The Continental Mark II was an exercise in excellence by the Ford Motor Company with a stated aim of producing the world’s best luxury car. The company certainly left no stone unturned in its quest for perfection, but the project never realized its full potential due to a high sticker price and the fact that the company lost money on every sale. This 1956 example is a project candidate that runs and drives. It requires work to recapture its former glory, although its rust issues appear relatively minor. The seller has listed the Continental here on eBay in Loudon, Tennessee. They have received no bids on an auction that opened at $9,500, and the clock is winding down for those considering pursuing this classic further.
You only need to consider the production process to understand why Ford believed that the Mark II could be the world’s best luxury car, and why these were costly vehicles when new. Each body was hand-assembled in the factory to ensure a perfect fit before being dismantled for the trip to the paint shop. The company utilized only the best materials during construction, and the eye for detail is best reflected in the hubcaps. Unlike most caps from this era stamped from a single piece of metal, the Continental’s featured separate inner and outer rings joined by delicate fins fitted by hand by a technician to ensure a perfect fit. The first owner ordered this Mark II in Presidential Black, which was a popular shade among the nineteen available in 1956. It shows significant cosmetic deterioration, with the exterior requiring a strip to bare metal if the car is to be done justice. The panels are quite straight, and exterior rust seems to be confined mainly to surface corrosion. However, it is the underside of the Mark II that is prone to problems, and the supplied images confirm the presence of developing steel penetration. It is unclear how extensive the issue is, but replacement floor and trunk pans are available and are surprisingly affordable for a prestige classic. The trim looks quite reasonable for its age, although those beautiful hubcaps are AWOL. Most of the glass is good, with the seller including a replacement for the cracked driver’s side door glass.
This Continental retains its original interior, with the first owner electing to trim the Mark II in Scottish Bridge of Weir leather. The company imported the leather in its untanned state, adding the color locally using a vat-dye method. This process provided a more consistent color than the traditional spray method, further emphasizing the company’s focus on perfection. The photos confirm the seller’s claim that the seats are in good condition. However, many of the other leather surfaces exhibit severe deterioration, and returning them to their former glory won’t be cheap. Apart from interior trim and exterior paint shades, the only decision facing Mark II buyers in 1956 was whether to splash the additional cash on air conditioning. Otherwise, every Continental came loaded with power windows, power vent windows, a power front seat, a radio, and a wonderfully elegant gauge cluster with a factory tachometer.
The emphasis on luxury ensured that the Mark II was a heavy beast, which is confirmed by its curb weight of almost 5,000 lbs. It required something special under the hood to guarantee respectable performance, and Continental delivered a single drivetrain setup to all buyers that ensured that was the case. Each car left the factory with a 368ci V8, a three-speed automatic transmission, and power-assisted steering and brakes. Technicians dismantled and hand-built each engine to maximize smoothness and performance potential, allowing these V8s to produce a very respectable 285hp in 1956. That figure would climb to 300hp the following year due to ongoing development. The listing suggests that this classic could be a turnkey proposition. The seller includes an embedded video of the engine running in their listing, and it sounds as sweet as a nut.
The 1956 Continental Mark II perfectly demonstrates what a vehicle manufacturer can achieve if they place quality above profit. These classics turned heads and drew almost universal praise when released, courtesy of the exceptional build quality. Had Ford remained a family-owned company, production may have continued beyond the two years that the Mark II rolled out of the factory. However, with shareholder considerations in mind, the last Mark II graced a showroom floor in 1957. This 1956 Continental shows promise as a project candidate, particularly if the new owner can be hands-on with much of the work. Values have slumped dramatically during the past year, but returning this classic should be financially viable using a DIY approach. Is that a task that you would consider?
Sweet ride.
As the owner of Mark II # 184, I can absolutely attest to the rarity of available replacement parts for these cars and the cost to restore one! It is unfortunate that this example, most likely will become a “donor” vehicle for someone that already owns a complete and operating number 2or3 example. Sad but true.
When I saw the first one I thought it was the most beautiful car I’d ever seen.
Even now I’d still like to have one but due to age and health I’ll have to pass on owning one. I still think they are beautiful. It’s always been a surprise to me that a/c wasn’t standard on these. I’ve read that Ford lost about a thousand on every one sold so maybe that figures into why a/c wasn’t standard. Even so, it just seems like a car that cost almost three times the average household annual income would have it. I hope this one doesn’t get parted out but that’s up to the buyer, so good luck to that person.
Russell , Most all people will agree with you! … myself, included! It is interesting to know, however, that the ’56 model year was not available with optional AC! … AT ALL! This was due to the Lincoln division not having availabile components when the MarkII was introduced! Those ’56 models that are equipped with it was done post-production by individual owners during the ’57 model year when the option was actually available to be factory-installed. It is fair to say that most all MarkII’s were or ended-up being equipped with the optional AC. After all?..the people that bought them (such as John Wayne,Mary Pilsbury, Frank Sinatra, and others ,the like? … could certainly afford an “expected feature” of a such a prestigious car! Personally? …I am somewhat a “purest” relative to the notion of originality! Hence my ’56 Mark remains in its original factory configuration without the AC option! That said? I still think it is fun and pretty “cool” to drive around with others to the local “Cruise-ins”!
Car didn’t sell with no bids offered. Not surprised as the car is in poor condition. The seller states, “car runs, excellent original car, complete with nothing missing. non a/c car, fantastic patina.” There is no such thing as, “fantastic patina,” for a luxury car like this one. The rust and paint damage destroys the beauty of this car.
When these first came out, I thought they were hideous, and I still do. The PROBLEM is, that ludicrously tiny green-house. This SCREAMED-OUT to be a four-door hardtop; then at least its PROPORTIONS would have made sense. The rear-end design was nice; however, that front was ugly. I wondered who’d had a nightmare, then turned it into styling a car. At LEAST, in making an all-out luxury vehicle, Ford could have made it PRETTY TO LOOK AT!
Harrison, the reason for the small greenhouse area when compared to the main body shell is because the original plans were to have these cars all be retractable hardtops and the roof needed to fit into the trunk area.
Due to the complexity of the retract mechanism and the insane development costs involved, when combined with the very low production figures, Ford management quickly realized if they were to amortize the retract development costs, each Mark II would cost the company over $20,000 to build. Hence the retract project became the Ford Fairlane hardtop convertible.
As for the wheel covers, about 20 years ago I saw a set of 4 NOS covers available for $16,000. The few that do come available are often over $3,000 each for nice ones.
This is one of those cars that I remember in detail when I saw my first one as a child. I thought it was gorgeous and still do. I’ve looked at several close-up over the years and am still amazed at the level of luxury.
I appreciate how the seller included a picture of the car at night. To me, what I see at night makes or breaks a car. Those taillights are classy.
To Michael Lloyd Gregory: first, I like your name. Second, your post proves that two different people can perceive beauty entirely differently. I am grateful that your post came immediately after mine. I agree with you that the tail-lamps and rear deck are beautiful. What I didn’t like, were the proportions of the car as a coupe (but then, I have a strong general dislike for coupes), and that L-O-N-G hood out in front of such a tiny cabin, with those protruding headlamps: the style wasn’t for me. But I’m raptured that it pleases you (good thing, then, that I wasn’t the one styling the car!) (smile)