Hiding in this garage is one of the cars that could be considered part of Lee Iacocca’s automotive legacy. It is a 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III, and it appears it hasn’t seen the open road in years. That poses the question of whether it is a cheap project candidate or a parts car for other builds. I must doff my cap to Barn Finder Zappenduster for spotting the Mark III listed here on Facebook Marketplace in De Land, Illinois, for $3,000 OBO.
The development of the Lincoln Continental Mark III is legendary, emphasizing Lee Iacocca’s instinctive understanding of customer requirements. He contacted the company’s Design Vice President, Gene Bordinat, instructing him to “put a Rolls-Royce grille on a Thunderbird.” It was an inspired example of platform sharing, allowing Lincoln to bring the Mark III to market from what was considered an extraordinarily low development budget. Lincoln had the Cadillac Eldorado, the acknowledged market leader, firmly in its crosshairs, and the Iacocca approach paid dividends. For the first time in its history, Lincoln produced a competitor that outsold the Eldorado and returned a healthy profit on each sale. Our featured Mark III is a first-year example, ordered by the original owner in Code B Maroon with a Black vinyl top. Its history is unclear, but it obviously has seen an open road for many years. The paint is tired, and the vinyl is beginning to wave the white flag. I can spot rust in the driver’s-side rear quarter panel, which makes me wonder about the floors. An in-person inspection would confirm whether the car is structurally sound, but I would probably hope for the best and brace for the worst. However, with the tinted glass in good condition and the trim complete, it has plenty of usable components if someone bought it as a parts car.
As Charlie Brown would have said, “Good grief!” Somewhere beneath that incredible debris is a 460ci V8 that produced 365hp and 500 ft/lbs of torque in its prime. Every Mark III buyer got that motor, plus a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes as standard. Although Lincoln based the Mark III on the existing Thunderbird, sheetmetal changes and added sound-deadening material made the Mark III several hundred pounds heavier than the T-Bird. However, with so much torque at the driver’s disposal, its performance was still respectable, though it lagged behind the more powerful Eldorado in outright acceleration. Look, I know that this Mark III is dirt cheap, but I don’t understand why the seller didn’t clear away the debris to make a better impression. What won’t surprise readers is that not only doesn’t this classic run, but the seller is unsure whether the motor even turns. It is a case where someone will pay their money and take their chances.
The interior is this Lincoln’s undoubted highlight. Trimmed in Black leather, its condition is quite impressive when compared to the exterior. The upholstered surfaces show no significant wear, and the dash and pad look excellent. Even the carpet looks pretty good, and overall, it would present acceptably after a deep clean. It also features the creature comforts buyers expected from a premium product during this period, including air conditioning, power windows, power locks, six-way power front seats, cruise control, a rear defogger, a tilt wheel, and an AM/FM radio.
Lee Iacocca’s career had as many highlights as lowlights. The 1969 Continental Mark III marked a moment when he was at his peak at Ford and seemed to do no wrong. Beyond his unhealthy ego, his greatest weakness during this time was that he and Henry Ford II shared many personality traits, which would eventually take their rivalry beyond typical professional clashes into open warfare as each fought to control the Ford Motor Company. Both Iacocca and the Mark III came from relatively humble backgrounds, and many consider the Mark III to be his greatest achievement during this period. I’m unsure whether our featured car could return to its former glory, but its legacy could be providing the components needed to keep a similar car on our roads. Do you think that will be its fate?
This car could be a real electrical nightmare, not only because the Lincolns and T-Birds of the era were known for electrical issues, but because the critters have obviously been in this car for a long time.
The rear stance is also concerning.
Good write-up Adam, highlighting Iacocca’s huge role in bringing the Mark III to life. Clean examples are still very attractive cars; their styling has generally aged well. This one obviously needs lots of work.
Item is no longer available.
Steve R
You mentioned creature comforts. Absolutely! Many creatures have found comfort in this beauty. I’ve never seen a more packed engine compart.
I would try to get a vanity plate CVN-72 in honor of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. Oh yeah, and fix it up too,
A lot of critters have nested under that hood and probably every were else.