Nearing the late seventies while GM was busy redesigning many of its flagships with smaller dimensions outside, Lincoln introduced a new Mark series for 1977, the Mark V, which used the same chassis as its predecessor but actually added a couple of extra inches to the overall length. In even their most basic form these were well-equipped personal luxury cars, but for buyers who wanted an extra touch of elegance, four different designer series editions were also offered. The seller calls his car here on eBay a Cartier, although I’m not sure that’s accurate as in 1977 I thought this particular special edition package came in a Dove Grey color, so maybe some of our readers can confirm or deny this. The car is located in Crown Point, Indiana, with the no reserve auction amount presently at $3,909.
The Lincoln is said to have gotten just one repaint and the seller mentions the door jambs were not touched, so I’m thinking this one came from the factory in black. It’s also said to be a one-owner vehicle that stayed in the same family garage all this time, but unfortunately, it must have spent a considerable amount of time outside as well since there’s some exterior rust that the seller thinks resulted from the respray.
Judging from the passenger’s front fender, I’m not convinced paint is the culprit, as that’s some concerning corrosion around the cornering and side-marker light, and the quarter panel isn’t exempt either. We get no explanation as to what happened to the key lock on the driver’s side and the vinyl top is also cracking, but some good news is this one’s equipped with a sunroof which is said to function correctly.
Inside, things look OK for the most part but there’s something funky about the controls on the driver’s side door panel, and not in a good sort of way. But I didn’t spot any major issues with the dashboard at first glance, and the seller also states that almost everything works correctly.
Something that changed for ’77 was the previously standard 460 V8 became optional, and the original buyer didn’t opt for it so this one’s got a 400 which makes 179 horsepower. In preparation for the sale, the seller tuned it up and also performed several flushes, including the coolant system, fuel tank, and even the automatic transmission, with the car now said to be running strong.
Thankfully, we get a few photos from the undercarriage as well, and though I’m spotting some surface rust most of the components seem reasonably solid on the bottom. But there’s just something that seems a bit mysterious about this one, though perhaps not enough to keep me from moving forward if I was looking for a seventies Mark to restore, and especially with no reserve the buyer should have enough left over to address some of the cosmetic flaws. What are your thoughts here?
NOT a Cartier edition. They had the little Cartier logo in the oval opera window for starters. That upholstery is not stock nor ever offered on these Marks. A quick visit to one of the old car brochure sites will confirm my observations. Something about that rust around the cornerning lamps is truly concerning. Does the frame under this car look as bad?
The interior looks like it’s the standard cloth interior from a 1978 Mark V. Wondering if the car is actually 1978 not a1977. http://automotivemileposts.com/mark51978interiortrim.html
As mentioned in my post above, this is is not a 77, it’s a 78
That interior did come on some lincoln’s, my best friends mom had a V with that interior which until now was the only one I had ever seen with that interior.
I mean under the spray paint on the frames and all
Nice looking car and Blake is right those to me look like aftermarket seat covers I know nothing about these cars but the materials used in the current seats don’t seem very 70s to me.
Nope those seats are the standard absolute bottom of the barrel seats my friend father had one with those seats but I don’t know if his was a 77 or 78 but those are definitely Lincoln seats.
Uh, I hate to tell y’all, but this car is a 1978. The seller didn’t do his do diligence. But anyway, it’s got a lot of miles on it. I suspect it’s turned over.
Yes the seats are factory, it’s hard to find two that are the same because back in those real days, you can check whatever option you wanted. And were many many seat cover choices.
The dash is worn, and it’s missing the R/H mirror control knob.
Look, it’s really not a bad car, but for me, it’s just too plain vanilla. Akin to an LTD, or base Thunderbird.
Ugly opera roof. Not a bad looking car otherwise. These rode well, but any kind of cornering was problematic. Plus they got like six MPG. Made the oil men smile, but I guess if you could afford this, you didn’t care about cost, or polluting the air, or even the climate change you knew nothing about yet. I say restore the body, yank the dirty (in so many ways) engine and drop in a nice electric motor. It will give you more power and then you can sleep well at night knowing your doing your part for Mamma Earth.
No. Not electric. Drop another V8 like a 4.6 modular or even a 4.0 I6. That would lighten the car up nicely and make it efficient enough. Converting to electric wouldnt be net benefit, the weight of the batteries and motor would probably be greater than whats in it now and range would be reduced.
I’d have this Mark V turned into soup cans before I’d sully it with with EV garbage. And, Mother Erf is doing quite well on her own. Especially when I saw off those darned catalytic converters off my vehicles.
Gas wasn’t even a dollar a gallon at that time. I worked at uncle’s gas station 75’ through 77’ and regular gas was .48 a gallon. This was a gas station like Wally’s where gomer and goober worked. Premium was a little more.
Yes, and you made 80 cents an hour, what is your point?
I figured this would be solved by the time I read through the comments. Interior appears to be legit base ribbed velour Interior, although my guess is that it had originally been black (seems odd that gray or dark gray velour was not offered in the base interior ’77 or ’78 given it was fairly common in Ford products).
The “Cartier” no doubt comes from the clock – prominently part of the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel and misled someone.
Some noteworthy GM velour interior colors from this era (’77-’79) that did not age well due to the fabric type used those years and oxidation include red, light green and occasionally light blue.
It looks good from a distance, but after reading about it I now understand the very low price. I’m not sure how to explain what happened around the right front cornering lamp. That doesn’t look good. This is a 77, or 78, the 76 is still part of the Mark lVs design. And, this is not a Cartier, the author is right, they only came in the Dove Gray. I do think these cars look great in black, but I have issues with this one. These are really big heavy cars, in my opinion they need the 460. It looks OK from a distance, and it is a great price for one of these. But the buyer will need to invest in this one. I have my eyes on a black 76 Thunderbird, it’s pretty tore up, but would make a great project car, especially since it’s factory Raven Black. Good luck with this one
The corrosion around the right front lamp is likely battery acid where a boil over occurred or simply ran down the side from lack of maintenance and cleaning. The infection is directly underneath the battery here. Batteries back then weren’t the same quality as the ones we have now
I don’t buy the battery acid theory, or how did battery acid get all over the rest of the car? It looks like the car was dipped in some sort of corrosive liquid, like salt water. That is some scary looking rust!
No reserve and free shipping sounds like a dealer that can’t unload this car fast enough. Buyer can still profit from a clearance sale price as long as he goes into it with his eyes wide open.
I love these cars. This one looks great from a distance, and the moonroof is a neat option. I’ve seen that interior before, so I didn’t suspect it. The leather, of course, is much nicer, and the 460 would be, too. Good point about battery acid, a look underneath and behind the battery would be helpful. I hope it finds a good home. Some repairs, dual exhaust, it’ll be a pleasure to ooze down the street in.
I spoke too soon, I should’ve looked at the ebay ad first. I wonder if the car had a crappy respray at some point, where it was poorly prepared, or if this car was in a flood. I’d pass, it needs too much work to stop all that rust and then a proper paint job, plus the vinyl top, unless they leave that off.
It is in fact a 77 because in 78 they added the first miles to empty digital display vs the low fuel light in the 77. 78 was the first production car a digital miles to empty display
This is a 78. It says right in the VIN number. The Lincoln Continental Mark V was the first American made car that had the miles to empty computer as an option.
If all applies as the author says, you may find that one enthusiast out of 100,000 it’s willing to invest any time with this hodgepodge. If not, send it to the crusher.
That is definitely not the Cartier edition Mark V. My aunt bought one when it was 1st issued. I washed it so much I know it well.
Nothing about that one is a Cartier edition. Her’s was a Dove Grey but had tufted leather seats that had Cartier in cursive embroidered on the head rests both front & back.
In fact Cartier was all over that car. On the oval opera windows at back. In the steering wheel it was Cartier Mark V.
It was on the digital clock,the glove box,both side view mirrors at the bottom outer edge. And also on the flip down headlight covers. But if my memory serves me only on the drivers side.
All the cigarette lighters of which there were 3 a large central in the front with dual butt compartments it was push up and push down but the lighters had the double C Cartier logo on the knob. 2 lights on both sides in back. Each door had a ashtray that had Cartier on the cover and the tiny lighters had the double C logo. Which is hard to miss.
Basically that car screamed look at me!!! I’m a Lincoln Mark V!!!! And also a Cartier!!!!!
As a teen I thought it was super classy now I think back and it was luxury brand overkill!!!
Tacky is almost an understatement. I do remember the ride was amazing and it was also during the gas crisis and it did not sip gas!!!!
I know her’s was a V8. That car was all Dove Grey with grey interior including carpet & mats which were also embroidered with Cartier.
The digital displays were a new thing and were fascinating to me.
She loved that car!!! Even as the gas cost and expense of it took her into bankruptcy and it was repossessed!!!! She still loved it. No other option really at least for the next 7 years of bad credit.
My Grandfather’s advice was ya shoulda bought a Cadillac anyway 😂😂
It’s a model year 1978 Mark V, not a 1977.
According to the eBay listing:
VIN =
8
Y
89
5 (that should be an S for the 400- 2 barrel engine)
818526
First digit (8) is for model year 1978
Worth only about $2500-$3k tops,not a 460 car and lots of rust,you will spend that and then some on metal work,this car is living in the rust belt and it shows….GLWTS as they would say…
The French Connection:”I did everything but cut open the rocker panels.”
Guess where the drugs were.
76 was Lincolns last yr of the 460 4v carb & Duel Exhausts – drove one several hundreds of miles to GM university classes at a Hotel in a big Midwestern city.
Engine had so much torque at 70mph on the interstate by Kickdown it broke rear tires loose & really sent that brick sofa flying.
For its TIME a great ride for a pampered chauffer driving spoiled Trophy Wife.
As a driving car it’s literally a Flying Brick Sofa 🛋
Beauwayne5000:
You could still get the model year 1977 and 1978 Lincoln with the 460 engine.
This would be a nice car to fix up and drive. Not as an everyday commuter but as something for road trips.
The Cartier, Diamond Jubilee, Givenchy,Bill Blass, among the few offered in 79 Mark V’s.Iwas in high school and a true fan.My dream edition was a convertible Royal Blue turquoise Gold Corduroy seats Vogue Tyres Spoke Rims Show room new in 1978 South Chgo.Dealership on Commercial St.around 83rd st.not far from Steel city South Works USSteel Robert Conrad of the Wild Wild West TV Western series during the 60s was employed there before he got his big break in Western High Ho Silvers
This is NOT a Cartier edition. It would say it on opera windows. That poor Lincoln has been rode hard and put away wet.
179 HP out of a 400 ci engine, after looking at the exhaust I can see one of the reasons.
There are quite a number of people who comment on the horse power of these Full sized Lincolns.
My answer is you must accept the fact that it is a Lincoln. Why on God’s green earth would anyone want a blazing fast Lincoln? This just makes no sense. These cars are geared for torque. They are heavy at just south of 4000 pounds. Torque is the word of the day. Not speed.
Who the h#$_ am I to comment? I own two 79s and one 78. I should know.