BF Exclusive: 1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible
- Seller: Phil G
- Location: Cave Creek, Arizona
- Mileage: 82,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 3Y86N415816
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: MEL 430 V8
- Transmission: Automatic
Big luxury convertibles aren’t all that uncommon, but there aren’t many with four doors. The Lincoln Continental Convertible belongs to a tiny club of factory-built four-door drop-tops. It’s a fascinating design that looks elegant whether the top is up or down, but given the high price tag when new and limited market, Lincoln didn’t build all that many of these. This example is a stalled project that needs to be finished. If you are up for the challenge, make the seller an offer!
Building the Continental Convertible was certainly an engineering challenge, as the 124″ wheelbase needed to be strong enough to support the car’s weight and prevent it from flexing while driving down the road. Due to the lack of a center pillar supported by a roof structure, the rear doors featured rear-mounted hinges. While it was an engineering solution to a problem, it turned out to be one of the cooler features of the car.
The interior looks complete, but the Arizona heat has taken its toll on the soft materials. The red upholstery and white paint look great together. It had to have been quite striking when new. Given their value and popularity, replacement components are available but won’t come cheap.
Between all the added structural supports and luxury features, these convertibles were anything but light. Moving all that mass around required an equally large engine, a 430 cui V8, to be exact. There’s no word on the condition of the engine. From what can be seen in the photo, it’s present but missing some components, such as the carburetor and exhaust. Ford’s MEL series of big block engines are known to be durable, so getting this one running should be possible as long as it isn’t seized.
These are impressive machines. This one is a big project, but it would be awesome to hit the street in once it is complete. The seller wants to see it go to a good home, so they are open to offers. Be sure to take a closer look and leave any questions you have in the comments!
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Comments
Owned a 62 sedan, a 63 convertible, and a 63 sedan all purchased at the same time from a scorned ex-wife for the sum of $1500.00, probably about 20 minutes from Cave Creek AZ.
Granted, that was back in the mid 8’s.
All 3 ran and drove but had sunburn similar to the featured car.
Cool feature on these convertibles is when you push the button on the door handle, the window lowers about a half inch to clear the top. I hadn’t thought about that for 40 years, but recently hopped in my sisters late model VW Bug convertible and it had the same feature.
I’d love to tackle this one, bu my shop is only so big!
Looks like Johnny Chase’s car from “Entourage”
This would be so cool once finished, for cruising. What’s that in the back seat photo? It looks like a bath tub. Good luck to the buyer.
These in pristine condition are nudging $100k. One will easily reach that figure restoring this one. Do yourself a favor and bid on the one on Hemmings that is turn key. The head & heartaches you eliminate makes it worth it!
Something is STILL wrong in the BARN. I just posted a long comment, sent to post, received duplicate message and now the comment is gone!
Rick,
If I didn’t know better, I’d say BF is targeting you and me. Several of my long posts never appear. And I just get too disgusted to try to type it out again. Especially on the phone.
Same here- I accused the moderators of censoring me, but they deny it, so….? I refuse to retype a comment- it’s not worth it. I have given up on using the inop “thumbs up” button- it hasn’t worked for months.
Hey Friends! I HOPE the problem is with those pesky BOTS 🤮. I’m STILL waiting for an answer as to whether posting a chat line number would be acceptable so we could actually talk somewhere else. YOO HOO! 👋
There is a “contact” icon at the bottom of the page. I use it to report comments that violate the posting rules. It usually works to remove the offending comments quickly.
And try leaving a “Thumbs up”. my success rate is around 40/60. Hard to understand why these problems continue and aren’t addressed.
AMEN! I can’t use the thumbs up AT ALL. 😠
Ah, my first car! 17 years old driving it to school. Except mine was a ’62 and had blue interior.
There was no mention of the convertible top working. If it’s not, it’s a nightmare to fix, and the one specialist in the country recently retired.
You see the cigarette ashtray in the center of the dashboard? If you ordered a/c, the ashtray was replaced with a specially designed unit to fit in that space. No other vents were had. Mine had the ashtray like this one.
It was a cool feature that when you pushed the outside door handle button or pulled the inside door handle the rear window would lower a little to clear the roofline.
Even with the big engine the car was so heavy it took forever to get up to speed. And breaking? Took half a mile to stop. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but the car is a beast!
This one will take a lot $$$ even if the top is working, but I hope someone saves it. There aren’t a lot of these left, especially in convertible form.
Similarly, my first car was a 1962 Cadillac Coupe De Ville. By the time I got my license in 1969, my folks’ daily driver was a newer Ford station wagon. I drove it to high school, with the interior filled with all my long haired doper friends that I encountered hitchhiking along the way. Because my father was a retired USAF officer, it had a blue decal on the front bumper to get on base (where I played gigs with the band I was in). When we approached the main gate, the Security Police officer would snap to attention and salute (based upon the blue decal), which we replied to with peace signs and smiles. Ah, so many years ago…
And WHO put that tacky side molding on this beautiful slabside car?
Someone who had to park it in a work parking lot that was also open to the general public, possibly with shopping carts, probably sometime in the ’70s when it was a fully depreciated used car affordable on retail wages.
The good news is it’s modern enough that it’s probably only held on with double-stick tape and thus a lot easier to get rid of than the dings and ripples it was put there to prevent.
THIS post is where my response about BOTS showed up again for posting! And I am happy to hear I’m not the only one who can’t use the thumbs up button. WHAT is going on in the BARN
Agreed. 100%
This one needs about everything, from engine to interior and is a hard pass for me. Hope she goes to a good home.
Cave Creek AZ is just beautiful, my son lives just a little south of there.I’m less than 45 minutes away.
@John Eder
Maybe that’s why a lot of my posts aren’t showing up? I always say SOMETHING to offend SOMEONE. I have a mouth and opinions that few people like.
But, in this day and age and this society of easily offended persons, it’s not hard to offend someone.
Your comments may have been deleted by the BF comment filters- they told me mine were.
ANGEL, my DIVA licious friend ♥. I still think the BOTS are causing issues 🤮 BUT, it’s unfortunate that Everyone is not allowed to express opinions of ANY kind. I really enjoy Barn Finds and HOPE things get fixed. As for your mouth, I’m sure it’s pretty and perky! 👍 And I always enjoy what you have to say! 😃 💐! Keep talkin ! We have to keep The GREAT AMERICAN LAND YACHT SOCIETY sailing ⛵.
This is an automotive-related forum- a simple concept. There are plenty of “…express opinions of ANY kind.” websites on the internet, and any of them would likely welcome you to participate in them.
I’ve never reported you, unlike a number of other posters. But, if you violate the posting rules shown below, and I see the comment, it will be reported by me. Someone has to be the grown up here. It has worked almost every time so far. This is an automobile-related website- let’s leave it that way. Take the bile and off topic garbage elsewhere and everyone will be happy.
John,
I never said, assumed or accused you of reporting me. I simply said MAYBE that’s why my posts are disappearing, SOMEONE, other than you might be getting offended, because people are so easily offended today.
I’m not so sure we need a policeman to monitor our posts as Jesse and other staff members seem to be doing a good job of that.
Sounds like John is a little too sensitive. Something bothering you John?
Not sensitive- just a believer in following the simple posting rules put in place by the administrators of this website, which they own, and where you, especially as a non-member, are merely a guest. Do rules bother you, Mike (you learn about stuff like paying attention to rules and regulations if you’ve served in the military)? Do you stop at red traffic lights? Pay taxes? I don’t want to read a bunch of non-automotive garbage here, and I believe that most other users on this site feel similarly- take it to your favorite spew website. Nothing is bothering me except people who believe that the rules only apply to others, but obviously not them.
Not only is the exhaust manifolds MIA but so is its exhaust system, along with fan, accessories and radiator. Not to mention a carb and throttle linkage. $20k is overly optimistic for a Lincoln in this current condition. Seller should be getting these things back together before asking this price.
AMEN! I can’t use the thumbs up AT ALL. 😠
Yep, the like or thumbs up button hasn’t worked in awhile.
Works fine. You’re welcome.
Thanks guys I thought it was just me. I do believe it’s something technical the guys at BF l think are decent people but most of you guys have been around this site a lot longer than I.
@Greg G
The staff here is great. If you make a comment directed at them, a correction or something, they will answer you.
The IT problems are fairly recent. By recent I mean the past few months. I just wish they’d get all the bugs out. It’s frustrating to type out a long post only to have it dissappear. And I’m working off a smart phone so retyping is just not going to cut it.
Such a shame that all you good people are sometimes deprived of my marvelous wit. 🙄 😆
We’ll survive. 😉