1956 Continental Mark II Rare Vintage Classic Coupe by Ford like Lincoln - $20,000 Long Beach CA - Not Mine

[m-mman]

 

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/long-beach-1956-continental-mark-ii/7643509752.html 

 

Rare and unique classic ready for restoration. It started running hot last year so I parked it. I changed the coolant but it didn't seem to make a difference; I believe it needs a water pump. I will try to get it started this weekend but price is the same whether she fires or not...20k. Drove well before parked and was capable of highway speeds. All glass is good with no cracks. Electronics and lights work with the exception of the passenger window. Transmission shifts fine but noise coming from driveshaft. Obviously needs paint (originally white). Body is straight with no evidence of a serious accident. Needs interior as well but floorpans are good. A $600 carpet kit I bought is also included. Clean title and planned non-operation registration in my name. Non-matching 430 engine. Great candidate for resto mod or custom build. I'm not in a rush to sell. My price is $20k firm. We can conduct the transaction at a local bank. Please research if you don't know what a special car this is.

Costing a then-astronomical $10,000 plus, the cars were exclusive when new and are even more exclusive now. Merely 2,550 were built for 1956 and 444 for 1957...

 

Reply to:  bb3cb54d12b738d2867a0913704bf2ee@sale.craigslist.org

 

 

Not Mine. I have no interest in the sale of this 1956 Continental

It says so in the ad, but the engine is not just "non-matching" but it is a completely different family. This is the MEL 430 that Lincoln used 1958 to 1967. It was always a heavy motor (but torquey) and would likely make this Continental very nose heavy. 

Edited July 16, 2023 by m-mman (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

"Rare," the seller declares.

 

With their original asking prices very high, these

must have been very uncommon when new.  Today,

they are extremely common:  There are several for

sale at any given time.  So many have been preserved

and restored that the once-rare have become common.

 

If looking for a Mark II, one can be patient and almost

get his choice of colors.  Contrast that with, for example,

a 1957 Lincoln Capri 4-door hardtop, of which there might

be one for sale every few years!

[kingrudy]

I have always loved the styling of this car. A real hand made luxury car with no expense spared. I agree with John, these cars come up for sale often and you can just about pick the color you want. Low production could mean parts for this car will be expensive. The body on this car looks pretty rough, with no attempt to preserve it. $20,000 to start out is awfully steep IMO considering it comes with the wrong engine and needs everything. This is a beautiful car when completed, but this car will cost a lot to finish. 

[58L-Y8]

Beware the badly rundown, seemingly cheap Continental Mark II that "just needs restoration".  These cars are hideously expensive to restore, other than basically the powertrain units shared with 1956-'57 Lincoln.  Even those were specially prepared units.  All body and trim parts are unique to the Mark II, NOS sources have been long since consumed by restorers.  What is left is from rusty parted-out Mark II's and still expensive. 

 

As John points out, the once common and initially rare have swapped places.   Of the 3,012 1956-'57 Continental Mark II's built, an estimated half are still extant of which a high percentage were restored in the 1970's and 1980's.    Selecting the best example one can find that meets your color and trim preferences then paying the price is the best approach to ownership.

[1957Birdman]

Would be interesting to know what the exterior and interior colors were originally. A little unusual to see one with an all black interior. They had a lot of different interior combinations that gave the car more “pop”.

On these cars it is really fun to replace the battery, given the location in back of the engine in the middle. 

I would love to have one of these cars in good condition, but my garage says “no way”. Too much room needed.

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

[jj5794]

The information on this Mark II's data plate indicates:

 

Paint code 14 - Starmist white.

1D3G interior codes - all leather, light beige biscuits, medium beige bolsters and light beige welts.
C in 56C2547 indicates January 1956 production.

 

A non factory air conditioned Mark II.

 

Jim Vesely

ROA # 7437

BCA # 39477

[suchan]

Soon-to-be-restomod.

A pity, but it's a better fate than rusting away in someone's side yard.

[58L-Y8]

2 hours ago, suchan said:

Soon-to-be-restomod.

A pity, but it's a better fate than rusting away in someone's side yard.

Continental Mark II's were just as subject to the ravages of rust as any other 1950's production car.   Living here in the Northeast, and at one time, not only interested in them but actively checking out examples in this region for potential ownership, you wouldn't believe some of the disastrous messes I saw. 

Here is a telltale that immediately identifies a rusty one: the sheet metal in the rocker panels and rear quarter panel behind the wheel well area have a stamped-in offset to allow the stainless-steel trim pieces to fit flush with the surface above the trim.  The trim is held on with clips so it's a smooth, unmarked surface.  As you can imagine, this was filled with bondo and the trim screwed on over it!

[neil morse]

As has been spelled out in other posts, these originally very handsome cars have sadly become the mother of all money pits when it comes to restoration.  Only a fool or a very wealthy masochist would pay that kind of money for one in this condition.

[John_S_in_Penna]

14 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Today, they are extremely common: 

There are several for sale at any given time. 

Just for interest, I checked a couple of websites.

 

Hemmings.com has NINE for sale right now;

Carsforsale.com has ELEVEN for sale right now,

     some of which are surely duplicates from the 

     Hemmings site.

 

I don't think there is any other 1950's Lincoln

that is so common today.

[Sal Hepatica]

Long Beach car... looks as if it sat outside. "Rust free California cars" doesn't apply if the salty sea breeze and fog roll in. They rust from the top down, not from the bottom up.

Edited July 17, 2023 by Sal Hepatica
Spelling (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

Where do I even start? Sellers like this guy are why many saveable cars are never saved.

[Walt G]

To use some current over used words it is "very rare" and an "ICON" that is iconic......

[JamesR]

I really love these. The only problem is that these Continental Mark II's are such wonderful cars that anything less than the highest quality work - top to bottom - just wouldn't seem right, and I don't even want to think how expensive that would be. If someone was a top notch professional restoration guy, it might make a great "lifetime achievement" project that wouldn't require a second mortgage. Thanks for posting.