1956 Continental MK II
Provided by Hemmings

Values Today
Low: $5,000-7,000
Average: $10,000-15,000
High: $23,000-27,000

Surprisingly, a very good Mark II is not that expensive despite their high initial price. Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) should put you into a show-ready example, while cars needing work can be had in the $5,000-7,000 range. Exhaust systems are costly (they snake their way in and out of the Y-shaped chassis) and maintenance is going to be more expensive than on a stovebolt Chevy. Conversely, few if any postwar American cars have the grace, dignity, elegance and presence of a Mark II, whether parked at the country club or gliding effortlessly over the road toward an evening rendezvous on the other side of the mountains.

Not since the introduction of the Model A nearly thirty years before had a product of the Ford Motor Company been subject to such advance publicity and press-agent hijinks. But Ford, or more correctly the Lincoln Motor Car Division, hadn't had such a product since the introduction of the original Lincoln Continental 15 years earlier. It was so special, in fact, that the Continental Division was created just for this unique car.

Debuting on October 5, 1955, the Continental Mark II carried a jaw-dropping price of $10,000-fifty percent more than the most costly Cadillac of the same year. With a long hood, short deck and a trunk sculpted to hold the "continental" spare in a semi-upright position, the new Conti captured the proportions and sporty yet elegant spirit of its handsome predecessor, and succeeded in becoming the "modern classic" that Ford officials had hoped for. The embodiment of the "long and low" look of the time, the Continental's frame was specially engineered for a very low profile and required a three-joint driveshaft. Despite its lowness, the Mark II actually provided more headroom than the regular 1956 Lincolns.

The build quality of the Continental Mark II was impeccable, rivaling the careful construction lavished on cars like Rolls-Royce. The materials, too, were the best, and critically inspected at every stage of each car's construction, after having passed severe quality and durability tests. For instance, exterior chrome was subjected to a 10-day salt spray test. Scottish leather was used in the upholstery of each car. Transmissions were tested prior to being attached to engines, then the completed units were subjected to a rigorous dynamometer test. Front sheet metal was test fitted to the body before final assembly and painting. And only lacquer was used in the painting process. Fourteen quality control stations were placed in the assembly plant at critical stages. When completed each car was, of course, exhaustively road tested before release for delivery.

But the quality story didn't end at the dealership. A field service program ensured that any complaints or defects were rapidly corrected for the customer. Plus, a team of factory service engineers was dispatched throughout the country to personally investigate and remedy any serious or repeat complaints.

With its high price and slow-moving production line, the Mark II was never expected to be a high-volume moneymaker for Ford, but was instead intended to be the flagship for Lincoln's re-entry into the luxury car field. It likely never made a penny for the company but succeeded admirably in establishing Lincoln in the top rank of U.S. cars again. Production for 1956 and 1957 totaled 2,994 cars.

Today, the Continental Mark II is an avidly collected automobile and has been designated a Milestone Car by the Milestone Car Society. They enjoyed a very good survival rate, much like early Thunderbirds, because people recognized that they were true "special interest" cars from the day of their introduction.

Because of their complexity and the quality of the materials originally used, a full restoration on a Mark II can quickly get expensive. They are prone to rust, like most cars of their time, and a complete new interior could clobber your checkbook mercilessly. There are a good number of well-preserved, largely original cars available and some older restorations that may need freshening rather than another major teardown. Unless you have the requisite skills and time to tackle a body-off rebuild of a Conti you'd be better off setting your sights on one of these cars. If you buy one with factory air, so much the better. This was the only option on these cars and is a rarely seen one today.