For most of the 1950s, the Capri was Lincoln’s upscale version of the Cosmopolitan (though there was nothing pedestrian about that model). The Continental eventually replaced it when that brand was resurrected. The seller has a nice project from 1955 that probably hasn’t run in a while. It sports a one-year-only engine in the form of a 341 cubic-inch Y-block V8. Located in Everett, Washington, this two-owner land yacht is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $15,000 OBO.
The Capri’s name is a nod to an Italian island in the Gulf of Naples. Three generations of the car were built, though the 1956-57 editions were perhaps the most stylish of the vehicles. This 1955 2-door hardtop is from the last year of the first-gen Capri, and was Lincoln’s alternative to the Cadillac Series 62, Packard Pacific, and Chrysler New Yorker. For the day, it was a powerful car with an output of 225 hp in 1955, and only one transmission was offered that year: a 3-speed Turbo-Drive automatic.
This is a well-used cruiser, having traveled 155,000 miles before being parked for reasons not stated. 11,462 copies of the car as a 2-door hardtop were produced in ’55. There is no mention of rust on this magnificent machine beyond the surface variety. The black paint (original?) is past its prime, though the red/white interior seems to be quite presentable as-is.
The seller believes the car will be quite valuable when restored, though $55,000 seems to be top dollar online. At the asking price, that leaves you $40,000 for the restoration project in order to theoretically break even. Would you take the plunge?
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