Is there any picture better than the one above? When it comes to barn finds, not really. This is just how you want to find a specimen that’s been hidden away for years, thankfully in weather-tight confines to ensure it doesn’t rot into pieces while it’s sleeping. This 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V has been in storage for the last 16 years as part of a larger car collection and is believed to have 85,000 miles and one family ownership. It began its life as a corporate lease before being purchased by the lessor and then remaining in his family ever since. Find it here on eBay where it’s been cleaned up nicely since retrieval and with a $7,950 Buy-It-Now and the option to submit an offer.
Unlike so many seller hawking barn finds without even a car wash, this Lincoln has been cleaned up to reveal that its one-repaint exterior still presents incredibly well, and even the whitewall tires freshened up nicely after a bath; the tires are said to have been replaced shortly before the Lincoln went into storage. Chrome is said to still be excellent, and while this isn’t the sexiest color in the book, it still looks quite regal by modern standards. The seller notes there is a crack in the windshield and that it will be replaced if the Buy-It-Now price is realized.
The interior does look like a car with close to 90,000 miles, which is to say it’s good, but not great. These big Lincoln coupes were often put away as collector’s items, so it’s not uncommon to find one that’s factory-fresh inside. That’s definitely a ding against this example, as choosy buyers could hold out for a better car. That being said, this one has at least received some attention in the last few weeks by the seller, so it may actually be a better running car than one that hasn’t been touched because its exceedingly low mileage scares sellers away from swapping out any factory parts.
Now, the seller hasn’t exactly turned this Lincoln inside-out, but he has confirmed it will run, drive, and stop. The fluids should be changed but they are at least topped off, and the seller notes that the carburetor should be rebuilt or replaced, along with general tune-up parts swapped in. The engine bay is surprisingly clean, and is in better cosmetic condition than I would expect for a car with average mileage that’s been forgotten in a barn for over a decade. The Buy-It-Now seems reasonable to me, but the seller is open to offers – just don’t expect the windshield to be replaced for a reduced price.
Mark V’s have really captured my interest and imagination over the last year or so and I have watched their values hover in the affordable range like this.
Drove next to two this weekend; one on I95 and the other in a local supermarket. Forgot how ‘ungainly’ the rear wheels just don’t fill up the wells, as if the rear ends were too narrow, and OMG the overhangs required so that the car could turn less like a supertanker. Though it wouldn’t hurt to have the cargo on board!
Had a ’78 I bought new – traded in a ’77 Corvette … Givenchy series with a 460, quadraphonic sound, moonroof, anti-skid brakes … great car for road trips … sucked gas but in the 70’s who cared … only had 85 on the speedometer but kept up with a Mercedes 450 SL on the Edens Expressway at 130 mph … wish I had it back …
I had several Mark Vs as demos back in the day. Fun car with the 460s but not so much with the 400s.
Nice car at a great price but as you say the color is kinda drab. In any case it’s a good buy and should be with us for many more years to come.
I own a 78 Givechy just like te one Jon mentions. Mine has 34000 original on it, beautiful car, but everytime I drive it something else goes haywire with it. They only made 935 of them, as Givenchy got his designs in late, and production was upheld. The were also tagged as having the worst gas mileage rating from the factory of any U.S. production car. I think I get around 11 on the highway, 8 around town
Now this is a real “Stinkin Lincoln.” Two thumbs up for the cleaning job!