09/15/16 - Purchased the Lincoln from Dick Naselli. Secured plates from DMV and returned to First Automotive on Old Liverpool Road. They had changed the oil and completed the NYS Inspection. My son and I mounted the plates, and I drove the car home.

10/03/16 - I brought the car to Syracuse Auto Electric on N. Salina Street. The owner is Tom Binner. He verified that the radio is inoperable (this is common with this model). The electric antenna motor is good, but the mast needs to be replaced. He lubed the rear passenger locking mechanism, which works freely now. He also lubed the driver's power seat motor, which works fine but is a bit squeaky.... I called all around about the radio / 8 track. It's tough to find people who know how to fix these, but I later found someone in Liverpool.

10/07/16 - Brought the car back to First Automotive to have the coolant flushed and replaced, so that everything would be fine while the car sat in storage over the winter.

10/09/16 - Stored car for the first winter with me. Paid Dick Naselli for the storage. I filled the tank with ethanol free gas, and inflated the tires to 40 pounds, to help avoid flat spots. We disconnected the negative battery post, and covered the Lincoln. Mileage as of this day: 43,470.

05/12/17 - Picked up the car from storage.  Car ran well, tires were great, no lumps. 

05/17/17 - Noticed small leak from under engine on our garage floor.  Called First Automotive. I assumed it was motor oil at this time (it would later prove to be a leak from the power assist steering cylinder)

05/19/17 - I received the custom Lincoln floor mats, ordered from Auto Custom Carpets.  The fit was not right, but a week or so later, they picked them up and made the right adjustments.  The mats look great in the car!

05/22/17 - Dropped the car at First Automotive for them to check the leak and see if they thought it was running a bit rich.  The car stayed there a week.  They cleaned and adjusted the carburetor, and replaced the vacuum lines, but they said the leak was a bit trickier, because it is coming fro the power assist unit, which may need to be re-built.  I picked the car up. 

06/15/17 - 06/22/17 -  The car was at Hiram's on Morgan Road, with Kevin.  Kevin was very nice and took great care of the car, keeping it inside most f the time, but he was not able to fix the leak.  I had also noted that the car seemed to have an intermittent charging issue, as it would not stay running, and I had to have it towed down the road to Hiram's. Kevin noted no issues with the charging system, and he referred me to Bruce Cleveland, Cleveland's garage. 

06/22/17 - I dropped the car at Cleveland's Garage on Brewerton Road in Cicero, and met Bruce.  He will fix three items: 1. Leak from the power assist cylinder, 2. Check the intermittent charging issue, and 3. The driver's window is coming off the regulator.  Current mileage: 43,510.

07/03/17 - Picked up the car from Bruce at Cleveland's Garage.  Bruce did a great job.  He found other items he wanted to fix or replace.  He installed a new voltage regulator, and a new starter solenoid.  He also fabricated new battery cables, and replaced a part involving the AC, but I am not sure what it was (you can see the new part on the firewall).  He replaced 3 belts that were worn or noisy.  He replaced a clutch in the driver's window unit, and put the door back together.  He replaced the clamps on the hoses for the power assist cylinder, and attempted to stop a small oil leak as well.  The power assist cylinder appears to be OK now, but there is a still a very slow oil leak. 

Other items he recommended: He recommends overhauling the carburetor, and he said this is why the car hesitates to start when it is warm.  We also discussed having him detail the engine bay, which he says he does at the shop.  Before the Fall, I will have Bruce: detail engine bay: change oil; NYS inspection; and attempt to fix the passenger side mirror.  Current mileage: 43,540.

08/06/17 - Took the car to Fayetteville for lunch, about 40 miles round trip.  The Lincoln sailed along on 481 South, with no issues.  Current mileage: 43,620.

09/12/17 - Just picked the car up from Bruce at Cleveland's Garage.  I needed to do a couple things before storage this Fall.  He did the NYS Inspection, and changed the oil, using an expensive 10w30 Valvoline VR1 racing oil, which has a very high Zinc content, which he explained as important for this car.  He also topped off the other fluids, greased the vehicle, and changed the oil filter.  He found that at some point the car was jacked using the pinch welds, instead of the frame, so he spent some time straightening those welds, and he painted them as well.  He decided we should wait to detail the engine bay, until the Spring, when he will rebuild the carburetor, adjust the timing, and replace the muffler (which is too small).  Current mileage: 43,682

10/14/17 - Stored the car for the winter, in Baldwinsville.   The building is owned by Russel and Heather Wing (315-516-3435).  We removed the battery, which I will keep on a tender, at home.  The car's current mileage is 43,734.

05/07/18 - Picked the car up from storage. The battery was on a tender all winter; it started right up. Tires held right at 39 pounds all winter - I stopped by Stewart's and brought all the tires down to 29 pounds. Current mileage: 43,745

06/02/18 - I had a retro-fit stereo installed at Syracuse Customs.  The original radio/8 track, which I will keep, did not work and repairing it was going to be a real hassle.  I bought a radio from RetroSound in Nevada for $300.  Steve at Syracuse Customs did a nice job and his price was very reasonable.  The new stereo has Bluetooth connectivity and a USB port, which is installed in the cigarette lighter port (I also saved the original cig lighter and socket).  The stereo sounds good, but it was discovered that one of the rear speakers is blown.  I will return to Steve at some point and have him install a set of two speakers in the read deck.  I will also need to find some replacement headliner material for the rear deck, because the original material is very sun faded and broken down. On the way home from his shop, I called my wife using bluetooth.  Hands-free calling in a '77 Lincoln!

07/13/18 - I picked the car up from Cleveland's Garage yesterday.  The horn and cruise were not working, since the time the radio was installed, and the fuses seemed OK.  Bruce fixed the horn and cruise issue.  Of course, now I am noticing that the moonroof and dash illumination are not functioning, which is also no doubt somehow connected to the radio installation or fuses.  In any event, Bruce worked on the carb and timing, etc, and completely detailed the engine bay, which looks great.  He also removed the old hood insulation and cleaned the underside of the hood.  He ordered me a new hood insulation kit, which I will need to have installed.  Current Mileage: 43,856.

07/30/18 - I brought the car to Tim Taylor at Thru-Way Autoglass, to have the AC re-charged, because they are the only place around that still has some R12 refrigerant.  According to Tim, the R12 is already topped off, and the system does not leak, but the reason the AC is no longer cold, is due to a bad or stuck Suction Throttling Valve.  He quoted me for removing the valve, and re-fitting the system to the newer R-134A, and also installing a thermostat switch to prevent the evaporator from freezing up. The total would come to $525, less the $80 diagnose fee I paid today.  That seems really expensive, and I am wondering why someone could not just find a way to replace the Suction Throttling Valve Capsule.  Current Mileage: 43,910

08/13/18 - I brought the car to Bruce at Cleveland's Garage, to have the new hood insulation installed.  It looks great.  He did not have time to fix the issues involving the fuse for the dash illumination and the no-power to the moonroof.  I will be sure to have those fixed in the Spring.  The car is running really well. 

09/06/18 - Brought the car back to Tim Taylor at Thruway Autoglass to have the AC system re-fitted for 134a (I also met with Ed at Autotech a couple weeks ago, who assured me that the re-fit was the way to go and that the price was reasonable).  On the way home, I had the air blasting all the way up route 481.  It works great!  Current Mileage: 43,940

09/11/18 - I ran into an issue today with storage options for this winter, so I am documenting the info here.  Heather and Russell Wing (516-3435) are no longer offering storage.  She referred me to Walt (Retlaw LLC, 552-7151), and I went to see his building on Buckley Road, which is really nice, and heated, but the cost is too high for me at $595 per winter.  Heather then referred me to Dean, who has a large building in Plainville, and I am going to look at this place tomorrow.  The cost here is only 200-250 per year.  Dean's number is 626-2466 or 246-5407, and the address is 7820 Plainville Road, Memphis.  ** I looked at Dean's buildings - they are turkey barns in a large field - not an ideal place to store a car but apparently they store a lot of them there each winter.  I then re-connected with Dick Naselli (315-952-6735) who has agreed to store the Lincoln this winter for $300, at his small building off W. Genesee.  Also, for future reference, there is a man named Mike who owns a storage building off W. Genesee Street, for $400 per month.  His number is 315-436-2615.   

10/08/18 - I stored the car today with Dick Naselli at 905 Park Avenue in Syracuse, which is right where the car was stored for 20 some years, until I bought two years ago.  The cost was $300.  I had already put the tires at 40 lbs, and filled the tank and added 6 ounces of Stabil.  We backed the car all the way in, put a plastic tarp underneath, removed the battery, and covered the car.  Dick marveled at how clean the car is.  Current mileage: 44,057.

projects for next year: 1. two new speakers and new headliner material on rear deck.  2. replace antenna mast if possible.  3.  have Joe Zell touch up car and buff.  4.  fix or replace the passenger mirror.

05/08/19 - I brought the car home from storage.  The car started right up and ran well.  On the way home, the front passenger window came off the regulator, which will need to be fixed.  I brought the tires back down to 27 pounds.  The radio is working well and the phone paired without a problem.  I got into the back and realized that both speakers on the rear deck are working well.  I am not sure I need new speakers, but I want to replace the headliner material back there.

I plan to bring the car to Bruce Cleveland for: power back to sun roof, window regulator, oil change, passenger mirror. 

06/29/19 - I picked up the car from Bruce today; it had been there since 05/24/19!  I was upset about how long he kept the car.  He did the work just a little at a time, and the total was more than I expected.  He fixed the sun roof by replacing a relay that is found along the firewall.  He fixed the passenger window by replacing the window motor gear and had to order a bunch of clips to put the door skin back together.  He also replaced the fan clutch which should allow the engine to run cooler.  He changed the oil using some very expensive Valvoline VR1 synthetic racing oil.  Current mileage: 44,105.

07/04/19 - Today I was able to repair the passenger rearview mirror.  I finally realized that it flopped around so much because the control cables were not connected to the actuator.  The actuator is accessed by removing a threaded bezel on the dash.  Once the I re-connected 2 of the disconnected wires and remounted the controller, the mirror is rock solid in its base outside the door.  The control knob is missing, so I gently placed a screw into the threaded top of the actuator.  It works fine.  Of course, the driver's side is also a tad loose, so I suspect there is one of three wires not connected there. 

07/06/19 - I attended the Cars n Coffee at the Route 31 Wegmans.  There I met a man named Dave who, coincidentally, worked for Bernie Naselli in the 70's, making braces, and he was also in charge of waxing my car every Thursday.  He seemed delighted to see the car again.  He explained that he would wax the car on Thursdays, and on Fridays he would drive Joseph Naselli and his wife out to Skaneateles Lake.  Dave's cell # is 315-546-5567.  We talked about me wanting to bring a better shine to the finish.  He suggested I use Mequiars 105/205 cut compound and polish.  But after speaking with Dick on the phone, I opted to start with a clay bar and polish kit.  That week, I completely clay barred the car with a kit from Mother's, then used a Mother's Cleaner Wax, then finished with a Mequiars paste wax.  All together the project took me about 7 to 8 hours.  The car looks amazing!


9/13/19 - I brought the car to First Automotive in Liverpool for the inspection.  The inspection was fine, but they told me I should probably replace the brake lines next year, and the front brakes as well.  I will have Bruce take a look at this in the spring.  Current mileage: 44,244.

10/15/19 - Today I stored the car with Walter Mesina (Retlaw, LLC) at 4575 Buckley Road.  The building is very nice, and heated, and the cost is more (he gave me $100 off, so the cost was $495).  Dick Naselli ran into a snag with the property he was leasing on Park Ave, as the owner intends to sell the house.  It is always a sad day for me when I store the car for the winter.  Next summer I need to drive the car more.  Below is a picture I took as I walked out.  Current mileage: 44,280

04/20/20 -- My wife and I returned to Walt's storage building on Buckley Road to pick up the car.  We had to work around the car behind me, which was, ironically, an expensive new Mercedes that would not start.  The Lincoln roared to life on the 2nd turn, and the engine stabilized in just a few minutes.  Walt returned my deposit money, and off I went.  I headed over to Stewart's, where I brought the air pressure in the tires down to 27 pounds (the factory calls for 24 lbs, which I find amazing).  I then ran it over to the park and took a couple pictures.  The car sailed along.  I will be bringing the Lincoln to First Automotive in Liverpool for some work (brakes, oil).  It is always good to have Henry back at home. 

6/20/20 - Picked up the car from First Automotive in Liverpool, where it had been for two weeks for some work.  I had the front brakes replaced entirely, including calipers and hoses.  He said the rear brakes are fine and that the lines are fine.  He installed a thermostat assembly because I told him the car was running hot.  He said this should help.  He replaced the brake master cylinder and the brake booster assembly, which had been leaking a bit for a long time.  This was the most expensive part of the job because I was charged a lot for the booster part.  He also added coolant and charged the AC system, which had been running a bit warm at times.  I also had the oil changed for the year.  Overall I spent more than I should have.  Hopefully the car does not need much next summer.

7/18/20 - I replaced the coach light bulbs, and cleaned the lenses with rubbing compound and polished the chrome bezels.  They look so cool when lit up at night.  

9/11/20 - I brought the car to First Automotive for the NYS Inspection.  It needed a new bulb in the rear passenger side.  otherwise all is good for now.  I spoke with Mark for a bit.  He encouraged me to put more miles on the car.  I emailed him later because I forgot to ask him if he had heard that Dick Naselli passed away recently.  Dick will be missed.  He was a fine man.  

10/10/20 - I stored the car today, with a young man named Ryan who owns a home at 7120 Kirkville Road East.  His number is 315-456-8624.  He has a separate building in back.  I signed a contract and the cost was $350 for the season.  Hopefully next summer is more enjoyable and I get more miles on the car.  Damn Covid!  Current mileage: 44,610.

04/10/21 - Picked up the car from storage with my wife.  Ryan has been reliable and positive about the arrangement.  He offered to store the car again next year.  The Lincoln fired up on the second try and ran pretty steady after a minute or so.  It drove fine home.  In the days that followed, we got hit with snow again, so getting the car when I did was good luck. 

06/14/21 -  Brought the car to First Automotive for an oil change and minor items.  Mark said the brake booster assembly repair still looks good.  He said the cooling system is fine.  He also was able to diagnose the issue with the dash lights not working.  He traced the problem to the headlight switch, in the dash.  It needs a new switch, which we will do in September, when we do the inspection.  Current mileage: 44,710.  *Note: I have put a total of about 1,250 miles on the car over nearly five years.

09/14/21 - Brought the car to First Automotive for the Inspection and the issue with the dash lights.  The Inspection went fine, and he replaced the headlight switch, but it did not fix the dash lights issue because he determined there is a wiring short somewhere that is causing the dash lights to be inoperable. So for now I paid for the new headlight switch to be installed, and in the Spring he will find the short and fix that.  Current mileage: 44,845.