1977 Lincoln Continental

Description

One of the more active segments of the hobby right now are the big American luxury cars of the 1970s. Machines like this 1977 Lincoln Continental were the pinnacle of luxury and it's a sure bet that massive cars like this will never roam the highways again. If you've got a nostalgic streak in you and grew up with these cars, this Big Black Linc is an affordable way to get a fantastic heavy cruiser for your collection.

If you're going to own a 1970s luxo-barge, dressing it in a black tuxedo is the really the best choice. It's a faithful respray, and somehow it makes this car seem even bigger than it already is. None of the upright styling is affected, of course, and the paint appears to be fairly recent with just a few signs of use here and there, which puts it squarely in the above average driver-quality range. In fact, the longer we looked at it, the better it got, it really shows that nicely. There's a great shine that's much better than the mid-70s enamels of yesteryear and Lincoln's build quality was better than Brand X over at GM, so all four doors close with a reassuringly solid sound and feel. The chrome and stainless trim, and there is a lot of it, remains in very good shape as well, from the relatively modest chrome grille to the massive bumpers to the substantial side trim and lower body molding. Yeah, she's a looker!

There's a sea of burgundy inside, starting with those pillow-tufted cloth seats. If you're going back to the '70s, do it right! The upholstery is still in original condition, showing only minimal wear and none of the usual threadbare-looking areas that come with neglected '70s upholstery. The carpets are a slightly darker shade of burgundy and feel plus and there's no question that there's a TON of sound deadening materials built into this car, because once you're behind the wheel and the doors are closed, it's like a tomb. Just about everything was standard equipment, and the A/C blows cool (could use a charge to blow colder), there's a host of power options, and even the original AM/FM radio works properly. There's massive legroom front and rear, so road trips are painless affairs where you can just guide this massive car with a fingertip on the wheel. The back seat shows even less signs of wear and even the trunk gets in on the act with gray carpets and what appears to be the original spare tire.

Mechanically, this brute uses Ford's biggest V8, a 460 cubic inch unit with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor. It's not all about screaming horsepower, but rather usable torque, and this big car feels surprisingly sprightly moving from rest and wafts along effortlessly at highway speeds. It's silent and smooth, and there may be times that you stop at a red light and think that it's stalled; that's how smooth it really is. It's not detailed for show, but many of the original factory markings are intact, there's still a bunch of Ford Blue enamel on the valve covers and air cleaner, and all the original equipment is still fully operational. The C6 3-speed automatic transmission is robust enough that it'll outlive us all and the 9-inch rear end has tall gears inside, so it's a magnificent highway cruiser, as you'd expect. The exhaust system is rather muted and the undercarriage is in good order, although not detailed, but certainly indicative of a car that hasn't been out in the winter weather. Simple Lincoln hubcaps are the perfect touch and sit inside 235/75/15 whitewall radials with a lot of life left in them.

Big, fun cars like this are a great way to get into the hobby and if you're going to go back to the '70s, you may as well do it in high fashion. Call today!