Vehicle Description
In the mid-50s, there was a revival of hand-built luxury cars that
could rival anything built before the war, with Ford pulling out
all the stops with the Continental Mark II to directly compete with
the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Not merely a Lincoln, but an entirely
new brand called Continental, these magnificent motorcars were
perhaps the last cost-no-object machines (Ford lost money on every
unit produced) ever built by a domestic automaker and are suddenly
finding a very strong market for their unique brand of luxury.
Despite the illusion provided by its exquisite proportions, this is
a truly mammoth car. Weighing every bit of 6000 pounds, the
beautifully built Mark II was personal luxury at its finest. And
for many years, these cars languished as also-rans in the collector
car hobby, but not anymore. Collectors are appreciating their
wonderful combination of poise and luxury and the look is like
nothing else of the era. Where every other car was laden with
hundreds of pounds of chrome trim, the Mark II wears its bodywork
like a tailored suit, almost devoid of ornamentation of any kind.
There's the distinctive body line running along the flanks and the
close-cropped roof line, so it's quite distinctive, but it's the
shape that does all the talking. Finished in show-quality, special
order Code D22 Silver Metallic, this elegant car certainly looks
expensive in every way and is much more interesting than the more
common basic white. Fit and finish are excellent, and even though
these are hand-built cars that sometimes had alignment issues
straight from the factory, this one was restored to a very high
level with none of those problems. And although the chrome that is
on this car is minimal, all of it is in great condition, including
the big bright bumpers, badging, and hood ornament.
The bespoke interior is black leather that is impeccably tasteful
in every way. The upholstery is in excellent condition, a testament
to both quality and care through a lifetime of conscientious
ownership. The instrument panel was influenced by both aircraft and
clocks, with wonderfully detailed dials and levers for the HVAC
controls, making for a very unique driving experience. A tachometer
was standard equipment, more a curiosity than anything else in
1957, and the lovely textured face of the dash still has a bright
finish. Power windows, power vent windows, and power seats were
part of the package, and the upgraded R134a A/C is a very welcomed
option. The original AM radio is still in the dash, too, although
it's currently inoperable. The trunk, even with the propped
full-size spare tire, is truly massive and has been nicely
upholstered in black carpet for a luxurious look.
The 368 cubic inch V8 was ostensibly the same as those powering
other Lincolns, but rumors persist that the Continental engines
were specially selected and tested to ensure they were the best of
the best. With a 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, it's
effortless but there's also a lot of mass to move, so while it's
not a drag racer, it does have a feeling of inevitability and there
are few finer highway cruisers. The engine was set to stock specs,
and the beautifully ornate valve covers and the upscale engine
enamel signify something special is under the hood. It features a
proper snorkeled air cleaner, a reproduction battery, and those
wild exhaust manifolds that dump out through the inner fenders. A
3-speed automatic transmission and highway-friendly gears ensure
that it's comfortable at any speed and the suspension is so smooth
that you hear bumps more than feel them. Big 235/75/15 wide whites
are fitted to steel wheels with those ornate hubcaps that are made
up of dozens of separate pieces and are worth a small fortune all
by themselves.
Rare, sophisticated, and the last of the hand-built American cars,
this Mark II is an absolutely dialed-in example that will only to
continue to rise in value. These two-year-only Lincolns don't come
up for sale very often, so don't miss out. Call today!