Vehicle Description
1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III 2 Door Hardtop
Attaining their long term goal in the first year of production, the
Mark III outsold the Cadillac Eldorado and according to Lee Iacocca
turned Lincoln Mercury from a company that had previously lost
money on every luxury car sold, to one that had high profit on each
Mark III. That's because of the low cost of development and
platform sharing - the Lincoln borrowed heavily from the
Thunderbird, which was failing in the market at the same time. This
was not Iacocca's first success, of course, and his most notable
was his involvement some years earlier with the Ford Mustang.
For consignment, a 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III in a desirable
color and armed with an appraisal that earned the car a #1
condition on every scorable component. These personal luxury cars
were seen as top tier cars above such cars as the Buick Riviera,
the Oldsmobile Toronado, and the Chrysler New Yorker, and they had
features the others could not offer at their price point.
Exterior
The Lincoln used 300 more pounds of bodywork than the Thunderbird
and that means more Raven Black paint for this one, stunning and
shiny and the ideal color for this period Lincoln. At the tip of
the long front end is a grille inspired by Rolls-Royce and hideaway
headlights that give every Lincoln that has them a regal look. The
chrome is excellent and spills onto the curvaceous bumper with a
high quality sheen and that quality is mirrored in the remaining
brightwork and rear bumper. A large C-pillar continues the coverage
of the black vinyl roof and is in excellent condition, hitting a
right angle as the straight shoulder line continues over a flat
trunk which is capped by the epic Continental tire cover rear deck
design. That trademark detail is flanked by sharp taillights that
lean forward with the same degree as the rear window, and it's all
very pleasing to the eye. The 15-inch wheels look bigger somehow,
with hubcaps and 75 series tires. Two small imperfections including
a spot of bubbling and some under paint roughness near a
keyhole.
Interior
Ten interior leather colors were available on the 1970 Mark III and
this car possesses Saddle, a medium brown that starts its journey
on the luxurious door panels that also include real walnut inserts
and robust controls and switches. The split bench seat is covered
in leather that the sales brochure states is "top-grain leather,
tumbled in huge drums for exquisite softness" and indeed, 56 years
after being assembled the seats retain some of that softness and
are in fantastic condition. The rear bench mirrors the stitched
pattern and also has a fold down armrest and stylized side walls,
all in great condition. The light brown steering wheel rim shows
some patina but is fully intact and shares the column with a
shifter and gear indicator. Five points of interest on the dash
present a line of large square instrumentation augmented by walnut
accent pieces and including a Cartier clock with Roman numerals.
Such class! The tan carpet with the brochure describes as "toe-deep
100% cut-pile nylon" shows some age on the driver's side but is in
otherwise good condition while the headliner, ceiling mounted
shoulder belts, visors, and indicator lights on the overhead
console, are in all in good shape with a bit of staining on the
headliner. The trunk is cleaned and finished with a gray flannel
matting.
Drivetrain
The hood is enormous and as we hoist it up, we find a better than
driver quality clean engine bay hosting the 460ci V8 which is rated
at 365 horsepower. A 4-barrel carburetor provides the go juice and
movement is handled via a C6 3-speed automatic transmission sending
power to the Ford 9" in rear. Power brakes are supplied on the big
Conti, with disc up front and drums in the rear.
Undercarriage
There's plenty of surface rust underneath but in general, it's very
clean and dry underneath. We spot one drop of oil on the flywheel
cover but nowhere else. There's no grease built up or dirt at the
wheels and the dual exhaust shines bright as it makes its way in
tandem to a pair of stock style mufflers then exiting just under
the rear bumper. Suspension consists of coil springs in front and a
4 link with coil springs in the rear.
Drive-Ability
We can't imagine what it was like to drive one of these richly
appointed personal luxury cars back in 1970, but it still feels
pretty special in 2024. Smooth sailing across our test loop and
through our battery of tests, making sure to note what is working
and what is not. There's good power here, but it's a big car with
heavy steel body panels and 365 horses. Even so, it moves well. It
was noted that the fuel gauge is inoperable, and we confirm. Also,
the power antenna is not working nor the left rear window.
Everything else, all good.
Inside and out, this is a car that means business and epitomizes
luxury. Long before plastics and lightweight materials and
aerodynamics became prominent in the automotive industry, big cars
with a big presence roamed the streets like fancy living rooms on
wheels. This is a fine example of a bygone era when American
manufacturers offered a little of everything and went all out for
the flagship and top of the line models. Make the call on this
black beauty today!
0Y89A817732
0-1970
Y-Wixom, MI Assy Plant
89-Continental MK III 2 Door Hardtop
A-460ci 365hp 4bbl V8
817732-Sequential Unit Number
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