JC Daniels was a Texas oilman with an acute fondness for Lincolns. He owned several hundred in their various iterations, obsessively buying more inventory no matter the condition. His facilities even accepted deliveries after he had passed away. The pile of Lincolns and Continentals was auctioned off at no reserve by RM in February of 2003. More than half the cars did not run, with countless of these barely above “parts only” quality. Daniels had indulged in “restoration” of a few of his cars, using strictly vinyl upholstery and car-lot paint jobs. Reports indicate that bondo was prevalent, and frames were rotten. The entire lot sold for slightly over $1.2 million – an indication of the derelict quality of most of the herd. Today’s 1957 Continental Mark II was a former resident of Mr. Daniels’ collection, having been purchased by the seller’s grandfather from the RM auction. Said grandfather ran a Lincoln dealership in nearby Wheeler, Texas; the car was driven 42 miles to its new home, where it was lightly used until 2008, then displayed ever since. This Continental is listed here on eBay with bidding at $5700, reserve not met.
The Lincoln division produced its Continental over nine decades, interrupted by a few hitches for wars and divisional shifts. In 1956, the short-lived Continental division was formed, and the cars dropped the “Lincoln” moniker for two years. No matter the badge name, the Continental was a luxury car throughout its production, with only a handful of competitors matching its features and performance. This example is fitted with a 368 cu. in. Y-block V8 – Ford’s answer to the Oldsmobile Rocket V8, Chrysler’s Hemi, and Cadillac’s continually-refined OHV V8. The engine clocked 300 hp in ’57. The transmission was Borg-Warner’s Turbo-Drive three-speed automatic. The finned valve covers are original; as noted, this car hasn’t run in years.
The Continental was part of the burgeoning “personal luxury” niche, so options were legion. This example has a two-tone interior in decent condition. The rear seats are just as nice as the fronts. That’s where my enthusiasm comes to a skidding halt, however, because the rust shown at the base of the A pillar is daunting. A request for underside photos was met with a refusal, the seller noting that she does not live anywhere near the car. Too, this car’s paint seems to have been dashed on by the staff restoration “expert”, as what might be the original cream color is evident in several places. Despite the marque’s high-brow aims, the dash is plain with nary a thought given to styling. On the driver’s seat is the original description from the long-ago RM auction, indicating this was lot #211: the sales price back then was $12,100.
Daniels installed wide white wall tires on every car he owned, often embossing them with his own initials. But for all the trouble he took with repaints, retrims, the new tires, and so forth, title activity among these dealers was lackadaisical at best. The seller’s grandfather never bothered to obtain title. Consequently, this car comes with an original bill of sale from RM along with a “Texas Bonded Title”, which we are assured will work at DMV. That might be true in some states, but my state is notoriously picky. After one failed sale already, this Continental will need to find another brave soul willing to step up.
I’m not seeing the base of the A-pillar as being rusty…it looks like seam sealer, but the photo isn’t great. And one photo shows a door jamb that appears to be white.
If I were selling this car, I’d get it running and get it on a lift for some underside photos. If I were bidding, I’d want the car to be running and I’d want to see underside photos, especially give the story of how Mr. Daniels curated his collection.
In looking at pic #13 of the open driver’s door, the jam at the base of the windshield appears to have rust through and looks to me like there’s some white sheet metal showing in that same area. Also, the last 5 pics seem to be the door jams of a white car… Would be a beauty if restored to the possible factory white or the possible maroon color change. Hope somebody can save this diamond in the rough (may take the value of a few big diamonds to do that though).
FWIW, AI decodes the tag on the white door jam photo as: 1952 Lincoln Body 73A 4-door sedan (Cosmopolitan or Capri)
..and the serial numbers on both tags do not match. I assume they should(?)
wrong data plate..it says “Lincoln”..the Mark II was not a Lincoln.
And featured on Barn Finds before…..maybe this time it will find a new owner but maybe not with those same pictures.
1957 Mark ll, one of 444 made in 1957 and it has the only option, A/C. When new in ’57 cost 10K. This car should be restored and shown. Id give my left kidney for one of these.
If the car would just start ,that would double the price.It’s a shame to see an iconic car like this in this kind of shape.
This was the very essence of a “halo” car, a model to show the public what Ford could build. The car’s appearance still doesn’t look that dated and it’s attractive. Unfortunately, building the car sucked money out of Ford like a crazy vampire, despite it’s astronomical price at the time. Too bad about this Mark II, the apparent rust, the refusal for photos and “I don’t live near the car” seems scammy. If the car was barely driven, how did it get so rusty? In-car’s presence inspection is required.
I have heard very rich man nearly cry over the cost of restoring one of these cars.
Their values are not increasing, like so many 1950s cars. If someone is desperate to have one, buy one that’s already done.
Restoring a car is very expensive regardless of what model it is. It has to be done as a labor of love because chances are you will never get your money back. I agree with you, buy one (of anything) that’s already done.
It is a very common misunderstanding that sales of this car were canceled because it was losing money. That is simply not true.
The Ford family wanted this car as a halo for the entire company, but as they decided to go public, Robert McNamara killed it before it could have possibly generated a profit
It was canceled before the second year of production even ended. Even the Mustang would have lost money had they canceled at 18 months into production
McNamara did this, over the bitter objections of William Clay Ford, because he saw a cheaper Continental, based on the 1958 Lincoln, as being even more profitable, making Ford stock more attractive to new investors
The continental line was to have included a four-door sedan and a convertible. Had full production of the entire line happened, American luxury cars might have had a different future.
I’m not so sure McNamara could have killed the Mk II on his own, even if he wanted to, as he was general manager of the Ford Division when the decision was made in 1956. He didn’t become VP of the Car and Truck Group (which gave him authority over the other divisions) until spring of ’57. Lewis Crusoe (Car and Truck Group VP at the time), FoMoCo going public, the new requirement that each division make a profit and the move to the unit-body Lincoln for ’58 seem the major factors in the Mark II’s demise. See: https://www.deansgarage.com/continental-mark-ii-end-game/
I don’t think those two points of view are mutually exclusive. But thank you for your input.
This is one stunning beautiful car. Ford not only hit a home run but knocked it out of the park with styling of this gorgeous car. This is still my favorite car of that decade and very few could match its design after that.
top ten models for me to admire (esp if we’re talkin merican). “Driver’s condition” only adds to the ‘regret’. May B I should wrk for a car museum?
(get to drive over to nxt display space there? wrench a lill?)…
LOL
U Guys are torturing me: —> …8^ 0
Classy car. Doris Day had one for years. She said once that she was a bit embarrassed when her family took a trip to visit some old friends who were not at all wealthy. She was pretty down to earth, she didn’t like to show off.
Previously listed with a $28,000 BIN, the reserve is likely close to that number.
Steve R
If you’re a car guy and you don’t want Continental of this vintage, you better reconsider being a car guy.
Dang! I thought I was a car guy…. I don’t care for bustle-back trunk lids no matter how stylish the car. When I think about cars I want from this era, I’m thinking Aston Martin or Jaguar….
I think people got so turned off by cheap plastic. dealer-installed “continental kids“ that they forgot that a trunk mounted spare was a legitimate styling statement, a salute to pre-WWII European grand touring cars.
They were overdone in the late 50s and became the subject of ridicule on your great grandfather‘s 1987 Coupe Deville.
Lincoln, what a luxury car should be. These beauties were far ahead of their time, but just like everything else McNamara did, he screwed this up too. Amazing Ford is still in business today. I have a never in bad weather 39,000 mile original 09 Town Car Signature Limited my climate controlled garage. Nothing today rides like it.
I would guess that Elwood Engel had a hand in designing the Mark ll. But I agree that the allusion to the Continental kit on the Mark ll is a bit overwrought. By the time Engel got to Chrysler, he toned it down a bit on the Imperial, and I think it’s quite tasteful.
Should have put that style trick on the pinto. Could have prevented lawsuits and give us something to really complain about 50 years later.
😀