Maybe I’m off-base, but the majority of the cars being sold as “projects” are probably no longer restoration candidates, but rather fodder for “revivals” of the kind you can see any time you turn a corner on YouTube. That might not be a bad thing. While there’s always pride in bringing a car back from the brink to something resembling showroom new, most of us don’t have the time, money, skills, or desire to see such a project through to completion, especially when it will be worth a fraction of what we’ve put into it. That’s why revival culture is so popular; you can get a car running, driving, and safe, and clean up what’s there to the best of your ability. That’s probably the path the new owner of this 1969 Lincoln Continental, posted here on eBay in New London, Wisconsin, will take. It’s being auctioned by a charitable organization that sells a lot of project cars (many of which have been featured on Barn Finds), and the current high bid is $1,225.
What makes this car a good revival candidate is that it’s not currently running, and there’s no mention of whether or not the engine is free, and there’s always drama in that. Back in 1969 when the 460 big-block was running, it produced 365 horsepower and a whopping 500 lb.-ft. of torque. Being a Lincoln, it has luxury features such as air conditioning, power brakes, and power steering. The seller claims that the Continental has only 51,607 miles on it, so as long as the engine isn’t filled with rusty stalactites, you might be able to get it running fairly easily. But who knows.
The exterior appears to be basic white, but the interior is a shade of green that you’d only find in the 1960s and 1970s. I love it. The front seat certainly appears to be leaning at a rakish angle, which means that it isn’t properly bolted down. We can see from here that the Lincoln has power windows and a power seat, so it will be “fun” (cough cough) to get those features in operating condition again. As far as old cars are concerned, luxury cars can be the most frustrating.
Of course, being the last of the classic suicide-door unibody Continentals, it might be worth a little extra effort. Think about how cool your back seat passengers will look when they swing those doors open and step onto the curb. Little could be better.
Considering that the car’s located in Wisconsin, it’s surprisingly solid: It is dirty and a little crusty underneath, but any rust it might have seems to be superficial. The seller has posted a video with a somewhat disorienting but informative closer look at the undercarriage.
The 1961-69 Continentals are collectors items for good reason, and they command strong money when they’re in nice original or restored condition, especially the 1961-65 models and all convertibles. This one probably won’t be getting a full restoration, but maybe we’ll see it up on YouTube one day soon with a title such as “Can we drive this ’69 Lincoln 750 miles back home?” It might be worth tuning in.
There’s a “New” London now? Been through that city so many times, in fact they built a bypass thanks to me, and trucks like me,, if coming from the great nort’land with a heavy load,,, there were no scales on Hy. 45,,,oops, said too much already,,ahem,,some may remember, I took my drivers test on this car, only a ’68. I’m not sure if the examiner was more impressed with my outstanding driving( cough) or the car itself. He was probably driving a Falcon. It actually was a remarkably easy car to drive. And must be said, our own Scotty G had a 2 door like this, I happen to know, it broke his heart when he had to sell it. They are wonderful cars. Not sure why the old man bought this, he was generally not a Ford fan, but it was the nicest car that man ever owned, whether he realized it or not. Scotty will agree, it’s a BIG car, and will command a BIG storage space, something he couldn’t provide, I think there are smaller trucks, so be aware of that. I would go so far as to say, this was the absolute pinnacle of Ford cars, right here.