Barn finds are known for their dusty and dirty look, especially when they are first discovered. I’ve seen some seriously dusty cars over the years, but I think this 1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible takes the cake. The thick coating of white dust makes it looks like it was parked in a cement factory. The seller claims that the car is in very solid and complete condition, but that is hard to judge when you can hardly see the car underneath! I guess it will make cleaning it off that much more exciting. Have a look at this massive convertible here on eBay in all of its dust covered glory.
Few Lincolns are as recognizable as the Continental. These massive cars have been used by politicians, celebrities, and royalty. The 1961 redesign was a departure from the previous generations, in that the car was smaller and less curvacious. To make up for the decrease in size, Lincoln engineers decided to flip the rear door hinges making them suicide doors. This move gave the Continental its most iconic trait and made getting in and out of the back seat easier. On the styling front, the new design was boxier, yet somehow managed to look elegant. The new design proved to be a hit for Lincoln and they managed to sell quite a few. That being said, you don’t see many of the convertibles still on the road.
This particular example appears to be complete, but its hard to say what kind of condition it really is in. Depending on the composition of that dust, it could either have preserved the car or deteriorated it even faster. Cleaning the exterior should be an interesting experience that could either be the most exhilarating experience of your life or an absolute disappointment. Older paints tend to be quite durable, but chemicals and abrasives can leave serious damage even to the thickest of single stage paints. I’d also be a bit nervous cleaning off all that chrome work. It would be expensive to replace all that chrome, so with any luck this dust is just plain old dust and not chemical overspray or some form of crushed aggregate.
The seller doesn’t really go into any more detail about the condition of the car than what can already be seen in the photos. They claim it ran when it was driven into storage, but they haven’t attempted to start it. As long as the engine isn’t seized or damaged, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get this one running again. Most parts were pulled from the Ford parts bin, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find mechanical pieces. Trim and interior parts might be more of a challenge to source, but not impossible. Lincoln Continental convertible values have been on the rise, so this could make for a great buy, at least if the seller’s reserve is set at a realistic level. It may be as simple as cleaning it and giving it a full tune up to get it running and driving again. I would plan for it needing more extensive repairs, but you just won’t know until you get all that dust cleaned off! Of course that is assuming the dust is real and hasn’t been sprayed on by a hopeful seller. What do you think?
Josh, I just don’t understand why the seller wouldn’t give this car a quick wash. As a buyer, I’d look at this and think that maybe it had been tucked away in the corner of some body shop and that the dust would have got into and infected everything. Is the “barnfind” tag so alluring, that it precludes a clean up?
Barry Thomas’ “Wheel to Wheel” blog
WHY WASH IT ??
It gives the buyer hope that there is a decent body (no dents, -…not) and shiny paint (not faded cracked, scratches or oxidized and/or dull, ….not) underneath !!
I second others’ suggestion about body shop dust !
E-bay is the perfect venue to hide defects and say after the sale, “but I highly recommended that you travel (1 or 2 or 3000 miles) on Thanksgiving weekend to inspect the car !!”
There is a reason, why the air-cleaner is on a (possibly nice ?)seat covered with dust also. Put the window up already !
This ad just SCREAMS !! “WALK, no !, RUN AWAY !”….unless you get this for scrap price, which isn’t realistic with a worldwide audience of gullible, ‘blue-eyed idiots’.
Maybe the seller just doesn’t give a crap about the car or otherwise, which isn’t really good news either
Survivor of a chalk-shaving factory?
And… How delightful that it was apparently parked with open windows. Blech.
Looks like body shop dust to me.
This appears to be a disguised barn find. Body shop dust – not barn dust. Hiding lots of issues. Beware of this one. BTW, I don’t think these convertibles were offered with cloth interior! Also, the car seems to be otherwise fully equipped so, even if cloth interior was available on a convertible, why would the Buyer go cheap on the upholstery while spending big bucks for the magic eye auto dimming head lamps?
Defiantly sitting in a body shop. A car could take on that appearance after sitting in an active shop in less then six months. Nothing a vac and an air hose couldn’t take care of, and then a bath. Should have rolled up the windows or hung some plastic
Agreed. This is a set-up, maybe half a year in the making.
Interesting that the hood has so much less dust than the rest of the front. Guessing it was left for a while with the hood up (given the dust underhood). Gotta wonder about the care it got if it wasn’t taken care of any better than that…
Looks like others read the same things I ded !
BUYER REALLY B E W A R E !!,
Never mind : They’re already at $6300
…….Reserve n o t m e t !
thanks for all the posts today, you guys are/were busy. this car needs cleaned and detailed, makes me wonder what is hiding under the body shop dust. and why did no one cared enough to cover/clean it. it might be a great find.
Still… It is a lovely car. I genuinely appreciate it and yet I will never own another convertible land yacht. My ’69 De Ville convertible was named “Cruella” for a reason.
Just imagine the joy of taking this boat out for a Sunday drive. I would paint it a rich deep cherry color as it clearly does need a new paint job (hood, side scratches…). Jack Nickolson once had a deep cherry colored Mercedes. He named it “Bing”.
Definitely body shop dust.
I’d say staged.
Mental note, don’t store car beside the parallel bars that chalk makes a mess
Or a car used to train CSI Police finger printers
Body shop dust almost certainly, it gets everywhere when you prep a car. I worked in a body shop when I was younger and you soon learned to not leave a shirt or jacket lying in the paint area unless you wanted it covered in grey-white dust!. Guys would move stuff later and there would be a perfect outline where it had stood!.
I had always wanted one of these beautiful convertibles–early, ’61-63. I was going to buy one from a friend and he let me have it for a weekend. Bid mistake! The thing handled like a tank, with similar gas mileage, and the build quality was horrible. Like some relationships, a weekend destroyed the romance.
Seller mentions rust on at least two doors, then says ” very little left to make it a “show winner””. He seems overly optimistic to me. Good project car, but show winner, i’m thinking it is a far trip to the winners circle..
Just as with the big auctions where people with too much money and too little common sense buy pimped out over restored cars for waaaay too much money as a substitute one might speculate for deficiencies in other areas of their lives, so too has the internet bred this bizarre trend of sellers thinking their cars will bring more money if they are shown in an undisturbed dust and or dirt filled as found condition.
Think back to when most folks bought a car by going to see it in person first. What would your reaction be to a filthy car hiding imperfections and what would that inherently tell you about the way the seller cared for the car?
Sellers have confused disuse and ignoring a car with it being a “barn find”. Totally screwy
Just sweep up all the bondo dust and save money down the line.
That center post between the doors.
the designer made it pretty sturdy for cruising down the road.
But, don’t get T-boned !
Staged in a shop with shop dust, hood open and windows too…
Dust on top of the tires and same dusty under the car ? It would have to have been “dusted” where it sits , not in a barn, and probably all in one event, not over time.
Tread on front driver tire looks recent design, probably not real old dust like a fresh barn find.