Led by , the team consisted of John Reinhart chief stylist , chief body engineer; designer of the , and chief engineer. The metal horn ring used in '69 was deleted from the steering wheel, replaced by a unit. Additional Manufacturing Attention Continental allowed for twice as long to assemble a vehicle as Ford or Lincoln-Mercury. Turbo-Drive 3-speed automatic Dimensions 126. It also had the secondary goal of attracting more potential buyers.
The Beginning The Lincoln Continental was originally a commission for Edsel Ford in 1938, who planned to make it his own personal vehicle. Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you. All cars produced after December 31, 1968 were equipped with driver and front passenger head rests as required by Federal mandate. This black beauty deserves another chance at road redemption, you owe it to yourself to visit MotoeXotica Classic Cars and check out this Continental for yourself. Ford fun factoids — 98 percent of 1956 Continentals came with power brakes; 85 percent had power seats; 86 percent had power windows; 94 percent had radios; 99 percent had heaters; and 98 percent had whitewall tires. Driver convenience features include power steering, power brakes and power front seats. This version was known as X-100.
After completing assembly, each vehicle underwent a further inspection and a road test before shipping. Eisenhower were all proud owners of a mark ii, as was the shah of iran. The same year, the personal luxury segment saw several American-produced vehicles enter production, with the launch of the limited-production , , and convertibles by General Motors coinciding with the launch of the , as a roadster and the convertible. In a notable departure from both American and European styling precedents, neither nor were seen; a swing-away left taillamp hid the fuel cap from view. The new white leather seats are exactly what you expect from a car of this caliber. Finally, an automatic headlamp dimmer that dimmed the headlights for oncoming cars without driver intervention was available. Throughout its history, this sedan has always delivered extreme luxury and comfort.
And of course, you'll love the graceful bulge in the center of the trunk where the spare tire lives underneath — an iconic namesake feature that was so stylish that it has been added to other cars over the years. The seats and soft trim are in fine condition, showing only light use. Only the very finest materials were used throughout and the instrumentation displayed the precision of a finely crafted watch. At present, it is believed that the number of surviving examples is far lower. As American leather was sprayed vs vat dyed, leather imported from Scotland was used throughout the interior ; as Continental felt the results were better-wearing, the leather used the process and was dyed in the United States.
In 1952, the company formed the Special Product Operations team later Special Products Division. The chassis and undercarriage are tidy and well detailed, showing this as a car that has been sympathetically restored but also carefully used and enjoyed. For 1986, the Mark series was integrated into the Lincoln brand after being within the Continental sub-marque for 18 years, ending the naming confusion. At 18-feet long and just 4-feet, 8-inches tall, it was no doubt imposing, but ford took bold step to buck the popular trend of chrome and fins in favor of a look that was elegant, understated and minimally adorned. After July 1968 the seatbelt retractors were relocated and eight additional exterior color choices were added. Other options included the aforementioned leather interior, air conditioning, further power adjustments for the front seats, a variety of radios and 8-track tape players, tinted glass, and power locks. Under William Clay Ford, the Special Products Division set out several objectives.
All Fluids Flushed and Replaced. The beauty of a mk ii can be found in the details, such as the quality of the ash trays and the simple but elegantly styled instruments; details that reveal just how hard ford worked to ensure the continental would be a true world-class luxury car. A power sliding sun roof joined the options list. Postwar Continentals were produced in low numbers less than 1,600 of them in 1947 and the body line was killed in 1949 in favor of a new, albeit less flattering, Cosmopolitan. Initially meeting with rejection from upper Ford management, in 1953, design work was approved to bring a successor to the Continental to production.
With only 3,000 built, the mk ii is also relatively rare, with fine examples such as this proving very difficult to come by. Established as the headquarters and assembly plant for Continental, in a major break from Ford tradition, a moving assembly line was largely dispensed with to facilitate hand-built construction and inspection. While a two-door hardtop would be offered as the debut vehicle, the model range would expand to a retractable-hardtop convertible and a four-door hardtop sedan. And the name continental was the perfect moniker for this european flavored personal luxury car. Sales were better than ever, at 27,091 almost equal to the Eldorado's, a harbinger for the new decade.
To streamline production, powertrain components were adapted from the Lincoln model line and checked through the division's quality-control program during production. You see it in a design with exceptionally clean sheetmetal that could rival the best of the pre-war French designs balanced with mammoth chrome bumpers that are so well integrated into the design that you barely notice the exhaust under the taillights. At this point, Lincoln gave the sedan a majestic hood and a bold new grille. The 1946 Continental also served as the pace car during the Indy 500. This placed it above the second tier premium personal luxury cars such as the , and. And a car this nice deserves to be driven with distinction. Door panels, dash and carpets are excellent and all original switches and chrome fittings remain in good condition.
Controls for the Hot Rod Air system are in the console just below the Kenwood head unit, and Classic Instrument gauges fit neatly in front of a Billet Specialties steering wheel attached to an ididit column. In 1961, the Lincoln brand adapted the Continental nameplate for its entire model line, a practice that would be seen through the end of the 1976 model year. The 368 cubic-inch V8 was the best Lincoln had to offer in the day, and it was rumored the Continental engines were even further refined for the best quality. Cars produced prior to July 1968 featured a decorative stitching pattern on the face of the rear seat above the center arm rest. The tires are mounted on steel wheels topped by factory wheel covers. Cars produced before the second week of December 1968 had white indicator needles for all instruments and controls, and an electric clock with was used.
Please verify any information with the owner. This car is finished in its original and desirable color scheme of black over a two-tone white and red interior -the same as what appeared in many of continental's original promotional materials. The custom fuel tank is also concealed along with its wiring and lines. Every car had electric windows and seats, along with power steering, power brakes, tachometer, and automatic transmission. Both Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley drove this model, and Elizabeth Taylor received one from Warner Bros.