Lot #

9101

Location

North Attleborough, MA 02760

Seller

Dealer

368CI Y Block

Automatic

White Pearl

Black & White

C56J3352

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Asking Price: $37,900 Questions

1956 Continental Mark II Coupe:

Documented Special White DSO Car with Beverly Hills Provenance

There are 1950s luxury cars, and then there is the Continental Mark II. Ford’s newly formed Continental Division, under William Clay Ford, created it to stand alongside the finest automobiles in the world. Its 1956 base price of $9,966 made it the most expensive American production car of its day. Low-volume assembly and unusually strict quality control set it apart from any ordinary Lincoln. Instead of towering fins and heavy ornament, the Mark II offered clean, restrained lines and beautifully executed brightwork. Ford reportedly expected to lose money on every car in exchange for prestige. Only 2,550 were built for 1956, and the Continental Division lasted just two model years with the Mark II as its only production model.

This late-production example, chassis C56J3352, carries the “J” production code, which places its build in August 1956. The Mark II production registry documents this exact chassis with D885 Special White paint, a Dealer Special Order (DSO) specification, over 1P6N Black and White leather. The registry also records factory air conditioning and Bright Group equipment. It names Beverly Hills Lincoln-Mercury as the original selling dealer and Carl Krueger as the original customer. That history fits the car’s known life as a California car for roughly its first 50 years before it moved east to Ohio and then Massachusetts.

Today, this Mark II is a mechanically sound, better-than-driver-quality car that starts right up, runs smoothly, and drives remarkably well. The chrome is excellent, the body is solid, and the honest survivor interior gives you the chance to refine the cosmetics at your own pace while keeping its originality intact. If you’ve wanted a documented, special-order example of one of America’s most ambitious automobiles, this Continental deserves a close look.

Engine & Transmission

Original 368ci Lincoln Y-block V8, rated at approximately 285 horsepower
Three-speed Turbo-Drive automatic transmission
Distinctive original Continental finned valve covers
Very clean engine compartment
Re-cored radiator
Dual exhaust exiting through the rear bumper, a signature Mark II detail
Starts immediately, runs smoothly, and drives exceptionally well

Exterior

Documented D885 Special White DSO paint specification
Repaint presents very well from normal viewing distance; approximately 7/10 overall, with cosmetic imperfections visible in photographs
Front driver’s side fender color is slightly different from the rest of the car
Solid body panels with excellent fitment and alignment
All exterior chrome in excellent condition, including the inner door chrome
All Continental badging, emblems, trim, and brightwork intact and in excellent condition
Kelsey-Hayes chrome spoke wheels
Whitewall tires

Interior

Documented 1P6N Black and White original leather interior
Honest survivor presentation rather than a freshly restored cabin
Seam rips and separations on the driver’s seat and rear seat
Some dashboard cracking
Headliner rip above the rear seat near one of the AC vents
Factory air conditioning, upgraded with a modern compressor and operating properly
Power windows and power vent windows
Power front seat
Power door locks
Heater and defroster
Electric clock
Town & Country AM radio with power antenna
Full carpeting

Suspension & Chassis

Power steering
Power brakes
Clean, solid undercarriage with typical surface rust for a 70-year-old automobile
218.4-inch overall length
126-inch wheelbase
Approximately 5,000 lbs; be sure to measure your garage
Composed, effortless highway cruiser with commanding road presence

Additional Info

Chassis C56J3352, late August 1956 “J” series production
Factory-documented Special White DSO paint over Black and White leather, with factory A/C and Bright Group equipment
Original selling dealer: Beverly Hills Lincoln-Mercury, Beverly Hills, California
Original customer: Carl Krueger
California car for approximately 50 years, later in Ohio and Massachusetts
1 of 2,550 Mark IIs produced for 1956
Most expensive American production car of its day at a $9,966 base price
Built by Ford’s Continental Division under William Clay Ford

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