1958 Lincoln Premier Landau - $21000 - Montrose, CO - Not Mine - Still available, priced higher at $22,500, June 2021: - Still available, Price Still $22,500, 7-1-2022:

[58L-Y8]

1958 Lincoln Premier Landau - $21000 - Montrose, CO - Still available, priced higher at $22,500, June 2021: - Still available, Price Still $22,500, 7-1-2022: See new link below.

https://westslope.craigslist.org/cto/d/montrose-1958-lincoln-premier/7150286663.html

Gorgeous 1958 Lincoln Premier 4 door hardtop, nicely restored, one of the largest cars ever made, well over 5000 lbs of American iron. 430 cubic inch V8 with 375 horsepower. Phone calls only.

Contact: 'show phone number' returns an error message, try it yourself if interested.

Copy and paste in your email: 20c94a193b7d3af78bcf1068843a1d5e@sale.craigslist.org

 

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1958 Lincoln Premier Landau.

Edited July 4, 2022 by 58L-Y8
Still available, Price Still $22,500, 7-1-2022: July 2022 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Historically, it's an interesting car, and it's in a seldom-seen

color for 1958 Lincolns.  However, the styling really is odd.

In that era, stylists wanted to be "different" and really changed

the styling from the well received 1955-56 cars of all makes.

 

The year 1958 produced some unattractive cars, sorry to say.

Ford Motor Company had more than its share:

 

---I don't object to the '58 Ford, but I read accounts from that

    time that dealers got objections to the "vacuum-cleaner" front end.

---The Lincoln really is strange.  Much better when revised for 1959-60.

---The famous Edsel had jokes made about its looks, and reportedly,

     some buyers were actually embarrassed about their purchase.

---The '58 Mercury was bizarre and graceless, too, I think.

 

And to think that in 1956, the Lincoln won awards for its beautiful styling!

[58L-Y8]

Indeed, the 1958 Lincolns and Continentals are an acquired taste.   My bad taste was formed at six years old when I saw my first '58, instantly smitten...

I know, strange little kid...  

[W_Higgins]

All I can think when I see it is how much I'd like to have that instrument panel lens that doesn't have the "70 mph" crack in it.

 

All three years offered interesting combinations of style changes and trim features between models.  For '58 I prefer the Premiere and Capri because I think the side trim coming up from the rear does a nice job of balancing the short fender scallop.  To me they look better yet in a two-door.

 

It looks like it was somebody's hot rod with all the chrome on the engine.  Look at that dual master cylinder they put in place of the Treadle Vac.  Is that a hydraulic booster on the back of it?  There are big hoses going to it.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I recall hearing decades ago that the early '58 Lincolns, because they were unibody, had structural problems. Perhaps it was myth, though, but it was said that if you jacked the front of one of these up with the bumper jack, there was a chance that the windshield could crack because of flex in the body. Do any of you recall ever hearing that?

[W_Higgins]

1 minute ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

I recall hearing decades ago that the early '58 Lincolns, because they were unibody, had structural problems. Perhaps it was myth, though, but it was said that if you jacked the front of one of these up with the bumper jack, there was a chance that the windshield could crack because of flex in the body. Do any of you recall ever hearing that?

 

I've never read anything official but have heard that early 58's had weld failure issues (though nothing as dramatic as windshields cracking) and I think they mostly overcame it by increasing the number of spot welds.  I don't know of any instances of where they changed joint designs or braced things.  For all the obscure topics they cover, the Service Bulletins are silent on that issue. 

 

My '60 will flex a little when I put it on a typical two-post lift but not so much that I can't still open and close the doors as other non-unibody cars are prone to do. It is important to do a close inspection of the torque boxes if you ever shop for one of these things.  The outside can exhibit little in the way of rust issues even if not repaired yet still have torque box damage.  Several years back there was a huge Lincoln auction and in it a '59 with very poor gaps and horrendous body work.  Looking in the front fender wells there were diagonal pieces of angle iron stuffed where the torque boxes used to be.  Wish I had a digital camera back then.  The irony was all the painted cars were junk and brought ridiculous money and all the good ones were the parts cars in the field out back and sold for $400 bucks each.  It would be interesting to know where that car is today.

 

  

[58L-Y8]

Not unibody flex but the early '58 430 engines had teething problems.  On raising the front of a '58 Lincoln with a bumper jack, it will deformer badly, never look right no matter how much its straightened.   This '58 looks never to have been jacked up that way.  The '58 front bumper is an assemblage of four pieces, none rugged enough to withstand the weight of the car.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

A 5,000 lb car on a bumper jack is a little frightening in itself, I guess.

[W_Higgins]

People must have used them because every bumper I've ever had has evidence of it but it's certainly not anything I would ever attempt.  On the back you have to jack it from the body so the axle will drop or you can't fish the tire out of the wheelwell even with the fender skirt off.

 

Amongst '58 - '60 people there seems to be a line drawn with those who are of the opinion that '58 was the pinnacle of styling and that the next two years they threw in the towel on design to satisfy the critics, and then those who think '59 and '60 are superior because they refined the issues that people didn't like with the '58 by making the lines more subtle.  I've run into the same thing with Toronado people.   One time I was talking to a guy with a beautiful '66 that was going on and on about all the revolutionary design features and when I did no more than mention to him that I have a '67 he just dumped all over it and went on this rant about how Oldsmobile ruined it and should have redesigned the next year entirely.  Everybody has their thing.

 

 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

27 minutes ago, W_Higgins said:

People must have used them because every bumper I've ever had has evidence of it but it's certainly not anything I would ever attempt.  On the back you have to jack it from the body so the axle will drop or you can't fish the tire out of the wheelwell even with the fender skirt off.

 

Amongst '58 - '60 people there seems to be a line drawn with those who are of the opinion that '58 was the pinnacle of styling and that the next two years they threw in the towel on design to satisfy the critics, and then those who think '59 and '60 are superior because they refined the issues that people didn't like with the '58 by making the lines more subtle.  I've run into the same thing with Toronado people.   One time I was talking to a guy with a beautiful '66 that was going on and on about all the revolutionary design features and when I did no more than mention to him that I have a '67 he just dumped all over it and went on this rant about how Oldsmobile ruined it and should have redesigned the next year entirely.  Everybody has their thing.

 

 

W, I've always found it fascinating how seemingly normal guys can get so strident and entrenched in their views about what they feel was/is best regarding autos. I've never seen it come to blows, but if alcohol was added to the mix, I imagine anything is possible. I mean it's not like talking about the Vikings and the Packers, is it?

James Sheehan

MPLS

[W_Higgins]

5 minutes ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

 I've never seen it come to blows, but if alcohol was added to the mix, I imagine anything is possible. I mean it's not like talking about the Vikings and the Packers, is it?

 

 

I wouldn't know.  Is that one of the games with the round orange ball or the little brown pointy one?  😄

 

What I do know is if you go on the Model T forum and mention the word "Kevlar" you would wish you were wearing it instead of using it on your transmission bands!

[58L-Y8]

31 minutes ago, W_Higgins said:

Amongst '58 - '60 people there seems to be a line drawn with those who are of the opinion that '58 was the pinnacle of styling and that the next two years they threw in the towel on design to satisfy the critics, and then those who think '59 and '60 are superior because they refined the issues that people didn't like with the '58 by making the lines more subtle. 

 

I've run into the same thing with Toronado people.   One time I was talking to a guy with a beautiful '66 that was going on and on about all the revolutionary design features and when I did no more than mention to him that I have a '67 he just dumped all over it and went on this rant about how Oldsmobile ruined it and should have redesigned the next year entirely.  Everybody has their thing.

 

 

I recall in the 1990's there were a lot of LCOC members that swallowed hard to accept the 1958-'60 models as 'legitimate' for membership in their club.  Of the three model years, the 1958 are the most extravagant and purest expression of the original design intent by John Najjar.   If extravagant can have greater or lesser degrees, the 1959-'60 perhaps a minor amount less so.

 

Regarding the first generation Oldsmobile Toronado, the 1966 is the purest expression of John North's design intent, the 1967 only changed in grille and headlight valance panel detail, which detracted little from the 1966 original.  The 1968-'69 'catcher's mask' frontal restyle is another matter, affectively negated the purity of the original.  The 1970, while attractive,  carries a redesign which could have been applied to the Delta Eighty-Eight, it just doesn't look special or unique.  

[W_Higgins]

3 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

I recall in the 1990's there were a lot of LCOC members that swallowed hard to accept the 1958-'60 models as 'legitimate' for membership in their club.  Of the three model years, the 1958 are the most extravagant and purest expression of the original design intent by John Najjar.   If extravagant can have greater or lesser degrees, the 1959-'60 perhaps a minor amount less so.

 

Regarding the first generation Oldsmobile Toronado, the 1966 is the purest expression of John North's design intent, the 1967 only changed in grille and headlight valance panel detail, which detracted little from the 1966 original.  The 1968-'69 'catcher's mask' frontal restyle is another matter, affectively negated the purity of the original.  The 1970, while attractive,  carries a redesign which could have been applied to the Delta Eighty-Eight, it just doesn't look special or unique.  

 

At the first LCOC show I attended about 1992 a judge was looking over the '60 Premiere we took and as soon as the front door opened he declared, "This car has been modified with an air duct added to the door panel.  That's not original.  We'll have to deduct for that".  The car was obviously an unrestored original and when I pointed out to him that the unrestored '60 Continental parked next to us had the exact same feature he said, "Well.... it has been modified too."  That moment gave birth to my position that I don't need a "judge" to tell me that he knows less about my cars than I do!

 

What really set off the Toronado guy was when he asked if mine had a vinyl top and I answered in the affirmative.  It must have been appealing to some back in the era, including my grandparents who bought it new!

 

  

[John_S_in_Penna]

16 minutes ago, W_Higgins said:

That moment gave birth to my position that I don't need a "judge" to tell me that he knows less about my cars than I do! 

 

I agree, Mr. Higgins.  Judging can be helpful, but I 

don't need my cars judged.  I register them with the

"Do Not Judge" box checked.

 

And I like the '67 Toronado's appearance even better than

that of the 1966.  I may think differently from many owners,

but a vinyl roof enhances a Toronado's appearance in

my opinion.

[58L-Y8]

Still available, priced higher at $22,500, June 2021:

1958 Lincoln Premier - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive... (craigslist.org)

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 7/9/2020 at 7:51 AM, 58L-Y8 said:

Contact: 'show phone number' returns an error message, try it yourself if interested.

 

"Phone calls only," the ad says.  Thankfully, the

phone number is now listed properly in the ad:

(970) Nine hundred one-9582

I always liked the 1959 and 1960 styling better,

but this car's unusual paint color makes it more interesting.

So, so many 1958-60 Lincolns are white or black.

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

Thanks John_S, 

I hadn't check the contact information since the advertisement appeared to be a repeat of last year...with a higher price.   

Black and white were the first two colors the brochure shows the Continental Mark III landau hardtops in the brochure as well as many of the advertisements.   Advertising recommends presenting the new cars in the most flattering colors at introduction, follow-up with other choices and combinations later.  Convertibles were generally presented in reds yellows, pastels.   If this 1958 Lincoln has always been a western Colorado car from new, good likelihood this would be as rust-free an example as one is likely to find. 

[JamesR]

On 7/9/2020 at 7:05 AM, John_S_in_Penna said:

Historically, it's an interesting car...However, the styling really is odd.

In that era, stylists wanted to be "different" and really changed

the styling from the well received 1955-56 cars of all makes.

 

The year 1958 produced some unattractive cars, sorry to say.

 

And to think that in 1956, the Lincoln won awards for its beautiful styling!

 

 I have to agree with John, generally speaking. I love American cars of 1958, but kind of the same way I love sci-fi movies of 1958...not because they're great styling achievements, but because their schlockiness is a big part of their appeal. I do think the first year of Edsel is unfairly singled out as being notably unattractive when so many other cars from that year (and a few years after) also qualify for that label. GM made some real doozies, too...but they're very cool doozies.

 

There were some actual nice looking cars from 1958, though, even from GM. The Chevy Impala and Corvette are pleasing designs. I actually like the '58 full sized Ford, too, but I  understand that many Ford fans aren't that crazy about them. And in '58 many Mopars still had the best of what V. Exner had to offer. I think the DeSoto was the best of the lot.

[kingrudy]

Sure is an interesting car. I'm not sure why the price has been raised after not selling for almost a year. Maybe the reasoning is inflation. 

[rg171352]

8 hours ago, kingrudy said:

Sure is an interesting car. I'm not sure why the price has been raised after not selling for almost a year. Maybe the reasoning is inflation. 

 

And people say you can never raise your price!

[Guest]

I don't know.... my intention was not to rain on anyone's parade when it comes to taste in autos.  After all, without variety most car forums (or car conversations in general) would quickly become very boring.  That being said, I think JamesR's newly coined term "shlockiness" is spot on and after 24 hours, I can't get it out of my head.  I wanted to say I was on the fence with this era Lincoln but James' boldness in terminology and rapier-like wit has fully won me over and, as I'm certain to plagiarize him in future, I feel I must stand with him and defend the term in order to enjoy it's future use. 

 

I generally have a real soft spot for cars of this particular era and I really wanted to like the Lincoln but the  offerings from 1958-60 are just so busy.  Almost like every veteran designer at FoMoCo left after 1957 (which was a very sharp looking car) and didn't return til 1961 with the complete makeover.   Then whatever martini fueled "design" crew filled that gap from '58-60 were each allowed to add one feature, any of which on a more toned down car may have been fine, but when they're all jammed together, this cacophonous offering is the result.  Surrealism on wheels (Salvador Dali was only 54 years old in 1958). The angled headlights are pretty difficult to accept on any car.  Chrysler fared no better 4 or 5 years later when they tried it.  The most incongruous piece of the car for me, personally, is the large scallop surrounding the front wheel.  How on earth that feature ever came to fruition is beyond me.  One can only assume this was a design cue transferred directly from somebody's recent vacation to the Polynesian Triangle combined with too much coconut rum and a fixation on the massive carved ear of an Easter Island stone head. 

 

1958-60 also offered some very innovative tail light designs by most manufacturers.  But Lincoln sadly misses the mark here as well with a tail light panel that comes off looking more like a utilitarian afterthought for a mail truck than a signature look of Ford's flagship luxury car.  I think, of the three years, 1960 was the poorest example of this feature.

It's big and garish.  It screams 1950's American excess (which I suppose is exactly the point) louder than any of the others.  So in the end, I'd have to admit that this would have been the quintessential car for Steve McQueen to have been behind the wheel of when speeding away from the Colonial Theater on that warm summer night back in 1958.

 

 

Of course this is just my opinion and I could be wrong.

 

 

 

 

[58L-Y8]

GregLaR:

 

"The most incongruous piece of the car for me, personally, is the large scallop surrounding the front wheel.  How on earth that feature ever came to fruition is beyond me.  One can only assume this was a design cue transferred directly from somebody's recent vacation to the Polynesian Triangle combined with too much coconut rum and a fixation on the massive carved ear of an Easter Island stone head. "

 

I can answer this one for you, seen by a Ford executive when visiting the 1955 Paris Auto Show: 1955 Citroen 15-Six limousine by Franay.

 

For the Mid-Century Modern period, the 1958-'60 Lincolns and Continentals are the automotive equivalent of Googie coffee shop architecture and architect Morris Lapidus's luxury hotel and high-rise designwork.

[Guest]

Thanks 58, it does work better on the Citroen.

The Googie influence is undeniable.

[John_S_in_Penna]

15 hours ago, GregLaR said:

...The most incongruous piece of the car for me, personally, is the large scallop surrounding the front wheel.

 How on earth that feature ever came to fruition is beyond me. 

 

After reading about their odd design and seeing 

that front-wheel "scallop" in pictures, I finally saw

a 1958 Lincoln in person in the Hershey car corral.

The pushed-in sheet metal surrounding the front-wheel

cutout really made an odd contour--even odder when

seen up close.  For 1959 and 1960, as the weird styling

was moderated, the sheet metal within this contour

was made flat.

 

If I hadn't known, I might have thought the sheet metal

fender was actually damaged.  One reviewer of the time

referred to them as "pre-dented fenders"!

[58L-Y8]

I've never seen enough other views of the Citroen 15-Six  by Franay to know if they were "pre-dented" as well!

[58L-Y8]

Still available, Price Still $22,500, 7-1-2022:

1958 Lincoln Premier - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive... (craigslist.org)

Contact: call: (970) 9-0-1-9-5-8-two

[John_S_in_Penna]

I like this car, especially for its unusual but not gaudy

color combination.  At the large car shows around here,

something that's a conversation piece stands out in the

crowd.

 

If it had the better styling of the 1959 or 1960 models,

I might be pondering more.  Thank you for the update, Steve.

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Gearheadengineer]

Yes honey, I agree we don’t need the Lincoln. I’ve advertised it for two years. I guess the market is soft.