Factory mistake with my vinyl roof ?

[Spot]

Hi folks,

I suppose that the factory did a mistake when my Lincoln was assembled.

The reason is: My Continental is no "real" Town Coupe* - but the script is on the side of the vinyl roof.
(* It has the cloth seats which where only available for the base Continentals. Furthermore it has no power vents, not the diagonal pattern above the arm rest etc...)

So you could say: Maybe the vinyl roof was changed ?
I tought the same, but... my Lincoln had only 2 pre-owner.

The second owner kept the car for only 1 year - but the first owner had the car for 33 years !
They are still alive and I'm in touch with them via email. The first owner (of Colorado) confirmed that he bought the Lincoln off the dealer lot WITH the Town Coupe script...

So two options remain: The dealer (he is no longer in business) replaced the vinyl roof or the factory mounted a wrong one.

Could this be possible ? Is anybode of you also in possession of a Lincoln with a factory mistake ?

P.S.: I consider my Continental as a Town Coupe. In germany, hardly nobody knows about the fine differences between Continental with/without the Town trim-level....

[Dan Szwarc]

That's OK. My 77 Continental has all the markings of a Town Car except there were never any badges saying Town Car on it! It even has a bench seat with the pillowed design, something only Town Cars have.

Factory mistakes were common. It's no big deal.

[78_towncar_460]

That's OK. My 77 Continental has all the markings of a Town Car except there were never any badges saying Town Car on it! It even has a bench seat with the pillowed design, something only Town Cars have.

Factory mistakes were common. It's no big deal.

You have a front bench seat with the pillows? I don't think I have ever seen that before.

[Dan Szwarc]

It exists and there's an interior code for it.

[JonW]

The factory makes mistakes all the time. Not so much these days, but back then it was more common. When my dad was an Olds dealer, I remember getting in a Cutlass that had Monte Carlo emblems on it. I've seen cars with a pinstripe on only one side, etc.

[toddallen]

The factory makes mistakes all the time. Not so much these days, but back then it was more common. When my dad was an Olds dealer, I remember getting in a Cutlass that had Monte Carlo emblems on it. I've seen cars with a pinstripe on only one side, etc.

My parents bought a new 71 Plymouth with a 360 cid motor, and the badge said 383 on the outside.

[Linmk56]

Working for a Ford L/M dealer in the 70's, it was not unusual to have a Ford Maverick that said Maverick on one side and Comet and the next. Same was the case with the Granda and Monarch

[Highlander64]

Guy I worked with years ago bought a '65 Dodge Coronet out in SoCal in 1966 as a one year old leftover that got little attention on the dealer lot... silver stripper with apparently a 273 according to the badging. Overlooked by everyone. He was on an Air Force salary and this was a good opportunity... the car turned out to have a 426 Street Wedge in it. Not sure if it was a factory mistake, but he claimed the car had been built for Dick Landy who had already moved on to the newer 426 Hemi before ever taking the car.

All kinds of unicorns were built back then.

[action]

I worked for the Parts and Service Division (FPSD) from 1979 to 1986. When a car was delivered as an incorrect build it was the FPSD responsibility to view the car take pics and authorize the repair/fix. We were in any given dealership at least once a month and larger dealerships every week. In that 7 years I saw about a dozen vehicles built incorrectly or with mis-matched options/badging. Most of the errors were minor and all of those required approval before the dealership could do the repairs.

Somewhat related, I did send a Mark VI back to the assembly plant because the carriage roof was incorrect and the cost to repair was greater than what would have been acceptable for an unsold vehicle. Sticker was $22,000+, very high end vehicle for the time. I didn't really pay attention to MSRP as all new vehicles were either given to me to drive or delivered by the time I saw them. A vehicle over $20K blew me away at the time.

And there were dealer mistakes as well. I had a FLM dealer that had ordered a loaded Continental however they had forgotten to order the optional speed control. It was a rather odd vehicle and did not sell well.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[JimFreeh]

I

And there were dealer mistakes as well. I had a FLM dealer that had ordered a loaded Continental however they had forgotten to order the optional speed control. It was a rather odd vehicle and did not sell well.

My 1999 BMW Z3 has leather and a power top, but no fog lights or cruise control.
A good friend bought it new off the dealer lot.

I have not seen another Z3 that lacked cruise, and am still amazed that I don't have it.
If it were a stripper, why the expensive leather and power top options?

Weird.....

Jim

[dcm5652]

A friend of mine bought a new 68 or 69 Camaro that had a Firebird front end.

[Steve K]

My dad had a Olds 98 with a Fleetwood script on one side. No way it was just a mistake as the holes had to be drilled to accept the studs for a much longer script. I wonder how many were pranks, dares, or quality control tests on the line? Dad chose to keep it that way. He thought it was unique and it was always a conversation starter.

[Billblassed]

During the dark Days of MoPar .. A brand new Aspen with Volare Emblems I saw was fresh off the Transporter . I delivered "H" Bodies from my Home Terminal Lordstown , OHIO . A Pontiac and an Oldsmobile were mixed during the final assembly and placing on the Car Hauler Property as a Cargo Unit . The Olds was first . It had a Serial number matching the Paperwork . Pontiac in all appearance and exactly matched equipment listed for the Olds . To the Pontiac Dealer it was delivered . The next week , an Olds was sent through the Tunnel . Lo and behold it was a Pontiac . Wearing the exact VIN Number . Olds in all appearance and exactly matched the Pontiac . To the Pontiac Dealer it went . After a month the mistake was sorted out . The Factory had switched the VIN Tags of two Car Lines with the other . The letter or character in the VIN identifying the Car Line was switched for these two Cargo Units . The Factory Broadcast Sheets had the right information for the wrong units . THE VINS exactly being identical and Missed by Final Inspection prior to the Tunnel . Then there was the "H" Body sent to be delivered without the Drive Train . Being sans Engine , Transmission and Drive Shaft it needed to be pushed . Nothing unusual for a "H" Body to have a NO Start , no Run problem . Hey the Factories are run by People . I can share more problems . I also can tell about the "Machine" at Linden , N.J. placing the general's E)?) Bodies ; Olds Toronado . Buick Riveara , Cadillac Eldrorado / Sevilles during them '79 MY Run and the cost and tears this caused . A machine causes more carnage than the People in Factories . Thanx ..