Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1965 Lincoln Continental.
Some luxury cars from the 1960s aligned with the “bigger is better” mindset. Cruising comfort was all about generous interior amenities, cavernous trunk space, a smooth ride, and distinctive styling. The Continental fit the bill with ease, and exceptional examples from that era are sought after. This Arctic White over two-tone black and white Continental is being offered by a dealer in Brentwood, New Hampshire. The auction ends this coming Tuesday.
One of the key features of the Continental’s body is its signature “suicide” doors. There was a lot of engineering required in order to make this design work: Because the car had a frameless door window design, the roof structure needed to be supported by a thin B-pillar. A “door ajar” warning light (as seen on many modern vehicles) was added to alert the driver if any door was not firmly closed. Finally, because there was overlap in the weather stripping between the front and rear doors, a relay was added that would lower the rear window slightly when the door handle button was pressed. Clever innovations.
The Continental has a rich history in American automotive culture, with production spanning 55 years and ten distinct generations. This restored example comes from the fourth generation which was produced from 1961 through 1969. Within that span, there were three iterations of the car that could be identified with certain characteristics. Notably, the beginning in 1961, the Continental was initially only available as a four door (whether sedan or convertible). Chassis underpinnings used the same unibody platform as the 1961 Thunderbird, although it was stretched in wheelbase.
The only available powerplant initially during this generation was a 7.0-liter “MEL” (Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln) V8 coupled with a three-speed automatic transmission. Showing 44,980 miles on the odometer, true mileage is unknown. The selling dealer says that the car runs well and received an oil change, a fuel system flush, and a new battery in recent months. This long Lincoln is ready to roll, and it stops well too, thanks to power brakes.
For creature comforts and a smooth ride, you won’t do much better than a Continental from the mid-1960s. Click on over and check this one out today.
The auction for this 1965 Lincoln Continental ends Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at 12:45 p.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery
The 1965 Lincoln Continental is my favorite model year of the 60s. It was the first year for the front turn indicators and marker lights were integrated into the leading edge of the front fenders. Also, for the first time, the taillights were given chrome bezels that included the thin horizontal chrome bars from top to bottom of the lenses. To me, just those two little changes added enough detail to the exterior to really give the already beautiful body the finishing touches to complete the luxurious look. In my opinion, the Lincoln Continentals, and Town Cars, had so much more style both inside and out than the Cadillacs of the same era. Actually Lincolns out styled the Cadillacs all through the 70s. I think the Imperials were also more stylish than the Cadillacs. In fact, the 64, through 66 Imperials are the absolutely gorgeous. Yes, it’s true the Imperials do resemble the Continentals, but they definitely have a strong Chrysler presence. I love those big beautiful Lincolns and Imperials, as the saying goes, they are what a luxury car ought to be.
I love Lincolns, Chryslers, and Cadillacs of that era (and almost any era).
I have a 1966 f 350 I would like to trade for a 1996 to 1979 Lincoln town car