It’s funny, whenever I do a CC on a particular car, oftentimes I’ll see another version of that same car. Last weekend I found yet another LSC SE, a different one with the black BBS alloy wheels, while scouting out some future CCs across the street. Unlike our previous Mark, this one appears to need ALL the air bags replaced. It looks really nice otherwise, though!
I experienced the exact thing recently. After seeing the first bustleback Imperial I had seen in years and doing a CC on it, I saw a different one (in white) parked on another downtown Indianapolis street within days the piece was published.
It’s the 2nd LSC behind the fence on the grassy knoll.
It’s nice to be back. I see you guys have been finding LSCs in my absence!!
The funny thing is, that car might simply be needing new o-rings. The owners who let them sit for months like this are usually clueless though. There was an LSC literally 5 minutes from me, I drove past it for almost a year every day, it just sat on its butt in the driveway parked behind other cars that were actually being driven. Made me sad to see it like that, but I had no room for another one (or money to bring it back with all that I now know it would need after 20+ years).
I kept waiting to see what would happen, and noted to self that if the car simply disappeared they probably have junked it. I like these cars so I actually hoped to see it properly inflated one day. Well, one day it simply disappeared.
Junked?
Nah, I saw it in traffic later that night. I wasn’t driving my LSC that evening, so a quick race through the evening traffic until I finally was behind him was completely incognito. After seeing that car parked on the ground every friggin’ day in my work commute I just had to see it in motion!!!
As I was still weaving my way through the traffic to get near, I noticed the horror. He was just driving it with the deflated springs, probably finishing off what might have still been salvageable bags (not that they’re that expensive, btw – people seem to approach this like it’s something that costs thousands when in fact the LSC air ride can be brought back to stock for roughly 500 with all new components if DIY). Anyway, that was the saddest thing I’d ever seen. The whole car was bouncing on the rear shocks as soon as the wheels encountered the slightest semblance of a bump in the road. You’d think he was going over speed bumps at 30 mph, I mean it looked surreal in a youtube worthy way.
I caught myself thinking that he was driving it after the closing hours of the salvage yards. People around here usually don’t drive cars to the crusher to begin with (pick up is mostly free), and if they do then it’s during the day when they can get paid for it upon drop-off.
I think he was taking it to its new home. Cosmetically it was still in good shape, no visible rust, but it was going to need a paint job. I followed him for a few blocks then just couldn’t stand the sight anymore, and it was dinner time back home anyway. I never saw it again. We’ll call that a happy ending.
PS: the black BBS wheels are a ’91-’92 SE (special edition) feature. With how miniscule the production was in ’92 (the final year), I’d wager this is a ’91 special edition. For those who don’t know about the SE, its main feature is the monochromatic trim (almost no chrome), and the vehicles only came in two colors – black or red. Most of the ones Ford made seem to have been black, reds are very rare. I think it’s something like a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio. And most of them, red or black, would have had a black interior – again easily the most popular option. The really rare ones will be black/red exterior with a white interior. Those are the sharpest ones, and my favorite combination, especially with a white leather steering wheel.
I’ve always wanted to pick up one of these as a daily driver since they’re so similar to my Fox Thunderbird (which sits in the garage all winter). I just know the Chicago salt will eat it though so I’ve stayed away.