1978 Mark V Diamond Jubilee Questions

Hi,
I am a new Lincoln owner. A few weeks ago I bought a very well preserved 1978 Lincoln Mark V Diamond Jubilee. The car is great and almost every power option works except for drivers door window, autolamp, and the Cartier clock.
But what is making me upset is a leak under the passenger seat. Every time I get the car for a small ride around the block, when I park it, some radiator fluid starts to leak under the passenger seat and the air outlets of the dash starts to let of steam with a strong smell. If I use the A/C, it blows cold, but the smell also comes with the cold air.
The 460 engine runs very smoothly with some white smoke if I floor the gas. I noticed in the trunk a kind of compressor and checking your site I noticed that part should be in the engine and it is connected to two hoses that are connected to the car’s A/C system.
Is my problem related to the absence of this compressor in the engine?
Thanks in advance.
Best Regards,
Fred.
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Greetings Fred –
Congratulations on becoming a Lincoln owner. They are great cars. The problem that you are describing is a classic heater core leak and is not compressor related. This is not an uncommon failure and can occur with many vehicles as they age. The core will need to be replaced, however as a test the leak can be stopped by disconnecting the heater supply and return hoses under the hood from the heater core and connecting them together with a tube. You will have no heater though during this time. Any local shop can do this for you. We should be able to supply you with a new core or any other necessary parts.
Sincerely,
Bill