Don’t make a judgement call based on the outside appearance of this 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V just yet. We know, we see what you see, but we see something awesome here: someone actually took the time to build a Lincoln Mark anything, and one that didn’t just involve looks, either. Under that expansive hood is a worked-over Thunderjet that now displaces 440 cubic inches thanks to a .060 bore, which thumps to a healthy 9:1 compression ratio at the time of a Lunati Voodoo camshaft. It’s a sledgehammer of an engine, blunt force trauma in the form of torque for days, something the big Mark needs to get moving. Add in the TCI-kitted C6 automatic with the Hughes Performance 2,000 RPM converter to make sure this ship will set sail, and take comfort in knowing that only a few hundred miles ago, this combination was being lowered back into the engine bay. It might not be the ultimate Ford mill, but we bet it barks with authority.
That’s the good. Now, for the subjective: the outside appearances. And with that, we ask you, readers: what would you do? Our call is simple: less is more. The rear spoiler would have to go, we’d go hunting for a different set of wheels, and the Mustang scoop would disappear if it isn’t needed. After that, we’d try to tuck the front bumper into the body a bit, ditch the 429 callouts, and as for the side pipes…well, that’s a personal call.
And we aren’t completely sold on the white, either. Black or dark blue is calling out to us…
eBay Link: 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V
The only way I’d sort this Continental out would be to put on a blindfold within a hundred yards of it and run past it.
No matter how much money you put into it you can’t polish a turd!
I’d pull the motor and burn the rest of it.
get rid of the wing… wheels ….side pipes and hood scoop
go total sleeper .. factory turbine wheels … dual exhaust out the from under the back bumper
and throw it on air bags hook the A/C back up and drive it
Nailed it! Any visible mods make it embarrassing, and the only reason to own this would be for the sleeper status. I built a 79 LTD long before panthers were cool, so I can at least see a way to salvage this turd.
As big as it is, a cammed and bored 429 is barely a start. I got to drive one of these when it was new, and it wouldn’t even break loose the tires.
I’m thinking that if you are serious, it has to have a 514/520, or bigger, with a serious set of aluminum heads and appropriate cam for the displacement. 800-1000 foot/lbs at a minimum. Think all motor farmtruck power level.
Gear vendors overdrive and a build for the nine inch, maybe even a Mark Williams swap because you know that this will destroy a stock drive train pushing all that weight. Serious power means serious brakes, too.
I live in FL, so the white paint stays, and AC is a must.
If it was totally stock looking and could knock down an 11 flat or better, then it’s ok.
Nah, I’d leave all the gimcracks on it, maybe add a few more. lf you make it too slick looking, it won’t say ‘sleeper’ anymore. Fake chrome portholes for the front fenders from AutoZone would be perfect!
With a ” flame – thrower ” !
New CD player!!!
Add whistlers to the sidepipes and watch it go down the road going “Woo Woo”!
Lose the wing, side pipes, and rolling stock quickly. Build a torquey 532, make sure the c6 can handle it, possibly add an overdrive, and keep it quiet. The hood scoop isn’t so bad. I’d probably use a set of torq-thrust style wheels in 17 or maybe 18 inch. And hook up the a/c too.