American Classics

[mr_tony]

Looking for detailed info on american classic cars - specifically the Lincoln Continental (sedan / convertible) wi the suicide doors from around 1961 - 1968.

So any detailed info on the marque and what goes wrong with them etc, specialists , or even just who to ask, would be very much appreciated.

Cheers for all input.

Edited by mr_tony on Sunday 13th December 10:53

[RedexR]

That's the one from the very American film "The Car" isn't it , quite square lines ?

[mr_tony]

Also in the Matrix :geek:

This one

Edited by mr_tony on Sunday 13th December 14:57

[Todzilla]

I believe I may be of assistance with this one as I own this...:






There are basically three divisions within that range apart from the convertible and sedan. The 61-63 models are the shortest with curved side window glass, a shorter wheelbase and 'curvy' rear-end styling and a three pod dashboard. The 64-64 grew 4" in wheelbase and got a smoother dashboard and rear end treatment (the 65 has a different bonnet and front wings which have the indicators in them, these pieces are from 1 year only and can be a bit tricky to get hold of). The 66-68 cars grew hips and a swage line, they also have the 460 engine as opposed to the 430 or earlier models.

As far as things going wrong with them the biggest issue is rust. They're a unibody (American for monocoque...) car so any rust can be a serious issue especially if it's in the rear quarters as there is a lot of stress in that area what with the doors and all that. Panels are another thing to look out for, most doors, wings etc are available from America but the bootlid/trunk is a real issue. Due to the nature of the exhausts being under the boot floor the whole boot heats up and you can get issues with condensation in there which in turn rusts out the bootlid and these are now as rare as hens teeth in good condition.

Mechanically they are a beast. Very robust and practically unburstable. One tricky bit may be the gearbox - it's very solid but it's Lincoln specific, ie; most people think it's a C6 and get a bit of a suprise when they open it up. It's not a problem, it's just something to take into account when getting a quote for any work you might need.

Parts availability is very good for such a 'boutique' car. With the exception of the panels as mentioned before pretty much everything else is available either new or reconditioned from the States. Parts availability in the UK is pretty bad as there's not really much of a market over here for them - there's probably less than 10 in the country. So everything needs to be ordered from the States - which isn't too much of a problem to be honest.

The best bet is join the Lincoln Owners Club forum and read up - it's a wealth of knowledge and experience:
http://www.thelincolnforum.net/

As far as parts suppliers go I tend to get most of my stuff from Steve at Bakers Auto as he's a mate of mine:
http://www.bakersauto.com/

Other good places are:
http://www.lincolnlandinc.com/
http://www.lincolnpartsinternational.com/
http://www.goldmanclassiclincolns.com/

and the best places for interiors are:
http://www.leather-restorations.com/
http://www.justdashes.com/
http://www.ssnake-oyl.com/

As far as mechanics, I use Billy at the North American Motor Company in Fleet, Hampshire:
http://www.northamericanmotorco.com/

Well, that's pretty comprehensive I reckon! Feel free to ask me anything else you might want to know and i'll see what I can do. And give us enough notice in the New Year of any shows you might be looking at going to and i'll give you a ride in one!



Tod

[mr_tony]

Ahh now thats what I'm talking about - fantastic looking car!

My plan is to do the following :-

Buy car in US (LA / Vegas / Palm springs). Get it fettled (as necessary) and use it on a 2 week coast to coast drive, then ship back to UK and sell to a buyer that I've lined up beforehand.

Quite liking the idea of the convertible.

Good news that most parts are available, and great to know what the basics to look for are.

I'm out in the US a few times before I'll do the trip, so hope to source the car, get it inspected, fixed up and stored ready to do the drive.

[Todzilla]

If you're after a convertible you'll need this bloke sooner or later - John Cashman, a magician when it comes to getting the top mechanism fine tuned and perfect:
http://www.convertiblelincolns.com/

Get on the Lincoln Forum as there's usually a few guys selling cars or failing that, willing to go and look at a car for sale for you. The only problem I can see you having is the whole selling it on part... you might just fall in love with it, particularly after a fantastic trip like that!

[Todzilla]

What's you ballpark budget as well by the way? Naturally the convertibles command a premium but hey, name another 4-door convertible built after 1940?

There's a couple of nice 'verts on the Lincoln Land site at the moment which will give you some clues.

[mr_tony]

Haven't set a budget yet, but I'm figuring in the $30k range including car and fettling. Vert would be preferable, but as you say they do appear to cost more, and there will be more tweaks required with the roof so additional cost. Coupe is my favourite shape, but just figure on a potential trip like this not having the roof down would be a shame!

I could run to considerably more if I had a buyer lined up I guess.

[Todzilla]

Don't forget to factor in shipping and importation duties. Shipping from the East Coast should save you some pounds as well. I shipped mine out of Oakland on the West Coast and it took a lot longer and as a result was a bit more expensive....

$30k will get you a top quality sedan and a very good convertible. Happy hunting, it sounds like it's gonna be a fantastic experience!

[aeropilot]

Todzilla said:

Don't forget to factor in shipping and importation duties.

Need to factor in insurance as well.

Could be expensive with going coast to coast through all those different states?

Many US insurance companies won't touch a non-national for a multi-state insurance like that.
If you can use a US address, would definately be worth joining AAA beforehand, as I know this is often the best route to insurance for this type of thing, plus it gives you the roadside assistance which you may well need.

There's a triple black '66 convertible currently for sale in San Diego for $33k, see linky here.....

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 15th December 13:06

[mr_tony]

Thanks for the pointer on insurance. I'll check out my options with friends over there to see what my options might be.

Convertible gets tempting at 33k! Thing is by the time I've replaced what needs replacing....

Might be better to spend around 20k on a decent sedan and have $10k to get it mechanically tip top to ensure a good trip...

Liking this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lincoln-Continental...

Edited by mr_tony on Tuesday 15th December 15:15

[aeropilot]

The problem is, as others have hinted at, is as you are intent on selling once you bring it back here, you really need to pick a car that you can sell as easily as possible, rather than a car that you really like, but not many other people want. OK if you're going to keep it of course, but I'd say a 62-66 Lincoln Continental won't be the easiest thing to flog here in the UK.

Dream Cars have had this 62 convertible for sale for ages and ages and ages.....

http://dreamcars.co.uk/cars-for-sale.php?gazpart=s...

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 15th December 15:48

[mr_tony]

Hmmm. Good point.

I guess it comes down to having what you like, or approachnig like a business opportunity. On that basis some research on what is the top seller in terms of 50s / 60s american cars here in the UK might be in order..

[aeropilot]

Any decent Caddy from ’49-62 ish
A Tri-Five Chevy
58-59 Chevy Impalas
Early Mustangs
63-64 Galaxie Hardtops maybe?

You could end up with a big list, but it also depends on budget. A lot of the above could be in in excess of $30k and closer to $50.

But you can easily pick up something a lot cheaper, than could be a good sell on bet when you get back, if you have a feel for the market here….not easy if youre not that familiar with US cars of that era.

Just had a quick browse around the California/Arizona/Nevada local area and here’s a quick pick of the sort of stuff that I’d consider...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/vehicle/veh...