A 1987 Lincoln Town Car needs serious work before it's safe to drive, even if it looks solid from outside
A barn find—a car that has sat unused for years—looks like a prize until you try to start it. A 1987 Lincoln Town Car that has been parked for months or years will have seized brakes, degraded fuel, flat-spotted tires, and corrosion inside the engine. The fuel tank will have rust and sediment. The battery is dead. The belts and hoses have hardened and cracked. None of this is visible until you begin work, and every system needs inspection before you drive it anywhere.
The real question is not whether the car runs, but whether the cost of making it safe and reliable is worth what you paid for it. A 1987 Town Car is a heavy, thirsty, body-on-frame luxury sedan. It will never be a daily driver for someone on a budget. If you bought it as a project or a weekend car, you need to know what you are actually looking at.
Key Takeaways
- Do not start the engine until you have drained and replaced the fuel, checked the oil, and confirmed the battery is charged—old fuel and low oil can destroy an engine in seconds.
- The brake system must be inspected and flushed before the car moves, because brake fluid degrades and brakes can fail completely on a car that has sat for years.
- Tires, belts, hoses, and suspension components will need replacement or repair; a 1987 Town Car is too heavy and too powerful to drive on compromised parts.
- Rust inside the fuel tank, corrosion on the engine block, and seized components are common and can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to address.
- A pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with 1980s American luxury cars will show you what is actually wrong before you commit money to repairs.
Why you cannot straightforward turn the key and drive
The fuel in a 1987 Town Car that has sat for years is no longer gasoline—it is varnish and sediment. When you turn the key, that sludge flows into the fuel injectors and carburetor, clogs them, and can damage the fuel pump. The engine will not start, or it will start and when ready stall. If it does run, it will run rough and may stall while you are driving.
The oil has also oxidized and thickened. If the car sat in a cold climate, the oil may be nearly solid. Turning the engine over with thick, old oil puts enormous strain on the starter and can cause internal damage before the engine even fires. You must drain the old oil and replace it with fresh oil before you attempt to start the engine.
The battery is almost certainly dead. A dead battery will not harm the engine, but a weak or failing alternator combined with a dead battery can cause electrical fires or damage to the charging system. Charge the battery fully before you start the car, and have the alternator tested once the engine is running.
The brake system is the safety issue you cannot ignore
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air over time. After years of sitting, the fluid in a 1987 Town Car's brake lines will have absorbed enough water to lower the boiling point of the fluid. When you brake hard—especially in an emergency—the fluid can boil, creating vapor bubbles in the lines. The brakes will fail completely, and you will have no way to stop the car.
The brake calipers and wheel cylinders will also have corroded internally. The seals will have hardened and cracked. When you press the brake pedal, the calipers may not release fully, causing the brakes to drag and overheat. Or they may not grip at all. A 1987 Town Car weighs over 4,600 pounds and has a V8 engine—it needs reliable brakes.
Before you drive the car anywhere, have a mechanic flush the entire brake system, replace all four brake pads or shoes, inspect the rotors or drums for damage, and test the brake pedal feel. This is not optional. Brake failure on a car this size and weight can cause a serious accident.
Tires, belts, and hoses will need replacement
Tires that have sat for years will have flat spots where they rested on the ground. The rubber will have hardened and cracked. Even if the tread looks acceptable, the tire is unsafe at highway speeds. The sidewalls may have dry rot—visible cracks in the rubber—which means the tire can fail without warning. Replace all four tires before you drive the car.
The serpentine belt (or belts, if the car has multiple) will have cracked and hardened. The hoses connected to the radiator, heater, and engine will have the same problem. A cracked belt will snap while you are driving, leaving you without a water pump or alternator. A failed hose will leak coolant, and the engine will overheat. Both are cheap to prevent and expensive to fix on the roadside.
The air conditioning hoses and refrigerant lines may have leaked or corroded. If you want the air conditioning to work, the system will need to be evacuated, inspected for leaks, and recharged. This requires specialized equipment and is not a DIY job.
Rust inside the fuel tank and corrosion on the engine
A 1987 Town Car's fuel tank is steel. After years of sitting, especially if the car was stored outdoors or in a damp place, the inside of the tank will have rust and sediment. This debris will clog the fuel filter and injectors. You may need to have the tank professionally cleaned or replaced.
The engine block itself can corrode if coolant was left in the system and has degraded, or if the system was drained and left empty. Corrosion on the cylinder walls, valve seats, and bearing surfaces can cause the engine to lose compression, leak oil, or fail to start. A compression test will tell you whether the engine is salvageable.
If the car was stored in a salty climate or near the ocean, corrosion will be much worse. The undercarriage, suspension components, and brake lines may be heavily rusted. Some of this corrosion is cosmetic; some is a safety issue. A mechanic can tell you which is which.
Suspension and steering components need inspection
The suspension on a 1987 Town Car uses coil springs, shock absorbers, and a solid rear axle. After years of sitting, the shocks will have lost their dampening fluid or will be completely dry. The springs may have sagged. The bushings—rubber components that connect the suspension to the frame—will have hardened and cracked.
The steering linkage, tie rods, and ball joints will have corroded and may be seized. Turning the steering wheel may be difficult or impossible until these components are freed up and lubricated. If they are too corroded, they will need to be replaced.
A 1987 Town Car is a large, heavy car with a high center of gravity. A compromised suspension is not just uncomfortable—it is unsafe. Have a mechanic put the car on a lift and inspect every suspension component before you drive it.
Getting a pre-purchase inspection from the right mechanic
Before you spend money on repairs, have a mechanic who knows 1980s American luxury cars inspect the entire vehicle. This is not the same as a quick once-over. A thorough inspection includes a compression test, a fuel system inspection, a complete brake system evaluation, suspension and steering checks, and a test drive (if the car is safe enough to drive).
The mechanic should give you a written report listing what is wrong, what needs to be fixed before the car is safe to drive, what can wait, and rough cost estimates for each repair. This report will tell you whether the car is worth fixing or whether you should walk away.
If you do not know a mechanic who specializes in 1980s cars, ask at a local classic car club or search for shops that work on vintage American vehicles. A mechanic who has never seen a 1987 Town Car may not know how to diagnose its specific problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive a barn find home from where I found it?
No. Even if the engine starts, the brakes, tires, and steering may not be safe. Tow the car to a mechanic or to your home. Driving it risks brake failure, tire blowout, or loss of steering control.
How much does it cost to get a 1987 Town Car running after it has sat for years?
This varies widely depending on how long it sat, where it was stored, and what is wrong. Budget at least $1,500 to $3,000 for fuel system cleaning, brake system flush, new tires, belts, hoses, and fluids. Major repairs like engine work or rust removal can cost much more.
Should I try to start the engine myself to see if it runs?
Not until you have drained the old fuel, replaced the oil, and charged the battery. Starting an engine with old fuel and old oil can cause permanent damage. Have a mechanic do the first start.
What if the engine does not have compression?
Low or zero compression means the engine has internal damage—worn rings, damaged valves, or a cracked block. The engine will need to be rebuilt or replaced. This is expensive and may not be worth the cost on a 1987 Town Car.
Is a 1987 Town Car worth restoring?
That depends on your goals and budget. If you want a reliable weekend cruiser or show car, a Town Car can be rewarding. If you want a fuel-efficient daily driver, it is not the right choice. The car will always need significant maintenance and will consume a lot of gasoline.