods to hold it open . This 6 passenger car has squat for trunk space with the top down , so I would just pay for the fiberglass section to lower the Trunk lid weight and maybe add a cool 63 T - Bird Toneau cover to make to 2-seater when i cruise around . Make the rear doors unlock by a remote to shave off the handles and look like a 2 door convertible . Hell, why not alter the rear seat back and make it fold down like a 2+2 to carry items , or clean up the trunk to have custom make side panels and ribbed flooring so when the fibeglass trunk lid comes off and the back seat if folded down i would have a quasi Ranchero called Linconero .
Its best to get a wiring diagram that shows wire coding, harness connector locations etc. The worse thing you can find is where someone has gotten in there and reworked the wiring. I am very meticulous any more when it comes to working under the hood. When I see a wiring harness all exposed, I walk away. My last engine swap came out so good, the dealer told me he couldnt tell I had swapped engines. I did that on purpose. After working on enough of them, I know to label everything carefully and place everything back exactly as it was. I have seen wiring harnesses burned in half because the guy put the harness back in the wrong place and it ended up next to the exaust manifold. I watched a guy rip wires out while using the cherry picker to remove the engine because he became frustrated with getting the engine out. He said" dont worry about it, I can use the one on the engine". Well, the salvage yard used bolt cutters to cut the harness at the connector, so the entire harness had to be removed. It took him a few hours to swap engines and a week to repair all the wire damage. I remember a guy putting in a new after market radio in his car. It took him all summer to chase down all the issues because he separated the two ground wires in the dash and chopped them. When he turned on the radio, the wipers came on. The dome light in the roof didnt work until he turned on the headlights. It was entertaining.
Ok Mr. Wilson, I saw you’re, “Why you don't want to restore a Lincoln Continental” video. You have done what my wife couldn’t do over the last year and have officially talked me out of trying to restore my 73 Continental coup "LeRoy". But now I don’t know what to do with it. I got the car for a great deal and wanted to do an old school build but this obviously is not for a total beginner like myself. What car would you recommend I trade or look for?
Your 73 should have a 460 which is 10x simpler and 10x cheaper to work on, and the electrical system is far less complicated as well. You can do it! IMO the easiest car for someone doing their first restoration is a mustang because they're super simple and you can buy literally every piece of the car new online.
Those are the worst along with thunderbird Convertible s, late 50's and 60's Cadillac convertible are a headache too. It took me 5 years to restore mine and it never stopped draining the bank for the 7 years I owned it afterwards..
You can buy EVERYTHING for that car at Lincoln Land. I had one for 7 years. And everything I needed for that car. I was able to get from Florida. They specialize old school Lincolns.
Fake news! Lol. I'm very familiar with Lincoln land. Great place, but they definitely don't have anywhere close to everything and what they do have is going to cost you an arm and a leg. Good source for a lot of hard to find stuff tho...
I too agree that you should be able to get most of these parts from Lincolnland. Eric at Lincolnland is a genius when it comes to these cars! They did a fabulous job on my 63!
Not necessarily a task for someone who's never undertaken a big restoration project, but still doable if whoever is restoring one understands the systems of the Continental. They're essentially the same as any other old Luxury Car, but the real pain is the vacuum system. THAT can be the total nightmare.... And in the case of the convertibles, the electrical system that operates the top has to be perfectly synched and in perfect working order, or else it'll cause beaucoup trouble when you THINK you're done with the car. Cheers!
Nathan Wilson The car you show is a convertible. That"s why you've got so many wires. The top literally retracted into the trunk. That's why the 1957-59 Galaxy hardtop convertible is so expensive to restore.
Seriously, I've had an engineer from Lockheed completely baffled by the diagram for the auto drop. That was the last part of these cars I finally got a good grasp on after years of working on them.
Sadly I work for Ford as a master tech and the new 17 Continental has 35+ modules. I don't even know how many wires are there but I can tell you that wiring harness is just enough wires to run to a restraint control module. But we have that info. Most people don't. We don't even have access to pre 1991.
I got a '79 in almost running condition. Body is straight and it'll start and idle, but I will feel comfortable redoing the wiring. How much of a pain will that be? I'm in no rush whatsoever, I know guys who can do it. Would it be worth it for this legendary yacht?
Definitely. Take your time and go through every wire, and when you're ready to start enjoying the car you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that it is all good.
What year do you like best between 61-67 Continental convertible? I just got a 64 and of course the guy I got it from told me it was the best year. I did read some where it was the heaviest year.
mccproduction of course it's all opinion, but from everything I've read over the years, the 66 is most favored. I personally like the 64, mostly because of the dash. It's sleek. 65 had the same dash, but had the ugly turn signals up front. I do like the grilles on the tail lights of the 65 tho. Every year was different back then, which is cool. congrats on an awesome car!
61 through 64 hands down!!!! Search anywhere and tell me which ones are auction off the highest. It's definitely not a 66. Sorry my man but if it would be easy they wouldn't be called dream cars. My 63 convertible will be complete and no ones going to buzz kill it for me.
Most of those familier with these cars have probably died off, by now. Or are too old for learning how to use a computer and getting onto the internet. What I would do is to use a parts car for reference and then assemble those wires exactly to accordance, including melting off those tinkered-with soldered onto wires. The previous owner likely did all of that, just because he couldn't detect simple corrosion at these connections. All connectors should first be inspected for corrosion and then dealt with accordingly. Those look like at least a mile length of vaccum line of which can get replaced, also using a parts car for reference. What you also want to look out for is when you come across a Salt Belt Lincoln. Being Unibodies, you'd want to pay particular attention to the possibility of rust-outs in vital areas. I've brazed together Unibody cancer. It's not as big a deal as many people think it is. It's just time-consuming
Dennis Schell that’s what I used to think. It cost me a lot of frustration and money. One thing I learned in the car business...do not trust somebody who claims to be an expert.
@@MrZdvy It's the best way to do it if you have the time and skills. It's becoming increasingly unfeasible for most, though. Cars get more complex, job hours get more ridiculous, and less people can afford garages/tools.
ive always wanted to learn more about cars as i have been very interested since i was a kid (uncle owned an old pontiac) but I dont even know what a choke is. Anyone have any suggestion to learning about cars?
But I want to so badly. Do you sell wiring harnesses? Found one that someone took apart to paint never finished it. With it apart I would want to redo the wiring. Had a 1970 Thunderbird also a nightmare with wiring.
Hi Nathan, been following your super nice continental videos for some time now, and this is really the most honest and clear message. Where can I contact you outisde of youtube? thanks upfront man
How much do you charge for a 63 hardtop paint and body. Worst case price even though it's only got one dent on a roof. Black cherry with a rose gold roof. Thanks.
@@NathanWilsonDrivingDreams a refurbished one instead of rebuilding it myself. I'm not nearly as mechanically inclined as you but I can replace parts. 3 bolts seems easier than 3 bolts and rebuilding the box. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Also if you have a rebuilt one I'll purchase it from you.
We just started to restore ours..it is a hardtop 67..but..we are the second owners..and had the motor rebuilt 20 years ago..now were about to bring her back to life..but two windows are not working..😭🙏🙏This worries me now..ughlll
lol - too late just scooped up a 61 convertible.. .definitely not a chevy.... I picked up a 66 convertible Cadillac for my wife now there are 3 -no parts. Will be hitting you up for pointers ...
I don't know of anyone selling wiring harnesses file these cars. I have rewired a few completely over the years, and it is an extremely tedious and time consuming process that requires a full understanding of these particular cars functions. I would recommend unraveling and inspecting everything. Then only replace what is necessary, if any.
Real easy .just time consuming . All the vacuum hoses are for the heater and air controls.now that climate control box is a tough one.in 66 they recalled them and used a 1967 part number . Took me 2 weeks to fix a 66 climate control box.baker auto in Putnam con.has all the parts for early Lincoln convertible
I have a '72 Mark IV. All together and runs but terrible rust & rot on the roof to the upper quarters. With these cars either they are an old man's garage kept or they are in the junkyard. My plan is to just make it a post-apocalypse vehicle. Flat black front to back including bumpers, grill, trim. Tons of bondo and filler. Already have the true dual flowmasters on that great sounding 460. Car is only worth its value in parts so I can do what I want with it. I'll never get money back out.
I got a 77. Just scrap all the dash electronics and go aftermarket. The windows are an issue but find and oldschool electronics guy and your good. I swapped out the 400m through everything away under the hood and put in a 427m stroker with big rims that look great on that giant car. The interior is next and all those old az electronic are headed to the trash. Im the second owner so the vacuum lines are all good.
I've owned two old Lincolns, both 62s. When looking to buy one, thoroughly check the HVAC and power door locks as they all run by vacuum. If everything is OK, check that the windows work- the switches can be cleaned up and re-used. I'll admit, my cars were sedans and a lot simpler than a rag top- in that case get a hold of John Cashman- he travels the US fixing Lincolns. Also, Baker's Auto in Connecticut has all the parts you will ever need and look at the lincolnforum.net. for lots of info about any problem you might have. There's lots of help out there, lincolnforum people will help. Lincolns are complex but shouldn't scare you away. But, I will say, this cars wiring is frightening and I probably wouldn't mess with it. Buy the best one you can afford.
@@NathanWilsonDrivingDreams Also, always ask about the timing chain and gears. The nylon teeth will deteriorate with age, not mileage and they can break off and clog the oil pump. If that has not been done on a prospective purchase, plan for it. The chain and gears aren't that expensive. I had it done on mine and in both cases, I dodged a serious bullet.
Very good point... Just the driver's DOOR in one of these is more complicated than an entire Mustang! LOL [[[ Hey, does this thing have the super-rare, vacuum-operated tilt steering column?? ]]]
Wtf Happened yes, which I've already replaced. i decided to pull every single vacuum line out of this thing and do away with most of them altogether. electric door locks, electric wiper motor, vintage air setup, etc. may actually put this 5.0 coyote motor I've got in there... getting carried away as usual.
AWWWWWW..... I LIKE the 'whoosh' of the vacuum operated goodies! 80> And I couldn't go THAT unoriginal on the motor - but it WOULD be interesting to see what a high-compression 460 with port-injection would be like, Heh, heh, heh! (And of course, any of the original torque-monsters should have a 4-speed overdrive to get 'em up to 20 MPG on the highway.) Isn't it ironic that Ford was (allegedly) screwing the inventor out of his idea for interval electric wipers while they were using the infinite-speed hydraulics? BTW, if you have a functioning hydraulic wiper motor, I'll bet there are many GMC Motorhome owners who would like to buy it! GM needed that torque for the long wiper arms on their huge windshields, you know...)
Wtf Happened i have several of those lying around. One of these days I might actually get some stuff listed for sale. i recently built a 66 with a mild 460 and 4 speed. I'm in the process of doing a 67 right now with a 460 turned 532 beast. I'm planning to sell my baby this spring...64 with 700+hp all aluminum 427fe, tri power, 4sp, 411 rear, etc etc... I should have a video soon for the sale.
I bought a 1969 Lincoln, from a dealer that was the second owner of it. I have a few question to ask you about the car. If their anyway we can exchange email or something I would appreciate it sir. Thanks for your time.
I am after a 1963 Lincoln convertible project. Which is the best place to try and get one? I would like the body work done in Inverness green or light mint green and honey white seats. Is the 61 Lincoln the same length as the 65 ?
I hate fixing other people mistakes. I've had the misfortune of someone bringing me a '69 mark iii for brake work. After he had it towed to my house I quickly discover the rebuilt engine runs like crap, the kickdown linkage for the trans is gone, the power steering pump is bad, the exhaust is shot and the wires going to the driver's door are broken. Been 2 months. Every time I open the hood I find more hackwork or missing pieces. Now I have to figure out how to convert the stupid car to have a normal belt driven ps pump, just so I can get it out my driveway.
Still gonna restore a Lincoln Continental
Me too lol
@@ThaFKINman too late for me also. I'm already in ..
Me too. Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?
Then why watch this lol finish your build
ME 3
This is one of my favorite cars. It is just a timeless classic. It was so far ahead of it's time.
The more power features you have the more complicated the wiring system will be. Look at todays vehicles 200 computers and so on. Pain in the ass to fix!
I honestly enjoy wiring work, with a multimeter and test light u can trace down anything
Nathan Pratt If somebody likes that I haven’t seen it.
Any advice on how to do or where to learn?
Hey thanks for the heads up! I have one that needs a full on off frame resto in order to be working again and this helps getting me prepared for the unknown.
I have a 1963 Lincoln continental with suicide doors my husband wants me to sell it or trade it after watching this, but I am convinced once it’s done he will be so happy we didn’t. Lol hopefully I’m not wrong
Always loved the mark IVs, also loved the suicide doors on the continental. Didn't know how complicated they are.
found a 1966, no wires been fucked with, so I'm going for it and I'm going to restore it
jack barker awesome! Let me know if you run across anything you need help with. Good luck.
+Nathan Wilson thank you, I'll keep that in mind
im the owner of a 78 lincoln mark v, 69 lincoln mark iii and a lincoln continental 68, if you like to restore cars nothing is hard, you just need to know what your doing, i have no problem restoring my cars from inside and out.... those cars are gorgeous when you fininsh with them.... for me nothing is hard if you know your ectrical system and to rebuilt a 460 engine is not hard at all......
would it be cheaper just to do an engine swap?
I wish I still had my 78 MKV! Loved that car!
Well said, to do a resto on any car the more options as far as electrical working items and vacuum operational items the more complicated, just imagine doing a resto on a 600 Merc pullman which is all hydraulic operated and vacuum as well fitted options like windows, which is not electrical and then other aspects of the car as well ? ?
Unfortunately, this car has a 430, not the 460 which you are correct is easy to rebuild. There are tons of parts for 460s because they made them for literally decades. The 462 was only made for two years and only in lincolns and there are very few reproduced parts so many things have to be searched for and salvaged off of other lincolns. Things like water pumps and power steering pumps that cost you $40 for your 460 cost $400 for these engines. A new transmission filter for this 64s 430 is near impossible to find and can cost $300-400... for a filter! Yours is $5. So while it's technically not "hard work" it is very difficult, time consuming, and expensive to rebuild a 430 or 462.
You are correct. The key words are "if you know what you are doing".....I have had my '69 for 40 years. Yes, 40. I have NEVER had the nightmare problems that I see here and on Facebook. Many of the problems is that owners are trying to do these cars on the cheap. It doesn't work. You cannot "hit the valve with a hammer" (430 owner) and expect that to fix the stuck valve. The head needs to come off!! People swapping Chevy engines into these classics drives me nuts! If you think about it........there is NOTHING simpler than an old V8. The 430 / 462 / 460 engines are just plain simple. We are talking about cam-in-block two valve engines with carburetors! My God! Basic!! You just need to take it out of the car, properly and completely rebuild it, and put it back.....ONE time! Sorry for the rant!
Wow. Just came across this video and I really have to agree with you. These cars were super over engineered. I know. I own one. Mine is a 1963 Lincoln Continental with original rebuilt 430 7.0 L engine, rebuilt transmission. Mine has the hard top. Thank goodness. Parts were really difficult to come by. Really expensive. This car is about both time and money if you want to do it right. My advice is do your own work and keep mechanics away from it. I had the worst luck with mechanics claiming they knew this car. I cannot tell you who to take your car to in Nashville, TN but I can sure as hell tell who not to take it to. Good luck with yours.
Newspaper is not masking paper paint will soak through it and sometimes the print will come off on the surface underneath not good.
Who wouldn't want a Peanuts cartoon on their hood?
THANK YOU!!! THIS.... is a worthwhile video! By far, the most informative video that I have viewed on youtube. This is exactly the the of thing that I needed to hear, from an experienced Lincoln man, such as yourself. You're absolutely right! People, myself included, get completely blinded by the beauty of these cars, and what they have the potential of becoming. So, what do you do, in a case such as this? With an entire wiring issue, in a big sloppy ball on the interior floor of the car?! Do you just say "Fugget about it", and deny the work, or do you painstakingly rebuild the entire harness? Wha's the answer here? And then, if you DO decide to build one from scratch, how do you go about billing a customer for that? There are a lot vacuum lines and wiring here, that can just RUIN the entire operation of the car. So, what I challenge YOU to do, is to do the research, make a manual and diagram this thing out. Make like two or three major harnesses, and a way to plug them into one another, or individually, and start selling them as an repair kit. I would by that! I cannot justify tossing-out such a beautiful car JUST because of shoddy wiring! I would HAVE to try and do something for it. If it took me six months to sit there with a notebook and go over the entire thing, then that is what I would have to do, and then start having them mass produced in either sections, or as a whole. But, I really do appreciate the fact that you have touched on this issue. The best information, to try and save someone a whole lot of heartache, and disappointment. Thanks, Man!
TITANIUM CRANIUM, LLC thanks. I recently posted some videos showing how I start a new wiring harness from scratch. Subscribe to see all the other Lincoln videos... czcams.com/video/ralZ473Ckpo/video.html
Holy crap! This is genuinely great info - thank you!
Dude I'm scared now that I watched your video, I just got a 66 Lincoln continental 2dr coupe and it's been my dream car and it is my first restoration project, but I'm gonna put my heart on it and get it done, I will post as I get goin, thanks for the advise good info,
Carlos watch all my other Lincoln videos for tips and motivation. Your coupe is much less complicated. I'm sure you'll be fine. Feel free to contact me if you need help. Congrats on the awesome car.
Carlos how’s the project car going
Do not be scare ,every one try to be revelent .the guy is not an expert, look at the windows cover with newspapers, real mechanic
Employs masking paper
@@fernandoescobar6528 hey so far so good I'm gonna try and get it on the road this summer. I'm gonna post some pics soon of the vehicle where I started and where I am. Wish me luck I need it. 👍
I’m literally driving 2 hrs right now, to pick up a 69 4 door ragtop. I was like let me watch some videos to prep now i am about to turn the truck around
Wow, loved your overview, so happy I didn't buy this one, sheesh! From a guy who has restored several cars, I get it. Almost bought a '68 Continental (in 1980), lusted after it for weeks, but guess I should be glad I passed, great lines though. I did restore a '64 Riviera (also complicated), rebuilt the engine and under dash. When I bought it the rear floorboards were full of water. The car I loved the most and needed little restoration was a '69 Eldorado, it was similar in 'sophisticated' but easy to maintain, except maybe the vacuum climate control, and twilight sentential (just ordered a new unit from Cadillac), expensive, but worth it. All this was in the early 1980's to 87 or so. Thanks again for your post!
Thanks for this video I was about to see one for sale. You changed my mind about it.
Nice one buddy,interesting stuff👍🏻🇬🇧
You just saved my marriage. damn..... Thanks for the video.
Had a 1990. Something fried in the dash while jump starting it. Engine was already shot. Ran but leaked oil like a stuck pig. Ended up letting it go. Miss that river barge, lol.
Good video had several in family love these cars
Thank you for this eye opener.
With the wiring and vacuum lines hacked up like that I'd just replace all of it with a product called the Infinity Box wiring system. Pretty much a master box that gets two or more slave boxes connected to it by a single wire. Master box can control everything in the cab, a slave box in the engine bay can control head lamps, electrical actuators to replace the vacuum actuators for the headlight covers, and etc. And a slave box in the rear to control tail lights, signals, and etc. You'd lose like 25-30lbs of wiring and vacuum lines.
You're my new hero.
I want to restore a Lincoln too. I appreciate the video. I figured that I would rewire the whole car. This is a very good warning. I will look for an unrestored example and start drinking momentarily after.
thanks for the video. I'm looking at buying a hardtop. seems like convertibles run 10 to 15k more. would your advice be the same on that?
They are one of the most complicated cars to fix and restore period, hundreds of relays and switches and if you mess up one of them you replace 4 of them, they are the easiest to break, even Jay Leno flinched at the cost of restoring these cars. I love them they are gorgeous but I wouldn't even try.
Ford quit parts support for these cars really quickly after they went out of production, too. Lots of weirdo parts and mechanisms in this generation of Lincolns that were impossible to get from Ford by 1980 and much sooner than that for some parts.
Love the look of Lincolns but my parent's '65 was an electrical nightmare even when relatively new. Fun fact: The window motors went out a lot but they were the same as for a Ford station wagon tailgate that sold for a fraction of the price
Have you every used a painless wiring kit to rewire everything. I'm looking to remove all old wiring due to corrosion, burnt wires and chewed wires. Want to put electric door locks. Eliminate as much vacuum line as possible.
We have 2 continentals, both hard top, and one of them is from 1964, and the other is from 1961, the 61 runs, and is a beautiful cruiser, the 64 doesnt and hasnt ran in over 25 years, also missing the dashboard and key to ignition, the interior is basically gone and its missing lots of valuable and crucial parts, (the neighboring guy has a yard full of 40s chevy sedans, mopars, and a few fords) which leads us to believe he stole a lot of parts from it to sell for quick profit, like the grille, headlights, tail lamps, air filter, and interior door panels, which are a pain in the ass to get, the cars in rough shape and buried in the back of a pull barn, we have been thinking about restoring the 64 continental but this video has put a little more fear in me than i thought about restoring it... thanks for the advice
They were a nightmare when they were new, I got so sick of the electrical problems with the top and windows in the rear doors of my beautiful 1961 three way black 4 door Convertable.
I parked it in the back of my shop at 30,000 miles back in 1963 and didn't touch it until 1970, when I took it out, and sold it for a bundle.
There is no end to trouble with these cars because they are also a mechanical disaster along with the electrical problems.
I got fooled by its beauty and just had to have one, fortunately it happened to be at a time when I was wired into the local Lincoln Mercury dealership, and bought it wholesale.
My rashional for buying the car was that it was the first desirable 4 door convertible made in the US since 1941, other than for the few that were put out by the kaiser-frazer company sometime in the late 40s or early 50s.
I had no idea at that time that it would make a better paper weight, than it would be a dependable car.
Great post!
Those rear doors are complicate too because the windows drop 4" when they are up to assume that the too is also up .
It has 6 relays and a knife switch on top of the door latch actuator , this lowers the glass to clear the overhang by the Top and the front door window gap .
The only thing to do with a basket case is to scrap the soft top and treat it like a top-down car with the manual trunk with remote locks and prop-rods to hold it open . This 6 passenger car has squat for trunk space with the top down , so I would just pay for the fiberglass section to lower the Trunk lid weight and maybe add a cool 63 T - Bird Toneau cover to make to 2-seater when i cruise around .
Make the rear doors unlock by a remote to shave off the handles and look like a 2 door convertible .
Hell, why not alter the rear seat back and make it fold down like a 2+2 to carry items , or clean up the trunk to have custom make side panels and ribbed flooring so when the fibeglass trunk lid comes off and the back seat if folded down i would have a quasi Ranchero called Linconero .
Could you give a comparison /advice on the Mark and Continental regarding electrical?
Thanx for great movie👍
Its best to get a wiring diagram that shows wire coding, harness connector locations etc. The worse thing you can find is where someone has gotten in there and reworked the wiring. I am very meticulous any more when it comes to working under the hood. When I see a wiring harness all exposed, I walk away. My last engine swap came out so good, the dealer told me he couldnt tell I had swapped engines. I did that on purpose. After working on enough of them, I know to label everything carefully and place everything back exactly as it was. I have seen wiring harnesses burned in half because the guy put the harness back in the wrong place and it ended up next to the exaust manifold. I watched a guy rip wires out while using the cherry picker to remove the engine because he became frustrated with getting the engine out. He said" dont worry about it, I can use the one on the engine". Well, the salvage yard used bolt cutters to cut the harness at the connector, so the entire harness had to be removed. It took him a few hours to swap engines and a week to repair all the wire damage. I remember a guy putting in a new after market radio in his car. It took him all summer to chase down all the issues because he separated the two ground wires in the dash and chopped them. When he turned on the radio, the wipers came on. The dome light in the roof didnt work until he turned on the headlights. It was entertaining.
Going to look at a 73 2 door continental next week. Looks to be restored
Ok Mr. Wilson, I saw you’re, “Why you don't want to restore
a Lincoln Continental” video. You have done what my wife couldn’t do over the
last year and have officially talked me out of trying to restore my 73 Continental
coup "LeRoy". But now I don’t know what to do with it. I got the car
for a great deal and wanted to do an old school build but this obviously is not
for a total beginner like myself. What car would you recommend I trade or look
for?
Your 73 should have a 460 which is 10x simpler and 10x cheaper to work on, and the electrical system is far less complicated as well. You can do it! IMO the easiest car for someone doing their first restoration is a mustang because they're super simple and you can buy literally every piece of the car new online.
Your the best I wish I could take my 64 with you so you could fix it
Those are the worst along with thunderbird Convertible s, late 50's and 60's Cadillac convertible are a headache too. It took me 5 years to restore mine and it never stopped draining the bank for the 7 years I owned it afterwards..
Yes, good advice.
You can buy EVERYTHING for that car at Lincoln Land. I had one for 7 years. And everything I needed for that car. I was able to get from Florida. They specialize old school Lincolns.
Fake news! Lol. I'm very familiar with Lincoln land. Great place, but they definitely don't have anywhere close to everything and what they do have is going to cost you an arm and a leg. Good source for a lot of hard to find stuff tho...
I too agree that you should be able to get most of these parts from Lincolnland. Eric at Lincolnland is a genius when it comes to these cars! They did a fabulous job on my 63!
Not necessarily a task for someone who's never undertaken a big restoration project, but still doable if whoever is restoring one understands the systems of the Continental.
They're essentially the same as any other old Luxury Car, but the real pain is the vacuum system. THAT can be the total nightmare....
And in the case of the convertibles, the electrical system that operates the top has to be perfectly synched and in perfect working order, or else it'll cause beaucoup trouble when you THINK you're done with the car.
Cheers!
Nathan Wilson The car you show is a convertible. That"s why you've got so many wires. The top literally retracted into the trunk. That's why the 1957-59 Galaxy hardtop convertible is so expensive to restore.
Can I come over to America and work for you??
Nice video !
Hi Nathan, I DO see where you are coming from! Dave...
Don't forget the rear door windows that lower when you open the door then go back up when the door closes
Seriously, I've had an engineer from Lockheed completely baffled by the diagram for the auto drop. That was the last part of these cars I finally got a good grasp on after years of working on them.
Sadly I work for Ford as a master tech and the new 17 Continental has 35+ modules. I don't even know how many wires are there but I can tell you that wiring harness is just enough wires to run to a restraint control module. But we have that info. Most people don't. We don't even have access to pre 1991.
know what you mean had a mk 3 a trim screw through the harness above speedometer two circuits int .fuse blown.took years to find
I got a '79 in almost running condition. Body is straight and it'll start and idle, but I will feel comfortable redoing the wiring. How much of a pain will that be? I'm in no rush whatsoever, I know guys who can do it. Would it be worth it for this legendary yacht?
Definitely. Take your time and go through every wire, and when you're ready to start enjoying the car you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that it is all good.
What year do you like best between 61-67 Continental convertible? I just got a 64 and of course the guy I got it from told me it was the best year. I did read some where it was the heaviest year.
mccproduction of course it's all opinion, but from everything I've read over the years, the 66 is most favored. I personally like the 64, mostly because of the dash. It's sleek. 65 had the same dash, but had the ugly turn signals up front. I do like the grilles on the tail lights of the 65 tho. Every year was different back then, which is cool. congrats on an awesome car!
61 through 64 hands down!!!! Search anywhere and tell me which ones are auction off the highest. It's definitely not a 66. Sorry my man but if it would be easy they wouldn't be called dream cars. My 63 convertible will be complete and no ones going to buzz kill it for me.
I just got a 68 been setting sense 90
Most of those familier with these cars have probably died off, by now. Or are too old for learning how to use a computer and getting onto the internet.
What I would do is to use a parts car for reference and then assemble those wires exactly to accordance, including melting off those tinkered-with soldered onto wires. The previous owner likely did all of that, just because he couldn't detect simple corrosion at these connections. All connectors should first be inspected for corrosion and then dealt with accordingly.
Those look like at least a mile length of vaccum line of which can get replaced, also using a parts car for reference.
What you also want to look out for is when you come across a Salt Belt Lincoln. Being Unibodies, you'd want to pay particular attention to the possibility of rust-outs in vital areas. I've brazed together Unibody cancer. It's not as big a deal as many people think it is. It's just time-consuming
Nathan Do you know if anyone sell a complete chassis harness?
i RESTORING A 1956 MARK 11 and yes it can be a headache lol gotta rewire all with update relays and such
Hey...If it's over your head, let someone who has the skill handle it!!!
Dennis Schell that’s what I used to think. It cost me a lot of frustration and money. One thing I learned in the car business...do not trust somebody who claims to be an expert.
@@MrZdvy In other words, don't buy cars. Lol.
Ned Schneebly I just learned to fix most things myself.
@@MrZdvy It's the best way to do it if you have the time and skills. It's becoming increasingly unfeasible for most, though. Cars get more complex, job hours get more ridiculous, and less people can afford garages/tools.
ive always wanted to learn more about cars as i have been very interested since i was a kid (uncle owned an old pontiac) but I dont even know what a choke is. Anyone have any suggestion to learning about cars?
Whatscuterthanajigglypuff CZcams and online forums. Then just practice. Buy an old junker and tear it down and rebuild it.
Put your tie on to tight for the day,thats your choke.To much gas,and no air.
Do you have clips for the back chrome center? Everytime i open my trunk it drags, but more importantly ima replace the entire carburetor
But I want to so badly.
Do you sell wiring harnesses?
Found one that someone took apart to paint never finished it. With it apart I would want to redo the wiring. Had a 1970 Thunderbird also a nightmare with wiring.
"The Truth Is They Couldn't Figure it Out"..Ouch😆😆😆
Where is your shop located? Thinking you could still buy it if you have a great mechanic like yourself who is super familiar with these cars
Yes that's a ragtop. So how bad are the hardtops to restore?
Do you have any master switches for a 68 Lincoln continental? The windows all work just the switch stopped working
I've had a '64 and a '65 sedan...they're a nightmare when it comes to wiring.
looking at a 67 hard top with the rear windows not working, are the hard tops not as complex?
Much less complex. Only one relay for each window. In the trunk right behind the seats.
Hi Nathan, been following your super nice continental videos for some time now, and this is really the most honest and clear message. Where can I contact you outisde of youtube? thanks upfront man
ReelX1 drivingdreamsrestorations@gmail.com
I think its to late :) my challenge is on :))) But it doesn't look like this one ! Way cleaner
Techniques on how to hold the gross, exceedingly optimistic!
I had a 68 - the electrical went funny - I opened the door & dash and such a nest fell out - I was done.
Nasa project feeling like that ....
How much do you charge for a 63 hardtop paint and body. Worst case price even though it's only got one dent on a roof. Black cherry with a rose gold roof. Thanks.
I have a 66 and I'm trying to decide if I should rebuild the steering box or just replace it? Hopefully you have time to reply. 🙏
Replace it with what?
@@NathanWilsonDrivingDreams a refurbished one instead of rebuilding it myself. I'm not nearly as mechanically inclined as you but I can replace parts. 3 bolts seems easier than 3 bolts and rebuilding the box. Sorry I wasn't more clear. Also if you have a rebuilt one I'll purchase it from you.
Definitely just replace it if you can find one that has been professionally rebuilt. It's tricky.
Quick question, so if the windows are not working pass on the car ?
G T
picking up an untouched 69 in the spring.
wise words
We just started to restore ours..it is a hardtop 67..but..we are the second owners..and had the motor rebuilt 20 years ago..now were about to bring her back to life..but two windows are not working..😭🙏🙏This worries me now..ughlll
lol - too late just scooped up a 61 convertible.. .definitely not a chevy.... I picked up a 66 convertible Cadillac for my wife now there are 3 -no parts. Will be hitting you up for pointers ...
0:49 - 🎶 “Mister Bo-tangles! ...” 🎶
Bo dangles!
I HAVE A 67 LINC. DO YOU RECOMMEND ME PUTTING NEW WIRING IN IT? DO YOU MAKE WIRING HARNESSES?
I don't know of anyone selling wiring harnesses file these cars. I have rewired a few completely over the years, and it is an extremely tedious and time consuming process that requires a full understanding of these particular cars functions. I would recommend unraveling and inspecting everything. Then only replace what is necessary, if any.
@@NathanWilsonDrivingDreams thank you so much
Real easy .just time consuming . All the vacuum hoses are for the heater and air controls.now that climate control box is a tough one.in 66 they recalled them and used a 1967 part number . Took me 2 weeks to fix a 66 climate control box.baker auto in Putnam con.has all the parts for early Lincoln convertible
hello where is the 4 way flasher switch on the dash thanks
how about getting the tourqe converter bolts out trick?
Having trouble put horn and steering wheel back together after someone toke it apart
I have a '72 Mark IV. All together and runs but terrible rust & rot on the roof to the upper quarters. With these cars either they are an old man's garage kept or they are in the junkyard.
My plan is to just make it a post-apocalypse vehicle. Flat black front to back including bumpers, grill, trim. Tons of bondo and filler. Already have the true dual flowmasters on that great sounding 460.
Car is only worth its value in parts so I can do what I want with it. I'll never get money back out.
Bullet proof, ha! Mine just got on the road and now it requires a rebuild.
I have a set of 4 barrel heads n intake, carb. Pennsylvania.
Your right Lincolons have the rep. as electrical nightmare
i had to laugh in the die hard when the only car in the city that would run was an old turd of a lincoln hard top
Where in fl are you?
HAHAHAH I've seen this SO many times.................Dan - GOldman Classic Lincolns
I got a 77. Just scrap all the dash electronics and go aftermarket. The windows are an issue but find and oldschool electronics guy and your good. I swapped out the 400m through everything away under the hood and put in a 427m stroker with big rims that look great on that giant car. The interior is next and all those old az electronic are headed to the trash. Im the second owner so the vacuum lines are all good.
Is there a way to modernize it
Do you have vacuum diagram for the 69 Lincoln continental
I don't work on 69s, but try Lincoln land.
Is there a way to simplify the wire with today's technology? Is it possible ??
I've owned two old Lincolns, both 62s. When looking to buy one, thoroughly check the HVAC and power door locks as they all run by vacuum. If everything is OK, check that the windows work- the switches can be cleaned up and re-used. I'll admit, my cars were sedans and a lot simpler than a rag top- in that case get a hold of John Cashman- he travels the US fixing Lincolns. Also, Baker's Auto in Connecticut has all the parts you will ever need and look at the lincolnforum.net. for lots of info about any problem you might have. There's lots of help out there, lincolnforum people will help. Lincolns are complex but shouldn't scare you away. But, I will say, this cars wiring is frightening and I probably wouldn't mess with it. Buy the best one you can afford.
Good advice. Thanks.
@@NathanWilsonDrivingDreams Also, always ask about the timing chain and gears. The nylon teeth will deteriorate with age, not mileage and they can break off and clog the oil pump. If that has not been done on a prospective purchase, plan for it. The chain and gears aren't that expensive. I had it done on mine and in both cases, I dodged a serious bullet.
Where can I find a 1967 Lincoln
Emmanuel Agyekum theres one in pontiac michigan fully restored 2 door hardtop and the factory 430 or 460 to 462
I got Gaithersburg md
I have a 66
Very good point... Just the driver's DOOR in one of these is more complicated than an entire Mustang! LOL
[[[ Hey, does this thing have the super-rare, vacuum-operated tilt steering column?? ]]]
Wtf Happened yes, which I've already replaced. i decided to pull every single vacuum line out of this thing and do away with most of them altogether. electric door locks, electric wiper motor, vintage air setup, etc. may actually put this 5.0 coyote motor I've got in there... getting carried away as usual.
AWWWWWW..... I LIKE the 'whoosh' of the vacuum operated goodies!
80>
And I couldn't go THAT unoriginal on the motor - but it WOULD be interesting to see what a high-compression 460 with port-injection would be like, Heh, heh, heh! (And of course, any of the original torque-monsters should have a 4-speed overdrive to get 'em up to 20 MPG on the highway.)
Isn't it ironic that Ford was (allegedly) screwing the inventor out of his idea for interval electric wipers while they were using the infinite-speed hydraulics?
BTW, if you have a functioning hydraulic wiper motor, I'll bet there are many GMC Motorhome owners who would like to buy it! GM needed that torque for the long wiper arms on their huge windshields, you know...)
Wtf Happened i have several of those lying around. One of these days I might actually get some stuff listed for sale. i recently built a 66 with a mild 460 and 4 speed. I'm in the process of doing a 67 right now with a 460 turned 532 beast. I'm planning to sell my baby this spring...64 with 700+hp all aluminum 427fe, tri power, 4sp, 411 rear, etc etc... I should have a video soon for the sale.
Nathan Wilson great vids!
I bought a 1969 Lincoln, from a dealer that was the second owner of it. I have a few question to ask you about the car. If their anyway we can exchange email or something I would appreciate it sir. Thanks for your time.
Chris Baker drivingdreamsrestorations@gmail.com
Where can i get a vacuum hose kit ? Anyone sell them for 63?
Dustin King check out The Lincoln Addict on CZcams. He does a short video on vacuum harnesses made by Blair Farmer in Florida.
I am after a 1963 Lincoln convertible project. Which is the best place to try and get one? I would like the body work done in Inverness green or light mint green and honey white seats.
Is the 61 Lincoln the same length as the 65 ?
Is a mark 111 just as bad ?
I hate fixing other people mistakes. I've had the misfortune of someone bringing me a '69 mark iii for brake work. After he had it towed to my house I quickly discover the rebuilt engine runs like crap, the kickdown linkage for the trans is gone, the power steering pump is bad, the exhaust is shot and the wires going to the driver's door are broken. Been 2 months. Every time I open the hood I find more hackwork or missing pieces. Now I have to figure out how to convert the stupid car to have a normal belt driven ps pump, just so I can get it out my driveway.