The New Year has come and gone. 2019 was a slow year with fundraising and progress on the actual restoration. Since our program audit in June 2019, we have made some changes to our current course of action. The audit consisted of a physical and financial assessment of the program. In January 2020, when we submitted the required tax forms for the 501(c)3 status, we had a meeting to discuss the plan forward. As previously recorded we had raised just under $30,000.00. That amount was used to discuss our new COA, and the desire to deliver a safe drivable RaiderMobile by the end of 2021. The shops that had previously assessed the Lincoln still agreed that to accomplish this goal the cost would still be upwards of the estimated $60,000.00, and that with the current funds raised, only a partial restoration would be possible.
At that time a decision was made, and with a new COA in place (one that was always an option from the beginning of this project) and allot of research, another 1969 Lincoln Continental was located by the foundation and purchased. The budget allowed us to take the newly acquired Lincoln, and parts from the other parts cars acquired throughout this process, and parts from the original Lincoln, to make one car that required less restoration, and deliver it back to the squadron within the budget and time constraints now in place.
Since then, over the past eight months, our efforts have been “Full Throttle” and even with COVID affecting everyone globally, our progress continued to move forward and is currently exceeding our goal of returning the Lincoln to the squadron near the end of 2021. In October of 2020 the RaiderMobile was now officially “back on the road”. The Lincoln was temporarily registered and insured in the state of New Jersey, and on October 6th, after a brief stop off for photos at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico Virginia, the Lincoln took the ceremonious drive up Interstate 95 performing the first 250 miles break in for the rebuilt 460ci V8, paired to the C6 3-Speed automatic transmission. While up in New Jersey the Lincoln will be gone through in detail, and finish up the remaining work that is required to return it to MCAS Miramar and the Marines of VMGR-352. While up in New Jersey the Lincoln will also be given its next livery.
In mid-October the foundation also visited with and talked to Marines involved throughout the history of the Tanker Lincoln / RaiderMobile. These visits included a stop off at the squadron to update the command and the Marines on our progress, and to begin the planning of the next (4th) livery for the Lincolns restored blank slate. Once that livery is decided on and adorns the iconic black-on-black-on-black finish in January 2021, there will be little left to accomplish having the Lincoln at 90% completion. In early February, the Lincoln will be shipped to Texas where the final two steps of the restoration will take place. In March 2021, as long as the fundraising timeline and progress expectations are met, there is a plan being set in place to return the RaiderMobile to the squadron, continuing on its legacy within the command.
Please continue to follow along with our progress by visiting our website at www.theraidermobile.com or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/theraidermobilefoundation. We are still in need of donations and hope to raise another $5000.00 prior to March 2021. If you can donate please do so. This will allow the foundation to not only complete the remaining 20% of this project, and fund the application of the next livery once it has been agreed upon, but will also assist in the delivery of the RaiderMobile back to its rightful “Duty Station” in San Diego, California. The RaiderMobile Foundation would like to thank everyone involved with this project, and those who have helped in any way making this project become a reality.
Semper Fi
