I realize we don’t deal too many times with restored or customized cars on Barn Finds (that’s kinda not what we’re about). However, every once in a while a “custom” comes along that seems worth featuring. This 1956 Lincoln Premiere Capri is one of those. It’s listed for sale here on eBay where the buy it now price is $14,850. The smooth looking Lincoln is located in Glendale, California.
Anyone know where this great looking front bumper came from? I can’t find anything like it in the 1956 Lincoln line, so I assume it’s adapted from something else. I love the clean look of this car, though, and boy, is that “resale red” paint shiny! The white top sets it off very nicely, too.
Look, Jamie, it’s a two-door! I thought you only wrote up four-doors… I can hear you now. Wow, that’s a lot of straight body showing there. The seller tells us the paint is new (I believe that) but offers little detail about what was painted over. I’ll say this–if it’s body filler, the applicator was a good one.
The smooth lines continue back here. We don’t see the rear bumper close enough to judge the plating, but it certainly looks ok for a driver from this shot. I would like to see the chrome under the windshield put back, and add windshield wipers back for practicality (and legality in my state). Apart from that, I don’t think I’d change anything on the outside.
Since it isn’t stock anyway, I would add air conditioning and a decent (but period appearing) radio to the interior. The seats look like the re-upholstery was a quality job, even if they aren’t to the original pattern or material.
This is supposedly the original 368 cubic inch, 285 horsepower V8 engine and is said to run and drive
great, and it that it “keeps up smoothly with highway speed.” It certainly looks nice under there to me. So–I realize we have some purists here who won’t like the deviations from stock. But are any of you with me that this seems like a lot of car for under $15,000 as long as it really is metal under that shiny paint?
I am not a purist. Me want! Alas, don’t have the $$$.
When a car is all cleaned up and fully restored, I guess, how can this be a barn find? Gimme me a break…that Lincoln isn’t no barn find. Unless it was found in Jay Leno’s Air-Conditioned concrete floored “barn”, it isn’t worth the look.
Keep your trophies for the millionaires who can afford to have their work of art sent off to be a enclosed trailer queen. Got it?? Good…
Regards,
Thomas D. Gillespie
Curmudgeon Man is Curmudgeon-ey. ;)
I sort of agree with you Thomas, but I also enjoyed seeing this car, as I would have missed it otherwise. She’s a beaut!
This is not a rich mans car, this an affordable car for the everyday guy who doesn’t have the skills, money or room to build a car like this! Lighten up and enjoy the site. You can always skip to the next vehicle that has a ridiculous price, then has to spend many dollars to finish.
Wow, Jamie, this thing is sharp. The ’57 Lincoln Premier (basically the same but fancier and with fins) is on my personal Top Ten List, but this ’56 is killer. I’ve seen untouched drivers go for $8000 to $10,000 so the price seems like a real bargain. If it was a ’57 I’d be sweating but… have to pass on this one. Great find!
Thanks, Todd — I really liked the way it looked. Just imagine what the price would be if it were a Chevy–and then think about how much more the Lincoln was new! (and how much more car it is/was!)
He says he’s a private collector liquidating his collection. Yet, every car I checked that he had listed on eBay was titled in a different state. To me, that seems a bit unusual.
This is a nice looking car, but I’d be hard pressed to trust the quality of the paint and body work without a thorough up close inspection.
Steve R
Good amount of body lines aren’t matching up, but hey, she’s a sexy 30 footer.
The front bumper is ’57 DeSoto, but the bullets are ’55 Merc, Lincoln, or Buick.
Neat ride!
The 1956 Lincoln is one of my all time favorite cars but only if they are totally stock. The car is listed as a Premier Capri which is wrong as it is either a Premier or a Capri.
Got to knock a few dollars off the price for the stolen door handles and locks.
Agreed – the badging and trim is what makes cars from the fifties so special in the first place! Without it, those two giant bumpers have no dialogue between them. I wouldn’t kick the car out of my garage… but I’d certainly be putting all that missing jewelry back on.
Cool car! Front bumper and dagmars are from a 1956 Packard Clipper… Neat touch! I have that bumper and tags here for a project I was working on, however went in another direction… Works well here though..
WOW! What a beautiful car! I would love to have it. As for “if it’s body filler, the applicator was a good one”…It definitely has filler. That is the only way to get a car that smooth. Nothing wrong with filler, as long as it is used for its intended purpose, which is to do exactly that. Smooth minor imperfections after as much of a dent as possible is removed with a hammer and dolly. Anyone that tells you a car this straight has no filler is either full of it, or has about 10 times as much time in it as necessary, for no reason.
Agree with “s” on the body filler. I’ve done repairs in lead (hood corners, door corners, and quarter-panel seams that were originally leaded) and somewhere on the Internet is a leading video by an expert who begins his “how to lead” with a 5 minute discussion about how to make a permanent repair with plastic filler, then he goes on to describe when and how to use lead. Also I remember the first time I saw the late Boyd Coddington’s guys spread a skim-coat of filler on brand new panels for a $150k custom. At first I about had a heart attack but, with filler, the panel can become perfect. Without it – it’s got stretch marks from the press and scratches and micro-dents from shipping and everything that bumped into it on the way to your shop. This car may be a 10 or 30 footer but I think it’s pretty sharp.
I think it is great for a change its cool and not to over the top on a custom .hope it sells
i’m really digging this car and i’ve never been a lincoln fan. sick custom
If there’s something I hate in customized cars, is the absence of door handles! That aside, I kindda liked this one.
Richieb
Listing for Capri is same spiel for a broker or flipper I purchased a car from back
In February. Don,t fall for it has probably never seen this car. Have never left
Comment before. But this guy I bilieve has changed his username. Beware.
Shaved door handles are nice until one day you have a dead battery and your hood latch is on the inside. I’m not a big fan of these but the custom work does improve its look.
Do you see the resemblance to the 1966 Batmobile which was built from a 55 Lincoln Futura. The headlight area looks pretty close to it.
Beautiful custom! Not perfect, but a driver. My only nitpick is the velocity stack air cleaner. It looks out of place on a motor in a Kustom( yes, I spelled it that way on purpose).
I’ve seen a number of listings by this guy, and I don’t buy the “collector just having fun” routine. If you’re a dealer, say you’re a dealer – trying to pretend otherwise seems pointless and suggests you have something to hide.
That said, I noticed this car a few days back and I agree – it’s pretty cool looking. Assuming it has no fatal flaws it seems like decent value for a custom you don’t see every day.
Cool and a beautiful car a must have for the non millionaires
I can pay that price!!