Lincoln always struggled to match Cadillac in the sales race, but that changed when it introduced the Continental Mark III. It signified the first time that the company marketed a genuinely worthy adversary to the Eldorado, and sales success resulted. This 1969 Mark III is a spotless survivor with 59,000 miles on the clock. It presents beautifully and would suit a meticulous buyer. The time has come for it to find a new home, with the seller listing the car here on Craigslist in Tallgrass, Wichita, Kansas. They set their price at $17,500, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Sam A for spotting this stunning survivor.
Lee Iacocca did not come from a background of wealth or privilege. His roots were most definitely working class, and that was probably the key to his success. Many consider him an automotive genius, and millions of words have been penned on the subject. However, my beliefs differ from many. It was a quirky and extraordinarily inventive sales initiative that brought him to Ford’s attention, and this ability saw him succeed both there and at Chrysler. He knew what made potential buyers tick and how the impression of a bargain would push sales over the line. His specialty was adding what I call “automotive tinsel” to an existing model, usually in the form of a vinyl top, cloth seat upholstery, and pinstriping. These cost the company mere pennies, but the company could charge a healthy premium and turn a tidy profit on each vehicle. Most consider the First Generation Mustang his greatest success, but I view the Lincoln Continental Mark III as his crowning glory at Ford. It is famously claimed that he directed Design Vice President, Gene Bordinat, to “put a Rolls-Royce grille on a Thunderbird” to create the Mark III. Thunderbird sales were in freefall, and Iacocca saw an opportunity to develop a Lincoln at a bargain basement price that could sell for a nice fat profit. His instincts proved correct because it allowed Lincoln to produce a model that consistently outsold the Cadillac Eldorado. This Mark III rolled off the line in 1969, with its original owner ordering it in Lime Gold with a contrasting Dark Green vinyl top. It has been garage-kept and pampered throughout its life, helping to explain why its presentation is virtually flawless. The paint shines richly, and any defects in it, the panels, or the vinyl, are too minor to show in the supplied photos. The car is rust-free, with no history of restoration. The trim and tinted glass are as-new, and the damage-prone hubcaps are perfect.
The seller indicates this Mark III features virtually every option offered by Lincoln in 1969. That means that beyond the acres of woodgrain trim and Dark Green leather upholstery, the new owner receives air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, cruise control, a tilt wheel, a vast array of courtesy lights suitable for illuminating a Broadway production, and a premium AM/FM radio. The wheel rim sports a crack, and there might be some slight wear on the outer seat piping, but those are the only potential flaws worth mentioning. The rest of the trim is excellent, the headliner is perfect, and there is no visible carpet wear. The impression is that a few hours aboard this classic would be anything but a hardship.
Unrestored classic cars often reveal their age when the hood is lifted, but this Continental’s engine bay presents well for its age. There are no signs of long-term fluid leaks, the painted surfaces look consistent, and there are no aftermarket additions. Buyers could order their 1969 Mark III with the 460ci V8 or…the 460ci V8! It was a one-size-fits-all approach that helped minimize production costs. Shifting duties fall to a three-speed C6 automatic transmission, with power assistance for the steering and brakes cementing the car’s luxury leanings. Although the underpinnings were derived from the Thunderbird, the Mark III is a heavy beast. Its curb weight of 4,744 lbs is an incredible 220 lbs higher than the T-Bird, but there is little to separate them in performance. That is despite the Thunderbird utilizing a smaller engine, but admittedly it only produces 5hp less than the Continental V8. The seller’s mileage claim must be taken at face value because they don’t mention supporting evidence. However, they confirm it rolls on new tires and runs and drives perfectly. Flying in and driving home will be a viable alternative for the new owner to consider.
Total Lincoln vehicle production in 1969 was 61,378 cars, with 30,858 of those the Mark III. Cadillac sold 23,333 examples of the Eldorado that year, giving Lincoln a comfortable sales victory. The price for this car is at the top end of the market, but I believe its condition justifies that figure. It has only been on the market for a few days, but do you think it will find a new home quickly?
That car is gorgeous! I doubt it will last long and some lucky person will be driving in class. I wish I had room for a car like this. I would be booking a flight to Kansas or clicking my heals together 3 times. 4700 pounds certainly is no lightweight but for reference I just bought a 92 Mercedes S-class short wheelbase model that weighs 4700 pounds. Also if you were to convert gross horsepower to SAE on the 69 it would be more like 275 which is what the Mercedes makes with its 4.2L V8 but 7.5L of 460 beats it in torque.
Ya but you only have a Mercedes there, not a Lincoln. Ha!
Not In American Style & Luxury. It FLOATS!
A very nice Mark III. They were indeed a very well-done and desirable package.
Iacocca: A great marketer? One who was adept at reading the times? One who anticipated and understood future trends? One who knew how to dress up a vehicle and make money doing it? Thus, a genius? Perhaps. In any case, he does have a string of successes to his credit.
Mother-in-law had a Mark III … we had a Mark V Givenchy … great road cars – and that 460 would get rubber shifting into 2nd … never got over 13mpg but who cared …
Surprised that you even got mpg in the double digits getting rubber in second gear!!!
I love the Mark lll’s .. I had a white 69 with black leather interior. I would love to have this one. The price is not bad. I think the vacuum line for the headlights cover is not working. They always had a problem with that set up. I can’t believe this looks great with only 59,000 miles. This was well taken care of. I going to be jealous of the next owner because it’s not me. 😂
13 mpg is pretty impressive, all things considered.
That would be highway mpg! But in those old land yaghts, that’s really the way it was
It was – going downhill into LA on a trip from New Orleans … don’t want to know what it was leaving Las Cruces …
Oh wow, just wow.
Pound for pound, a beautiful value-buy nowadays.
Fly in and drive it home. You better act fast here.
Even undocumented, pending inspection… it’s definitely worth the asking price.
For some reason my comment I made earlier did not get posted. I owned this car four or five years ago. It really is as nice as the photos. It was originally a California car with absolute zero corrosion. The dash did have one crack which was not excessive. It was and is missing the 2 inch trim piece at the rear of the car on the left side of the trunk lid. It was a great driving car and everything worked but the radio had been replaced with a factory unit out of a junk yard and had corrosion on the faceplate which looked out of place with the rest of the interior which was near perfect. 460 did have blow by and did use some oil. Overall a nice car and well worth the asking price if you like green.
I have lived in Wichita since 1953 and the wintertime use of salt is a real problem. It is a great looking car that hopefully never got out in the salt.
I’d drive that baby home in a heart beat. Leaves me thinking .
A beautiful Mark III !! If only I had the garage space. Surviving ones this nice are rare and would make for a great start of a classic collection! If only we didn’t already have 4 cars…..
It was built on the longer 4 door Thunderbird chassis, hence the extra weight, but gave it a roomier interior
I had a beautiful burgundy III briefly in ‘77 when I worked on the Alaska pipeline and had waaaaay too much money… car was eerily silent and brutally fast. Very cool for the time and place.
This one’s cool but I’m not a huge fan of the green. If I had room I’d still be tempted.
It’s a real beauty no doubt, owner has to have a real light foot to get that kind of milage. Real easy to speed in these cars as they just eat up the interstate, one time I wasn’t paying attention and I was traveling at 90 + late at night just cruising along. No traffic to gauge my speed. Thankfully I caught it be for I was caught!
Back in the late 70s I had a 69 Mark III, and later, a 69 Thunderbird. I loved them equally and wish I still had either or both of them. Ah well, at least I got to enjoy them, however short their time with me. This one is beautiful and a great price, but I don’t care for the color at all. Both my cars had vacuum leaks with the headlight doors too, lots and lots of vacuum lines on these cars.
My family was friends with the owner of an International tractor dealer in the late 60s and 70s and Mr Crowley had a 69 Mark 111 like this in White with a black vinyl top. He kept that Lincoln served and polished at all times. I wished I had asked him to sell it to me before I went off to school. This Lincolns looks alot like his would have. Good find