Did the Lincoln Town Car's ever come with the manual transmission back in the 1980s? I've always thought the automatic transmissions were standard on those cars.

What I want to know is how the original poster here got an '81 to run well? Those variable-venture carburetors were junk when brand new!

A 1981 Lincoln Town Car would be throttle-body fuel-injected. These Panther Lincolns never had a carb. I remember the EFI on these cars being all the rage back then, as it was a new invention at the time.

Of course, automatic transmissions have been standard equipment on Lincolns and Cadillacs since the 50s, and probably even long before that.

Canadian Panther cars did get the carb. I own an '83 Mark VI sedan.

It may be possible in Canada, but if I recall correctly, the last carbureted vehicle in the Lincoln lineup was the 1982 Continental with the 302.

The TBI looks exactly like a carb, as it pretty much is one, just with an overhaul. The air filter, hoses, tubes, etc. all look the same.

All Canadian Lincoln Town Cars had a carb up until 1984. In 1985 they got the CFI 5.0L, and then in 1986 they got multi-port fuel injection.

I read the Wiki article, turns out that's correct. Interesting why Lincoln would keep the carb for so long in Canada, when it would make more sense to just make EFI 100% standard everywhere.

I wonder if differences in emissions testing laws between Canada and USA in the 80s might be the reason why Canada got carburated engines in the Town Cars? At any rate, if one of these Lincolns has the variable venturi, it can easily be replaced with a conventional Motorcraft carb.

Uggh. Those variable venturi carbs were terrible. Probably among the worst carbs ever made. I'd change those out as soon as I get them if I ever bought a car that had one.