Before we delve into that difficult choice, how about a big tip of the fedora to Tom Klockau, who spearheaded Lincoln Week, and put in a huge effort to make it happen. Thank you Tom!
So now comes the decision: which Lincoln will grace your “Living Garage”? Value is irrelevant; you’re going to keep it and cherish it. And of course drive it.
I have to admit, the sheer eccentricity of this white 1958 above is really talking to me this morning. It’s positively surreal, and in my favorite color, no less. I had never seen a picture of one of these before moving to the US in 1960, and the first one I saw in NYC upon our arrival hit me like a jolt of White Lightning. It was simply unbelievable; what planet am I on? It made a ’59 Caddy look like downright ordinary, if that was possible. So yes, I’m fickle. And tomorrow my choice would be undoubtedly be different, probably a ’39 Continental or a ’61. But there is no other Lincoln that ever got my jaw to drop quite as far as this one, so bring it on. Of course, it wouldn’t fit in my living room even if there was a door big enough.
Paul, I need to go look at your ’65 story to cleanse this white whale from my psyche. I’ve wanted a ’61 since forever, though I apparently have unrequited passions for the ’37 Zephyr coupe, so one of those on the side.
And Edsel, Lido and Henrys Leland and Ford are all raising their snooty cocktails of choice to our man Tom Klockau!
I don’t think Lidos dead, but he would still raise a toast.
True, plus he’d probably have better taste than Henry I, who’d ask for unpasteurized milk or something.
Personally, I’d have to go with the Mark VII, which didn’t have an article this week, but has had a great post in the past.
I saw a 1958 for sale on the side of the road in Sicamous, BC, last year. I had never actually ever seen one in the flesh it it’s amazing such a thing could have ever been produced. I’d love one just for the weird factor but like Paul, I have no place to moor one.
I’ll take a 1967 Continental convertible, please, in Pitcairn blue.
Last year for the convertible, I like the cleaner styling of the 1966-1969s, plus I don’t like the front fender ornament on the 1966s.
Egregiousness squared. I loved these things. The ’58 Lincoln, along with the ’57 Mercury Turnpike cruiser, to my ten year-old mind, and nascent esthetic sensibilities, were the best.
There are a lot that I would like to have but if one of the criteria is do what was intended with them and drive it regularly, then it would have to be a Mark VIII. A 61 rag top would also be high on the list and I certainly would drive it in the summer. A 58 is also certainly high on my list but I just couldn’t see it getting driven that frequently.
I would have to go with a 66 or 67 Continental Convertible. As unique and classy as it gets. Also think the 72 Mark IV (That is the only year of the IV since the big bumpers ruined its look after 72) or a Mark VII LSC would also make good choices. Think of those as the best looking of the Mark’s run. Inreality, after my Roadmaster Wagon’s problems a couple of weeks ago, I have been thinking about swapping out one or more of my LT-1’s on a 06 or 07 Town Car Designer Series. Would want it in Burgundy with the fog lights. Think it should get similar MPG’s as the Fleetwood with close to the same level of comfort and performance. Just does not have quite the flash as the Fleetwood.
The TC should give you better MPG but the performance won’t match a LT1 powered whale, though that could be fixed if you really wanted to. You definitely want one with air suspension as the coils in the later cars are too soft and only the air suspension cars got a rear sway bar after 2000 or so.
A 1975 to 1979 Continental would be my choice.
# 1 – 1958 Lincoln Continental or any other series except the low level Capri
# 2 – 1961 Lincoln Continental Sedan
# 3 – 1956 Lincoln Premiere Sedan ( Wasn’t featured but it’s one of my favorites)
All of course with all optional extras including air conditioning…
Mr. Bill
Hamlet, NC
I’m not really a Lincoln sort of person but maybe a 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan. They are some different than a regular Lincoln and quite rarely seen.
I’m not a Lincoln guy either, but last summer I saw an immaculate 1953 2 door hardtop while visiting my home town. Don’t know the model, but it was the only time in my life I’ve ever looked twice at a Lincoln so that’s what I’m going to go with. It even had a standard transmission!
There is one of these locally, in a similar colour to your picture. With the recessed headlights and fairly simple overall styling they stand out from the typical car of the era.
THeres something about a 1978 Cartier Mark V that I always thought was the Top American car at the Time. Nothing Wrong With Bill Blass in White and Blue either. Or The Diamond Jubilee Anniversary models in Champagne or Blue.
If I can only pick one, The Lavender”Wisteria” 1956 Premier Convertible that I have seen a few times here and there. There could not have been many in that hue, but that is what i’d love. With tri color matching leather it’s gorgeous.
Please FORD Bring Lincoln Designers back NOW.
My jolt of “White Lightning” came when Eva Marie Saint drove that white ’58 Continental convertible in North by Northwest. Talk about automotive presence to young eyes.
As I have written in a post to your 1965 Lincoln Continental piece, no other Lincoln could trump that model for pure elegance and the high-water mark for the Lincoln brand. Well, maybe a ’71 Mark III. I’d be happy as a clam with either.
Returning from a lecture on mid-century modern architecture at UCLA last night, there was a black 1965 Lincoln Continental parked on Westwood Boulevard that you would have made an offer on in an instant. It was either a pristine original or a restoration – not enough light to tell. For whatever reason, I don’t see many examples of that particular year (the 61-64’s seem to be more common) and I was struck by how much bigger in appearance it was than the earlier models.
I’ve been attending a series of lectures on mid-century modernism in the past few days and I’m continually struck by the coordinated look of these cars with the architecture of the time. The 58-60 Lincolns and Continentals, with their sharp angles and cantilevered roofs, look perfect in the carports of mid-century modern houses with similar design features, and they are frequently used in the drawings and photographs of the period. I think these cars have to be considered in the context of the time.
If I remember correctly Eve Marie Saint would have driven that 58 Continental up to the modernist Frank Lloyd Wright style house (they couldn’t afford Mr. Wright’s proposed fee and actually created the interior of a similarly styled house on a sound stage) on Mount Rushmore. Saul Bass did the graphics design for the film credits sequence for North by Northwest in the same modernist style of this period.
You are entirely right, the ’58-’60 Continentals do perfectly mirror the design cues of the mid-century architecture. You often see them pictured with stylized residential designs of the period down here in Palm Springs. If you haven’t already, you should check out the Modernism Week fest that is held here each January. Fascinating stuff. I have prowled around a lot of mid-century homes that come on the market here, problem is, the prices now of fully restored versions are stratospheric, and when you do find one at a more reasonable price point, the amount of renovation required is pretty daunting. These homes, while architecturally appealing in their original state (or badly remodeled state, as a lot are), were originally built on the cheap, and require a complete, hugely expensive redo to bring them up to modern day living and energy standards. I found a Palmer-Kreisel home in the Tamarisk area of Rancho Mirage two years ago at the nadir of the housing bust, it eventually went for about $350K, but I’m sure it would have taken at least $200K to fully and correctly renovate it. Just not in the cards for me these days, but I still keep an eye peeled for something interesting and doable, being the unreconstructed architecture enthusiast that I am.
Love your find of the ’65 Continental in Westwood. It must be my parents’ car perfectly reincarnated. I would have drooled over it! Westwood was always a good place for car or celebrity spotting. I spent many years there, my first two jobs out of B-school at USC were located there. My family has had a long history in Westwood, my mother graduated from UCLA in 1936, and we were forever going up there on outings and picnics as kids, and she remained active in the Alumni Association much of her life. Sadly, it was in part the automotive culture that brought a downfall to the small and quaint college suburb that it once was, as more and more people flooded in for the multi-plex theaters and restaurants and cheap tchochke shops. When my mom passed away in 2003, we placed her at the Westwood Memorial Park, just south of Wilshire Blvd. I was up there just for one day last fall, and I was horrified by the traffic on Wilshire and streaming in and out of the Village, and parking, especially for a leviathan Continental, must be a nightmare. Not for the faint of heart anymore.
Yeah, that white ’58 Continental convertible, coupled with the Frank Lloyd Wrightian VanDamm house in North by Northwest, was a feast for the eyes. I do recall Eva Marie Saint driving the Conti through a forest up to the house, and also around the Visitor Center at Mt. Rushmore, I think. I admired that house design tremendously, thinking it was real somewhere (certainly not on top of Mt. Rushmore, though), until I found out years ago that it was all just a painting and special effects shots and interior studio recreations. Disappointing, to say the least, but nonetheless it has remained in my memory banks as a wonderful expression of modernist architecture, even if it was fakery!
I would love to own a William Krisel home. I’m a docent at a Wright property in LA and got to meet Mr. Krisel a couple of years ago here in Santa Monica – a great man who had lots of interesting things to say about his encounter with Mr. Wright and his influence on his work. The idea for the use of perforated concrete blocks was one he first used in a parking garage in San Diego for better and less expensive ventilation. And Krisel’s beautiful wife Corrinne was the model used by photographer Jullius Schulman for the Case Study houses. There is a terrific film available about Krisel on DVD:
Great series Paul, thanks! And thanks to all of the contributors this week you did a great job. I still think Paul’s piece on the Kennedy-era Continental is the best ever at CC.
To own and drive regularly:
# 1 1992 Lincoln Mark VII LSC SE
# 2 1994 Lincoln Town Car (pre-facelift)
To have in a collection:
# 1 1961 or 1964 Lincoln Continental sedan
# 2 1971 Lincoln Mark III
# 3 1992 Lincoln Mark VII LSC SE
# 4 1994 Lincoln Town Car (pre-facelift)
My top 3 would be:
68-71 Mark III
61-65 Continental
87-92 Mark VII
only in black please
1947 Continental ‘vert (cf. Elliot Gould in “The Long Goodbye”
1967 Continental Coupe or suicide ‘vert
1983 Town Car (for Grampa)
1977 Mark V
But I’d settle for a ’96 TC, black with red interior. Or whatever the Cartier edition equivalent is.
Pre 1960 even better pre WW2 when they were at least competent and not a fat wallowing tank.
#1 55 Lincoln
#2 56 Lincoln in wisteria
#3 MK VII Lincoln black with red interior
Thanks for Lincoln week Tom
2003 Town Car Cartier L, 2003 was the last year for the Cartier package on the long wheelbase Town Car. That would get me dual exhaust, steeper final drive ratio, air suspension on all four corners and available heated rear seats. These cars were also built at the Wixiom plant so the initial quality was very good. The extra 6 inches of rear seat room would make it easier to convince folks that we ought to travel by car more often for family trips.
One of the last Lincoln Town Cars with the interior room, appointments, and ride quality to be the equal of the late 70s beasts.
Sorry but no Panther every got 4 corner air suspension that was only the Contis and Marks. Believe my I so wish there was a 4 corner air Panther. With the 03 up and it’s coil over front suspension they could have done it just as they did the VIII. However the air overs like the air struts on the FWD Conti tend to get imbedded with road grit that is what typically leads to their failure. The rubber just gets abraded away.
Well the rest of the points still stand. 🙂
61 Continental is #1 for me. After that I’d go more modern and take that luxury Mustang (LSC), then the Mark VIII.
69-71Mark III
84-92 Mark VII
82-87 Continental.
I am getting more and more tempted by the idea of a 2003 Town Car, which already has the rack and pinion steering and new frame, adding Marauder shocks, sway bars and airbox, billet rear control arms, and a tune. What an antique/modern Q-ship that would be.
A ’64, because I’ve always liked the front and rear appearance better than any other year of the 1960s models, though ’66-’67 is a close second. Either way, it would have to be a convertible, just because a four-door convertible is such a cool idea that was so well executed on the Lincolns.
I think that for me, it would have to be a Frank Cannon-approved ’74 Mark IV – in silver, of course.
I have a ’70 Mk III and a “79 Mk V Collectors and just got a ’60 Mk V convertible, so that answers that. By the way, Paul, there’s a beautiful ’58 Mk III Landau, white with three tone leather and air for sale here in Houston by a friend and fellow LCOCer. The complete history is known from new and the car is close to perfect. Interested?
Anyway guys, thanks so much for the Lincoln looks and stories, we realy enjoyed them all. Back to “My ’83 Corolla” next week, but out of loyalty we Lincoln nuts will tough it out!
1961 Continental
1969 Mark III
1975-76 Mark IV
1977 Town Car
I’ll take a ’56 or a ’57 Premier.
A 1961-1964 suicide door Continental of course. Midnight blue.
Also, kudos to Tom Klackau. Stuff like this is why CC is a must read for me everyday. Nice guys tastefully and artfully telling talking about their passions.
1) 1960 lincoln with cruise,a/c,fm radio-not sure if that ultra rare high performace 430 was offered that year but I would take it too
2) 1977 towncoupe with fixed glass moonroof and dual tone leather interior- rip out cheap carpet/interior replace with a 1975 town coupe interior interior bits
c)1980 signature series mark VI with touring lamps- moonroof
I’d have to go with my first car. Oh, to be able to find one with low, low miles…
The 1984 Continental Valentino Edition:
Mark III.
The 1975-77 Continental 4-door in medium blue, dark green, or black, so that I could get the 460 and the Lincoln gauges and ribbon speedo. Based on the pictures I’ve seen and the comments of the people who’ve driven or owned them, it was the last great truly big luxury sedan. The Mark V is beautiful, too, but I do prefer something with a real back seat.
That ’58-60 series at the beginning of the post would be a reasonably close second.
I don’t share the enthusiasm for the ’61-’65 Kennedy Continentals…The ’63-’64 Cadillac is my all-time favorite car and I think Cadillac at that time was a better made and much better-looking car than the Lincoln.
This is hard. I can make a case for any Lincoln thru 1979 and several thereafter. Short list? An Aviator. Kidding.
I guess I’m still a Lincoln geek, as my short list started to include one of every series. Narrowing to 3: 50 Cosmo rag top, 64 Conti sedan or a 72 Conti Town Car.
Know what’s sad? I am not sick of Lincolns yet.
Nothing sad about that and an Aviator is a nice ride, 302 ponies as in the Marauder but with AWD. Marauders actually even wear the Aviator’s Intech coil covers.
Agreed. I think SUV backlash has taken Aviators(as well as earlier Navigators) as unfortunate casualties.
Their InTech 32V engines were about the last whiff of exclusivity and uniqueness over a Ford product Lincoln had. Certainly the one of the few times a “Lincoln Motor Company” moniker somewhat applied, since no other cars shared those engines besides the Marauder, Mach 1 and Cobra R Mustangs(although the latter was heavily tweaked over the Navigator’s 5.4 32V). Plus the Aviator had fully independent suspension in addition to AWD. Really, the Aviator was way more special than the last Town Car.
I’d certainly take the Aviator over the current crop of Compromised Utility Vehicles foisted upon us today. It’s not my thing but neither is a rebodied transverse engined V6 Fusion
I actually never knew that the Aviator had all that special hardware, thought it was only a badge-engineered Explorer. Guess I wasn’t paying attention when they came out. Ford certainly bailed on them quickly, as they did not seem to be out long at all.
They never did sell all that well since the Navigator was where all the action was. It seems that if you wanted a luxury name plate on an SUV the rule was go big or go home.
This was the time when there was some real hope for Lincoln since they were putting bespoke power trains in their vehicles (except for the poor Town Car) so there was some justification for the 10K price difference vs the Mercury version they shared the lot with.
I may have told my Aviator story before, but I think of it whenever I see one of those. My boys work at a country club golf course. A lady asked one of the guys to go get her golf bag out of her car. “It’s a black SUV.” After driving all through the parking log full of black SUVs while clicking on the remote, he found the car. As he gave her the golf bag, he remarked “sorry that took so long, there are a lot of black SUVs out there.” Her reply was “Sorry, I didn’t think you would know what a Lincoln Aviator was.” He thought but did not say “yeah, but I can read.”
I am thinking 2011 Town Car, in either navy blue or burgundy with the beige leather interior. I might actually get one of those some day.
I’d also love an ’87 Continental, especially in Rose Quartz–for obvious reasons. A Mark III would be great too.
Or an ’86-’89 Town Car, or a ’95-’97 Town Car…or a Mark VII…
Okay…I think I want a 1966 Continental four-door sedan, no vinyl roof, aqua, with aqua leather interior. The convertibles are beautiful but I don’t want to contend with the complicated power top.
Oh, and I want a factory 8-track tape player too!
Quadrasonic!
The ’56 Lincoln might be my favorite design from that decade by any make, but I’d be scared to drive it – the thought of crinkling any of that lovely sheet metal. I’ll take anything with suicide doors from ’61 to ’64.
90-92 Mark VII LSC SE. All black.
Depends on my mood: If I’m talking sane, classic and thoughtful – 53-55 or 61-63.
If I’m my usual self: 56-58 (with the 59’s and 60’s being acceptable).
But for sheer beauty: The 36 and 37 Zephyr.
’59 convertible for me, electrified. There’s lots of space for batteries. Unlike Neil Young’s LincVolt bioethanol hybrid, I’d build mine as a pure electric with Tesla-class range.
I had a ’68 suicide -door Connie for all of three months before it was totaled by a hit and run driver, and I never felt like I got my full enjoyment from it, so I’ll have that one back, please.
I always have a hard time picking favorites, and if Lincoln Week has taught me anything – which it has – it’s that there have been way more Lincolns I’d be proud to park at my Living Curb than I had previously realized. Until very recently, I had considered Lincoln a brand that had built a handful of amazing and iconic vehicles (Mark II, ’61 Continental, pre-war Zephyrs, Mark VII LSC) and a whole lot of forgettable crap beyond that. Not true. Not true at all, as it turns out. Previous CC articles had opened my eyes somewhat (especially Tom’s 1958-1960 Lincoln piece from last year), but the content featured over the last week has really driven the point home.
If I had to pick, I guess I’d have to be predictable and go with the ’61-’64 Continental, four door droptop – in black, please. I’d like to be more creative, but that car makes it hard. IMO, the first half of the 60s was the greatest era of American automotive design and the Continental was it’s pinnacle. I’m too much of a wuss to say it’s the greatest American car ever (I don’t know what is), but that’s basically what I’m saying. I’m one of those annoying fucks who is really fascinated with Kennedy, too… so I’d be lying if I tried to say that wasn’t part of it.
I do really, REALLY love the sheer insanity of the white ’58 featured up top here as well – and short of a naked woman handing out $100 bills, I think that even today there is likely nothing else that would cause such a stir driving down a midtown Manhattan street. I’ve become a big fan of the ’56-’57 models as well. The ’56 has much better lines, but I really love some of the little details on the ’57 – like the LINCOLN badge embedded in the rear “grille”. Love the funky, minimalist dashboard on these too, with the instrument cluster in a tiny pod. Of course, if I’m just adding stuff willy-nilly, pretending I have Powerball $$$ in the bank, the “Carrera Panamericana” section of my warehouse garage would have a ’54 Lincoln Capri set up like the cars that dominated their class in that race as well. One of my biggest daydream fantasies is to spend a few months driving from New York to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska then down the west coast along the PCH and through Mexico and the Pan-American Highway to the southern tip of Argentina – and back.
Still, I’d have a very hard time choosing any ’50s Lincoln over a ’36 Zephyr V12 “Coupe-Sedan”, ’40-’41 Continental Convertible or one of the later Model Ks when they started adopting more streamlined styling, especially the one-off ’38 Judkins-bodied car.
To commute back and forth to work – well, actually I’d have no problem using a ’61 Conti for this, but since my imagination is still going – throughout this whole week I haven’t heard anyone make mention of the Lincoln LS. I forget why, exactly, people didn’t like these… but personally, I loved them. It would have to be one of the extremely rare Duratec/5-speed models, in black – of course. I have grown to like the ’92-’97 Town Car a lot, too. When those were new, they were totally invisible to me since 99% of them I saw were livery rides. Now that they’re somewhat less than ubiquitous, I find myself drawn to them – and I’ve had good experiences with Panthers in the past.
I’ll stop there, but I do want to mention that I like some of the MKx cars too. I agree with the general consensus that Lincoln’s current state is a disaster, but some of the cars on their own outside that context are pretty neat. Not sure I’d ever want to own one, though.
As a kid I saw the new 61 Lincoln Continentals and Thunderbirds at the first big car show I went to see with my Dad in fall 1960. We both fell for these beautiful new cars. Later he bought a 65 T-Bird, a 71 Continental sedan, and a 1978 Mark V Cartier edition. I’ve never owned a Lincoln because by the time I could afford one, they weren’t making anything I wanted. But if I could have my favorite of all time, it would be a 61, either the sedan or the convertible, or better yet, one of each. That car fired my imagination like virtually nothing I’d seen before and I still think it is pretty stunning.
Cadillac seems to be making a pretty good comeback with the ATS and CTS models. I wish Lincoln had the equivalent on the market today but nothing I’ve seen so far provides assurance that the brand has a future.
I, too, saw the ’61 Thunderbirds and ’61 Continentals when they first came out, trekking along with my dad on his annual new model introduction tours. I was fascinated with the swing-away steering wheel of the T-Bird. At the time we had a ’59 Ford Galaxie, which seemed light years removed from the design and luxury features of the T-Bird and the Lincolns (Dad had bought that car at Buerge Ford, which I think is still there on Santa Monica Blvd.?). The Continentals, of course we always saw at Lynch Lincoln-Mercury, where my dad was on a first name basis with the owner, as I recall (he loved to schmooze with car sales people). I remember being really impressed with the new design, such a departure from the big baroque ’58-’60’s (although I loved those, too, I once tried to get my dad to consider a used ’60 Continental Mark V that was sitting on the lot at Beverly Hills L-M, but no dice). Many years later I worked two summers for my college roommate’s father, a prominent Canadian architect who had established his practice in L.A. He drove a ’61 Continental, black with gray broadcloth interior, and I rode with him on many occasions in that car (my roommate’s mother, btw, had a ’61 Thunderbird convertible at the same time period, white with a red interior, equally alluring). Although I was fascinated with the luxury of the Continental upholstery and the interior fittings, my main recollection of that car was that it was fairly cramped in interior space, and the dual instrument panel design kind of exacerbated that feeling. The ’64-’65’s solved that problem with their longer length and larger greenhouse and the more open, sweeping instrument panel. When Dad finally sprung for the ’65 Continental, I was in seventh heaven. I loved driving that car, all black, a stunner, powerful, yet fairly nimble to negotiate in traffic. Sadly, today’s Lincolns are a mere shadow of their former selves, and I, too, lament the current state of the brand and its questionable future.
Wow, your dad had a ’65 Thunderbird? I still consider the ’64-’66 design to be the best that Ford ever produced for the Thunderbird in its four-passenger guise. I hope you acquired that T-Bird from your dad, I would have driven it to this day!
Yes, Buerge Ford (and Jeep-Chrysler now) is still there on SM Bl. I bought one new car from them when they were Walker-Buerge in the 80s.
Road testers always commented on the cramped quarters of the 61 LCs and it is understandable when we recall that originally the car was supposed to be a four-place Thunderbird. In some photos you can see JFK, with his bad back (and wearing a brace), struggling to get out of the cramped back seat of a regular 61-62 LC sedan.
I know what you mean about loving the 65 Continental. I loved that 65 Thunderbird (beige on beige) like no car we ever had. These were not only stylish but very high quality cars. It was quite well built and reliable. The only faults I found with it were very poor gas mileage and the less than stellar plaid luggage compartment trim (the trunks of these cars also had small leaks – virtually every one I encountered). People said these cars were overweight and underpowered but for the time I thought the 390 was a terrific engine and it pulled that beast down the road at a good clip. I had a friend who had a 66 with the 428 but did not find it to be that much more powerful. Sadly it is long gone from our hands – and given its midwestern home, I’m sure it there is nothing left of it. Great memories, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Lincoln week – thanks Paul, et al!
I wholeheartedly concur – big hats off to Tom for all the superb Lincoln articles this week – it’s been a delight to all of us Lincoln fans. And to Glenn Kramer – nice to see a fellow LCOC’er here to celebrate Lincoln week.
I have to go with the two I’ve owned:
– 67 Town Coupe – only slightly over 10000 made – and has the sleek hardtop design that was unique to 66-67 – changed to the more formal “T-Bird” style top afterward.
– 78 Town Coupe – hard to find anything that has more pure 70s “Brougham” style – half vinyl roof, fake wire wheels (requires its own unique tool to remove), opera windows (with lights)……
But really, with the exception of a few highlighted this week (MK VI, Versailles), its’ like choosing your favorite child….
I’m voting 1939 Zephyr, although I think I’m the only one (??). I like clean lines, I like manual transmissions, and I like flatheads. Easy choice, although the 1958 does get point for sheer craziness.
You’re not the only one!
Hmmm…’39 Zephyr, ’50 Cosmopolitan, or ’61 Continental? Tough choice.
For something more modern, the ’92 Mark VII LSC, ’90-’97 Town Car, or one of the extended final-generation Town Cars.
Pick only one? Impossible. I love ’em all.
’56 Mark II because it was hand built. Saw one at a show in the late seventies and it was for sale for $4,000. It would have been a good investment.
Fox Continental please!
In no particular order of preference….
1956-57 Continental Mark II
1961-63 Continental convertible
1972 Mark IV
1958 Lincoln, a sawzall and a TIG welder
Don’t consider myself a Lincoln guy and wouldn’t even know where to start. But I do appreciate the week long memorial? I know Lincoln is still around but the new Lincolns look like bad fords with horrendous grills. I saw a MK something parked in front of my house the other day and I honestly thought it was a weird modified hearse at first.
Personally, I’d want either a ’61-63 continental convertible, or a ’39-41 continental convertible as a collector car. For a regular driver, I’d like a ’95-97 Town car, or a ’77-79 continental. For the latter, the MPG would suck and parking would be a pain, but I think it’d be worth it!
Also, I would love a Mark III or a Mark VII LSC (but with a hood ornament!). Two very classy (and in the case of the LSC, sporty) rides!
I remember having read the early sixties Popular Mechanics , they were collecting feed backs from car owners and one of the worst cars seemed to be 1958 Lincolns,
The main problem was the structural integrity of the car, excessive vibration which caused the windshield to crack.
I love reading those old PM reader surveys on Google books.
The 1972 Continental, because it ran on regular gas and was fast, quiet, and unpretentious. It still offered the elegance of simplicity, before half-vinyl roofs and pillar lamps and opera windows and full-width rear-deck filigree and huge bumpers. Even the interiors were simple and elegant, including the standard tuck-and-roll (cloth or leather) upholstery pattern duplicated in the door panel inserts.
Actually, forget about the car, I’ll just take a high-backed black leather rear seat from one of those babies.
I recently got the chance to drive a friend’s ’62 Continental hardtop, and was pleasantly surprised by its nimbleness and grace. Really! I’m more into ’70s and ’80s cars, but I think of all Lincolns, this would be my choice. I love the size — it’s almost Versailles-like in its footprint (and that’s a good thing!)
Any ’61 to ’65, but a ’65 sedan would be easier to live with, since it came with front disc brakes and no complicated “hidden” top mechanisms.
A ’95-97 Town Car for me please, in the gorgeous ruby red they offered, with factory alloys and sunroof. Why? Because they look great, and I can just picture myself cruising along in comfort, window down so I could listen to the V8 burbling away. I suspect that it’d be a comfy, quiet, reliable machine – of course there are hardly any down here in the antipodes, so I haven’t seen one in the metal, and they may actually suck for all I know! But they’re perfect in my dreams!
’37 Zephyr
’65 Continental Convertible
’57 Mark II
’87 LSC
1930’s K
1968-69 Mark III