If you have never put eyes on a Lincoln Continental Mark III up close and in person, you probably haven’t seen the neat data plate that they fitted them with from the factory. Lincoln was riding the legacy of the Continental division’s Mark II hard and heavy, and while it wasn’t as super-exclusive, the Mark III was certainly worth mentioning. They were gorgeous in their own right, and potent without being ostentatious. Originally, according to that data plate, the 460ci was packing 365 horsepower to move it’s bulk along authoritatively, if not in the rowdy, unrestrained manner of the mid-size machines of the time. That’s nice…if you’re content at crushing the boulevard. And it wasn’t a bad call…Iacocca used every bit of the goodness of the Thunderbird platform to it’s advantage, changed only what was necessary and proceeded to have just as big an impact with the Mark series as he did with the Mustang and the minivan. But muscular? Eh…not when you’ve got a bit of a weight problem.
Are you familiar with boxing? Ever hear of Eric “Butterbean” Esch? Butterbean? Imagine a 5-foot-eleven, nearly 400 pound dude having a 97 win, 24 loss, 5 draw record over the course of almost twenty years, but with a straight-up knockout record of 65. Butterbean’s parlor trick in the ring was two-fold: many opponents looked at his decidedly un-athletic physique and underrated him. Then they made the mistake of walking right in front of a haymaker that would send you to la-la land in the time it took your brain to process the image. That’s what I’m picturing with this Mark III. It’s a big’un, but it looks nice and clean. There are a couple of tells hiding the 598 Ford underneath the hood, but would you take this one seriously? Behave, or the knockout is going to be painful…
Fck yeah.
Wouldn’t it be more aerodynamic with the headlight covers closed?
When the cost of gas skyrocketed in 1979 you could buy big cars cheap. Had a Mark III and loved it, wish I had it today. Big, beautiful and when you put your foot in it response was good, would set you back in the seat.
Only thing it needs is whitewalls on the drag radials!!!!!
I just picked up one of these beauties as a barn find,
Those cars are timeless. Every line on them just works. That one appears exceptionally nice.
Work on the RTs and take it to a footbrake race. .001 variance on the 1/8 and .010 on the 1/4.
My Dad gifted me a Mark III for my first car back in 1982. Drove it to High School and had a blast . I floored that car daily and it never missed a beat. That 460 was a beast, Ford should have put it in the Mustang (71-73) . That would have been something!
Those full size cars of the 1960’s early 70’s were not slow..They beat many muscle cars!!!
Mopar guy here but I owned many 460,428,410&390 Ford/Mercury full size cars..always wanted a 69-71 Lincoln Mark but never found one in my range(not a loaded trust fund baby)..I buy/sell restore them for a hobby and fun to beat on them while doing so! I owned GM products and loads of Mopar,still do!
I know my 1968 440 Chrysler 300 beat up 400 Buicks,396 Chevelles,390 Fords..383 B bodies,340 cars and it wasn’t the TNT it was the 350 hp 440 with duel exhaust and I added a duel snorkel air cleaner..so 365 hp?
The 300 was a 2 door and it was 3956 lbs!! I own a loaded 68 300 today 2 door with the 440 TNT and its 4310lbs! Console,electric seats,windows etc..My other 68 had buckets/buddy seat no a/c..
My current 1968 300 ran a best of 12.26 in the 1/4 in 2019.. Rebuilt 440/cam/heads done normal stuff,not wild either 3.23 gearing..It beats my 2012 392 Challenger SRT!! that runs 12.40-12.60 depending on traction and temperature..I sat beside a new Challenger 392 8 speed last time I took it out! It ran 12.30’s I had a slight bog at take off….Again this is street tires factory 14″ chrome magnum 500’s and full exhaust! I weigh 245 lbs 6’4 lol..
Back in the 1990’s my 1969 Newport 383 4bbl sat beside my buddies 91 Mustang 5.0 5 speed,headers (off road exhaust) usual mods,he shifted like mad too,he is a awesome driver!!!