The Continental Mark IV was Lincoln’s personal luxury coupe, built to compete with Cadillac Eldorado from the 1972 to 1976 model years. These were very large cars that featured large engines, the 460 cid V-8 making a hefty 365 bhp. Gas mileage was not a major concern in 1972!
These cars are big, have tons of power, and while they do not handle particularly well, they are tons of fun to drive as relatively inexpensive collector cars.
This very original and good-looking example, for sale here on craigslist in Tucson, Arizona for $5,900 is said to be from the estate of its original owner.
The car shows only 69,857 miles and was apparently stored for many years by its original owner. As an added bonus, it’s been detailed, tuned up, and has newer tires.
As the pictures show, the car appears to be in excellent condition overall, both inside and out. The vinyl top is clean and goes well with the brown body color, and it’s surprising that as an Arizona car, it does not display more sun damage.
There are doubtless some flaws here – the steering wheel has a chunk of plastic missing and there is some wear showing on the driver side armrest. And did I say this is a big car? It’s not for everyone, of course.
Any buyer will want to inspect this car, of course, but it looks like this car offers a chance to own a relatively low cost, low mileage, original, solid driving collector car. What do you think about this car at this price?
I think every mid manager on up in the shoe business had one of these along with their white shoes and matching white belt. Sure brings back memories.
Me Grampa, sales rep for Whirlpool,
Had one
Huge beast, floating ride, weak brakes,
Good price for this car!
Add SIRUIS XM
Gas now viable prices !
This rockets sets u a part from Cuda n camaro n mustang crowds
Look that trunk!
Eleven sets O golf clubs fit in there
I may be dating myself, but I always think of that TV show “Cannon” when I see these. Big guy (William Conrad) in a big ass car chasing bad guys! Some of the chase scenes were awkward. Not a great handler, of course. This one looks good. They rode beautifully and were as comfortable as a couch.
I was just about to post the same thing!
That’s the first think I thought of when seeing this car.
My wife and I got to go on our honeymoon in a new 1974 Mark IV In July of 1974. No! It didn’t belong to either side of the family, but was owned by her Boss at the time.
We grew up in a small Texas town and everybody knew every one in town. I owned a nice 1970 Ford Torino at the time and all our friends already had my Torino painted up with shoe polish when the offer was made to us, and we just couldn’t turn down the offer. So all the friends painted up the Mark IV and we had a wonderful honeymoon to Colorado. That will be forty two years ago this July and we are still together and so grateful. By the way, the 1974 Mark IV was a great car and a pleasure to drive.
Congrats, on the both of you picking winners in life. I know you had to work at it, but everyone does. That’s what life is about.
Having a dad that went through quite a few cars a year (flipper) meant I had quite a few different drivers during my high school days. During my junior year (1985) I was driving a 1972 Lincoln Mark IV, dark green with a white vinyl top and white interior and Tru-spoke rims. I remember one snowy Michigan day leaving the school parking lot and heading out Willis rd towards home. At the corner of Willis rd and Whittaker, to the left was the school and kitty corner was a convenience store that kids headed to after school, I came up to the stop sign in that behemoth and pumping the brakes as fast as I could I realized we weren’t stopping. That beast started a very slow and terrorizing 360 degree spin that ended perfectly on the other side of the intersection and I straightened out and headed towards home. That was definitely one of those change your shorts moments where I somehow looked like a hero by accident. At school the next day I had many people talking about what a great driver I was and how cool the 360 was, I played it cool, thanked them and went about my day thinking about how I could’ve been in the ditch just as easy.
We had many full size drivers after that including a 1972 Thunderbird that was mine and I loved right up until I could not afford to commute to Dearborn in it anymore due to the non existent mpg.
How many kids nowadays s could parallel park one of these babies.
Nowadays, the manufacturers do a much better job of color matching the “leather seating surfaces” with the vinyl for the rest of the seat.
Buying this car will guarantee you a Christmas card from O.P.E.C
We don’t need O.P.E.C. Anymore. The U.S. Produces more oil than the Saudes. And gas at the pump in some U.S. Places @ $.99 cents a gal. Drive this gorgeous Mark as far as you want. But maybe to be repetitive,but if you have to worry about the price of gas, maybe you should be another hobby.
I have to agree Gerry, when people ask me how much it costs to fill the tank of my 62 Imperial I say I don’t know or care, if i was worried about fuel costs I would never have bought it, it’s more about the enjoyment of the drive rather than what it costs, not much in this world comes for free anymore so just enjoy it while you can. Gas in Australia is at about $1.10 per litre (4 1/2 Lts. to the gallon) but who cares!
Tony, Oztralia
I live in England , and to fill that car here would double it’s value , I would love to own it , I have owned many Big 70s U.S cars , when I lived in the U.S . Gas here close to $ 10.00 per gallon !
Had this one in triple white in mid 80s. Paid like 1200. Nice ride. Took it to ski hill on way there the rear axle failed. Saw repair shop slide half the axle from housing during fix so I figured I’d just forfeit the thing when repair bill presented. Shocked & surprised when the Bill presented totaled 165.00. Couldn’t believe it. Something about how the rear was designed made the fix fast & cheap. I’d own another one as long as gas under 2 bucks a gallon.
Dan, I’ll get you to ship a 44 gallon drum to me at 2 bucks a gallon, I’ll send you a mailing address !! Airfreight might be a bit steep but what the hell !!
Tony
9″ rear end was a great rear end.
And piece of cake to work on.
👍
had a mustard? colored one with royal seals/wire wheels. I was pimpin’ banged up R fender someone stole my wheels, blah,blah. traded for 67 MGB even up.ratty MG gave me more fun all summer than a stinkin/lincoln ever could!
A gift from my dad a year before he passed, I now own a similar beast, a 1974 Thunderbird currently in Hemmings, apparently coming off the same Detroit line as this nice car on your site. Das Boot is our name for her, a soft wonderful ride and fun to drive with current gas prices about what they were back then!
I owned a ’73, silver with red interior. At the time, my girl friend’s mother was a college professor and very liberal (I guess they call themselves progressives now). She lived in Del Mar, a small coastal village north of San Diego, also very liberal. Whenever I was visiting her daughter, mom wouldn’t let me park my Lincoln in her driveway. She was afraid her neighbors would think she was colluding with real estate developers (this was the late 70’s). Funny, her daughter loved that car and we had a lot of fun in it. I got rid of it because it got terrible gas mileage, but it was a great American car the likes of which we will never see again. I thought it was beautiful, It was like driving your sofa, head for Las Vegas steer it with your pinky and arrive fresh and alert.
Great story dblbogey. I love the part about it was like driving your sofa. I could not have found a better way to say it. So true.
Texas Tea, we’ve got a radio guy in town who drives an early beautiful Mk.10 Jaguar, he says it’s like driving your lounge room complete with the smell of the leather chairs, the only thing missing is the fire place.
Tony Oz.
I remember seeing these more than once on the side of the road with the axle coming out.
I’m pretty sure ’71 was the last year for 365hp. But I bet this net rated unit doesn’t want to ping, rattle or run on with low octane gas.
I had a well preserved, low mile, ’71 Continental Coupe in that mint green. Interesting ride. Like a plus size sporty coupe. The 25 plus year old, original Michelin X tires made it even more so.
Hiding headlights were a cool style.
Putting the tail lights in the bumper broke up the massive chrome look, and made for a clean rear body….. But that styling concept could not continue when the Feds legislated crashable bumpers.
Great old ride, with a relatively small cabin/greenhouse sandwiched between massive hood and trunk.
Ford’s cushmobile, to be sure. 70’s excess, and I love it.
Agree,when put into context,many 70s cars have great looks and rides, The next (or maybe current ), collectibles at realistic prices.