Over the years, we’ve featured a few of these Mark II Continentals and I’m always impressed with just how striking these cars are. Over two years, Lincoln built just 3,000 of these, so they are quite rare. Reader Roger H bought this one, but then discovered how rough it was and has decided to cut it loose. It’s currently in Pheonix, Arizona, but originally came out of Michigan and has the rust to prove it. It might be too rough to restore, but there are a ton of good parts here that could save another one. So, if you have a solid Mark II and need a parts car, or your incredibly courageous and want to restore one, you can contact Roger via the form below!
What Makes It Special? Rarity and the damage living in Michigan for the first part of its life can do to a beautiful car.
Body Condition: I bought this car in Phoenix, AZ. The car was sold new in Kalamazoo, MI and brought to AZ sometime in the ’70s. It was originally a white car with a white and blue interior but is now mainly primer grey over Bondo. The chrome on the car is amazingly good. Somehow the leather seats are not cracked. Missing some exterior pieces that have disappeared will it was resting in a backyard since 1983, like the grill and some of the lettering and keys. The driver’s door has been jimmied open. The windshield and back glass are in very good condition. Someone spent a lot of time and labor into putting lots of Bondo on this car and it probably didn’t look too bad for several years but time has a way of aging everything. The rear lower quarters are shot and even the frame shows some rust. I now consider it a parts car, but I am spoiled living in AZ.
Mechanical Condition: Engine turns over by hand, it’s complete in every detail that I can see with all the running gear intact, pretty aluminum valve covers there. The AC unit is all together. Transmission and engine had and have oil in them. Rolls easily so nothing is binding or frozen up. I mounted up some tires on the original rims and it is on my trailer now. Delivery possible by negotiation.
Between the condition and the missing title, I agree with Roger that this is probably a parts car at this point. The interior actually looks to be in surprisingly good shape and could possibly be cleaned up and used as is. Between it, the drivetrain, glass and remaining trim, there are lots of good and valuable parts here. It would be a shame to see it parted out, but if it saves another one it might be worth it. So, don’t forget to contact Roger with any questions or to make him an offer!
- Asking Price: $4,500
- Location: Prescott, Arizona
- Mileage: 110,883
- Title Status: Missing
- VIN: C56A1732
Do you have a desirable project or parts car that needs to go? Please consider listing it for sale here on Barn Finds!
I too can see the frustration in trying to restore this.
Much as would like to restore this Mark II, I too see it as basically a parts car.
Good luck in finding a purchaser.
For a parts car, the price doesn’t seem too bad for one of these. Prescott’s my hometown and I grew up there in the 80s so I’m now of course curious where this thing has been sitting all these years that I didn’t know about it.
This is more likely a restomod. Just how hard is it to get a title anyway? States vary, but getting a car titled in Florida is not a problem.
This one is too far gone to bring back to stock, but a Tesla ev swap would be mighty cool and different.
Call me crazy, but wouldn’t it have been to Roger’s advantage to realize how rough this Mark II was BEFORE he laid out cash for it?
The Mark II’s were entirely hand-built, and the work that went into just producing the bodies was a marvel of its day. They have a lot of lead filler in them, in smoothing out the panels & seams even before they got primered. Then they went through a wet-anding process Chip Foos would envy. So when you find one in this shape, you can easily figure it is going to easily be over $100K to restore; in fact, probably closer to $150K. Which is why I would spend alot more for the best one I can get for my money. You can get one for $45K+ roughly that doesn’t need paint/interior/engine work, and have a very nice collectible.
I restored one a while ago, it took many YEARS to find the parts. 6 window motors with little transmissions, not common to any other vehicle…I would estimate the resto cost at $200,000 plus. It cost us north of $6500 to get good functional A/C components. $3800 to recast the steering wheel , shift knob and inside door pulls(all color keyed to seats). $650 for enough pieces to build a good tail lamp hinge, it swings out to reveal the gas cap. You can buy an awesome one all done for 75,000. Awesome ride tho!
Contacted the owner and I’ll see about a response. This car has to be a parts car or a restomod based on its condition. I’m open to a father-son restomod to work on when I’m back in the US on summer break. But, that title issue really concerns me after reading this article from Arizona a few years back:
https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumer/call-12-for-action/2014/06/14/classic-car-arizona-mistake-call12/10537381/
There is no way I’m going to jump into a car situation where there is the possibility of it being taken away from me. I’d ship it overseas as fast as I could. It’s worth investigating, and my reading of Arizona law says that it is just $4 and mailing a form to get a new car title. Any buyer is going to need a police check and one a hell of a lot better than done in 2014.
I’m quite surprised at how good the upholstery looks. For someone who has a solid one with a trashed interior, this is probably well worth picking up. Then resto-mod what’s left, unless the rust is too nasty.
I’m surprised to see that this is an AC car… I always thought the factory AC cars had air intakes on the leading edges of the rear fenders, right behind the doors, like this. I can’t see any such openings in the posted photos.