1956 Continental ( Lincoln ) Mark II

285hp, 368cid overhead-valve V-8 engine, Turbo-Drive 3-speed automatic transmission, power-assist four wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 126”.

• One of just 2,550 produced for 1956.
• In the current collection since 2008.
• Iconic 1950's automobile design styled by John Reinhart, William Clay Ford, and Gordon Buehrig.

The 1956-57 Continental was styled by a team which included John Reinhart, William Clay Ford and Gordon Buehrig. The car would be given a classic long hood/short deck profile along with a simulated spare tire buldge on the rear deck lid - a subtle reminder of its predecessor, the luxurious Continental of 1940-48. Much like the original, this was a semi-custom car with a price tag to match. To further differentiate the model, it was not a Lincoln, rather a Continental, as Ford established a separate division to add exclusivity to the luxury marque.

Ford's goal was to create the most luxurious, carefully crafted production car. In that - they succeeded. Despite sharing mechanical components with "lesser" Lincolns, drivetrain items were machined to high tolerances and heavily tested. Each chassis was tuned and tested before mounting the body. The bodies demanded 60 hours of metal finishing - five times that of the typical car. The car used a somewhat unusual "cowbelly" frame designed by engineer Harley Copp, giving it a recessed floor much like earlier "step-down" Hudsons. This permitted upright seating without a tall body just 56 inches high. Once all the testing and inspections were completed, the cars where shipped in a fleece-lined cover and wrapped in a plastic bag. The resultant car was nothing short of understated elegance.

Despite the beautiful styling, the car was priced near the precarious$10,000 per copy, with Ford reportedly losing $1,000's on each one sold. Just 2,550 of the Mark II's were sold in 1956. Another 444 would be produced for the 1957 model year when production was halted in May and the model discontinued.

This Mark II has been part of the Museum's collection for 9 years, and has been displayed in our main gallery and played a part in a variety of exhibits over the years. It is finished in its rare and proper "Summit Green"with a matching leather green and white interior. The odometer shows 60,846 miles and has been in static garaged museum storage for more than a decade. It wears what appears to be an older re spray and original diecast and stainless trim. The car is very solid but is going to need some TLC after sitting in storage. Recently the brake booster was rebuilt by White Post Restorations to cure a common issue with these vehicles. The car runs and drivesbut was only driven on museum property and should be checked prior to being put into service. The car does have some issues like a mark in the passengers side of the dash board and some rust issues on the exhaust. We also noticed what appears to be antifreeze on the passengers side front floor that could mean the heater core leaked at one time. The leather interior is in nice shape and is white trimmed in green piping. The interior trim is in nice shape also with some minor imperfections from use. The exterior trim is in good shape and the chrome is good. The paint is driver quality and was done years before it came to the museum. It does shine but has some chips from being driven after it was restored. This is a low production vehicle and deserves to be brought back to its former glory.

We encourage bidders to come see the vehicle at 161 Museum Drive, Hershey, Pa. 17033 by appointment only. We are open seven days a week from 9am - 5 pm.