Suicide Door Sedan: 1964 Lincoln Continental Barn Find!
One of the more noteworthy vehicles from the 1960s is the fourth-generation Lincoln Continental, which the company produced from 1961-1969. The model was notorious for its rear-hinged rear doors, commonly known as “suicide doors.” Barn Finds reader Kevin found this 1964 Lincoln Continental Sedan here on eBay, and it’s ready for new adventures after emerging from 25 years of storage.
This Lincoln is available in Arlington, Washington with a clean title. Supposedly, the company built this sedan for an Army service member stationed in Germany. Once they were re-stationed to the Ft. Lewis military facility, they shipped it back to Washington. The seller mentions that the previous owner parked it after an issue with the brakes, which is likely a broken rear brake line that the seller discovered.
The photos of the vehicle tell an interesting story, and it’s truly impressive how well it cleaned up. There are some imperfections on the exterior of the vehicle, such as some bubbling rust on the trunk lid and wheel wells. Additionally, the bottom of each door has some rust, but the seller includes an extra set of all four doors, as well as an extra front grille half.
Inside the cabin, there are also some imperfections, but the lavish interior is complete and original. Unfortunately, the vehicle’s electronics will need addressing, because the windows, seats, antenna, and door locks are all inoperable.
There’s a 430 cu.-in. V8 engine under the hood, which pairs to an automatic transmission to drive the rear wheels. The drivetrain has 56,368 miles on it and it features a variety of new items, such as a new Carter four-barrel carburetor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs and wires, points, fuel filter and more.
At the time of this article being written, bidding is at $6,001. What would you do with this elegant sedan from the ‘60s?
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Comments
I don’t know what I’d do with it. It’s way too big for my tastes (and driveway. And town).
But I love it anyway. This Continental was an incredibly elegant design, to say the least. It took Ford until 1970 to make it unattractive and bulky.
If I had one, I might consider removing the rear deck lid to make a kind of Crew-cab pickup out of it. That could be useful….
Holy cow that must have been scary. Losing the brakes on this barge. Correct me if I’m wrong but these had single master cylinders, so if a brake line in the rear went, you would have lost everything! Eeeegads! Grab onto something Martha!
Must have been one whale of a driver, or it happened at very low speeds because it does not appear the car is damaged. But I would park it too after an ordeal like that.
When the front brake line on my 2001 Ram 1500 rotted through that pedal went to the floor and almost resulted in a crash. Don’t expect dual circuit brakes to save your buns!
I believe you. I’m surprised there’s not a tear in the seat from where the buns clenched on this one. 5,000 + pounds of Eames era steel and glass blasting down the street brakeless.
This car is too good to be bad and too bad to be good. In Russia this food is called strogonoff.
Anybody wanna do an Animal House Deathmobile tribute car?
Love it… wish the top went down.
Really?
“Battery not included in sale.”
Are you kidding? At $7K +, headed higher, and the seller won’t throw in the $135 battery? What is so special about that? What is it that makes the seller unwilling to part with such a basic component?
Auction topped out/ended @ $7,101. Maybe he was using the battery out of his pick up truck, LOL!! :-)
I owned two 65 models back in the day. They are great riding cars and highway cruisers.
God bless America
Ahh yes the Boatentental. Luxury in a yachtish way
luv’em. I call it the Kennedy-mo-bile as it wuz Prez K’s limo. Great style, sompin just glows abt the…the lill check pattern on trunk lip & frnt grill, the interior….!
Had a ’63 back in 1973………..with a big ole Craig 8 track on the hump! Personally I prefer the ’61-’63, like the grilles back and front better than the ’64-’66 Many an excellent adventure in that baby…course gas was only .30 cents a gallon……….such a luxobarge..great car…………bring a bank account.
Won’t be a cheap restoration, would have to be a labor of love. Would be a sharp car in the end.
Those windows in particular will be a real pain in the a$$. Vacuum & electric. Miles of vacuum lines & fittings to sort out once you know the electrical is good, and that is just the windows lol.
I would still envy the buyer once he got the car & all accessories (or most) functional.
I bought a ’64 hardtop in 1975 for a song as a young man. I never lost the brakes, but I did have the drive shaft drop from the FRONT universal joint at the transmission one night while driving down a two-lane highway at 55mph.
Tough car!
It neither bent the driveshaft nor required replacement of the U-joint at the differential. Gas mileage was like 10mpg around town and 14 on the highway if I was lucky.