Could this barn-find Lincoln Continental become the next six-figure sweetheart?
The 1961 through ’69 Lincoln Continental has entered territory not often populated by the likes of American luxury sedans: the realm of the seriously valuable, highly collectible classic. As discussed in our Buyer’s Guide, a shockingly large number of younger folks are interested in Ford’s mid-century flagship, and pristine examples fetch top dollar. Well, when said Continental has a fabric top. Take examples like this 1965 convertible selling for a mind-altering $330,000, a triple-black 1963 droptop that closed at $106,700, and a 1966 soft-top that went for a cool $110,000. These transactions occurred in the last 12 months, which makes this barn-find example on eBay (via Barnfinds) a bit of a mouth-watering proposition for restorers and fanatics alike.
The rarity of topless Continental motoring—especially with only 3212 made in 1962—means this example could fetch a pretty penny. Well, except for two little problems. The first is obvious. This barn find’s been absolutely baked for decades, inside and out. Even worse, it’s missing some key components which aren’t terribly cheap. What remains is in need of a total restoration; even the chrome bumper has bloomed—possibly from the copper-plated corrosion underneath—to give it that greenish-blue hue. The second problem is less obvious: This example isn’t finished in black, which appears to be the preferred color for top-dollar Continental convertibles.
Despite its topless configuration and highly desirable body style (1961–63), the paint color means that this Conti won’t necessarily, even when thoroughly restored, break the six-figure mark. That said, considering the state of this car, it would make a stunning restomod: Think air suspension, massive retro disc wheels with custom whitewall tires, a late-model powertrain, and an interior that kinda looks like the original but has a lot of modern materials and upgrades. While such creations go for good money, they don’t necessarily sell for the same price as the nut-and-bolt, perfect restorations. But perhaps this isn’t the point.
Be it a factory-worthy restoration or a high-zoot restomod, this Continental still has the right bones. It’s absolutely the right year and body style. And it’s a dirt-cheap canvas, because as of this writing the bidding is just under $2800. That leaves plenty of headroom for the requisite amount of parts and labor needed for a restoration worthy of a tidy profit. Whether it becomes a factory-correct historical piece or a baller hot-rod, there’s a good chance this isn’t the last we’ll see of this particular Lincoln Continental.
