1,941 Mile 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V

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Sometimes you only have to look at the bidding history on a vehicle to realize that you are dealing with something pretty special. That would certainly appear to be the case with this 1978 Continental Mark V. With a genuine 1,941 miles showing on its odometer, it is a car that has attracted plenty of attention since it was listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Huntington Station, New York, and since coming to the market, it has attracted a total of 48 bids. This has pushed the price along to $24,600. The reserve has been met, so this giant appears set to find a new home very soon.

The White Mark V has formed part of a private collection since it was new, and the owner hasn’t exactly worn the vehicle out over the past 42-years. Its presentation and condition are all that you would expect from a low-mileage survivor. It has spent its entire life in a temperature-controlled environment, and this has helped it to remain solid and rust-free. The panels appear to be laser-straight, while the panel gaps are tight and consistent. There is no evidence of any marks or chips on the paint, and the Landau-style White vinyl top also appears to be flawless. The alloy turbine wheels seem to be free from any damage or staining, and when you take a close look at the exterior trim and the tinted glass, it is as close to perfection as you are likely to find in a vehicle of this age.

The reality is that no American manufacturer will ever produce another model like the Mark V. It was big, bold, brassy, and it owed nothing to subtlety. It was a car designed to make a statement, and that statement was something along the lines of, “I am a success.” When compared to its rivals, especially luxury vehicles from Europe, the Mark V offered some pretty vibrant interior trim color combinations. In this case, we find an interior trimmed in Red and White leather, with the seats looking particularly comfortable and inviting. Once again, the condition inside the vehicle is all that you would expect in a car with less than 2,000 miles on the clock, and the next owner will have little to do but sink back into the leather and cruise along in splendid isolation. The Lincoln not only offered buyers a host of standard equipment, but it also brought a fair collection of optional equipment to the table. This particular car would have to be described as “fully loaded” because there aren’t many options that aren’t to be found here. As well as air conditioning, power windows, a power driver’s seat, and cruise control, the front passenger seat also receives power assistance, there is an AM/FM radio/8-track player, a 40 channel CB radio, and two of the rarer options to find their way onto a Mark V in 1978; the external temperature monitor, and the Lincoln garage door opener.

If you happened to reside in California in 1978, you were left with no engine choices if you ordered a Mark V. What you received was a 400ci V8, producing 166hp. However, the rest of the country did have a choice, and in this case, the owner chose to equip the vehicle with the 210hp 460ci V8. Also, we find a C6 automatic transmission, along with power steering and power brakes. Of course, this was a car that was designed to be as luxurious as possible, so outright performance was not a stated aim. One of the by-products of this thinking was a high overall weight. At 4,870lbs, this could never be considered to be a lightweight. Couple the weight with a huge engine that was fed by a 4-barrel Carter carburetor, and fuel consumption was quite mind-boggling. How does an average consumption figure of 14mpg sound? Of course, city driving or a heavy right foot could have an impact, and 5mg was not an uncommon figure. However, with fuel costing 63 cents per gallon in 1978, those sorts of numbers weren’t going to hurt the owner’s wallet that much. The owner of this Mark V states that the vehicle does get started and run regularly to keep the fluids circulating. He also says that it is essentially completely original, although the tires and battery were replaced approximately 3-years-ago. It sounds like the Lincoln could be in a sound mechanical state, but I believe that a full inspection should probably be performed before any significant journeys are attempted. There are some aspects of the under-hood presentation that I find quite disappointing, with corrosion present in areas that I wouldn’t have expected. Still, I guess that some deterioration is to be expected, and what issues that are present should be easy to address. The vehicle does come with a significant collection of documentation, and I suspect that this will probably help to verify the low mileage claim.

The owner of this 1978 Mark V claims that with 1,941 miles on the clock, that this is probably one of the lowest mileage examples in existence today. If the mileage can be verified, then this is a plausible claim. The 460ci engine and the comprehensive list of optional extras combine to make this a desirable car and would help to explain the intense interest that has been shown to this point. Values make for some interesting reading because while prices for pristine examples have increased by nearly 25% over the past 5-years, anything less than a pristine example has either remained stagnant or has shown marked depreciation. I would rate the condition this classic right at the top end, and that means that it has the potential to fetch more than $30,000 before the auction ends. If it sells for less, then it has the potential to be a pretty decent sort of a buy.

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Comments

  1. MitchellMember

    I normally don’t like Mark V Continentals, but I really like this one

    Like 3
  2. doug

    The only color that could possibly look better was Cannon’s silver blue with blood red car.

    Like 4
  3. Kenneth Carney

    It belongs in a museum. I’m surprised that Jay Leno hasn’t snapped this up yet.
    Ranks right up there with the ’50 Chevy
    sedan with just 650 miles on it. That
    particular car sold for $50K in 2005
    and was an internet sensation in it’s day.
    Maybe this car is the 2020 version of a
    very low mileage car. Disco era motoring
    at it’s finest.

    Like 5
  4. Turbo

    Nice car, but at that price? No.

    Like 3
  5. Fritz

    Are the 48 bidders real, or is the seller, his friends, and relatives bidding up the price through different accounts? These cars are not that rare, the reason being is that they made them almost unchanged from 1976-80, and it was almost always older people who bought them, just like any other 70s luxury barge. These were always considered old man cars, even used, young male drivers would rarely think of owning one, so they didn’t get the thrashing that your typical Chebby would. I’m skeptical about the mileage, without some independent documentation, such as service records since new, odometers do roll over, and it would not be hard for even a casually driven car to do that over 42 years, with very littel wear showing,

    Like 8
    • Jesse Mortensen Jesse MortensenStaff

      These are considered classic cars now and the low mileage is the reason for the interest. Documentation is a good idea though.

      Like 6
      • Ken

        This is crazy beautiful. Lincoln Motors employed top designers for these cars. We can thank designer Mr. Gucci for this interior.

        Like 0
    • steve

      These were personal luxury cars for the people who “made it” back then, not for old folks. Town cars, perhaps. Marks, no.

      Like 4
    • Matthew Gowdy

      No way it’s 101,000. The white seats would show SOME wear and the carpets and pedal rubbers would be worn. You can’t drive a car that much and show NO wear.

      Like 3
  6. Bob_in_TN Bob_in_TNMember

    Nice. A great example of an automotive era long gone. Even under temperature controlled storage, I’d expect some surface tarnishing, specifically under the hood. Top dollar to be expected.

    Like 4
  7. Tom Bell

    48 bids from 12 bidders.

    Like 0
  8. Jeff

    Please Humor Me, Does All That Rust Plus The Gouged Adjustment Slot & Nut On The Power Steering Pump Equate To A Vehicle With 2K Miles?

    Double Click On The Enlarged Image For Reference:

    https://i.postimg.cc/QMZFzDWr/1978-Lincoln-Continental-Mark-V-4-gigapixel-scale-2x.jpg

    Like 3
    • 59Buickman

      Having appraised many low mile cars as part an an estate company, I can tell you will find a few things like belts replaced and pumps and work having been done on engines by families while it sat for 50 years. Does not mean it rolled over if there are wrench marks on adjusters. I don’t see any abnormal rust under the hood for a northeastern car where temperature extremes in a garage can create moisture in the spring and winter causing flash surface rust on bare metal compoents, which is always present on northern cars that were stored. You won t find much service documentation either five. The miles are so low, none may have occurred by outside shops. The condition appears to be of a very low mile car but I would need to look underneath and at other details in person to confirm it obviously.

      Like 4
  9. CS

    thar she blows!

    Like 1
  10. OIL SLICK

    Anemic luxury at its finest!

    Like 0
  11. David Miraglia

    Always desired a Mark V, but I would like to get my hands on a Cartier or Bill Blass edition.

    Like 4
  12. Matthew Gowdy

    Just curious, How many “ungenuine” miles on it?

    Like 0
    • 59buickman

      Miles sure appear low based on a number of things. Tell tale signs most of the rubber under the hood is OEM, with the exception of one belt. Lots of paper labels still intact, and zero wear on the steering wheel or pedals. Still need to view the frame and chassis, but no way has it rolled over as suggested by some.

      Like 1
  13. Jeff

    100k

    Like 4
  14. S

    I LOVE this car – especially that interior! What I find hysterical is how opulent this car is, it has all the options that were available, but it has NO GAUGES!! It still has only idiot lights to tell you when something is wrong! Why did Ford do this? And often GM also? Chrysler was much better in that respect – even its basic cars had gauges. But aside from that – what an awesome car!!

    Like 1
  15. Johnmloghry Johnmloghry

    Wow! Twenty years sure goes by fast when you reach a certain age. In 2000 or there about these were going for $1000.00 to $1500.00. So I guess if you buy cars made in or about 2000 and keep them for 20 years they might increase in value to several grand. But make sure you’ve got a dry storage place to keep them.
    God bless America

    Like 0
  16. Stevieg

    I would love to own this car. I would be afraid to drive it, but would still take it out once in a while. The only thing that would make it better (my opinion) would be a moonroof.

    Like 1
  17. Bob Mck

    I too would love to own it, but it is no longer listed.

    Like 0
    • Ken

      Some lucky buff won it for 25,400

      Like 0
  18. Ken

    This is crazy beautiful. Lincoln Motors employed top designers for these cars. We can thank designer Mr. Gucci for this interior. This a Continental Mark V Gucci Edition

    Like 0
    • Bryan

      Gucci? No, the designer series Marks were Pucci, Givenchy, Bill Blass and Cartier. Yes all Marks had Cartier clocks but that did not make them Cartier editions! Two other editions worth noting…the 1978 Diamond Jubilee and the 1979 Collector Edition.

      Like 0

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