Vehicle Description
1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible
There are plenty of iconic luxury cars from the 60's and a good
number of them came from Cadillac. In Lincoln's pursuit of
greatness they created something so special, it remains one of the
most sought after cars from the 60's, bar none. Stylistically,
there was nothing quite like the four door convertibles and it was
the first four door convertible from a major American manufacturer
after World War II and the first Lincoln since 1951 to feature
reverse hinged, suicide doors.
For consignment, a mostly unrestored 1965 Lincoln that's been in a
heated garage since 1980 and used only on Sunday drives and the
occasional parade. The car has a title verified 100,433 actual
miles and presents the next owner with some options. Keep as is and
enjoy as a Sunday driver or lovingly take on the task of restoring,
resto modding, or simply upgrading the car in your vision. The
bones are here, and the seats were redone in the early 80's, so the
process is underway. As is, it's an American icon.
Exterior
The car came from the factory with Light Ivory Gold but was
resprayed at some point in Springtime Yellow, a color close in tone
but with a little more pop. This is a large car with square corners
and wide, flat horizontal surfaces. The full front wheel well
contrasts with the rear wheel that covers the top side of the tire
like a skirted car of the era. Correct hubcaps are on 15-inch
wheels. The rear profile leans back as if in motion and mirrors the
rake of the windshield. The black canvas soft top is in good
condition along with its plastic rear window. Some trim and metal
work will need restoration including the fender trim and rocker
panels where we find a dent or two. The bumpers, however, are in
decent condition. Paint defects include: several areas of rust
bubbling under the paint and invasive rust on a door sill and at
wheel openings.
Interior
Black leather door panels are accompanied by brushed metal
components including door pull, ash tray, door actuator, and
backing plate. Stitched columns fill the insert and mirror the
pattern found on the leather seats. The front bench has a fold down
armrest and electrical seat controls on the driver's side seat
shell. The rear seats mirror the front and are in great condition.
The three spoke steering wheel is rimmed in ivory and gray. In a
genius stroke of artful design, the four gauges on the dash are
shaped like the Lincoln emblem, backed by a finned panel. Above
that, the horizontal speedometer and large turn indicator lights.
The column shifter's position is displayed by a column mounted
indicator and an interior light casts a yellow glow on the original
AM radio and vent controls. An elegant little rectangle analog
clock sits to the right and the finned panel stretches the length
of the dash masking the presence of air vents behind it. The black
low pile carpet is in good condition and the underside of the soft
top and supportive braces are also good.
Drivetrain
A 430ci V8 is under the hood which is reverse hinged. It's rated at
320hp and is fed fuel by a 4-barrel carburetor. Visually, the
engine bay is driver quality. The transmission is a three-speed
automatic Twin Range Multi-Drive by Borg Warner unit and a Ford 9"
conventional axle with 3.25 gearing moves this large car down the
road with ease. Power disc brakes are up front with power drums in
the back. Our consignor states the master cylinder was replaced
five years ago.
Undercarriage
Driver quality underneath with typical surface rust and oil residue
throughout. There are some areas of invasive rust and evidence of
previous patch repairs as well. The dual exhaust comes from the
engine to meet a pair of stock style mufflers and then resonators,
leading to the tailpipes which end discreetly behind the rear
bumper. Lincoln made efforts to both hide and silence exhaust
noise. Independent coil suspension is found in the front and leaf
springs in the rear.
Drive-Ability
Everyone loves a good land yacht and one with a top that goes up
and down is even better! A few pumps of petrol and a turn of the
key and the big 430 cranks to life. We set sail with the quiet
engine and simple yet luxurious cabin and made our rounds on the
test loop. The car is a smooth cruiser with a cavernous interior
and yes, a quiet engine. It's not designed for fast turns and will
lean a bit, but it's a land yacht, not a speed boat. Meanwhile, we
note some things that will need attention. Here are things that
don't work: the passenger front power window, the power wing
windows, power locks, the clock, the power top and we thepower
trunk lid. The passenger rear window works only with a switch on
the rear door and the driver's rear window works only from the
driver front door. We also noted that the shifter must be pushed up
in order to start the car.
These convertible Lincolns with the suicide doors don't come up
often for sale and this one provides lots of opportunities for
restoration and enjoyment. The coolness factor will never go away
but eventually, these cars will. So if this is your dream car as it
is for so many, be sure to check in with the mall.
5Y86N433860
5-1965
Y-Wixom, MI Assy Plant
86-Continental Convertible
N-430ci 4bbl 320hp V8
433860-Sequential Unit Number
WARRANTY PLATE
BDY 74A-Continental Convertible
COLOR G-Light Ivy Gold
TRIM 88-Gold Vinyl
DATE 06D-April 6th
DSO 16-Philadelphia
AXLE 4-Ford 9" 3.25 Conventional
TRANS 4-Twin Range Multidrive Automatic
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
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in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
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