For those of you who have been saying that car companies don’t offer any actual colors anymore, here ya go! You aren’t going to search for too long in the parking lot until you see this 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V. The seller has this Powder Blue beauty posted here on craigslist in the impossibly-beautiful Redding, California area, and they’re asking $28,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for sending in this tip!
The seller mentions that this car is Powder Blue, but I can’t find that color on a 1979 Lincoln Mark V brochure. Is it Crystal Blue? Bob? It looks like a special edition, and Lincoln offered several different designer editions, including Gucci, Bill Blass, Givenchy, Pucci, Cartier, Kardashian… Ok, I’m kidding about that last one, but there were so many colors and options for this car that it’s mind-boggling.
One option would have been the “Carriage Roof” faux convertible top as seen here. It goes perfectly with the white wide side moldings and the white shoes and white belt that the first owner most likely wore. I know that a good percentage of Barn Finds readers wouldn’t buy this car in this color if it was a fraction of the seller’s asking price, but I like it. If you’re going to go for it, just go for it. Speaking of the price, Hagerty is at $23,000 for a #2 excellent car, so the seller may be pricing it at the Pawn Stars rate, as in knowing that most buyers will lowball them with an offer so you can’t start too low these days. Disclaimer: those prices are for a car with a 400 V8 and this car has a 460 V8.
For the record, Hagerty is at a whopping $37,700 for a #1 Concours-level car. Wow. The word “WOW” was invented for this light blue leather interior, WOW! Can you, have you ever, how in the, who in the… WOW! I love it, but I like unusual vehicles, in this case, unusual and bright colors. This car is Wedgewood Crystal Blue, not Powder Blue. The back seat is gorgeous, as expected.
The gigantic engine is Ford’s 460-cu.in. OHV V8, which would have had 208 horsepower and 356 lb-ft of torque. With just over 47,000 miles, the seller says that there is literally not one chip in the paint, this car has every option and everything works, and it runs great. Would any of you drive a car in as bright of a color as this Mark V? I would.
Big personal luxury coupes of this era, like the Marks of the 70’s, were quite the automotive statement. Huge, over-styled, plenty of power, who cares about fuel mileage, all the options of the day, terrible space utilization but who cared about that either. It was all about making a statement. And having a smooth, quiet, effortless cruiser. So, with the light blue (I didn’t research the color, I’ll assume Crystal Blue is correct) and white theme, what a statement it made then…. and now.
Of course it takes the right person to have and enjoy something this brash. But what about people today with exotic sports cars, or even hi-end Mustangs or Challengers? Sure, it’s about the performance…. but it’s also about being seen. From that perspective, maybe things haven’t changed all that much. Fine with me.
Anyhow…. Nice car. The blue interior is… crazy period-correct cool. Can you imagine that in a new car today? Not sure about the price.
Hmmm, shifting a few decades in time, maybe there would have been a Kardashian version!
1979 mark 5 only came with 400 cu. 78 was last year of 460 cu engine. I have this car since 1979 and know this history and options
Am I the only one who remembers meeting these cars on the freeway with their piece of plastic trim in front of the grill flopping up and down in the wind?
Good one, Mel, as a truck driver, these would pass me, and I always wondered what that “flapping” noise was. Oh great, another tire,,no wait, it’s a Lincoln Mark is all,,eventually, that piece would “go missing” and a big hole was left.
There is/WAS a clip there which was supposed to hold it in place, but when that plastic clip broke, only the on-coming drivers knew it.
Yes lol. I remember seeing a few of those as well.
Wedgewood blue
That is the correct name of the color Shingo. I always liked the Wedgewood Blue Mark Vs.
Thanks, Shingo! You’re probably right, and the photos just have a weird tint to them making them look brighter than Wedgewood Blue looks in the color chart.
Typical for these cars. Love the landau roof with it catches air too.
I’ve wanted a Mark anything ever since Cannon,,a Quinn-Martin Production. I figure, if it was good enough to haul THAT guys fat arse around, good enough for me. I think this was the “Collector Series Edition”(?) and cost a whopping $22,000 new, or over $80 grand today. It wasn’t for Joe( or Joanne) Lunchpail, although they watched everyday as the boss drove in on one. Man I’ll change that scene some day, they thought, and never did.
What a car, absotively, posilutely the best America had, and if your were lucky enough(?) to be a boss one day, THIS is what you drove. Sent a clear message, I drive the BEST! That or a private detective. Before Rockford Files, Cannon was the #1 detective show. Byzantine in nature compared to today, then it was a great show.
In the movie Rancho Deluxe, with Jeff Bridges, they used a car just like this for target practice. The one they shot up used to belong to one of my former bosses, and he sold it, or traded it. If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a decent movie, as long as you don’t cry when they shoot up the car.
I love these big Marks. And there’s only one engine to have. The 460. But, there’s no way I’m paying that much cash for an electric blue leisure suit with 47,000 miles on it!
They also came with a 400 engine as well in 78 69-77 was 460 and nothing else. I owned a 77 mark 5 for about 15 years
This car has the 400 the compressor is sitting on top and not the side above the alternator.
my friend has a 1978 Mark 5 Special Addition, Diamond Jubilee Edition,The color is Diamond Blue, It also has the sun roof not shown on this one, It is Drop Dead gorgeous, He really keeps it super clean, it only has about. 8100 miles on it, I won’t even sit in it, It’s just one of those cars that come along every once in a life time.
This has a “Carriage Roof” VT option. Sunroofs NA w/a Carriage Top.
Just paid $22,000 for a mint 13,000 mile 1978 Diamond Jubilee Editi0n (Ford’s most expensive luxurious car to that time, to celebrate Ford’s 75th anniversary). Filled with luxuries and appointments. Mine has all documentation since new including original dealer sale receipts and all maintenance and owner records.
In 1978 you could buy a Cadillac or Lincoln for around $11,000 – a Diamond Jubilee complete with moon roof, standard leather bound tool kit (with two flares in case you got stranded in the Nevada desert), leather bound Owners manual, telescopic Knirps umbrella in the center consul (mine still unopen in the original box), Cartier clock etc.
I can’t see this ‘plane Jane’ getting anywhere near the asking price. Lincolns in this condition and mileage can be had for around $8,000 – $10,000 all over the internet including multiple Facebook Lincoln pages.
A very nice car overall, though personally, I prefer the Mark IV. I think this boat is overpriced by quite a bit but it’s hard to fault the condition. There are a lot of classic cars available if you have $28K lying around that would offer more excitement than a pimpin’ Lincoln Mark. But if you really want to stand out in a crowd, this is the car for you.
Ford had a marketing deal with Quinn Martin, to use their products.
William Conrad drove Cadillacs in real life, usually in red.
To help clear up the debate about the color:
I worked for a Lincoln dealer when these cars were new and have all the brochures, dealer albums, etc. This color is called Wedgewood Blue. Diamond Blue was only first available on the special ’78 Diamond Jubilee Edition (in either Diamond Blue or Jubilee Gold) but these colors were apparently carried over for ’79 (I don’t recall seeing either color on anything but the ’78 DJ editions but my original dealer folder with color chips indicates they were available for ’79 also.) Collector Series Marks were only available in Midnight Blue Metallic or White, and had gold-toned grill and emblems. Crystal Blue was a periwinkle-hued blue only available on the Givenchy Designer Edition and was paired with a dark blue partial vinyl roof at the front 2/3 of the roof only. Hope this clears up any confusion!
Thanks, Tony!
This is just my opinion but based on the air cleaner that Lincoln has the 400 2 bbl. The 460 4bbl’s air cleaner was larger and was painted Ford blue with a oil filter looking “muffler” sticking out of the side. Every Mk. V I’ve ever seen with the 400 2bbl had the smaller unpainted air cleaner and the 460’s had the bigger painted unit.
Thanks, EricN, ThunderRob, and Panther1000. I assumed that the seller would list the correct engine but I should have researched it more. Thanks much.
I remember renting a Lincoln Town Car (Periwinkle) when I drove my younger daughter from Texas to Colorado for her freshman year of college. My wife and my older daughter (already in college in Texas) were along for the ride as well.
I was impressed with the comfort and the space, plenty enough in the back for the girls not to complain. They thought the Periwinkle color was nice, but I just drove the car LOL
That’s a 400,the 460 was discontinued after 1978.The carriage roof was standard on the Bill Blass edition for 1979 and an option otherwise on the standard Mark V.It could be deleted from the BB version for a standard vinyl roof with opera windows as could the two-tone paint usually associated with the BB version.as it is missing the BB logo on the side pillar,i do not believe it is a BB version just a standard with the carriage roof option.
You say WOW for the light blue 1979 Mark V, I say YIKES. That’s what makes this world we live in interesting 🤔
BTW, this is a 400 engine, not 460 as stated. The obvious giveaway is the smaller silver air cleaner cover. The 460 ci (7.5-liter) had the larger blue air cleaner cover.
This car seems to be an original California car as the current owner state it was his father’s car, and it’s for sale in Ca.
California State legislators were (and continue to be) ahead of the curve on emissions and were so in the 1970s, with all that haze spewing out from the LA highways. In 1978 in California, dealers offered only the 400 ci engine. Every other state offered the 460 ci.
If you wanted a 460, you’d have to buy from an outside state dealer (Oregon, Nevada, Arizona) and have the car shipped to your California base.
California ahead of the curve? LOL! Maybe in creating useless rules and regulations.
Maybe you should read what I actually wrote, not twist it to suit your comment.
🤓
I owned a Mark V from 2000-2016.
This Mark has the 400 engine, you can see the air compressor sitting on top, the 460 AC sits on the passenger side above the alternator. I’m not sure if that’s a factory ford carriage top or aftermarket before the buyer gets it. I did a lot to my Mark 5 performer intake, 800 edelbrock carb, double roller timing chain, high volume water pump, headers, Flowmasters, upgraded alternator and voltage regulator, big sunroof, positive traction, leather. It was an awesome car when I sold it and the guy still has it haha. I bought Mark 3 the best of the marks IMO 375HP engine with zero emissions says enough haha.
Those vacuum headlights can also be converted to electric.
I love it, for me , it’s a very nice car.
Liking this lead sled…I can just hear Steve Magnante from Motor Trend/Junkyard Gold enthusiastically stating “I would drop in a Boss 9 engine, tap it with Nitrous, bolt on a Ford 9 inch, and go hunting for some unsuspecting CTS-V Caddy’s”. LOL
It kinda looks like a ’71 pinto with the thin high back bucket seats might actually have just as much, if not more room inside for 4 people as this dinasaur! lol
Beautiful car nonetheless, & most of today’s ugly plastic appliances on wheels(what happened to their rear overhang? – it’s missing!) will probably get out of your way, when you drive this behemoth.