Few luxury liners would look more appropriate pulling up to the golf club than a triple-white Continental Mark III, with a sunroof no less. Built on the cheap (in car development terms), the Mark III was a solid success for Ford Motor Company at large and Lincoln in particular. Another Lee Iacocca home run, the Mark III is the answer to what would happen if you dropped a Rolls-Royce grille and a Continental wheel hump on a T-Bird and gave it a super-snazzy interior. This ’71 Mark III that Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. found apparently has 62,000 miles and its original coat of paint.
Perhaps because it’s low and sinister, a Mark III was the bad guy drug dealer’s ride of choice in the award-winning crime drama The French Connection. Although the car in the real-life story upon which the book was based was NOT a Continental, almost nothing else on the road could capture sneering menace any better. Every time the car is on the screen, there’s a sense of tension, because you know it has something to hide.
We can hope that THIS example isn’t hiding anything, but its image gives it a little bit of street cred.
The interior is one place on the Mark III where the buyer could see the money she or he spent. With “genuine walnut veneer” dash trim and leather seats that appear to be original, the Lincoln was one of the most luxurious American cars on the road. Its real competition was the Eldorado, and it would have been a hard choice between this little-changed Mark III and the newly-styled Cadillac for 1971.
Under the Mark’s long hood was Lincoln’s gutsy 460, rated at 365 horsepower and 500 lb.-ft. of torque. With standard dual exhaust on the Mark III and a 2.80:1 axle ratio, this must have been a long-legged glamour boat. It was probably rare for anyone to test the upper ranges of its speedometer, but the top end must have been strong.
While this particular Mark III is currently for sale on Craigslist in Massachusetts, it is apparently a three-owner, rust-free Florida car. With a stack of manuals, a clear title, and some car show trophies to go with it, the asking price is $24,950. I’ve seen cheaper Mark IIIs out there, but maybe the originality and the striking color combo is worth a little extra. Regardless, you’ll look like a million bucks behind the wheel.
WOW. Let’s see. This or the M7LSC at nearly the same ask. Deciding factor – this one will NOT (physically) fit the FL driveway.
I love this car. I can see John Daly owning it.
Wow! Wow! Just needs the beautiful optional Lincoln turbine wheels.
The pinnacle of Lincoln quality. I’d love to own this.
Comfort, style, big engine, low mileage, what’s not to love?
Yeah, it’s plenty of money, but $24,000 doesn’t buy much today. Wait, it buys nothing but some pile of a cheapo Kia that will be used up in a few years. This car is beautiful, but of course, I just love Lincolns. I have 2.
Had one. They are a maintenance headache. Plus the leather on this one is nasty. Keep looking – there are nicer ones !
The Mark 3 are gorgeous cars unfortunately for the seller there’s still plenty examples just as nice out there for much less. I like it though. These cars were so shiek when was a boy. My favorite Lincoln.
I have a nice bodied original engine low mileage 71 mark 111 for sale. Maybe 3rd owner. Needs carb work. Runs though, I have driven it too different shops when I bought it to upgrade it’s brakes, tires but working won’t allow me the time to play with it so its been in my garage for 2 years. I believe it has 59,000 miles. Email for more info, hate to sale but my economics have me putting extra money in other places now
Send it in and we will auction it for you.