Lee Iacocca was a flawed genius. The man credited with the success of the First Generation Mustang and the ability to drag Chrysler from the financial quicksand with the K-Car Platform viewed the car sitting in this garage as his greatest success. It is a 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III, a vehicle that finally saw the company achieve its ongoing dream of outselling market leader Cadillac. This Mark III has spent years in storage but was recently revived. It needs work to be considered genuinely roadworthy, but the new owner can commence the project from a sound foundation. This classic is listed here on eBay in Dallas, Texas. The seller set their BIN at $6,300 for a car that could return to active service for some summer fun.
Lincoln was in an unenviable position during the 1960s. It was struggling to gain ground on market leader Cadillac’s sales total. Some within the company viewed this as a blessing in disguise because the company lost money on every vehicle produced, so the lower sales volume exposed less red ink when the books were examined. Iacocca didn’t share that sentiment and was determined to turn fortunes around. Ford’s Thunderbird had created the Personal Luxury Car segment, but it too had fallen upon hard times. The Iacocca philosophy of taking one platform and applying automotive tinsel came to bear, with the Thunderbird morphing into the Continental Mark III. The process was extraordinarily cheap, and the new Lincoln immediately received ready acceptance amongst potential buyers. Lincoln transformed from an also-ran that lost money to a market leader, turning a healthy profit overnight. The seller states that this Mark III is an early example that rolled off the line in July 1968. Its Platinum paint, which also saw service on other company models as Diamond Blue, is contrasted by a Dark Blue pinstripe and Black vinyl top. The car has received some touch-ups, but most of the exterior is original. The paint holds a respectable shine, and the vinyl is excellent. This is a dry climate survivor, making the lack of penetrating rust unsurprising. The underside shots reveal light surface corrosion on the frame but no evidence of genuine problems. The trim is in great condition for its age, and there are no issues with the tinted glass.
Lincoln adopted a “one size fits all” philosophy with the mechanical specifications of the Continental Mark III. Every buyer received a 460ci V8, a three-speed automatic transmission, and power assistance for the steering and brakes. The 460 produces 365hp and 500 ft/lbs of torque, and although the car tips the scales at 4,744 lbs, it is a surprisingly energetic performer. The seller claims this Lincoln has a genuine 62,000 miles on the clock without mentioning verifying evidence. It has sat for years but was recently revived. The engine sounds healthy, and the car runs and drives. However, ancient tires and the unknown state of items like hoses and belts have them suggesting the Continental should receive a thorough inspection before returning to active service.
Life inside a Lincoln is meant to be luxurious, and the acres of leather and woodgrain reflect that philosophy. The driver’s seat shows minor damage on the outer edge, but the overwhelming impression is that everything needs a deep clean, and the leather would benefit from conditioning. One fascinating flaw is the wear on the wheel. It suggests that someone has driven this classic “overhand” and that the odometer reading might not be accurate. Otherwise, the dash and pad look good, and there are no issues with the carpet. Equipment levels probably look spartan by modern standards. Still, the new owner receives air conditioning, power windows, power locks, six-way power front seats, a rear defogger, and an AM radio.
It is no secret that the Lincoln Continental Mark III was universally panned when it was unveiled to a Focus Group in 1966. It seems that its only fans were its creator, Lee Iacocca, and Henry Ford II. “Lido” had the Cadillac Eldorado firmly in his crosshairs upon release, and his faith in the design was rewarded with market leadership for the first time in the company’s history. This 1969 Mark III is a survivor that deserves better than to spend years in hiding. The seller has begun returning this car to its rightful place on our roads, but will you add the finishing touches?
Wow! I never knew that Lincoln “lost money on every car they sold,” in the late 60’s. Where’d you get that info?
They lost money on the 2002 Lincoln Blackwood , a truck that I owned .
Nice car at a decent price
The “overhand wear” on the steering wheel is…
a shadow!
I wish I had the room for this, always liked this style
With respect, perhaps the reference is not to the steering wheel rim but rather the wear on the right spoke.
As a kid I truly disliked these. That tire hump and tombstone grill didn’t do a thing for me. I didn’t even want the Hot Wheels model. What do eight year olds know. Today I see these for the beauties as they are. Hopefully a steering wheel restorer can fix the wear on that shroud.
An open element air cleaner on a Lincoln or Cadillac always raises a few questions about the owner.
That might have something to do with the 2bbl carb adapted to the intake manifold. I have never seen a 460 2bbl manifold.
A 429 2V intake manifold would bolt up on a 460 but who would want to do that?
I have a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere with the Edelbrock open air cleaner that came with the car. Why would this be an issue? It has the Mopar 2bbl 318 in it. Thanks.
A luxury car is supposed to be quiet inside. Most owners do not want to hear the induction noise from the carburetor. That is also why I won’t look at a Lincoln or Cadillac with glass packs on it.
Owned 3 Continentals in my life, all before age 30. Unfortunately ex- wives and transfer to Europe was the end. Wanted one of these after watching “Frank Cannon”, but had kids and MK III was not in the cards. Now only thing Leary about when one has sit for long periods is all the miles of vacuum hoses under the dash. Had one with leaks, not able to get under dash any more. If I could, I would go for it.
This Lincoln has got me thinkin’. Was that top recovered? Because it looks amazing. I really like this car but the cheap vinyl wood used in this vintage makes me sad. Other than that, a good buffing and detailing and you’re cruising. Agree w the above poster that the air cleaner raises questions.
These we were DRINKers, so, I’ll pass. But my late friend (years younger than I) bought one of these, new, in 1968, when he was 20 (he was extremely successful in broadcasting and invented the “album-oriented rock” format that sent listeners from top-40 A.M. to F.M. in the late 1960s, when he still was a teen-ager. Sadly, marijuana, endless binge-snacking, resultant profound obesity, and severe diabetes, took his life at age only 71. But I shall never see one of these Lincolns, without thinking of him.
Ford offered anti-skid braking on the T-Bird and the Mark III. It was about an $1,100.00 option. If this Mark III were to have this option a black plastic box that is 6 x 1 x 8 will be attached to the underside of the glove box. I had this option on my Mark II in 1971. I was in Detroit and my Mark III I bought used from Kelsey Hayes as it was a test car prior. I loved slamming on the brakes when there was a fresh snow2 fall and the Mark would never slide sideways. The feature actually saved lives when a woman pulled in front of me on the Ohio Turnpike and this feature saved me from us both skidding from Ohio into Indiana. She only gave me about 200 years to slow to 15 MPH.
These we were DRINKers, so, I’ll pass. But my late friend (years younger than I) bought one of these, new, in 1968, when he was 20 (he was extremely successful in broadcasting and invented the “album-oriented rock” format that sent listeners from top-40 A.M. to F.M. in the late 1960s, when he still was a teen-ager. Sadly, marijuana, endless binge-snacking, resultant profound obesity, and severe diabetes, took his life at age only 71. But I shall never see one of these Mark III Lincolns, without thinking of him. Tom Crum, my 1946 Ford Super Deluxe sedan V-8 flathead would NOT skid — even on sheet ice! Old Henry KNEW something. When they re-designed the suspension for 1949, after his death, all of that front-orienting stability on snow and ice was GONE…
Harrison, you sure were with spectacular luck with that 1946 Ford. I am sure you were not in Pittsburgh, Pa. with that Ford. Try stopping when going down hill and there is ice and snow on the ground. I remember in college in my 1957 Plymouth Plaza we spun around so many times we had to get out and look at the tracks to let us know what direction to go. This was Michigan. All of us now have anti-skid since is now mandatory.
Shift selector on the column and not incorporated into the dash? How gauche.
Ford Motor never did hardly any changes to the transmission selectors. Only example I can think of is with thee Edsel when they went to push buttons in the center of the steering wheel on the 1958 models. Mustangs and cougars had the selector on the floor.
In my Mark III I often used it for taking trips on the Interstates. I averaged 20 MPG. However I never got good mileage when driving around town or in heavy traffic.
I had a 2000 Lincoln Continental, front wheel drive with a 4.6 dual cam engine. I averaged 22 MPG driving from Texas to California. this was a most comfortable car but lots of transmission problems, Ford built these with Taurus transmissions
To Tom Crum: Pittsburgh is warm in climate, compared to where I am (I can confirm this by tuning in KDKA and other Pittsburgh stations on 1250, 1320, and 1410). And I assure you that the ’46 Ford was sure-footed on inclined sheet ice. My 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis, by contrast, is TERRIBLE on snow, on ice, and even in the rain! Currently, here, we have lots of pretty snow on the ground from last week, with some more snow anticipated for later this week: I rather expect that’s not the case in Pittsburgh (smile). Where I am located, KDKA-1020 is very strong from mid-afternoon through the night and into mid-morning, but then almost too faint to hear through mid-day, mixed with a barely audible signal from a small public radio station on 1020 in northwestern Connecticut (among others). My Mercury Grand Marquis has 370,000 miles on it, and it is developing transmission problems: do I have that same dreaded Taurus transmission?
My best buddy’s dad had a ‘71 with same body style that was olive green with green interior. We lived in the Chicago suburbs and one Sunday night took it over the state line to Indiana to a place called the Rob Roy that had 25 cent drinks on Sunday nights. Once well oiled and late at night we headed home on I-80 and he opened it up to about 125 mph and marveled at how smooth and quiet it was. Dumbest move ever. Lucky for us we made it home safely.
Marky, I did the same with my dad\s Buick Roadmaster. Once took it across a draw bridge as it was lifting up. Had the car airborne for a few feet in Port Huron, Mi. The speedometer was a red line that was horizonal but it quit working while I was driving the car twice. I think back to the crazy things we did back then. There has to be a GOD that looks over children and college kids.
Had a 70 Mark lll in early 90s. Paid $500 for it from a buddy’s dad. Ran, drove and looked halfway decent. Half of the electrical and vacuum operated components didn’t work half the time. Power windows worked when they felt like it. Wouldn’t roll down in the S.Florida heat…and didn’t roll up when it began to rain. So I just pulled them out of the track and put them in the back seat…put them back when needed to. But man..that car was a runner with a Holley 650 and a performance set of timing gears/chain. Brown paint, brown top, and darker saddle brown leather…with the Tom and Jerry mouse hole in the bottom back seat. Still have a picture and the build sheet I found under the rear seat.
These Mark III’s had a vacuum powered lever in the back shelf that would open and close to adjust the interior air circulation. There had to have been 50 feet of vacuum hose just for this one feature on these cars.
Tom Crum and Marky Mark: is my problem, that I am Autistic?? — I never would have DARED to attempt any of such vehicular exploits!!! — a rising draw-bridge??? — YIKES!!! I was risk-averse, even as a teen-ager. In the 1950s, I was THAT GUY doing 54.5 m.p.h. in a 55 zone. Even now, 70 years later, you’ll find me in the right-hand lane, doing 65 m p.h. on the Interstate, as the other drivers whiz by me at 75 or higher. But the SPEED-LIMIT is 65! I remember when it was 55 during the day, and 40 at night: remember THOSE signs, anyone? Half white with black lettering, half black with white lettering. We didn’t have 65 back then.
In this
World of
Toil and
Sin,
Your head
Grows bald
But not
Your chin
–Burma Shave
I fell for one of these once. In the 80’s economy bad I had to sell Ford’s. Well we’d always check the trades for the night at the whole sale pile. Cars too old to be financed. One night I come up on mk iv some designer series. But I must say the color combo was class all the way 1982. Like a bronze color maybe? But interior was all brown leather, and deep fluffy carpet. I lost out on it. That one was super clean. Bought a silver one six months later. Absolute disaster of a car. Fiats were more reliable. When you taking yourself to the hospital for a wrecked back and your car breaks down, and you and some strange chick who ran up are pushing 5000 pounds of steel outta the intersection. That’s it.
The start of the personal land yacht! I had a boss once that had a 73-74, huge car, huge 460 4 bbl engine. He’d send me off in it to run errands, loved that boat! It’d pass everything but the gas station! Even used it for a couple of dates when he flew out of town, those big leather couches had plenty of room! I moved on after school, don’t know what ever happened to my old boss or his car.
Lincoln To Me is the epitome of American class! Don’t get me wrong,Caddy made some beautiful brightwork but that Opera window and Flared fenders said glamour! It’s hard to believe the Man behind The Mark series gave us the K Crap-er-car! I know he saved Chrysler but I don’t think the K-car will ever be in a museum!!!
I had same lincoln interior exterior color except a white top 69 came with a silky fiber top which this car does not have so the top is not original but it looks OK I paid 600 in 1990 and sold it for 5500 1year later wish I never sold it but it burned gas like crazy
I was a mid level exec at Kelsey Hayes. I was privy to fantastic deals on company cars. I got a one year old Mark III for $3,900.00 and it was equipted with anti-locking brakes. I drove it for several years and had over 100,000 miles on it when I sold it and bought a 4 door T bird from the company for $3,000.00 with 4,000 miles. It had anti-locking and had been an engineering test car. One of my bosses told me about the Fir day night poker game he was in and there was 6 other top execs and one of them was Lee Iacocca. This boss was Tom Carry, the treasurer
Tom Crum: what your Lee Iacocca encounter demonstrates is, regardless how “famous” or “unknown”, each of us simply is a human being, and even “celebrities” are bound to be SOMEwhere at any given time. My adopted son, beginning at age 12, wore size 16-1/2 shoes (still does, now in his fifties). I used to have to go to a factory-outlet on Route #9 in the Queensbury-Lake George area, in order to find shoes for him. I was there, arriving in my 1946 Ford, and a man got out of a Jeep with Connecticut licence-plates, and headed toward my V-8: “I LOVE your CAR!”, he exclaimed. I looked-up and saw Andy Rooney! And he commented in response to my surprise, that “everybody has to be SOMEwhere”. He had driven more than 150 miles from his home in the southwestern part of the Nutmeg State, to BUY SHOES! As it turned out, he had very short and exceptionally wide feet — 6E width! I have never shaken hands with a thicker or flashier hand, than his! When you saw him on television, this physical distinction would not have occurred to you. But here, he had to come all the way up to the North Country just to get shoes! He was simply human, like anybody else — and such a nice guy! We had a pleasant visit in the shoe store.
My mother’s family has lived in queensbury since 1894 and over the years MANY celebrities have called it a haven Rachel Ray, and tex Ritter ( a famous actor from Hollywood’s golden age) Judge Judy also has a summer retreat there!!
Harrision, Enjoyed your story about Andy.Rooney. After I left Kelsey haayes I became a controller of a large steel and iron foundry operation near Houston, Texas. A few years after that experience I then became a consultant to small foundry companies in Texas and Mexico. I was given an assignment to assist a company in Smithville, Texas. The owner was a Mr. Martin Gobble. I went there on a Saturday morning and met Martin at his home and his son in law, Dan Rather came with him ands got in my car and we went to breakfast first. Here people would tap Dan on his shoulder and ask him how he was doing. That was it, no big deal. I met Dan again one more time and he was taking an interest that I was in fact serving a beneficial service to his father in law. Dan was on the TV show 60 minutes at this time. President Nixon had told CBS to get him out of Washington.DC
I was in high school at the time when this car was new. Where I lived here in WA State there were large numbers Boeing executives, many of whom drove Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Lincolns. One family down the street from us had a Lincoln Mk lll. It was painted a deep purple. Yes, purple. White leather interior with purple piping around the seats. Apparently, it was a special order by the family. They flew back there and drove it home. I was given a ride to school sometimes.
Worth every penny. It’ll take a couple thousand to make it really pretty and a great driver on nice days or trips.