This magnificently styled Lincoln has to be added to the "classic Lincoln" list that anyone creates, even though it only lasted through two production years. It was a car that was produced to exhausting standards of excellence.
The "rich and famous" buyers of this classic Lincoln car included Nelson Rockefeller, Barry Goldwater, the Shah of Iran, R.J. Reynolds, and Frank Sinatra to name but a few. A rumor was started that suggested that this car would only be sold to the "High and Mighty". But ....if you had the cash (it was priced the same as a Rolls Royce for 1956, very, very close to $10,000).
Its unique frame, referred to as a "cowbelly", dipped lower than the side rails, allowing the driver and passengers to sit high, but still maintain its low elegant styled body. The intent of the 1956 Mark II was to set the standard for the top of the market luxury cars for the USA. Making money on the car was somewhat secondary, Ford Motor Company wanted to lay claim to having the Flagship of Luxury cars. In the end, Ford lost about $1,000 for every Mark II that was produced.
Quality control on the production of the Mark II Continental was "over the top!" Every motor was assembled, dyno tested, then partially disassembled, inspected and put back together. The Lincoln Mark II was chromed in places that didn't show, but where engineers deemed it necessary. And the final finish?? The Mark II body panels were mounted on a mock up chasis, then taken off, the body was surface sealed, a primer coat of paint went on, then was hand sanded with water, then baked. Another surface coat, more hand sanding, then baked again, then two coats of lacquer color, hand oil sanded, more baking, two more coats of lacquer, hand buffing, and then polished by hand. After being inspected, re-inspected, and inspected some more, this classic Lincoln Continental Mark II was then protective wrapped in a fleece lined cloth cover, wrapped in a large plastic bag, and then sent to the dealership for delivery.
A little known fact about the Lincoln Mark II, was that 25% of the total of these cars were purchased without the one major option that was available, air-conditioning! The last of these classic Lincoln Mark II Continentals rolled off the assembly line in May 1957, less than 3,000 in total were produced.
