This 1973 Lincoln Mark IV has been parked in dry storage since the early 1980s, and the elderly owner that it’s belonged to is finally letting the personal luxury coupe go. The seller has listed it on behalf of the owner, noting that he is a neighbor who knows the car well. This is described as a rust-free example despite residing in Michigan, and the bodywork looks quite nice with just some minor defects noted. The Mark IV was a fairly conservative redesign, but it did feature the debut of those blasted safety bumpers. The Lincoln is listed here on eBay with bids to $6,000 and the reserve unmet.
It’s amazing to see these huge coupes still turning up in barns and garages as untouched specimens. It seems like no other make or model comes close to the Lincoln Continental when it comes to the frequency with which these cars were put away for safekeeping, regardless of whether they had next to no mileage on the clock or evidence of daily use. This car falls somewhere in the middle, as it has 39,000 miles but clearly wasn’t set aside like a time-warp specimen that’d be unearthed at some point and sent to an auction. The interior is clearly used and the leather seating surfaces far from pristine. However, one can’t help but wonder if a thorough cleaning would change that perception, as the backseat looks unused.
I always felt the Continental looked particularly sinister with its headlight doors popped open – and much sleeker with them closed. Of course, sleek is not a word you’d use to describe the behemoth, which weighed over 5,000 pounds. The Lincoln’s cosmetics overall look good, with no smashed lenses or obvious damage to the radiator-style grill. The seller claims “….the paint, interior, glass, vinyl top, headliner, chrome are all in near perfect condition,” and that the Lincoln will clean up well once pushed into the light. The only major flaw noted is a small crease in the L/R quarter molding, and perhaps non-functioning headlight doors.
The Mark IV came equipped with an absolutely ridiculous 7.5L V8 making 365 b.h.p. The displacement numbers on some of America’s foremost luxury vehicles were just insane during this period, and certainly shined a bright light on the efficiency challenges the country’s largest automakers were facing. The seller doesn’t specify whether this Lincoln still runs, but given any such mention is omitted from the description, I will wager it no longer moves under its own power. Towing one of these is no small task, so make sure your winch is up to the challenge should you decided to extricate this Lincoln from its long-term resting place.
I had a 73 Mercury Marquis and would love to have this Big Girl. The headlight doors are a easy fix. I drove a few of these back in the day. Great Riding and Cruising Car. Gonna make some one a great ride.
Any word on the one parked beside it ?
Sam Shive – the eBay listing says the other one is gone.
Hey nice one Jeff! I almost bought one of these as my second car. I remember thinking I could put some huge speakers in that package tray behind the rear seat! I would consider this one if I didn’t already have the ’81 Imperial. Reviving or replacing a 460 would be child’s play compared to recreating a 36,000 mile interior. It would be cool to know what options are on this baby. I agree that the mileage is right where it’s in good shape but might as well just enjoy it because 36k or 136k will hardly change the value if it’s well cared-for. I couldn’t help noticing the Gross Vehicle Weight is about the same as my ’85 F250, except the latter includes a load of gravel. :)
I dont think its the right year, but painted black with tinted glass and big tires it would almost remind me of…The Car. That demon highway killer, what a wierd movie.
Living in luxury, parked in the driveway in an expensive neighborhood, just roll it out onto the highway and”float” on down the road. What a cruiser.
Well I have 3 1979 mark v one with less than 4700 one with less than 48,000 and a wrecked one for parts great cars
The headlight doors will probably close once you get it started and the vacuum canister fill with air, it’s a brown car, never gonna stop traffic, I had a 75, pool liner blue I called the color, same color interior, dark blue half top with spokes and 1.5 inch whitewalls, that stopped traffic, buyer beware, very technical car, lots of vacuum, Fords electronics were not the best mid 70s power window motors seats vent windows, lotsa fun problems, and they run hot, so
My dad was a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury guy. They ran hot(er) for a reason. Once emission controls became required, they bumped up the operating temperature to quickly get rid of the condensation & to keep sludge to a minimum. But you’re right about the vacuum issues and electrical issues. The vacuum problems were leaks, cure the leaks, fix the problem. The electrical gremlins were usually simple fixes (as compared to today’s cars) and usually quite logical. My older brother bought a 1965 Thunderbird convertible with the power operated top/trunk lid & “deck” cover (covered where the top sat when up) and it was a matter of relays being faulty (contacts in the relay were corroded) and once “good” relays were in the circuit, everything worked as designed. If fact, before spending any money on new relays, he just in-crimped the tin covers & filed the contact like an old set of ignition points…
My 75 which I owned in the early 80s would burn the ignition module harness once a year
I still remember driving my Fathers’ 1974 Mark IV, triple chocolate brown, and it was an absolutely stunning car… Total gangster, bad-ass “Playa’s car” for sure. I can vividly remember being able to steer this car with just my pinky, and my girlfriend like it too, AND we had the whole “living room-sized” front seats to ourselves ;-). The night before he was to trade it in on his next car (the ashtray must have been full, that’s how he rolled!) I removed, and still have, the engine ID plate, as even then, I knew I always wanted to remember this versy special, exquisite car! I certainly remember my old girlfriend, damn she was shweeet!
I like these, but prefer a ’72 as they didn’t have the hideous bumpers.
If this were not brown, I would be looking at it to purchase. Plus the leather is in horrible condition for 39K miles.
Great cars. Hate the color. Once owned a 75 dark blue exterior white leather interior electric moon roof. Wonderful cruiser. Loaded with options including built in cb radio, 8 track, and am/fm radio.
Ofcourse a few decades have come and gone since then, good times and terrible times both financially and emotionally. But I still have fond memories of times gone by, and this Lincoln brings back one of the good ones.
God bless America
Barcalounger on four wheels…
73 and 72 460 had 212 HP. 365 HP was in 69 and 70.
(Not sure about 71.)
A lot of car for the money. Dual exhaust remove emission junk cooler thermostat improve mileage and power. You could never wear this out if properly cared for. And parts are cheap and repairs much easier than today’s garbage.
News flash to the uninformed, the 460 putting out 365 horsepower would of been in a mark III,pre-1971 car,not a malaise era 73,mark IV,these are nice comfy land barges,but by 73 power was way down,and this car would be very slow,and drink tons of fuel, my former friend had one back in the 80’s,a 72,and we spent as much time pushing it, as driving it,because you could not keep gas in it, not to mention we were broke kids,and had to decide between beer and gas money.
I tried out a new 73 and the handling was horrible and with 5 people on board
it wanted to sway.Did they put this big body on a too small chassis or????
My father had a 71 Mach III , last year for the higher horsepower.