Vehicle Description
1957 Continental Mark II 2 Door HardtopJust 2,550 were built in
1956 (some sources state 1956 production of only 1,325) followed by
444 in 1957. It is believed that approximately 1,500 examples are
still in existence. Of the 444 built-in 1957, only 98 were built
with the optional air conditioning.West Coast Classics are proud to
present an absolutely exceptional and great daily driving and
completely rust free and mostly all original example of this long
time southern California 1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II 2 Door
Hardtop with its 368/300HP 4BBL V8 engine in beautiful and striking
original factory 'Seascape Blue' (Color code 04) paint with a
gorgeous condition two-tone 'Blue leather interior and loaded with
factory options including:Turbo-Drive automatic transmission,Air
conditioning,Rear seat center armrest,Full floor carpeting,Heater
amp; defroster,Electric clock,AM radio,Tachometer,Power front seat
adjustment,Power windows,Power vent windows,Trunk carpeting,Chrome
window surround moldings,Rocker panel molding,Power steering,Power
brakes,Full wheel covers.Being an exclusive, essentially hand built
automobile, the Continental initially sold well but demand fell
quickly as the market for $10,000 automobiles in the mid to late
fifties was not large! Few changes were seen on the second year
Mark II with the engine having higher compression resulting in a
small upgrade in horsepower along with a few tweaks to the chassis
which made the car very slightly lighter. The elegant exterior and
interior styling was left unchanged and only 444 cars were to be
built.The 1956 Continental Mark II was introduced on October 6th,
1955 as the newest division of the Ford Motor Company. Since the
demise of the slow selling original Lincoln Continental at the end
of the 1948 year, Lincoln had been left without a prestigious
top-of-the-line model, such as Cadillac had with the Fleetwood 60
Special and Eldorado, or Packard with the Patrician and the
Caribbean Convertible. Ford management decided to bring back the
original concept of a large modern car that would be both powerful
and luxurious but also with an unparalleled exclusivity. The result
was the Mark II and the Continental division was formed to produce
and and market this limited production car. Among their engineering
feats was a prototype of the retractable hardtop which ultimately
did not find its way into the Mark II but which would be adapted
later for the 1957-59 Ford Skyliner.The Mark II was a personal
luxury coupe and among the first of its type on modern pastwar
automobiles. Designed specifically to carry 4 passengers in the
ultimate of comfort but within a 2 Door Hardtop environment and not
a sedan and which would set the standard for future personal luxury
cars.The Mark II's design was very advanced for 1956 with a low
slung chassis cradled between the wheels which would become
mainstream in the years to come. Power was provided by the 368 CID
Lincoln engine which was new for '56 and transmitted through
Lincoln's Turbo-Drive automatic transmission. Combined features of
near perfect proportions of a long hood and short rear deck the
Mark II was destined to be a classic milestone car immediately.Also
in an era of excess and excessive use of chrome the Mark II proved
that less was more when it came to bodyside trim with chrome only
to be used around the window areas and on the rocker panel. Both
the front and rear styling was also uniquely Continental with up
front rounded fender ends housing single headlamps and a relatively
simple bumper housing an oval parking lamp at each end. The grille
was a large yet simple affair with a now familiar Lincoln hood
ornament with a four point star within a rectangle atop the hood
and decorating the trunk lid.At the rear a hump on the trunk lid
introduced the world to the Continental's version of a 'Continental
kit' being formed into the sheetmetal rather than an appendage to
the rear bumper. This design would be a Continental trademark for
decades to come. Of course the interiors were luxurious with full
leather seating, plush carpeting and a full array of power
equipment. Every imaginable accessory of the period was standard
equipment on the Continental except for trunk mounted air
conditioning, the lone item on the option list at $595.Though the
car is still today popularly referred to as the Lincoln Continental
Mark II, Lincoln actually did not play a large part in the
development of the 1956-57 Continental Mark II, other than
providing the powertrain and the dealer network. Since the
Continental was an independent Ford division from 1956 through mid
1958 and continued to be marketed separately through 1960. Only
2,550 Mark II's were built in 1956 and even less, 444 in 1957 the
second and last year of production. Ford had not originally seen
the Mark II as a profit maker, even at the then breathtaking
$10,000 mark, yet because Ford lost some $1,000 on each one sold
the production ceased in 1957.These cars were notorious for rust
problems making this particular example exceptionally rare and
unusual, obviously an always garaged example with no signs of any
accidents or rust ever! The floor boards, trunk and all the typical
rust-prone areas are solid and rust-free. The car has a beautiful
and very professional repaint in its original 'Seascape Blue' color
paint and has it's beautiful matching two tone 'Blue' leather
interior with most all its original factory instrumentation intact
including the beautiful padded dashboard and factory air
conditioning, all of which are in quite exceptional and original
condition throughout. All the chrome is also in absolutely
exceptional condition with no peeling or pitting and which must
have been rechromed at some point.The 368 c.i. V8 engine is
extremely strong and powerful and sounds absolutely magnificent and
this particular car also drives absolutely magnificently - must be
driven to be fully appreciated - does not miss a beat and purrs
like a kitten - drives straight as an arrow with no strange road
wobbles, shakes or rattles - a truly remarkable daily driver that
will give any modern day car a run for it's money! The transmission
shifts smoothly through the gears and the car is an absolute
pleasure to drive!We recently purchased the car from only it's
second and decades old southern California owner who had purchased
the car from it's original Texas owner in the 1970's. We recently
fully serviced the car at a cost of over $8,700 for piece of mind
turn key driving for it's next owner work of which included:Replace
water pumpRebuilt fuel pumpReplace thermostatNew brake master
booster assemblyNew front brake shoes amp; wheel cylindersMachine
front drumsRepack bearingsNew rear brake shoes amp; wheel
cylindersMachine rear drumsReplace all brake hosesChange oil amp;
filterReplace power steering pressure hoseReplace generatorReplace
driver's window transmissionInstall new gasket for choke coverRare
with these particularly sophisticated cars, all the options and
gauges work including all the power options! The car has its
original spare wheel and jack in the truck.This is an
extraordinarily rare opportunity to own a great daily driving and
mostly all original and beautifully restored only as required
example of a rust free 1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II 2 Door
Hardtop, amp; 1 of only 98 built with factory air conditioning amp;
with very few known now to exist, in a very striking and factory
original 'Seascape Blue' color paint with a matching leather
two-tone interior! A true all American classic car for the
Continental enthusiast or any classic car enthusiast to enjoy
today!