This 1956 Continental Mark II is a car that I would love to own for the next 30 years, just as long as the current owner has had it. What a drop-dead gorgeous car. They have it posted for sale here on Craigslist with an asking price of $19,500. It’s on the Chicago craigslist but the seller says that it’s being stored in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Thanks to Ironman Ikey H. for sending in this great tip!
We have studied a few of these gorgeous cars here on Barn Finds over the last few years and most of us know that they weren’t known as a Lincoln Continental Mark II, but a Continental Mark II. FoMoCo started a new division, Continental, as Chrysler did for their Imperial brand. Which begs the question: Why didn’t Cadillac start a separate division for their ultra-luxury offering in the same era?
The seller doesn’t show us a front 3/4 view showing the beautiful grille, but they do show a full-on photo. Nice photos, by the way, seller!
I can hardly look at this car without weeping like a child, it’s so beautiful. Like listening to a meaningful opera piece or viewing a masterful painting, this car is just so out-of-the-park, it was literally a grand slam. Well, at least design-wise, Ford lost just under $10,000 in 2020 dollars on each Mark II that they sold.
The rear of this car is as nice-looking as every other square inch is. Those exhaust ports – fantatsic! The Continental Mark II was only made for the 1956 and 1957 model years with 2,550 made in 1956 and a mere 444 built in 1957. The Continental Mark II was an homage to the famous Lincoln Continental of the early-to-late-1940s and came only as a two-door hardtop. There wasn’t a Continental kit separate spare tire but a spare tire “bump” on the trunk lid actually was where the spare tire was located inside the trunk.
The only thing on this entire car that throws me off are the seats, but otherwise, every single thing about this Mark II turns my crank. The seats are very nice both front and rear, but they look like vinyl to me and the colors seem off from what they would have been. But, I could be wrong. The seller does mention that they believe the seats are original but for being 64 years old, there isn’t one wrinkle in them. They say that the carpet is new and I would bet that the seats were redone at some point. Although, if they have owned it for 30 years they must know.
They’re certainly the same style as they would have been but I don’t know if they did contrasting piping in those days? That seems like a fairly recent thing when redoing seats and you can see the worn armrest in the rear seat doesn’t have contrasting piping.
The engine is really the only thing that needs lots of detailing other than the underside. But, what better way to spend the next week or two than detailing the heck out of that engine. I mean, what else do you have to do right now?! (kidding) The engine is Lincoln’s Y-Block 368 cubic-inch V8 with 285 hp and 402 ft-lb of torque. The engine and Lincoln/Borg-Warner Turbo-Drive automatic transmission operate as they should, according to the seller. This car is around $10,000 less than Hagerty’s #4 fair condition value so this is one killer deal. Any thoughts on this Mark II?
I can’t imagine that those exhaust pipes running through the inner fenders do not rattle like heck when accelerating.
Classy design, curves and lines are just Lincoln Mark and so perfect. What can you say but they did it right.personal luxury oozing from all areas of the car.
I owned one, never heard it rattle once, but the price on this and the fact that it is “stored in NC” and is listed for sale in Chicago screams scam to me
I am guessing that this car must have a broken motor mount then..
I had several cars stored at at summer residence while l resided at my main property because I had extra garage space.. I listed them for sale at my regular residence specifically stating where the car was located. I had someone to show the car at my other location. So it’s not that un-usual. But prudent questions should be asked as in any purchase.
Listed on the Dallas CL as well…..nice car for the money – looked it over – and hopefully a pink slip comes with it !
They do not. I own one. And it is a non air-conditioned car.
I cannot get the phone number of the seller. It always shows..an error occurred… Can somebody find out the number for me? Raoul.
They don’t, the hole is bigger than you think.
There is something kind of sexy about these cars. Not sure exactly what it is though😁
The whole Continental/Lincoln Continental or Chrysler Imperial/Imperial discussion is so dumb. Regardless of how Ford or Chrysler tried to market the cars, it’s clearly obvious that Ford made Lincoln and Lincoln made the Continental, just as Chrysler made the Imperial.
It’s a goofy marketing ploy , a la Edsel, that fell flat, so I wish everyone would quit bristling when someone calls the ’56 Continental a “Lincoln Continental”. That’s what it is, so stop pretending there’s something different. I catch myself calling my Newport “the Dodge” from time to time. Same diff.
I could not agree more!
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/why-the-continental-mark-2-should-never-be-called-a-lincoln/
Still agree more? You shouldn’t.
You mean like Toyota Lexus or Nissan Infiniti? Hyundai Genesis? :)
Rex, you are DEAD wrong.
William Clay Ford created a separate DIViSION under the Ford Motor Company. While it shared some Lincoln bits, it was an entire ground up design and NOT built on the same line as any “Lincoln”. It was assembled in a stand alone building.
It had its own design, engineering and assembly teams.
My father was hired away from Fisher Body by Mr. Ford in the early 50’s to work at the Continental Division. I have a ton of photos, notes, blueprints, etc.
My father was responsible for the Continental Mark II heating and air conditioning system, I have all of his daily diary style notes from his every day ther (typical engineer).
After the Division was disbanded in 1957, my dad was reassigned to Ford Engineering.
In the mid 60’s he was the co-patent holder for automatic
temperature control in automobiles. He retired from Ford in 1986.
The Continental Mark II was NEVER made by “Lincoln”, it however was sold at select Lincoln dealers that had to be certified and acquire “Continental” signage.
There’s the story of the creation of the Continental MK II in YouTube. Very good documentation….
My father was also hired from fisher to design the retractable Mark ll. I would love to talk to you about your dad and my dad. you can email me @ ltdshelby@aol.com or call me at 860-437-2455 David Smith
Rex, you really have no idea what you’re talking about, and it shows. Might want to read this before you make a bigger fool of yourself for being so adamant.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/why-the-continental-mark-2-should-never-be-called-a-lincoln/
I’d love to debate actual facts with you, but you’d lose.
Continental was an entirely separate division of Ford Motor Company in 56-57. Same as Mercury. You don’t call a Mercury Monterrey a Lincoln Mercury Monterrey do you? Sold in same showrooms. Absolutely not a Lincoln. The very same factory was retooled and housed the Edsel division 58-60. Never heard anyone call them a Lincoln Edsel.
I’m a bit surprised that sometime during that 30 years of ownership, there was no real effort expended to clean up and detail the engine compartment.
One of the draws of vehicle display shows is the chance to see how nice engineering was “back n the day”
these cars look better with the hood down … it is not a “muscle car”, it is a luxury car. Do you ever see Rolls Royce or Bentleys on display with their hood up? no
Nice find!
Just looked at one of these last night, in the film Sweet Smell Of Success, in downtown Manhattan.
My dream garage has a Cord 812 and a Mark ll Continental side by side.
Which begs the question: Why didn’t Cadillac start a separate division for their ultra-luxury offering in the same era?
This is a really dumb question.
Why didn’t it?
Because it was already the best…….
It might have been “the best” but that does not detract one bit from the beauty of this design.
If Cadillac did develop a luxury line, what could they possibly name it?
Wouldn’t “Cadillac of Cadillacs” seem terribly redundant?
maybe “El Dorado” …?
Fleetwood could be a good one too.
I absolutley agree with your comments. This car is extra special and I can’t imagine anybody not likeing it. And many like myself lusting after it. The price is crazy, I don’t know why it hasn’t already sold. Timing is always everything, had I seen this car a year ago, when my pockets were full from another sale , no doubt I would own this car.
Sweet ride, Scotty! Nice write-up. These were built to be THE best car in the world. Ford lost money on every new one they sold, and I’d love to own one some day. The design attention paid to the engine compartment is normally reserved for one-off show-cars. Hidden wires, pipes, etc…. gorgeous!
An absolute masterpiece….
I’ve always admired these cars for their clean, stately look. Completely different from what was about to happen styling-wise. But I never thought about the look of the interior. The climate controls look kind of tacked on, but consider the instrument cluster. It’s a simple rectangle with four round gauges. Somehow it comes across as clean and attractive as opposed to cheap. The rest of the dash area carries the same understated, classy theme.
Ha! Barnfinds has fallen into my trap! Look at the front end. It’s a variation of the Nash Ambassador/Statesman front end from 52-54, The Met front end from 55-62, and the Rambler/Rambler American 54-60. Having filched a European Pinin Farina design from Nash, it’s no wonder Lincoln called it the Continental.
By the way, these cars have frame rust issues in front of the rear axle. Nevertheless, when they came out, hordes of Hollywood actors bought them Frank Dinatra had one and ditched it for an Eldo Brogham. Clark Gable was the exception. He ditched his XK120 for a hull wing Mercedes and drove that til he died.
This is probably the best deal on a car I have seen on BF. Someone is going to get a really good deal!
Those seats WERE reupholstered in vinyl, not leather–hence the lack of wrinkles. Looks nice, but will not garner any points at Lincoln shows. Overall not a bad car, but repairs are expensive on these. This car makes a decent driver, not a trailer queen.
Replace every red piece of interior with….. anything else, and drive it.
THIS IS NOT A LINCOLN, THIS IS NOT A LINCOLN
, THIS IS NOT A LINCOLN
It’s a Continental
The design is impeccable. Standing still in front of you is one car presence you won’t forget. You can drive it anywhere and not look like another old car collector guy, but rather an appreciator of fine objects. At this price for a driver ( without a rusty frame ) you would have a real classic for Kia money.
? Did someone call it a Lincoln, OIL SLICK?
Yes, several people.
A Ford Continental ? :-)
Technically, That’s correct.
A strong deal
This is also listed in Hemmings, the ad states its location as Highland Park Illinois.
http://tinyurl.com/y9dwlzfh
Can’t tell from the pictures, does it have the side scoops for a/c?
those were early 56 cars only, but simply looking at the pictures, especially the underhood one, will show it is a no ac car …
Not an a/c car, Scoops were eliminate early on as they didn’t work well.
Lovely looking car. This is the best looking Continental I’ve seen until the 1962 model year.
I think it is odd how folks read this great write-up about a beautiful car, and get all caught up on a single line or two about whether it is a Lincoln or Continental. I usually enjoy reading the comments and often learn something as well. Stop the nit-picking folks. This site makes for a wonderful distraction in a time like this. Thanks for the great write-up on a sexy car.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/why-the-continental-mark-2-should-never-be-called-a-lincoln/
There is no argument, all facts.
What was wring with the ’61?
Beautiful Automobile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When you see one in person. It is so assume it’s not like all the rest it is the zenith of American autos.
The scoops were removed mid 1956 because leaves and water got to places where they shouldn’t. Ford created a separate manufacturing division called Continental to separate the car from any other part of Ford. The exhaust might rattle at an idle, but not at speed.
The scoops on these were “cut” into the leading top edge of each rear fender.
Actually, no. The scoops were deleted early in 1956 because they didn’t work as planned. It had nothing to do with dirt or water. It only had to do with the fact that engine and exhaust heat rolled out from under the car and was sucked into the a/c unit. Elmer Rohn solved that by running a tube through the body to the fresh air intake that took cool air from in front of the engine and radiator and fed it to the unit in the trunk. Water never became a problem until the flexible hoses to the intakes rotted years later. The intakes have a mesh screen, so leaves would be impossible to pass into the unit.
P.S. This car does not have air.
Love! Love! Love these cars. I think the first time I saw one it was on a trailer heading north of Seattle on I-5. I was driving a 65 Continental 4 door sedan and if I could have followed the car to its destination I would have bought it on the spot. These cars are so beautiful in every way I just drool when I see one. Thanks for listing this one. Someone called Cadillac the “best” I say nay “Continental” is the best all the way through the 70’s.
God bless America
Thank you soooooo much!!!!
Cheap. These cars are very expensive to restore. That is why you buy a driver. A concours restored car is useless if you plan to actually drive it. Today with drugged out dirt bags driving 25 year old clapped out Hondas, you are insane to take out a beauty like this. Most of today’s punks drive with no insurance as well. These cars were hand wet sanded and buffed at the factory. The trunk material was costly Wilton carpet I believe. Stunning.
Hi George, can YOU help me to get seller’s phone number at Craigslist. I always get an Error message. Maybe, cause i am in Europe… Would be very thankful for help . Raoul. rforabosco@hotmail.com
I take my Concours car everywhere. The trunk carpet was just carpet.
Clearly one of the best designs to ever come out of Detroit. Saw one of these in a Copart wrecking yard back in 2013…it was maroon and in really really poor shape. Was very sad to see one of these gems in such condition.
Those pictures are pure car porn, warts (imperfectiona) and all!
My rich uncle had one of these in the 60s and 70s as a daily driver. I never drove it but rode in it lots of times. It was light blue with matching interior. I thought of myself as a hot rodder, but this car gave me an appreciation for fine automobiles, in fact it inspired me to buy a 1960 Thunderbird at age 18 in 1969.
Today I drive a 1999 Continental that I inherited from my dad. WE only drive it about 500 miles per year, usually less than that.
Hi Larry, where did your uncle live? I owned a light blue with matching interior Mark II
Fort Collins, CO. Bob Schmick. He’s still living, but not in good health.
I saw one of these several years ago standing behind a body shop in Western MI. It was there for at least 3 years and the owner would not sell it. The white continental ended up in a junk yard in Spring Lake, MI and probably got crushed. The rust took its toll on the car while it was sitting in the weeds for 3 + years.
I cannot get the phone number of the seller. It always shows..an error occurred… Can somebody find out the number for me? Raoul. rforabosco@hotmail.com
RaoulF,
Try this link:
https://www.bortzautocollection.com/car/
I googled the number listed in the craigslist ad and came up with this, it lists a cell # for “Joe” . 847 668 2004.I hope it helps. Let us know.
Thank YOU very much…i try.. let you know if it worked,! Thank YOU anyway for support!
I doubt very highly that this is one of Joe’s cars.
What a pity…no response from seller… :-(
Back in the late 60’s and early 70’s this was my dream car. I had to settle for 5 consecutive Thunderbird’s starting with a 69 Landau. Where ever this car is, it is a Beauty!
I don’t care what the car is called, it’s stunning, restrained and elegant. With
regard to an effort on the phone number, technology is junk. I have no choice but to use it. No wonder you can’t find the number. And isn’t it up to the Seller to test the ad to see if it works? God Forbid you should ask the Site.
I was recently stopped at a signal intersection and an immaculate black one of these cars pulled up and stopped as the first car in the left turn lane in the cross-street lanes. It was absolutely gorgeous, 4 inch snow white sidewalls and all. I swear every person at that intersection was stunned and stared as he slowly made his left turn and cruised down the road. My spotless, beautiful, two-toned 1939 Graham ‘Sharknose’ took a distant second place.
You know, you can really screw up a car with a bad interior…..
Bluetec320, I don’t think this car has a broken motor mount, I think the inner fender cutouts are positioned that way to allow for exhaust pipe movement, when engine torque rotates the block counterclockways (as viewed from the front) under hard acceleration.
It doesn’t look right to me, the pipes should be going through the center of the openings. I think there is definitely something going on there.
I love these cars. One of the few cars that looks good in any color. The interiors as well. The lack of chrome and fins proved to be more futuristic than most other cars of the day.
When this car was new you could get two Ford Victorias and a Thunderbird for what this car cost. I was in junior high school in Savannah,Ga when these came out, and my school bus passed by the owner of the dealership’s house. There was always one sitting in his driveway. I would sit on the side of the bus closest to his house in the morning and on the opposite side of the bus in the afternoon just to get a brief look at his car. The most beautiful car I had ever seen at that time. What would $10K equal in todays dollars?.
Bluetec320, that would seem to be reasonable, if it happened that the engine would rock both ways. I do wonder why they didn’t use an oval cutout instead of a round one, but it saves a bit more weight this way, but, back then, weight was not a big consideration, I suppose.
Somehow when I see one of these Continentals I get the sense of what an early, ( ’55 – ’57 ) Thunderbird might have looked like as a 4 seater.
I t also shows up in the Philly Craigslist
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/d/morrisville-1956-lincoln-continental/7107245720.html
Deleted in both places.
Must have been sold?
Raoul-F/Raoul Forabosco did you buy it?
Is the car going to Europe?