Looks to be in fantastic shape, but the asking price seems high for a fancy Granada. https://lascruces.craigslist.org/cto/d/deming-1977-lincoln-versaille/6950278877.html
Funny thing is, these have always been high-priced for one reason: the rear axle. IIRC, all Versailles came with the disc brake 9", and everyone building hot rods would buy these just for that. Now, as for a dressed-up Granada, that may be true, but these were always loaded, and they usually came with a 351W or larger. I've even seen one (and only one so far) with a 460, factory. So, it may be a bit high-priced, but to me, they've always been desirable for more than its looks.
Always thought Lincoln missed an opportunity with the Versaille. Starting a smaller Lincoln model made sense in the 70s and to the Versaille's credit it had decent mechanicals. Unfortunately, it just looked too much like the cheaper Ford Grenada and that is all that many potential buyers saw. GM was smarter with the later Cadillac Cimmeron. GM saved money by not bothering to upgrade much of anything.
Smarter and Cimmeron are two words I wouldn’t have thought would be in the same sentence. You are correct that they didn’t upgrade much of anything, perhaps some suspension components. But the Cimmeron I think was pretty much a disastrous Caviler knock off. Even lights and grills were similar. I think a lot of these “right sized” luxury cars were just answers to some public outcry, and governmental edicts to beef up mileage standards, and give a wink and a nod to “economy”. The Cadillac that “zigs” is more like one that Zagged.
Valid point. Many have decried the Cimmaron, and do bear in mind, the most expensive 1975 Caddy, at $12+K, was the Seville, a slightly-stretched Nova. I owned one many years ago. But I would've preferred a Versailles, if that possibility had existed. Ivy, I did see it, and yeah, it was shoehorned in. Special tools were needed just to change the plugs. But that chassis could fit a 385-series engine. Never got to drive it, but I'm sure, even with the smogged engine, it would've lit up the tires. And remember, Mustangs from '69 or '70 to '73 were dimensionally similar underhood to the Granada/Monarch/Lincoln platform and had optional 429 CID engines, which are also from the 385-series.
I have a ‘76 Seville. I absolutely love driving that car. I remember my uncles ‘76 Sedan Deville and how big that mother was. Yeah it was interesting. The market was Mercedes, but they actually ate their own with a lot of owners getting rid of their big Caddy’s in favor of the new Seville.
I actually was impressed with how well the injection performed, when it was working and the dizzy/throttle body adjustments were where they needed to be. But, Bendix's injection controls were not without mishaps. If they had used ground-side injector controls, and made the MAP sensor separate, like the Bosch design (perhaps paying Bosch for the use of those design elements), I think the Seville would've been a bit more popular, along with the 472 and 500-powered big caddies that had the Bendix injection.
I think the comparison with the Nova based Seville is much more accurate than the later & smaller Cimarron. GM did a better job disguising the Nova chassis than ford did with the Granada Chassis. On a Seville no external Body parts are shared with a Nova, that and most Cadillac dealers at the time were either stand alone, or paired with GMC Trucks. So the other divisions versions of the Nova were not sitting next to a Seville in the show room. GM also slightly stretched the wheel base of Seville compared to a Nova. At the local Lincoln/Mercury dealership a customer could look at a Mercury Monarch, and a Lincoln Versaille side by side, and could see the shared body panels between them. I forget that both of these cars, the Seville & the Versaille were the most expensive models offered by both Divisions. Monarch Versaille
There were only a little over thirteen hundred factory builts, during its entire production. Not only were the firewalls of a different stamp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_429_Mustang It certainly couldn't have been this easy: The one you saw had to have been a custom conversion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Versailles And popped wheelies in this one: https://barnfinds.com/a-little-different-1979-lincoln-tomaso-versailles/
The Ford wiring diagrams of that time always listed what engines were available. And bear in mind, I'm not referring to the Boss 429, which is wider than a stock 429 Thunderjet, but the 429 Thunderjet itself. And also bear in mind, Wiki pages are beholden to the information posted; it is possible to have both incorrect information, as well as missing information. Anyway, a Ford wiring diagram always listed the engines available to a platform, to aid the diagnostics. The 1975 wiring diagrams for the platform that carried the Granada, Monarch and Versailles, listed the 460 (dimensionally the same as the Thunderjet engine) in the first page, where the firing order and distributor cap wire arrangements were featured, in addition to the 351/302 Windsors and the 250 inline six. Now, I will go to the library, and look in the paper wiring diagram book for '75, and confirm what i have just said, But rest assured, if I am wrong, I will post that instead, along with an apology.
