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Another Look at the Continental Mark II


Guest Magoo

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Guest Magoo
On the Mark II Forum we've discussed this picture. It's clearly not the correct color for a Mark II, but we can't figure out what the color actually is, because of the color shift in the photo.

I'm sure you're right, no question about it. It's evident in the pavement and in the rocks in the distance. I love the color anyway, is that wrong?

If I had to guess, the real color was probably an antique gold or bronze.

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Here is the image with some of the magenta cast removed to make the surrounding colors more natural. Obviously I don't know what the color of the car should be but its color was changed consistant with the RGB colors of the image.

continentalmarkiicolor2_zps648479ea.jpg

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Guest Magoo
Here is the image with some of the magenta cast removed to make the surrounding colors more natural. Obviously I don't know what the color of the car should be but its color was changed consistant with the RGB colors of the image.

continentalmarkiicolor2_zps648479ea.jpg

I do believe you nailed it. Thanks!

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Guest Magoo
Here is the image with some of the magenta cast removed to make the surrounding colors more natural. Obviously I don't know what the color of the car should be but its color was changed consistant with the RGB colors of the image.

continentalmarkiicolor2_zps648479ea.jpg

I forgot to ask: May I use your corrected version?

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Guest Magoo
I love the Mark IIs even in that pink that surely would've turned up if it had lasted a year or two more. What exactly drove up the price so high on these? Would have been interesting to see how a Mark from 57-67 would look.

A lot of very expensive trim and hand assembly drove up the price. Barry Wolk, the fellow above, can surely quote us chapter and verse.

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First, development costs were rather high. While they were developing the "Sport Coupe" they were also developing the Mark II Retractable, which cost the Continental Division $2.1 million, but only built one Prototype. That prototype was built at Hess & Eisenhardt in 1954. My car was made into a convertible there in late 1955. The development costs for a top they never used cost $700 per car. Ford went on to use it in the Skyliner and '61-67 Lincoln convertibles without the sheet metal.

The car used Bridge of Weir leather, a European concern still in business. The paint jobs were the best of the period with 4 double costs of rubbed lacquer. There is 150 pounds of chromium on the car. Even the polished stainless steel is flash chromed. In 1957 they went to some vinyl, but before that everything was covered in leather. The car has power-everything. Air conditioning was the only option, yet there are reports of some cars being fitted with seat belts and padded dashboards. Safety was never mentioned in those days.

It is said that Mark II engines were "blueprinted". I say that's marketing hogwash. Lincoln engines are identical in every way, except they don't have serial numbers stamped near the distributor. They probably got the pick of Lincoln components, but I'm sure that's as far as it went. It was a standard Ford two speed trans and a standard rear end. The drive shaft is a little unusual, but the rest of the car is fairly modern technology. It uses a torsion bushing system on the A-arms that returned the car to proper ride height accounting for it feeling of floating over road hazards.

Aside from a Federal Judge in Chicago that uses his as a daily driver I probably pile more miles on my Mark II than anybody else. I can tell you it's a pleasure to drive at well beyond the speed limit. It's almost identical in ride characteristics to my 20,000 mile '77 Town Car, only sportier, if that's a word you can apply to a 5300# car.

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Guest Rob McDonald

I dunno, I really liked the metallic coppery-pink on this stunningly beautiful car. Purple rocks and a green sky are both parts of my special reality.

Barry, I love your very appropriate typo - "4 double costs of rubbed lacquer". They may as will have been smearing on liquified $100 bills, although that would have resulted in a muddy grey-green. Chrome plating over stainless steel was a premium feature shared with Buick for its wheel covers up until '56, I think.

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