Wow, what we have here is an all-original 1954 Lincoln Capri four-door sedan on Craigslist in Nashville, Tennessee. The owner wants a very reasonable $3,750 for this icon, which is running and driving, with an excellent interior and a solid body. Someone is going to get a bargain here. The ’54 Lincoln Capri goes for an average of $37,375, according to Classic.com. That’s for a better-condition car than here, but the asking price here is 10 times less.
The owner assures that the “paint should buff to a nice shine with minimal work.” It’s a “very solid Southern car, with no rot/rust on frame, floors, etc.” You could probably drive it as-is with minor work, but repainting would make it spectacular. The running, driving car sports a 317.5-cubic-inch Y-Block V8 with automatic transmission, and an updated electric fuel pump. It’s a six-volt car that needs a good six-volt battery. Tune-up parts that have been replaced include plugs, plug wires, coil, cap and rotor. The interior looks beautiful, and its unclear if the two-tone upholstery is a redo or just well preserved. What needs doing: The carburetor is bad, the brakes need to be “gone through,” the AutoZone battery is failing, and there is “VERY MINOR” paint bubbling in the rear lower quarter panels.
The owner, who likes to capitalize stuff, notes, “This is a SOLID car that’s not far from being back on the road. Have recent videos of it running that I can provide. Clean Tennessee title in hand.”
Although these cars served as luxury family sedans, the ’54 Lincoln Capri has racing history. In ’54 a Capri came in second in the Pan-American Road Race in Mexico. The secret to great performance was a lightweight car, even though its V-8 packed 25 to 30 horsepower less than the competition from Chrysler and Cadillac.
The first generation of the Capri debuted in 1952, with 14,342 sold that year, and a much-better 26,640 in 1953. In ’54, 14,003 hardtops were sold, and with convertibles the number was 15,954 units. You could buy a Capri for $3,869, undercutting the competition.
Prices have been dropping on ‘50s chargers like this one, but even in today’s market this Lincoln Capri feels like a considerable bargain. All roads should lead to Nashville (and not just for the country music). Incidentally, the photos here are both small and vertical, which doesn’t present the car in the best light. Photos make a difference!
I’d be surprised if it wasn’t already sold!