1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III

This is a 1971 Continental Mark iii and blue metallic with a blue vinyl roof and blue interior. There were only 258 examples in this color combination that were produced out of over 27,000 that were created for this model year. I have the Marti report to prove and to show.

This particular car won best, primary division for the model years, 1969 to 1971. This is for the Lincoln continental owners club that was held in 2017 at Hickory corners Michigan at Ford motor company. This car comes with detailed documentation from inception. It includes prior registration copy of the title from 1977 when the daughter of the original owner had passed away, she inherited the car. I even have receipts from 1973 when the original owner but they’re white wall tires from the local seers tire store.

This car has the high back seats in this model. They were called lounge seats, and they were only offered for the first six months of production. Afterwords they discontinue this option. This particular car has that option. It also has six way power seats on the driver side as well as the passenger side. It has air-conditioning that works as well as the antenna works as well. Just to note some cool things on this vehicle. This car is absolutely unequivocally laser straight. The gaps are seamless throughout the car. When I bought this car just about three years ago the prior owner was telling me.

This car was repainted in its original color. The prior owner stated that there were small bubbles that was on the lower rear quarter panels.

He proceeded to tell me that he restored the vehicle as far as the exterior paint and so forth he took the lower quarter panel where there was a small spot and cut everything out and replaced it with 304 steel, which is the best steel out there. The car was repainted by experts, as well as they refurbished and repainted the engine as well and the proper paint code. Photo will show the process. Afterwords this car won best primary division, which is the highest award that you can get before you go on the national circuit for competition.

I drive this car weekly and absolutely sincerely love it. So why am I selling it? Well, I have other vehicles and my interest have changed and I’m going more towards sports cars. I must tell you I’ve never been stopped so many times, as when I drive this vehicle. Yes I’ve named her and her name is Cecelia. I will be available to answer any questions that you may have during the course of this auction. I sincerely hope the person who wins the bid will enjoy this car for a lifetime.

History:

Introduced in April 1968 as an early 1969 model, the Mark III was Ford Motor Companys answer to Cadillacs El DoradoGMs top-of-the-line entry in the personal luxury car marketplace. Ford competed well with the lower GM marquees with the Thunderbird but had no vehicle to match up against the Cadillac until Ford vice president Lee Iacocca tasked his design team to put a Rolls Royce grill on a Thunderbird for the newest Lincoln model.

In reality the designers did far more than that and, while utilizing the Thunderbird chassis, built a new car atop the platform. The goal, as far as Ford executives were concerned, was to outsell their Cadillac competitor and the first-year offering (1968) did just that by several thousand units.

Ford named the car the Mark III, homage to the short-lived Continental Mark II of 1956 and 1957. The new design featured vacuum-operated hidden headlights keyed to the body color, a radiator-styled grill (think Rolls Royce) and a trunk lid that appeared to hold a spare tire (but actually did not).

By using existing parts and pieces from other models, the Mark III was developed at a relatively low cost for a brand-new model of vehicle. Previously, the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company had been operating at a loss but sales of the Mark III turned the division into a profit center and were later credited by Iacocca to have been one of his greatest career achievements.

For the man who spearheaded the launch of the Ford Mustang and introduced the Chrysler K-car that saved that company from bankruptcy, thats an Impressive feat The Mark III was offered only as a two-door hardtop, just as the namesake Mark II was just over a decade earlier.

Power was derived from Fords 460 cubic inch that was rated at 365hp and 500 ft lbs of torque. The engine was backed by the proven and dependable C6 three-speed automatic transmission. A variety of gear ratios were available for the trusty nine-inch rear differential. Standard equipment included leather interior, power split bench front seats, power steering, power brakes and power windows.

A host of factory options were available (air conditioning was not standard equipment until the 1971 model year) including cruise control, power door locks, automatic dimming headlights and a variety of stereo systems. While a vinyl roof was technically an option, because of the additional bodywork needed to smooth the two-piece roofline on solid-roof models very few cars were manufactured without the vinyl roof treatment.

The Mark III held its own against the Cadillac during the three years the model was built (the final year being 1971.