I guess I now know what John Lennon meant with his lyric “ju-ju eyeballs” from the Beatles song “Come Together“. If ever they existed automotively, this 1960 Lincoln coupe has them! Existentially, Lincolns from this era and designed by John Najjar are real attention getters – especially when compared to the dignified Elwood Engel design that followed. Discovered in Morro Bay, California, this standard model Lincoln is in fair shape, but it’s not without its issues. Those interested can find it here on craigslist, where it’s listed for $10,000.
In 1960, Lincolns were offered in three trims: Standard (such as our subject), Premier, and the range-topping Continental. Standard Lincolns were built as four-door sedans and hardtops, as well as a two-door hardtop – and those are rather rare, with only 1,670 seeing the light of day that year. The listing states, “Two owners, mostly original. Odometer works intermittently. Was a cruiser up until 22. Non-opt registered since, title in my name. Very little surface rust, worst is on the driver’s side floorboards, has a coating on the underside.” The finish is rather faded – it looks like a cross between automotive primer and military olive drab. That said, the stainless trim is still bright, the body panels appear to be straight, and the original lustrous wheel covers have managed to stay attached and not end up lost or intentionally discarded. Big? You bet, this Lincoln is 227.2 inches in length (almost 19 feet!) and 80.3 inches (6.7 feet) in width – I wouldn’t want to have to slip this sucker into a single car garage opening!
Providing momentum is the job of a 314 gross HP, 430 CI V8 engine, utilizing a three-speed automatic transmission. Fortunately, this powerplant develops 465 lb. feet of torque – it will need it as this coupe tips the scales at 5,000 lbs! The seller tells us this car was a cruiser up until four years ago, but now, “Currently not drivable because the brake system is not working. Brakes booster needs to be replaced/refurbished. I replaced everything on the wheels already. Leak in the power steering somewhere, but still works.”
The first thing I noticed about the interior is the steering wheel – it looks like it belongs in the Batmobile. The rest of the environment is in pretty fair shape. The seating upholstery, headliner, and door panels check out; the carpet looks worn (understandably), the dashpad is split, and one of the sunvisors has blown a seam. This does not appear to be an A/C equipped Lincoln.
I suppose some might consider this car’s styling to be polarizing. I find it so out there that it’s chic in its own way. More importantly, I appreciate this car for what it is and what our automotive past had to offer. Love it or hate it, you’ll not see the likes of a 1960 Lincoln again. Let’s talk price, at $10,000, it’s being offered for $2.00 a lb. That would be such a deal in some cases, but in absolute terms, as it relates to this car, I’m not so sure. Yeah, it’s rare, but rarity doesn’t always translate into value. What do you think, priced right or not quite?
That’s fantastic, Jim! I would much rather have a giant warehouse full of cars like this than Ferraris or Lamborghinis. Or maybe some of each, but it would be weighted heavily (no pun intended) towards wacky jet-age designs like this sweet Lincoln.
I’ve never been a big fan of this generation of Lincolns, rather preferring the stately and clean 1961-1969 models. But if one places this example into its historical context, its styling fits perfectly. Period-correct colors. It looks to be in decent shape. It would certainly be an attention-grabber.
Good job Jim.
I’m a Mark II fan myself. A simple design that still doesn’t look dated.
Well, ungainly as it may look, it didn’t have a corner on ugly. The ’59 Missile Launcher known as the Cadillac comes to mind. Anyway, Ford knew they made a mistake because a few years after in their corporate offices there supposedly was a picture of this Lincoln with the words “Lest We Forget”. And this car, along with the Imperial, just had too much of everything, especially clunky styling and weight. They were not strong sellers.