1961 Lincoln Continental 4-Door Convertible All Original 1 repaint

Vehicle Location: GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Auction Type: Reserve
Mileage: 57461
Engine: 430ci V8
Transmission: Automatic
Exterior: Black
Interior: White
VIN: 1Y86H412786
Party: Dealer

“1961 Lincoln Continental 4-Door Convertible

– All Original with One Repaint
– 430ci V8
– 57k Original Miles
– Factory Air Conditioning
– Tennessee Car

“”Put a bunch of car guys in a room and ask them what would be on the list of greatest design elements ever found on an American car, and it wouldn’t be too soon before someone would come up with the rear suicide doors found on the ’61-69 Lincoln Continentals.”” -Hot Rod Magazine, May 2014

Kings, queens, emperors, and Hollywood stars chose the Lincoln Continental convertible for the same reason the car is revered today: It makes an unmistakable impression of sophistication and good taste. The Lincoln Continental was the height of American luxury at the opening of one of the most vibrant decades in the country’s history. In its convertible form, with its “”suicide doors,”” few automobiles have matched it for true icon status. Even today, a Continental convertible draws admiring stares and outright ogling at any cars-and-coffee gathering, country-club entrance, or homecoming parade. Fortunate Continental owners are a tight, enthusiastic group, never reluctant to share the beauty of their cars with onlookers.

The 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible offered here is a well-preserved, largely original-condition example. Its black-fabric top, brilliant black exterior paint (a single professional repaint has been performed), and handsome black-and-ivory upholstery showcase the results of years of owner care. The car’s exterior is without significant flaw. All badging and chrome work (including the spectacular bumpers) is in place and well-kept. Wide whitewall tires and original Continental-logo wheel covers add to the car’s design statement. (Originally, some Lincoln dealers featured these cars roped off in the most prominent and visible location in the dealership.) Cabin glass is clear and uncracked; lighting lenses are virtually perfect; the windshield sports a decal for the Continental Owners Club (a must-join group for the next owner). Both the front grille and the rear fascia retain their factory appearance so timeless, even recent Lincolns mimic these classic design elements. The pair of beautifully sculpted door handles-mirror images of each other-mark this as a very special automobile. Mention “”suicide doors,”” and this Lincoln Continental comes to mind.

Inside, the lightly creased but undamaged original, black-and-ivory leather upholstery matches the exterior paint while introducing a complementing color. Carried over onto door trim, the effect is one of “”pure elegance,”” a headline that featured prominently in Lincoln’s magazine ads of the day. Throughout the interior, surface finishes retain near-showroom quality. All instruments, operating controls, and switchgear are properly in place. The factory radio and air-conditioning system are also still mounted where they belong. The black dashboard-embracing all controls in a sweeping design, void of gimmicks-is free of cracks or other damage. The Continental steering wheel is work of automotive art, and together with the automatic-transmission selector front a 120-mph speedometer set in a jewel-like surround. An elegant single wood trim piece beneath the bespoke Continental emblem, faces the front-seat passenger.

Under the front-hinged hood (reminiscent of European automobiles), the 430 cubic-inch V8 powerplant commands a clean, but not excessively over-detailed engine bay. Owing to the car’s long-term ownership in Tennessee, only limited patina is evident on a number of engine surfaces. The owner care through the generations is evident here, too. At under 60,000 believed-original miles, or roughly just 1,000 miles per-year, this Continental has clearly been driven respectfully its entire life.

“”Lincoln Continental is the luxury motorcar that stands apart from all other cars.”” So proclaimed another magazine advertisement in 1961. Not only was that truth in advertising back then, it still is.