My mother had the same year/make/model and color New Yorker. I thought it might have been a blast to drive it to go see her in it.
I even took my drivers test in that car (well, not this one, but one exactly like it), in '82.
My mom was hard on her NY. She ran it until it quit three times. Two times were due to coolant leaks and third was out of oil (oil pressure switch shut the car off). Each time, the car kept going after the leak was fixed. My dad said when the RED oil light comes on, or the RED coolant light comes on, to STOP. Did she ever listen (um no).
Now days, you keep driving a car with a known coolant leak until it stops, you are looking a puddle of melted plastic and aluminum and a hefty repair bill.
A bobtail truck backed into it, totaling it (so my dad said). I didn't think the damage was that bad (header, grill, hood and a fender). He traded it in on a new Caravan. She has driven a minivan ever sense.
At the time, I hadn't seen a car so willing to spin the (no, smoke the) tires at 70 MPH when road was wet, when at WOT. Now, from a stop, not so much. I'm guessing that 440 had 2.7 or 2.4 gears...maybe?
and love the dark blue on white
As do I. Nothing against my charcoal gray Fifth Ave, but I think the White/Blue fits me better. The paint on my Fifth is looking pretty bad now (clearcoat failure).
BudW