Details
1956 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL MKII
Vin. No. C56F3037
Turquoise with white interior
Engine: V8, 368ci, 285hp; Gearbox: three-speed automatic; Brakes: four wheel drum; Suspension: front, independent, rear, live axle. Left hand drive.
By the early 1950's, Ford felt the Lincoln brand needed something extra special in order to blunt the sales of Cadillac's new Eldorado. In 1952 Henry Ford II had already given the OK to develop an ultra luxury car, one which would be about as far as you could get from the "car to the masses" image that had made Ford famous.
William Clay Ford, the youngest of Edsel's sons, was put in charge of the project. He set the production standards high--more along the lines of Rolls-Royce than Ford. The fit and finish of the new ultra-luxury Lincoln would have to top anything Ford had ever built. A fresh original design was developed, which had vestiges of the previous Continental such as the spare tire hump molded into the truck lid and the long hood. The MKII made its debut at the Paris Auto Show on October 6, 1955. Although Ford was not targeting a European market for the Continental, all of the European luxury cars made their debut in Europe and it was thought that a European premiere would give the new Lincoln a touch of class.
Although the body and frame were beyond Ford's usual standards, surprisingly the powerplant would be the 285hp Lincoln V8, also offered in the "mass production" premiere. Ford obviously wanted reliability and did not succumb to the temptation to "high-tune" the engine if it would compromise its longevity.
Every part of the MKII was special. The chrome was three times as thick as on other Fords, the body panels were custom painted. The leather was ordered from Bridge of Wier, Scotland. Each car was individually road-tested just like a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. They sold for $10,000 -- $2,000 more than Ford's original plan and Ford Motor Company lost $1,000 on each car that they produced. The MKII was one of the highest priced cars ever offered in America.
This particular Continental is a 1956 model. That year, only 1,307 MKII's were made. Total production of the MKII over three years was under 3,000 cars. This vehicle is an example of an older restoration and is finished in turquoise with white interior.
At No Reserve
Vin. No. C56F3037
Turquoise with white interior
Engine: V8, 368ci, 285hp; Gearbox: three-speed automatic; Brakes: four wheel drum; Suspension: front, independent, rear, live axle. Left hand drive.
By the early 1950's, Ford felt the Lincoln brand needed something extra special in order to blunt the sales of Cadillac's new Eldorado. In 1952 Henry Ford II had already given the OK to develop an ultra luxury car, one which would be about as far as you could get from the "car to the masses" image that had made Ford famous.
William Clay Ford, the youngest of Edsel's sons, was put in charge of the project. He set the production standards high--more along the lines of Rolls-Royce than Ford. The fit and finish of the new ultra-luxury Lincoln would have to top anything Ford had ever built. A fresh original design was developed, which had vestiges of the previous Continental such as the spare tire hump molded into the truck lid and the long hood. The MKII made its debut at the Paris Auto Show on October 6, 1955. Although Ford was not targeting a European market for the Continental, all of the European luxury cars made their debut in Europe and it was thought that a European premiere would give the new Lincoln a touch of class.
Although the body and frame were beyond Ford's usual standards, surprisingly the powerplant would be the 285hp Lincoln V8, also offered in the "mass production" premiere. Ford obviously wanted reliability and did not succumb to the temptation to "high-tune" the engine if it would compromise its longevity.
Every part of the MKII was special. The chrome was three times as thick as on other Fords, the body panels were custom painted. The leather was ordered from Bridge of Wier, Scotland. Each car was individually road-tested just like a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. They sold for $10,000 -- $2,000 more than Ford's original plan and Ford Motor Company lost $1,000 on each car that they produced. The MKII was one of the highest priced cars ever offered in America.
This particular Continental is a 1956 model. That year, only 1,307 MKII's were made. Total production of the MKII over three years was under 3,000 cars. This vehicle is an example of an older restoration and is finished in turquoise with white interior.
At No Reserve