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Sweet Connie Green: 1969 Lincoln Mark III

1969 Lincoln Continental

In December, we featured a car that we nicknamed the “Eldorado Killer“, which was a black 1975 Mark IV. This car might be thought of as her older sister. The asking price on this one is $1000.00, and it’s offered for sale here on craigslist in Columbia, Missouri.

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She’s not currently in running condition. Her owner says the car has been parked since 1984, and the 460 engine is stuck. I’ve always loved the challenge of these kinds of cars, drag it home, pull the plugs, soak everything with Kroil, wait a day or so, and try and turn the crank.

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But 36 years is a pretty long time to sit around. I might be inclined to go a little farther with this one, to insure it doesn’t have any stuck valves, and pull both valve covers for a look before start-up. As a helper turned the crank with a socket and breaker bar, I’d be carefully watching for proper valve movement on each cylinder. Take it from someone who started one up prematurely one time; I can say from experience that seized valve guides and bent valves are not much fun.

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Most of her body and chrome looks straight and solid. With one significant exception. The roof area around where the vinyl top was, needs some tough love. It looks like GM wasn’t the only one who had a design flaw in this area.

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Other than a lot of time spent removing interior for the sake of fire prevention, and the back glass, it might actually be easier working in this area rather than down low or in a floor board. Cutting away the large rusted areas, fabricating patches and welding them in place, shouldn’t be any harder here than anywhere else. If all the rest of her really is solid, including the floors and trunk floor, this repair might actually be feasible. The car’s low entry price would certainly make it more palatable.

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Another neat feature she has, is an interior that looks to be in very respectable condition. Bodies can be patched, welded and painted, but a really nice original interior is hard  (and very expensive) to fake.

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Of course having this color green inside, really limits the options on the color that can be used on the outside. But the original color doesn’t bother me on this one. I think it would be interesting and attractive if re-done correctly. I’d also feel compelled to have the vinyl top put back as close to original as possible.

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The rear of the body looks to be quite a bit more rough than the interior and the front. This must be the end that hung out of the open door of the barn for all those years. This old ‘Connie looks beautiful to me. How do you feel about her?

Comments

  1. Avatar AMC STEVE

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder……

    Like 0
  2. Avatar ydnar

    Shamefully too far gone. Are we sure it’s a 460? I was thinking 429 for 1969.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Oldcarsarecool

      Definitely a 460, I had a ’69 Mark III many years ago. It shared a platform with the Ford Thunderbird which had the 429 . . .

      Like 0
  3. Avatar grant

    And not to nitpick, but 1984 was 32 years ago, not 36. Come on Marty, don’t make us older than we are!

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Glen

    I must admit would be tempted to make this into a convertible. This might make me a heathen ( I am a kiwi so this should not come ad a shock)

    Like 0
  5. Avatar MountainMan

    Its repairable, a good body guy can make the area at the base of rear window look as good as new. Most of whats there looks good enough to make up for that rusty area. Also with some penetrating oil and time the engine may start to move again

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Marty Member

    Definitely not at all too far gone to restore, or even just fix up.

    Movie trivia buffs may already know that the 1977 horror movie cult classic “The Car” started out life as one of these.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dylan

      HONK! HonkHonkHonk!

      If you’ve seen it you’ll get it. It would almost be worth the conversion. Shave the door handles, fiberglass over the fenders, a truck bumper, illegally dark tint, and paint it black, and then go follow people in tunnels and band practices in the desert.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Marty Member

        As long as Kathleen Lloyd is there…

        That movie was and is so obnoxious and cheesy that it’s fun.

        Jason, it seems like the Ford buyers of that era really did like their earthtones, and on the trucks too, but I think this car looks good this color.

        Like 0
  7. Avatar Jason Houston

    This was the last Lincoln to carry the traditional Mark values forward. Sadly, most of these were painted those awful earthtone colors of green, beige, brown, etc. And they do seem to look more wholesome with the vinyl top removed.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar van

    When you got these new you got roadside assistance, concierge service, and a loaner car.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Charles H.

    They came out with the 460 in 1969, ydnar, so I’d say it’s definitely a 460

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Jamie P

    The back end of this car is really bad… But the back bumper is unscathed….???? The interior is beautiful!

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Duffy

    Very repairable. Would make a very nice vehicle. The asking price is very fair.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar JimmyinTEXAS

    Way to far gone for me, I’m not really much of a mechanic and no kind of body man(except of the female variety). I do like these cars and would be willing to pay several times(+/-15-18X) the ask on this one to get one I could drive and enjoy today and many days to come. I certainly respect the guys that enjoy the repair and renewal, but I’m just not that talented…lol

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Spanky57

    Nothing deserves to be made to look like that hideous pile of crap from the movie! Lose the rusttrap vinyl top and as long as you can weld, the bodywork would be a breeze! At least this one predates the mandated 5mph bumpers that added over a foot to the length of later Mk’s

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Tim

    Yeah bring her back to life yes sir

    Like 0

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