58L-Y8 Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 For Sale: 1959 Lincoln Premiere 2dr Hardtop, A/C, 81K miles - $17,900 - Caledonia, WI 1959 Lincoln Premier - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive... (craigslist.org) Seller's Description: Nice 1959 Lincoln Premier with beautiful newer paint job. Arizona car. no rust, very clean. Runs and drives excellent with many new parts. Do Not text or email just call. If you are interested in this vehicle. odometer: 81000 Contact: Please Call Kevin at (262) 2-ten-2-8-fourteen I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1959 Lincoln Premiere 2dr Hardtop. The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1946-1975, Edited by John Gunnell states 1,963 1959 Lincoln Premiere 2dr Hardtops built. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Ugly but impressive. I think I read somewhere that was the largest unibody car ever built, not sure if it was at that time or always. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 55er Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Might get more inquiries about the 49 Olds 88 fastback in the background than the 59 Lincoln they're trying to sell. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 19, 2023 Author Share Posted July 19, 2023 19 minutes ago, TexRiv_63 said: Ugly but impressive. I think I read somewhere that was the largest unibody car ever built, not sure if it was at that time or always. Yes, largest unibody in their time: 131" wb, OAL: 229", ~5,000 lbs. It's a fascinating tale of the driving corporate motivations and personalities that brought these "misunderstood giants" to market. The basic idea was to "Out Cadillac, Cadillac in every way." reasoning if long, massive, extravagantly styled cars denoted the ultimate in American luxury, Lincoln would deliver it in spades. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-mman Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 Yes, and the “canted blade” styling was supposed to make the occupants feel cradled 😌 and it did that. The interior is ginormous! Two door, front seat all the way back and there is still more room than in the front of typical cars. (Including Cadillac). New styling, new construction techniques (unibody) new engine (MEL 430) new suspension (4 coils) all coming together in a brand new assembly plant! (Wixom) Initial quality problems? Absolutely, but it’s amazing that they are as good as they are. They had a lot of conquest sales over Cadillac in 1958, but the quality problems hurt repeat sales. In 1959 surveys, Lincoln was seen as the most conservatively styled of the big 3 luxury cars. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 3 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said: Ugly but impressive. I like it. The 1958's were more strangely styled, and didn't do well in the market. For 1959, Lincoln reduced the horsepower for a bit more economy; toned down the strangeness of the styling, and by then had corrected some problems with the large unibody. Rarity goes unnoticed--sometimes even by our astute "Not Mine" forum reviewers. Of 1959-1960 Lincolns, the 4-door Continental Marks are the most common, followed closely by the convertibles (only available as Continental Marks). The base models like this are encountered noticeably less often today, and a 2-door base model (like this) is almost never seen in such good condition. Original production numbers no longer tell the story. Someone should take advantage of this chance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 (edited) And it's not white or black, the few colors in which these cars are usually seen today! Edited July 19, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 19, 2023 Author Share Posted July 19, 2023 The 1958-'60 Lincolns did not fare very well in the used car market. Consider the following comparing the three 1959 luxury two door hardtops as used cars in Spring 1963 and Summer 1965: Source: N.A.D.A Used Car Valuation Market Reports. Nameplate............Factory Price.......Retail 1963.....Retail 1965: Cadillac DeVille: ----$5,252---------$2,400--------$1,100 Lincoln Premiere: ---$5,347---------$1,600---------$785 Imperial Crown: -----$5,403---------$1,700---------$535 Whereas the Cadillac was still expensive enough to exclude many of the buyer who wouldn't have the resources to maintain the car in good condition, both Lincoln and Imperial were a "big. flashy, cheap rides" until something expensive needed repair or replacement. That $1,600-$1,700 range bought a two-year-old full-size Chevy-Ford-Plymouth mid-trim level two door with average mileage, or a large portion of the price of a new intermediate. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 I like it! Big gawdy I have arrived vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Hepatica Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 (edited) Family traded in our '58 Premier for a used '63 Marauder in '64. Trade in value? $500. The fact that I remember my parents buying the Lincoln (and the cross country trips in it) plus I washed it, so knew every line and curve. It was a handsome car, much more than the neighbors '59 Cad. That rear end was 'space age modern' to my young eyes. Edited July 24, 2023 by Sal Hepatica (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Skelly Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 The new Lincoln plant opened in 1952 in Wixom, Michigan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now