This amazing Continental represents an era of the American luxury automobile when one could enjoy uncompromising design, engineering and opulence. The sales literature for the model speaks of the “dignified prestige of owning a 1959 Lincoln… portraying individuality and attainment”. The “Lincoln Look” set the Continental apart from the rest and still does today!
Lincoln offered several different variations of the Continental but the Mark IV model was the ultimate expression of the brand for ’59 – “a miracle in motion – a masterpiece at rest”.
This particular Mark IV is an amazing survivor. Only 955 of these 4-door sedans were produced. It is finished in a rare factory shade of Burnished Gold Metallic with a complimentary Glacier White painted top. The body is straight, the paint was redone years ago and as you can see in the photos, the finish still looks great! The exterior chrome and stainless trim including the Continental Mark II wheel covers are in good condition and shine nicely.
The Mark IV interior is amazing to behold. This car is beautifully upholstered in a color-coordinated, specially-loomed Lincoln fabric. The front seat and all four door panels are in terrific condition. The car is equipped with a period FOMOCO driver’s seatbelt. Unfortunately there is some staining on the rear seat fabric and the foam underneath feels brittle. The headliner is in nice condition and the carpeting looks terrific – I believe it has been replaced by a previous owner. All the courtesy lights inside the car work fine. The trunk is in good shape with some typical use and has what appears to be the original spare tire and jack.
The instrument panel is aircraft, or perhaps spacecraft inspired with a distinctive four-spoke steering wheel and an array of dials and gauges that are arranged and finished like no other. Even the way the Town & Country radio is integrated into the dashboard is unique. The radio and power antenna work fine. The inside rear view mirror has a day/night setting. Even the electronic head-lamp dimmer works! Of course this Lincoln has power steering, power brakes, power front seat, power windows – including a rear “breezeway” window that can be electrically lowered by the driver. All the power windows, including the front wind-wing windows operate well. The front seat has a 6-way power adjustment that works fine. The key word here is “power”!
Under the hood is Lincoln’s top of the line 430 cubic inch V-8 with a 4-barrel carburetor. It was rated at 375 horsepower and the 490 lb. ft. of torque. It is equipped with a “Turbo-Drive” fully automatic 3-speed transmission. The car starts up and idles nicely. The transmission shifts smoothly without hesitation and the engine powers the car easily down the road. Power-assisted steering has a nice feel but still allows for the “one-finger” approach to turning - when appropriate. The power-assisted brakes are operating normally. You can feel that this car was engineered for luxury and comfort and longs to be driven on the open road!
Finer Details
This car is 57 years old so there are a few things that aren’t perfect. I don’t want there to be any disappointments with the car so please read over this carefully. Ask any questions before bidding and the end of the auction.
- There are a few small dents in the roof just above the rear window.
- Mechanic disconnected the heater hoses as the heater cores are cracked
- This Mark IV is not equipped with air conditioning.
- Odometer works intermittently, so true mileage unknown.
- Mufflers are "glass-pack" type - installed by previous owner.
- There is a crack in the lens that covers the speedometer.
- The car’s clock does not work
- There is a vertical scratch in the middle of the rear glass window.
- There are various minor nicks and scratches in the paint but overall the painted finish is very presentable.
- The mechanical fuel pump was replaced by an electric unit by a previous owner. Not a bad thing – you just need to make sure it is switched on with a knob installed on the lower dash.
- There is some rust from years ago in the bottom-rear of each front wheel well. In my opinion it does not impair the beauty of this Lincoln nor its performance.
- The driver’s outside rear view mirror has some clouding.
- The chrome on the edge of the trunk lid has some aging in spots and there is a dent in the trim on the driver’s side edge.
- There is some minor pitting in the chrome on the outside door handles- especially the driver’s handle.
This is a rare opportunity to possess a bit of that time when luxury automobiles were truly special and made a statement about their owners. This Mark IV is a beautiful example that you can enjoy with pride and share with others.
Terms:
This car is in amazing condition - however it is nearly a 60 year old automobile. I have done my best to represent it accurately. The winner of the auction is purchasing it as-is - no warranty is offered. The buyer is responsible for local pick-up and/or transport of the vehicle. I reserve the right to end the auction early as the car is for sale locally. Payment should be a bank-issued cashier's check or wire transfer. A $500 deposit is due within 24 hours after the auction. Balance must be settled within 7 days. Please ask all questions before the auction ends.