There are very few one-owner cars bought in 1976 that are still around—let alone in the same hands of the original owner.
This 1976 Lincoln Town Car is one of those rare examples.
Jerry Suthelrand
Ken Szigli is the current—and only owner of this massive sedan. He bought it from a dealership almost 50 years ago. Ken said he, “Saw one in Brooks (Alberta Canada) and I knew I had to have one”.
He ordered one through his local dealer, but it had to be shipped from another dealer because these cars weren’t like a Ford Pinto—they didn’t keep 30 of them them in stock back in ’76. Ken was patient because he really sold on the idea of a new Lincoln Town Car.
Ken protected his Lincoln from Day 1, so it was always garaged, plus it has a mere 20,000 original miles on the odometer. That makes this car a reference guide for ’76 Lincolns.
The care and attention shows because this massive refugee from the 1970s is probably the most solid example of a ’76 Town Car on the planet. Ken only drives it in the summer, so it’s never seen a winter. He also stores it in a heated garage, so it doesn’t even see cold temperatures.
Ken has done nothing to this mint survivor--the only thing he’s done is replace the tires and change the oil. He has driven the Town Car to Great Falls, Montana but most of the driving is local.
The massive 460 big block under the hood still runs like the day Ken bought it. He said it also rides like new, so the driving experience is just like it was back in ’76. This is a massive 5200-pound vehicle with a 127-inch wheelbase, so it was built to float over roads—not challenge them. Ken has no problem running this big Lincoln at a comfortable 70 miles per hour.
The Town Car is 233 inches long, so Ken said, “it takes up a lot of space in his garage”. That’s an understatement, because this Lincoln was 70s-sized large to the next power.
Ken’s car tells a story about how well a 20,000-mile luxury car from almost 50 years ago can survive when most cars from that year are long gone. Ken explained how he had another vehicle to drive, so the Lincoln was only reserved for special occasions.
Those special occasions are coming in all the time because Ken’s Town Sedan is the perfect vehicle for family events—he calls it the ‘Wedding Car’. It’s also the perfect vehicle for other formal occasions like graduations, so Ken’s Lincoln has been to many of those too—he has a solid lineup of grandkids.
Ken knew when he bought this car it was going to be a lifetime commitment. His son came home in the Lincoln when he was born so that helped form a potential future destination for the car–as he explained.
He’s going to be 60 soon, so I might give it him as a birthday present.
ken Szigli
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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