The Mark II was Ford Motor Company’s image car in the 1950s, produced in limited quantities to compete with the likes of Rolls-Royce. Rumor has it that Ford lost money on every one of them that they built. It was the sole product of Ford’s Continental Division when it was separate from Lincoln for a brief time. Little more than 3,000 of them were assembled in 1956 and 1957, including this second-year edition that’s ready for restoration. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this once-proud luxury automobile is available here on eBay where you can click a button and buy it for $14,500. Thanks for another cool tip from Barn Finder Larry D!
The Mark II was the only offering of the short-lived Continental Division of Ford. Its name came from the European practice of designating generations of cars with separate numerals (the Mark I would have been the 1939–1948 Lincoln Continental. These lavishly appointed automobiles were hand-assembled although some Lincoln mechanical components and its “Y-block” V8 and automatic transmission were used. The Continental Division was phased back into Lincoln in 1958 and the low production auto was put on hiatus until the 1969 Continental Mark III came along.
We get the impression the seller has owned this ’57 Mark II for some time. It spent much of its life in Arizona which probably helped to contribute to what may be minimal rust. It’s said to be mostly complete with a trunk full of parts to help with the rebirth of the car. The seller says this was a special-order vehicle with factory air conditioning, which would have been 1 of 444 in 1957 (according to the owner).
For whatever reason, the original 368 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor has been replaced with one from 1956, which is not hooked up, only sitting in the engine bay (sadly, no photos). One of the things that will not come with the car is its Mark II wheel covers as they have already been sold. At nearly 100,000 miles on the odometer, the seller he would consider a trade if the car doesn’t sell for its listed price, which we’re told is firm. These cars were popular with celebrities and high-profile people like President Eisenhower, Frank Sinatra, and Elizabeth Taylor, all of whom are said to have owned one.
Don’t worry about the large blood stains on the front seat.
You can buy a seat cover to cover it up. ☠️☠️
Might come with a ghost. 👻👻 GLWT !!!
I read Ford lost $1,000 on every one they made, or almost $11 GRAND today. ( I know, what’s a paltry $11 grand today) They pulled the plug to save money for the Edsel project. Long story short, Ford wasn’t doing too well in the late 50’s. The Mk ll was by far the most luxurious and expensive car Ford ever made to that point, and only offered 1 ( one) option, that this person got, a/c, and was a whopping $600 option, almost $6400 today! Also, I read, there is a lack of chrome on these cars, all the rage at the time. Ford considered chrome to be gawdy, not attractive. GM thought the opposite, obviously. Incredibly labor intensive to restore, but when done, you can’t go wrong with this one.
When someone is willing to sell the hard to find parts, IE the hubcaps you have to wonder what other unobtaniam parts have been sold.
This car has been for sale for some time. Ask the seller if his name is on the title
looks like a very expensive project. hubcaps sold???? not a good sign. not original engine??? another not good sign. so fix it up, spend $40 grand, and you have an incomplete driver. pass. part it out.
I have a 56 markII that I drive often. These cars are just not worth what they possibly should be. You can get a nice run if and driving rust free example for less than 40k. Unless someone is just bored and wanting a project this car would have to be free to not be a money pit
My father came home from the Marines in 1947 after being in from 44-47. First Marine Division, lots of combat and then duty in China. He was 19 years old in 1947. Two days after he got home he got a job working on the railroad, where he also worked from 42-44 as a kid. He then bought a 1940 Lincoln Continental to commute with and he always loved those cars and always told us from about 1980 on that they would be $100K cars (in his mind they were like Mercedes 540s from the 30s)
He ended up being able to get a 47 coupe and a 48 convertible when he was in his mid 70s. The cars sat as he got in his 80s and we eventually sold them. They were spectacular cars for their time and for a while the prices were on the rise but then the prices fell as men like my dad got too old and passed away. I see cars these cars now selling for the same prices they were in 1982.
These Mark II seem to be going the same way. Beautiful, fantastic cars but they all plateaued a while ago and with inflation their value is decreasing.
Your Dad sounds like a great man. What he must have gone through as a Marine in those years can only be imagined. My Dad was in the Navy near the end of the war. There was a 41 Continental in my home town, bought new by a man in the oil business. It was the only one that I ever got to see until I started attending LCOC car shows many years later. They are beautiful cars and glad that you Dad enjoyed them. My Dad had similar predictions and said that the 61-63 Lincolns would be worth $100k plus by the year 2000. I own both a 56 Mark II and a 61 Lincoln and truthfully I guess we should be glad that they did not skyrocket in value otherwise I could not afford them.
$14,500? Dream on, pal, dream on.
i think 14 is a good price altho I’d have to ck the markt charts, match to condition, etc. Certainly nota 10K car, I’d balk at much above the current ask tho. Name one whick is more accurate & Y placed there. That would help~
What a jerk, to show the hubcaps and then say they are sold. Do not walk, run away from this one. What else has gone missing that the owner sold for easy money.
What exactly does another engine is simply sitting in the engine bay? Red flags big time. Does that mean the motor mounts were done as they set it in? And who knows what condition engine was placed there. So many questions for what I think was one of the best Continental ever built. Would have to inspect before I pulled the trigger buying it
I have seen the Elizabeth Taylor car, actually husband Mike Todd’s car, the only one made with a metric speedo, for he lived in South Africa at the time. Car was in Greenville SC when I saw it many years ago.
I like the MkII.
A sort of stretch T-Bird.
The price is a stretch though.