We catch up with the owner of a low-mileage, first-generation Town Car built in 1988 – unusual for being shipped to the UK brand new
Images: Matt Richardson
Not every 27-year-old British petrolhead is an ardent fan of Ford’s long-running Panther platform and the models it sired, but that’s certainly the case with Maidstone-based Ben Butcher. In fact, his first Panther ownership experience came via a Ford Crown Victoria when he was just 19 years old: “I drove 50,000 miles in that Crown Vic and used it as my work car,” recalls Ben. “It proved to be totally reliable.”
Fast-forward to February 2025 and Ben found himself taking on a rather different variation on the Panther platform theme: “I’d always wanted a Lincoln Town Car, and had seen this particular one advertised previously. Then, early last year, I noticed it was back on the market – and this time I was determined not to miss out.”
The car was certainly something special, with immaculate Light Sandalwood paintwork and matching landau vinyl roof, its astonishing condition being helped by the from-new mileage of only 39,000. What made it particularly unusual, however, was the fact that this Town Car has been in the UK from brand new, its first owner – Dennis Hunter of North Humberside – purchasing it from Florida-based Trail Lincoln Mercury and having it shipped across the Atlantic, unregistered and with just 32 miles under its wheels.
“The Lincoln left the dealership on December 8th, 1988 and arrived in the UK on January 26th,” says Ben. “It was then registered on February 1st and was used regularly, clocking up 20,000 miles by the time it was sold to its second owner in 1997.”
It’s easy to see the appeal of an ’88 model year Town Car, as this was a well-spec’d machine. Under the hood was the familiar 302cu.in Windsor V8 of before, but now featuring the more reliable and desirable sequential electronic fuel injection that had first appeared in 1986, helping it to push out 150bhp (or 160bhp with the dual-exhaust option) and a healthy 270lb.ft of torque. Power was fed through an equally well-proven AOD four-speed automatic transmission, creating a pleasing and relaxing driving experience.
Adding to the feeling of luxury, meanwhile, were generous equipment levels, with this Town Car ‘Signature Series’ boasting a vast list that included automatic lights with auto high-beam dimmer, automatic climate control, cruise control, remote entry with a SecuriCode keypad on the driver’s door, plus electric operation of the windows, mirrors, seats, ariel and trunklid closure. Naturally, the interior itself was sumptuously finished, with deep velour-style upholstery featuring embroidered Lincoln logos, plus side bolster cushions up front.
Such a spec put the Lincoln Town Car near the top of the luxury league of the late ’80s, and it proved to be a popular buy. The first-generation Town Car had appeared for the 1981 model year, when just under 33,000 examples found buyers. By 1988, the figure had risen to a mighty 201,113 cars, although that particular model ‘year’ was an extended one, stretching from March ’87 through to October ’88. Still, it was an impressive sales achievement for such a luxurious leviathan.
The example now owned by Ben has been extremely well cared for throughout its lifetime in the UK. After its sale by original owner Dennis Hunter when it was just over eight years old, it passed through two short-term custodians before finding its way to Tony Shephard, based in the Sleaford area of Lincolnshire, who bought it in June 2000 and kept it for an impressive 17 years, taking its mileage from 26,000 to around 34,000 during that time.
The car changed hands again before being bought by the previous owner to Ben. He had it for less than a year, acquiring the car in April 2024, although things didn’t go exactly to plan: “He drove the Town Car only about a thousand miles,” says Ben, “but during that time the gearbox failed and he ended up spending over £4000 on a total transmission rebuild. It was obviously done to a good standard, as I’ve had no problems with it – and the car is always a pleasure to drive.”
That would explain why Ben has added an extra 6000 miles to the Lincoln’s odometer since February of last year, taking its total reading to a still appealingly low 45,000 at the time of writing: “I used it as my everyday transport for a year or so, as I just enjoy driving it so much. I also have a Peugeot that I inherited from my grandmother when she gave up driving, but there’s no contest when the weather’s good and I’ve got somewhere to go. The Town Car is just such an effortless, comfortable cruiser and is also a real head-turner.”
Ben’s not wrong with his latter point, as everywhere he takes the Lincoln, there are onlookers keen to talk about it: “A lot of people don’t know what it is, apart from being old and American, and some don’t even know about the Lincoln marque. But it attracts so much attention, and everyone I meet seems to want to know more about it.”
Any Lincoln Town Car of the ’80s is likely to turn heads, of course, but the impressive condition of Ben’s low-mileage survivor adds even more interest. The original paintwork and landau roof still look superb, and the sumptuously appointed interior shows virtually no signs of wear, with the back seat being fitted with original-looking clear plastic coverings that have obviously helped the preservation process. “When people find out I own a beige classic car, they’re often a bit dubious,” laughs Ben, “but when they see the Town Car in the metal they usually agree that the Light Sandalwood colour scheme suits it just perfectly.”
Since buying the car, Ben has continued to improve it. He had two new rear shock absorbers fitted after what were presumably the originals had failed, and he’s fitted new front wheel bearings, in both cases using OEM parts supplied by US-based RockAuto. One trickier repair, however, was to the external driver’s door handle: “A spring in the original handle broke, which meant the door couldn’t be opened from the outside. It took a lot of searching, but via the internet I finally managed to track down a new-old-stock genuine replacement that the seller was willing to ship over to the UK. Unlike the other parts I replaced, it wasn’t exactly cheap… but it was well worth it just to find an unused one.”
With those minor jobs sorted, the Town Car has performed faultlessly over the last 15 months, providing Ben with cossetting, dependable transport that’s also great fun: “I can’t drive this car without grinning – it’s such an enjoyable experience, and one of my favourite cars ever to use the Panther platform.”
Sadly, however, the time has come for Ben and his Lincoln to part company… but only if he can find the right enthusiast willing to maintain it in such impressive condition: “Owning one of my personal favourite-spec Town Cars has been amazing, but I don’t want to risk it deteriorating if I continue to use it so much in the future, particularly without proper storage. So, to make sure it stays as well-preserved as it is, I’m looking to move it on to its next owner at some point.”
