CC reader Mike T. sent me some pictures and original documents of a rather unusual car that its owners are preparing for an estate sale. It’s a 1979 Lincoln Continental sedan that was stretched six inches, and only ever owned by its original owners. Not only are these unusual, but it was fascinating to see the bill of sale for the car as well as for the stretch job.
Here’s a better look at what this owner bought in 1979. The owner on the bill of sale is listed as “Southmedia Company” so presumably it was used for their business purposes.
The Lincoln, pre-stretch, was sold for a flat $15,000 ($47,400 adjusted). The base price for the ’79 Lincoln sedan was $11,200, so this one was obviously loaded.
This document shows the optional equipment as well as the “Extra Equipment” that would be provided by the coachbuilder.
Here’s the receipt for the stretch job, for $3,853 ($12,176 adjusted). What’s not clear is if that amount is included in the $15,000 sales price or not. I’m beginning to think so, as it it seems a bit of a stretch to imagine increasing the base price of the car by so much otherwise. If so, $47,000 adjusted doesn’t seem all too bad for a genuine limousine with a partition window.
The Lincoln went all the way to Ontario for its stretch job.
Here’s the back seat, with the extra leg room and partition.
And the view from the front.
Check out the phone. James…to the Henley Club. Or more likely What’s the best strip joint in Atlanta? From the looks of the floor mats, this limo was used some.
The stately side view of the big Lincoln. That 6″ stretch suits it very well.
And the even statelier front view. Let’s not forget this was the very last year of the big Lincolns; in 1980 they would emerge from the spin cycle looking like shrunken cartoon characters.
Mike sent me these a few weeks ago. He was hoping to get an asking price from the family, but no luck so far. But if anyone is just dying to have a 1979 six-inch stretch Lincoln, say so in the comments and Mike will pass it along.
I’d bet (and it looks like) a whole bunch of that 6″ stretch got eaten up by the partition. I also can’t imagine that a bit more stretch, to get some actual additional room, would have cost significantly more.
I don’t get it.
The Checker in the last picture grabs my attention as much as the Lincoln.
Only a 6″ stretch? That’s wild. From the looks of things the majority of that was consumed by the partition, but if you need a partition the stretch would retain the leg room if not a fractional increase. I’m just wrapping my brain around all the trouble to cut and lengthen for only 6″.
I agree with the others – the six inches hardly seems worth the added expense, but I guess that would be the only way to get a partition and still keep the rear leg room.
It is a shame that Lincoln never offered a low-volume limo during the 70s like the Cadillac Fleetwood 75. Lincoln certainly could have sold quite a few of them, especially after 1976 when the Caddy got smaller. The downsized Cad was good in a lot of ways, but it was really not very convincing as a limo. This would have been.
interesting car….I was expecting something a bit more longer too bad it has the basic seats
@ Mike if a 1979 limo is what your looking for- look for one based from a collectors series- they pop up from time to time on craigslist- nicer interior trimmings- this one is kind of basic
The funeral home I worked for in the late 70s had two 6 door Lincoln limos stretched by Armbruster Stageway, one 78 and one 79. Both had this base level interior (in this same color), which always struck me as pretty basic for a Lincoln. At the time, my father had a 78 Town Coupe with velour inside that was a *much* nicer trim grade. It is surprising that the back seat did not get the Town Car treatment.
“The Lincoln went all the way to Ontario for its stretch job.”
Only a few hours from Wixom MI to the Toronto area, 😉
It’s ‘ Pimpin’ ! ‘ as a young man I used to know would say .
Looks nice to me , the lines of this car really are sweet , not garish atall .
-Nate
Wow, so a six in stretch of this leviathan gets you as much rear legroom as today’s VW Passat! The first call on that phone might have been: “James, that steering wheel looks like it came out of the maid’s Torino”!
I guess whoever ordered it REALLY wanted their privacy while riding in the back, but didn’t want it to be unwieldy as a daily driven vehicle, as a typical stretched limo must be. eg: finding parking spots, taking turns wide to avoid the curb, being able to use a parking garage.
For comparison, Cadillac offered a factory stretched Fleetwood limo that was a bit longer than this Lincoln at the same time. However, it listed for almost $22k in 1979, so considerably more than what this customized Lincoln cost new.
Lincoln w/ stretch
wb=127.2 +6 = 133.2
oal=233.0 +6 = 239.0
Cadillac Fleetwood limo:
wb=144.5
oal=244.2
A look in my reference book shows a 79 TC started at $11,200.00. So considering the comments about the “down market” interior, it’s more than possible the $15,000.00 includes the stretch.
This seems like the automotive equivalent of buying 12 really good speakers for your home sound system….then sticking with your old 45s and a record player.
.
Yabbutt ;
Just like adding Advent Speakers to my 197? Stereo , it makes it work better ,.
The 6″ stretch makes this car look so much better and made it easier to drive and park , maybe they weren’t interested in impressing the Hoi Polloi with unnecessary length , just wanted decent leg room…..
-Nate
The interior work looks like a cheap van conversion at best. I have seen some limousine size stretched Lincolns of the late 70’s that were very appealing.
On the outside, I’d prefer it to this topless stretch-marked ’76, but the interior isn’t as nice:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/the-curbsiders-deadly-sin-pride-cometh-before-a-lincoln/
Were there pigeons living on that interior back door panel?
Glad I’m not the only one who noticed that.
Paging Dr. Detroit…..Dr. Detroit to the white courtesy phone….Dr. Detroit…..
Just the thing The Doctor needs to do battle with MOM.
Interesting, but I doubt I could grow the Howard Hessman quality mustache required to rock this limo in proper fashion.
I would like to take a black light to that interior though…..velour carries lots of sins…..
To answer the question “1979 Lincoln Continental With Six Inch Stretch – Anyone Interested?”
Tom Klockau, alomst certaily 😉
I see a comment that indicates interest. I work for the family of the owners and at this time I am answering any inquiries about the vehicle and very interested to hear from any parties interested. The vehicle has been detailed and new interior photographs are available if interested.
It was purchased new by a company, so it was probably some sort of executive transport, a quick search of Southmedia Company finds that it was incorporated around 1966, but is currently listed as “inactive”
The net effect isn’t all that handsome. It seems like most of these with a simple stretch received longer rear doors instead of a fat B pillar. That, along with a normal factory vinyl top option, made for a much more handsome car. I suppose a long door stretch wouldn’t work with a partition.
That partition isn’t much to look at either. Somebody really wanted their privacy, yet it appears there may be openings under the seat, and the glass sliders don’t seal at the center. I’m guessing the driver always knew whatever he wanted to know.
Based on the invoice dates, I’d guess that the stretch was not included in the $15,000
AHA is Andy Hotton Associates, the owner of Dearborn Steel Tubing. They got into the auto industry making OEM exhaust pipes and branched into making prototypes and limousines for Ford.
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/aha/aha.htm
I should have read the whole link before I wrote that. In 1976 they sold the Canadian rights and a new company, AHA Manufacturing, was formed, that made this car.
Did anyone else get the impression that this car might have been bought for porn videos?
A stretch Lincoln pulls up to the curb and the door opens. You see Burt Reynolds and Roller Girl smiling invitingly. To get in, turn to page 37. To keep walking, turn to page 41.
Lehmann-Peterson did a couple of these in ’67. Basically, stretched the sedan only the length of what I think was their standard filler panel. I believe it these had a divider panel, but the one book I had with interior pics has gone walkabout.
Agree with many of you above that the interior on this job doesn’t live up to the pretense, even for the era.
Back then, I believe the six inch stretch was pretty much what it was all about. Somewhere in the ’80s and ’90s, people got the bright idea to do multi-foot stretches, for prom night or the bride’s pre-wedding party. The long stretch limos (now slapped onto Hummers and Excursions) look like automotive falsies to me. The British Top Gear mocked those long stretch limos so well, a few seasons back. A six inch stretch denotes a seriousness of purpose with just a bit of “I’m a big shot”. Old school.
The whole thing looks very conservative and understated. Makes me think old money rather than new. Very, very nice.
That’s a base model Continental to which AHA added the inches and other things. If it had been originally equipped with the Town Car package, the seats, along with several other features would be upgraded. The Town Car had the pillow top seats and split front individual seats rather than the single bench seen here. I suspect the $15K is the full price including the coach work. That divider is hideous and scream NYC taxi or police car. There’s also the chance it impedes with full range of adjustment of the front bench seat possibly making it somewhat uncomfortable for anyone over 5’9″. Remove that divider and swap the seats and door panels, paint it and address some other things needing TLC and it would be nice. I’d consider it but wouldn’t pay much. I currently have a few Lincolns from that era.
I see a comment that indicates interest. I work for the family of the owners and at this time I am answering any inquiries about the vehicle and very interested to hear from any parties interested. The vehicle has been detailed and new interior photographs are available if interested.
Someone spent a lot of time cleaning it up. See it listed on ebay. Turned out nice. Is that taxi divider easily removed or is it fairly integrated with the surrounding interior panels? That divider looks like it impedes the front bench seat from going all the way back and keeps the seat back more upright like an airline coach seat. Despite that though, there’s a few dealers, especially one in Florida that might buy it, paint it and list it for $25K – $29K. I’d buy it from you off of ebay but I can’t get past that divider and it’s the base Continental package, not Town Car. The Town Car had the pillow top seats and split front individual seats rather than the single bench seen here.
This is a great post and I see it’s older but the ironically funny thing to me Is I was surprised to see another one .. because I own this car , to realize that it is this very car. Currently in a total restoration . Will be quite the classic retro Limo when it’s done by next summer .
Baurice: let me know if you are willing to sell it… 🙂