He gave both Ford and Chrysler some of their greatest hits of all time and decided the American automotive trends throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s. He was an automotive marketing god as far as I’m concerned
My grandfather drove Cadillacs until the Mark III, after that it was a new Mark almost every year! He let me drive his Mark IV when I had my learner's permit. It was so smooth and quiet I was going 95 before I knew it. He said "I think you better slow it down!".
I worked for the Lincoln Mercury Division in the 1980s. The Mark III was regarded with great reverence in that decade, as it was widely known inside the company that the Mark III had the best build quality, assembly, materials and quality control of any Lincoln in the post-war era.
It's so great to see these classics still around and owned by someone who understands and appreciate them as much as you. I really miss the style of these old American cars versus today's mostly homogeneous looking cars. Your videos always remind me of how much more enjoyable driving used to be, at least in my opinion. Thanks for the ride.
Remember buying my 1970 MKIII, 21K miles 2 owner 1 family car in Arizona in late 90ties, Yellow car with brown leather and brown roof. Having driven mid and late 60ties Cadillac's as dailies mostly I was truly amazed by the quality of the Lincoln, as opposed to what I was used to on earlier ford products. Drove the car for 5 weeks touring the US and purchasing more cars before shipping it to Europe. Car drove like a dream, comfortable, silent, mountains of torque, ice cold AC, and a memory that will last forever, of a John Denver 8 track tape getting stuck in the player... 5 weeks of "country roads, take me home" is not something one forgets easily. She is also quite a thirsty girl, but that is easily forgiven. Timeless classic. :D Love the color on yours, beautiful car.
Yes, yes it is. Having owned one of these wonderful cars, I can also attest what unique luxury cars they were, in so many ways. In particular, the quality of materials and assembly were quite something for the time, and I do agree -- unmatched for the price. And, as I've mentioned before -- fiendlishly complicated.
50 years later it remains iconic. Drop dead magnificent. On the shifter jumping into reverse, my 1964 Continental did that a half hour AFTER being parked. From that day forward, I always put a chock behind the rear wheels.
Ford is pretty good at keeping historical touches in their vehicles. All Ford trucks and full size SUVs have that interior door handle. They still use the blue/green lighting and the PRNDL is still in the center of the dash. Absolutely beautiful car. It looks expensive and luxurious even by today’s standards.
Just to confirm what you stated about the Mark III's design and quality - YES, they were a cut above anything else coming out of Detroit at the time. The level of detail in the interior, as well as the fit, finish and materials were so much nicer than anything from Chrysler Imperial or Cadillac. In fact, I recall that when the Mark IV was introduced I was so disappointed when inspecting one in the showroom for the first time in the Fall of 1972. The Mark IV was based on Ford's intermediate Torino platform and the quality was about the same as the lesser car. That also explains the smaller trunk. All of the expensive trim pieces, the tight fits and the precision in the body panels went out the window. The IV was a great LOOKING car - but the build integrity was just standard FoMoCo. They really took cost out of the interior in comparison to the Mark III as well. Anyway, thanks for the ride in your beautiful 1969 Mark III. That is one of the finest Lincolns ever built & a very special car!
My late stepdad had a '69 triple black with combination leather and fabric seats with an 8 track player. Beautiful, comfortably riding car. It looked worth the price and then some. He later traded it in for a '72 Mark IV in 1973. Appreciate looking at yours. Brings back memories. Thanks again Adam!
I was 15 in 1970 and a friends parents let him drive their newly purchased white Mk III to school. Probably not a good decision. We’d take that amazing ride to lunch and “fly!” I remember thinking how this had to be the most beautiful car ever conceived. Love the subtle Mark II reference in the silhouette. Glad Ford made sure this new Mark more price-accessible than the II, which obviously contributed to its success. I want one! Thanks Adam
My now deceased neighbor Samuel Maverick of Houston, Tx bought one of these (black on black) from Plaza Lincoln Mercury. I was 16 at the time - it was as if a space ship had landed in his drive way , it was a breath taking creation.
I would own one of these in a heartbeat. I got to drive a number of these but never owned one unfortunately. It amazes me how you keep all your car facts so precisely correct, Adam. Great videos!
My first car was a 1969 4-door Thunderbird. Suicide doors. All white leather. Infinitely variable speed windshield wipers. 429 cubic inches powering skinny, white-wall tires. It was a hand-me-down that had sat in my Grandma's back yard for thirteen years following my Grandpa's passing. The only power window that worked at all with the passenger side rear, so my buddies and I would hit the drive-through window backwards to get our fast food. Good memories.
According to the Encyclopedia of American Cars, the '69 Mark III sold 23,088 vs 23,333 for the Eldorado. Base prices were $6758 and $6711 respectively. As model years progressed, the Continental started to outsell the Eldorado, and by 1977, the Mark V, with over 80,000 sold, had twice the sales of the Eldo.
I remember when I purchased my first Lincoln after being let down by my 1979 Eldorado/Biarritz diesel and again by my 1982 8-6-4 Fleetwood d'elegance I took it to my grandmother's house to show her and she said: "Cadillac is a nice car but Lincoln makes a statement". She was so right in so many ways. The last Lincoln that I purchased or rather ordered was the 2002 Lincoln LS and I still have it to this day, it runs and looks like the day I bought it with 119K.
In addition to these being very well made cars with great quality materials , I think one of the reasons that these have a pretty high survival rate is because of how beautiful they were and how much their owners loved and took care of them !!! Great cars
What a beautiful car! I miss the ride of these older luxury cars. Please leave the hood ornament! A few things I miss on newer cars are the hood ornaments, opera lights, 12" rear view mirrors, and soft seats just to name a few. And yes, I had a 65 Thunderbird and it popped out of park very easily. The whole shift mechanism just felt lightweight and underwhelming. Then on the other side of the spectrum on my 72 Country Squire, the gear shift itself just broke off in my hand one day. I had to shift with vise-grips for awhile until my uncle helped me install a salvage yard steering column.
A wealthy family friend had that exact car and took us kids for a ride in it. I was always into cars and I had never been in such a luxurious car. And yeah, that trunk was cavernous! I couldn't believe the size of it. Thanks for the memories.
For a long time, the mark III was my dream car. It's still one of the most beautiful cars ever made, as far as I'm concerned. These cars are magnificent designs and are super well executed. I think burgundy is the best color on these, and just overall your example is truly a pretty example of a wonderful car. All of those complicated automatic systems with vacuum control is probably the main reason why this isn't exactly my first choice for a daily driven classic in the modern world.
I love the sweeping rear of the fenders and that faux spare tire became one of my young mind's iconic signs of a Lincoln, like nothing else. Astounding that the seals in the AC have held up. Some cars have them poop out almost as an undeclared maintenance item. That's the quality you alluded to.
One of the most beautiful cars built. I can appreciate your shift quality comments. Having spent an extensive part of my career in dealers,it has always been a delicate balance to provide a smooth shift for the customer without slipping the clutch packs too much. When you do get it smooth, the customer believes there would be a problem because they can't feel it shift. Ugh, vicious circle sometimes.
02:37 so true. Lincoln really put lots of attention to quality, fit and finish, durability of the interior pieces, and the paint vs Cadillac. You can even see this years later on say a 1996 Lincoln Town Car vs a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The Lincoln wins in every category including paint thickness, lack of imperfections in the clear coat, the quality of the leather, etc... no comparison
What I find interesting is that in the contemporary comparison tests of the day in MT, C&D, etc., there was no mention of the quality differences between the Mark and the Eldorado, even though they were apparent even from the photos in the magazine. The Eldorado was nice, of course, but the Mark was in a whole other league.
My favorite aunt, in San Jose, California had an early '69 Mark, it didn't have the headrest, that is how early edition it was. I was allowed to drive it to senior prom is June of '72. I loved that car, when my aunt came to visit and parked in the driveway, the windows and the house vibrated, it was so powerful! I love riding with her on visits to family. It was a very dark green metallic paint with a matching vinyl top that was not the current style. It kind of a woven pattern and not shiny. Very subtle and classy. The interior was a matching leather in very nice and I love to honk the horn, because it was a triple horn and had an extremely deep tone to it. It reminded me of a semi horn in a very nice way. I enjoyed the reading lights in back at least had to turn them on once when in the back seat for some reason and slide the window back into the roof, because it was so unique. If I was rich, I would love to own a '69 Mark III in the color you have here! My favorite color. We have a Hyundai Palisade of a similar color! I would also want a '67 Thunderbird 4 door with the suicide doors with ears and the Tilt-Away steering wheel! I wouldn't turn down a '67 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible. The last year of the convertible! Thanks for the video! Loren
My mom had a Mark lll, pale green with dark green top and interior. She looooved that car. Loooooootsa road trips in that car in the early 70’s. My dad traded it in ‘75 for a Nova after a broken water pump left Mom with us small kids stranded along the highway a couple of times. She hated that Nova.
Ive owned a Mark IV, a Veraailles amongs a few other Lincolns. Our family had a 1967 Two door Continental with the Slide style speedometer but I truly admired the Mark III
In 1970 my father found a Mark III just like yours but in Triple Black for $4K in Mint Condition, When the Rear Quarters Rusted out he traded it for a 88 Town Car . Eighteen years of perfect Reliability and no Repairs ever !
The rap on the Mark lll's styling was that they looked like "Mafia staff cars.". And they did. In styling, the first generation Eldorado front drive cars win hands-down, IMHO. BUT in quality and value, Lincoln wins in a walk. Magnificent car, Adam!
I liked GM at the time but when the MK3 came out it definitely left an impression on me. It was a car that just grabbed your attention unlike any other car before or after IMO. My friends grandparents had a '71 MK3 in tabacco brown with the high back seats and I literally couldn't take my eyes off of it when they would come visit.
We had an 89 mark vii in the family and that car was a tank.. had 450k miles on it when it was sold in 1999... nothing ever changed besides oil, plugs, coolant, tires, breaks, and basic maintenance parts for high mileage..no major issues. Never left us stranded never missed a beat. Unbelievable cars Ford/Lincoln built.. nothing like regular POS Fords. Gas mileage wasn't great but also didnt drink a ton of gas..interior was basically the living room minus the TV. We replaced it with a 1999 Lincoln Town car..and it was just as good if not better because of gas mileage and it was a little slimmer..still has to touch the garage wall to get the beast inside lol. Lincolns are bad ass cars.
The door hinges and door are just like my '66 Lincoln Continental; massive chucks of steel for hinges but moved easily and smoothly like a bank vault door. But the door has never sagged unlike my late model year daily driver Grand Marquis with modern flimsy hinges. The park lights on my Lincoln do the same thing when you turn on the headlights. Similar era of build for both cars.
It may not be The Pinnacle, but it certainly is one of the pinnacles, and this example is one of them. Dad had a Thunderbird from around the same time and it was indeed well-made, quiet, and a great car.
It’s interesting, my 1970 Mercury Marquis Brougham hardtop sedan that I owned decades ago had such similar styling queues from the Lincolns. Very similar interior design, aluminum trim along the top of the fender, somewhat sweeping wheel well openings although not as much. People always thought my Marquis was a Lincoln. It was a great car.
Man i love these old Lincolns, but i really love true survivor, all original, unrestored cars, this is the best of both worlds. Im glad this gem is in the hands of someone who truly appreciates these rolling pieces of history.
The tall antenna mast was for better AM reception. FM mast antennas work well at 30-31", but AM, which transmits on lower frequencies, and thus longer wavelengths, works much better with taller masts. Back in the 50s, AM antennas which would extend up four to five feet were common. Extending the antenna all the way up really helped in rural areas where the AM signals were weaker. In cities, where signals were strong, running the antenna up three feet or so worked well on AM. This is the major reason you'd see power antennas which allowed the user to select the amount of extension. It allowed the user to select an antenna extension to match the incoming signal strength. As you note, this was as fine an American car as one could buy at the time, and this example is nicely equipped. The original buyer could easily have afforded a few bucks extra to add FM, but didn't. FM developed long after AM. In many parts of the country, FM didn't really develop until the mid-to-late 70s. Going into the 70s, many areas only had a few FM signals (some had none). I'd guess that this car was originally purchased in a smaller city with little or no FM service.
Two different buyers really. The MkIII was a boat for Town Car owners. The Eldo had legitimate sporty overtones. I would say the Mk IV tried to close the gap. The T Bird was really closer to the Eldo. My friends moms Bird was well made and very luxurious. All white leather interior. I believe it had a 429.
We were life long Lincoln Mercury people and my Father had a 69 Mark III. I am astounded at your comment about the transmission as our car shifted silky smooth unlike my Mother's 66 Oldsmobile Toronado which was far more " jerky " which was also the case with a Buick and Pontiac that we briefly owned. My parents subsequently bought a 73 Mark IV and 78 Mark V , the build quality on those was not as good as the Mark III however they were equally smooth and reliable.
Around 1980 a buddy of mine bought a mint condition '69 Lincoln MKIII. Such a beautiful, elegant car. So much so it inspired me to start looking for one. I found a 1971 MKIII in near mint condition at a Lincoln dealer. I read that the die cast chrome grill cost Lincoln $350 in 1968 dollars ($3,050.00 in 2023 dollars). The intake ports on the 460 heads were huge, and hurt low-end torque and horsepower. I read to replace the factory cast iron intake manifold with an Edelbrock aluminum performance manifold with smaller runners and ports. I installed this manifold (back in 1981) and it made a very discernable difference in low-end acceleration -- chirping the tires at the 1-2 shift. My car was pewter (exterior) black vinyl top and black interior. Later I also bought a 1970 MKlll (blue exterior, white vinyl top and white interior). Also, I took apart a wheel cover on my 1971 Mark, and the cover comprised seven different sections, all stainless steel. Yes, the quality of the MKIII was superb.
For the design oriented that spare hump is actually repeated in the bumper for symetry and also to perhaps further the illusion that there's a tire carried under the bulge. Of course harkening back to the original in 39, although originally the actual tire was exposed (metal cover came later) I have to agree about the quality of these things - even on a an average condition driver it shows - Ford did not remove content from interiors nearly as fast or as egregiously as GM - and they gave the Mark III extra attention. I believe Brunn (son of the coachbuilder Brunn) did the interior.
I always say: what are cars? They are adult toys. A child says:- Come here see my new toy. You don't have a toy like this!... And the child goes far very proud with his unique and special toy that nobody else has.
One of my Favorite Classic Lincolns. In the perfect Color Combination. I lmost pulled the trigger on one back in the mid 80’s. Back in the AUTO TRADER publication was a Bible to car lovers. Looking at 1x1.5 inch black and white photo. 1 pic. Taken from the 3rd floor down onto the car made it look even classier. I drove blindly into Boston from Worc. County took over an hour to find a car that needed a paint job badly and very worn interior for the mileage that was supposedly on the car. I was so upset. I told the seller that he miss represented the Car! Back then I was shy, I never spoke up but after getting lost on my way to his place and being all nerved up I has no problems getting upset with this liar. It Was Black over black. Thank You so much Adam you add so much to my day brining back these with such detail and level headed explanations of each car. Thank you again.
I drove down to Pembroke to look at a '69 4 door Continental, which was only $400 in 1978, but I chickened out because it needed the dual exhaust system replaced. It seemed to look good and drove well. Thinking back, unless I overlooked other important things (and I could easily have), the car was a steal and I should have gone for it.
Thanks for that drive, Adam, it was beautiful. One can imagine being a wealthy Detroiter in 1969 silently driving through those leafy suburbs. Leaving the cares of the world behind.
I had a 74 T Bird that was a virtual clone of the next gen,Mark 4. They both had 460 as the only engine in 74. Only the front and rear facias . It weighted 4800 lbs. It had 50/50 front seat,power of course and it was extremely well equipped. It was like riding on a cloud. I always said when I owned that was like driving down the road in a living room recliner. I actually think the differences make the T Bird a better looking car. I got about 8 to ten miles per gallon. I tuned it and kept it perfectly maintained, 10 mpg. That was it.
One of my dream cars. I've owned three Mark IVs and one 76 T-bird (a Mark IV with different trim) but I've never own a Mark lll. Loved owning the Marks, best ride ever, 460ci 4bbl, 9-10 mpg but gas was cheaper then. Only problem was with the ECU. Couldn't get a new one, forced to source salvage yards. And the antilock brakes (yes they had them, vacuum powered, and four wheel discs). T-bird ran for 259k miles before someone sideswiped it.
What a solid car! I never knew how solid that thing was built. I always thought it was just a fancy Ford but now I see that it was in a league of its own. Thanks for a great video! Enjoy that work of art land yacht!
When I was a kid, my grandparents neighbor, a local restaurant owner drove one. I remember being marveled by that continental spare on the trunk lid and how huge it looked sitting there in his driveway.
Adam you hit the nail on the head with every one of your comments on this car! Having owned mine since 1985 I know it very well! I always saw the power antenna as a Fishing pole!!!! Lolol thought of using one for that 😉 I have always felt that the Mark lll was the best car made in America from a quality standpoint and use of good materials as well as the superb SOLID construction. These are NOT snap together cars. I also own 66 Toronado and while it has striking styling the ride pales in comparison, the brakes are terrible and it is crappy compared to the Mark lll. My 67 Tbird has the vault like build quality of the Mark lll and I feel is even a touch better!! Great cars these 60s FoMoCo products!!!!
Truly a pinnacle of American luxury automation, wonderful. When I was younger I had this idea that everything from vacuum cleaners to loudspeakers would improve year by year. So wrong I was. When I see a superlative car like this, I cannot avoid thinking/dreaming of what if they had continued developing it instead of replacing it. My dream version of the mid 1970’s for it would have to have forged aluminum or magnesium wheels as it probably would take around 20 kilograms of un sprung weight of the car. A Bosch fuel injection system of the time wouldn’t be bad as well. Thanks for sharing this delightful vehicle with us! Greetings from Denmark
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful car! My Godparents bought a new 1969 in white with black top and a red interior, and we were so envious. My mom had just purchased a new 69 Riviera, which was beautiful, but I think she really wanted a Mark III. In 1972 she bought a Mark IV, and I got her Riviera at 15. My first car. I really think she would have preferred the Mark III. Your videos bring back so many wonderful memories!
That firm C6 shift quality adds the the longevity of the clutch friction packs. I have a 1979 Ford F250 and the C6 has around 279,000 miles and the transmission has never been rebuilt.
Beauty! Recently owned a 79 MKV but feel the MKIII was THE best looking design of all Continentals other than the '57. Would love to find a similar car as this one!
Man in the area had one just like this when I was a kid. He was a rancher and a realtor. He beat the tar out of his cars. I can still see that Mark III sitting in front of his house with the mud dripping off of it and forming a puddle all around it.
I was born in the summer of 1969 and am amazed at the technological advances of this vehicle. It has a timeless design reminiscent of my 2022 Maybach 57s. For god's sake, please keep the hood ornament on.
Lee Iacocca was an automotive marketing genius.
Yeah, that's why "Hank" hated him.
He gave both Ford and Chrysler some of their greatest hits of all time and decided the American automotive trends throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s. He was an automotive marketing god as far as I’m concerned
My grandfather drove Cadillacs until the Mark III, after that it was a new Mark almost every year! He let me drive his Mark IV when I had my learner's permit. It was so smooth and quiet I was going 95 before I knew it. He said "I think you better slow it down!".
I worked for the Lincoln Mercury Division in the 1980s. The Mark III was regarded with great reverence in that decade, as it was widely known inside the company that the Mark III had the best build quality, assembly, materials and quality control of any Lincoln in the post-war era.
It's so great to see these classics still around and owned by someone who understands and appreciate them as much as you. I really miss the style of these old American cars versus today's mostly homogeneous looking cars. Your videos always remind me of how much more enjoyable driving used to be, at least in my opinion. Thanks for the ride.
If you're honest; all the cars during that time frame all look alike too. That's nothing new.
@@rockymntdan1A more accurate term for modern car design is soulless.
@@zanehayes4380 Not going to argue that. LOL
I wonder if they even bother with clay and sculpting anymore.
Remember buying my 1970 MKIII, 21K miles 2 owner 1 family car in Arizona in late 90ties, Yellow car with brown leather and brown roof. Having driven mid and late 60ties Cadillac's as dailies mostly I was truly amazed by the quality of the Lincoln, as opposed to what I was used to on earlier ford products. Drove the car for 5 weeks touring the US and purchasing more cars before shipping it to Europe. Car drove like a dream, comfortable, silent, mountains of torque, ice cold AC, and a memory that will last forever, of a John Denver 8 track tape getting stuck in the player... 5 weeks of "country roads, take me home" is not something one forgets easily. She is also quite a thirsty girl, but that is easily forgiven. Timeless classic. :D Love the color on yours, beautiful car.
So, how was the reliability? What needed fixed most?
Yes, yes it is. Having owned one of these wonderful cars, I can also attest what unique luxury cars they were, in so many ways. In particular, the quality of materials and assembly were quite something for the time, and I do agree -- unmatched for the price. And, as I've mentioned before -- fiendlishly complicated.
These cars were stunning automobiles.
What a magnificent car. These cars are so much more special than most cars made today.
Loved these old Lincolns. The hood went on forever. Very nice to drive.
50 years later it remains iconic. Drop dead magnificent. On the shifter jumping into reverse, my 1964 Continental did that a half hour AFTER being parked. From that day forward, I always put a chock behind the rear wheels.
Big Fords Forever! Love them full frame old boats! 👍🏻
There's nothing like a Lincoln, period!
Ford is pretty good at keeping historical touches in their vehicles. All Ford trucks and full size SUVs have that interior door handle. They still use the blue/green lighting and the PRNDL is still in the center of the dash. Absolutely beautiful car. It looks expensive and luxurious even by today’s standards.
Just to confirm what you stated about the Mark III's design and quality - YES, they were a cut above anything else coming out of Detroit at the time. The level of detail in the interior, as well as the fit, finish and materials were so much nicer than anything from Chrysler Imperial or Cadillac. In fact, I recall that when the Mark IV was introduced I was so disappointed when inspecting one in the showroom for the first time in the Fall of 1972. The Mark IV was based on Ford's intermediate Torino platform and the quality was about the same as the lesser car. That also explains the smaller trunk. All of the expensive trim pieces, the tight fits and the precision in the body panels went out the window. The IV was a great LOOKING car - but the build integrity was just standard FoMoCo. They really took cost out of the interior in comparison to the Mark III as well. Anyway, thanks for the ride in your beautiful 1969 Mark III. That is one of the finest Lincolns ever built & a very special car!
I’m in love with this car. It is just beautiful in every way.
My late stepdad had a '69 triple black with combination leather and fabric seats with an 8 track player. Beautiful, comfortably riding car. It looked worth the price and then some. He later traded it in for a '72 Mark IV in 1973. Appreciate looking at yours. Brings back memories. Thanks again Adam!
Beautiful Mark III
First car my father purchased when he moved to the states from spain in 69 and became a surgeon.. he loved them
I was 15 in 1970 and a friends parents let him drive their newly purchased white Mk III to school. Probably not a good decision. We’d take that amazing ride to lunch and “fly!” I remember thinking how this had to be the most beautiful car ever conceived. Love the subtle Mark II reference in the silhouette. Glad Ford made sure this new Mark more price-accessible than the II, which obviously contributed to its success. I want one! Thanks Adam
What a beautiful automobile. I just love looking at it. The sight lines, hidden headlamps... so nice.
My now deceased neighbor Samuel Maverick of Houston, Tx bought one of these (black on black) from Plaza Lincoln Mercury. I was 16 at the time - it was as if a space ship had landed in his drive way , it was a breath taking creation.
I would own one of these in a heartbeat. I got to drive a number of these but never owned one unfortunately. It amazes me how you keep all your car facts so precisely correct, Adam. Great videos!
My first car was a 1969 4-door Thunderbird. Suicide doors. All white leather. Infinitely variable speed windshield wipers. 429 cubic inches powering skinny, white-wall tires. It was a hand-me-down that had sat in my Grandma's back yard for thirteen years following my Grandpa's passing. The only power window that worked at all with the passenger side rear, so my buddies and I would hit the drive-through window backwards to get our fast food. Good memories.
According to the Encyclopedia of American Cars, the '69 Mark III sold 23,088 vs 23,333 for the Eldorado. Base prices were $6758 and $6711 respectively. As model years progressed, the Continental started to outsell the Eldorado, and by 1977, the Mark V, with over 80,000 sold, had twice the sales of the Eldo.
The Mark III was introduced in early 1968 and Wikipedia lists 7,770 cars produced in 1968, probably attributed to the 1969 model year.
I remember when I purchased my first Lincoln after being let down by my 1979 Eldorado/Biarritz diesel and again by my 1982 8-6-4 Fleetwood d'elegance I took it to my grandmother's house to show her and she said: "Cadillac is a nice car but Lincoln makes a statement". She was so right in so many ways. The last Lincoln that I purchased or rather ordered was the 2002 Lincoln LS and I still have it to this day, it runs and looks like the day I bought it with 119K.
In addition to these being very well made cars with great quality materials , I think one of the reasons that these have a pretty high survival rate is because of how beautiful they were and how much their owners loved and took care of them !!! Great cars
What a beautiful car! I miss the ride of these older luxury cars. Please leave the hood ornament! A few things I miss on newer cars are the hood ornaments, opera lights, 12" rear view mirrors, and soft seats just to name a few. And yes, I had a 65 Thunderbird and it popped out of park very easily. The whole shift mechanism just felt lightweight and underwhelming. Then on the other side of the spectrum on my 72 Country Squire, the gear shift itself just broke off in my hand one day. I had to shift with vise-grips for awhile until my uncle helped me install a salvage yard steering column.
haha i put the same hood ornament on my Fathers 71 Marquis brougham !
A wealthy family friend had that exact car and took us kids for a ride in it. I was always into cars and I had never been in such a luxurious car. And yeah, that trunk was cavernous! I couldn't believe the size of it. Thanks for the memories.
For a long time, the mark III was my dream car. It's still one of the most beautiful cars ever made, as far as I'm concerned. These cars are magnificent designs and are super well executed. I think burgundy is the best color on these, and just overall your example is truly a pretty example of a wonderful car. All of those complicated automatic systems with vacuum control is probably the main reason why this isn't exactly my first choice for a daily driven classic in the modern world.
I love the sweeping rear of the fenders and that faux spare tire became one of my young mind's iconic signs of a Lincoln, like nothing else. Astounding that the seals in the AC have held up. Some cars have them poop out almost as an undeclared maintenance item. That's the quality you alluded to.
Of all your vehicles, this would be my favourite.
One of the most beautiful cars built. I can appreciate your shift quality comments. Having spent an extensive part of my career in dealers,it has always been a delicate balance to provide a smooth shift for the customer without slipping the clutch packs too much. When you do get it smooth, the customer believes there would be a problem because they can't feel it shift. Ugh, vicious circle sometimes.
02:37 so true. Lincoln really put lots of attention to quality, fit and finish, durability of the interior pieces, and the paint vs Cadillac. You can even see this years later on say a 1996 Lincoln Town Car vs a 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The Lincoln wins in every category including paint thickness, lack of imperfections in the clear coat, the quality of the leather, etc... no comparison
What I find interesting is that in the contemporary comparison tests of the day in MT, C&D, etc., there was no mention of the quality differences between the Mark and the Eldorado, even though they were apparent even from the photos in the magazine. The Eldorado was nice, of course, but the Mark was in a whole other league.
I love the way the interior lighting illuminates the beautiful dark red interior.
Just beautiful.
My favorite aunt, in San Jose, California had an early '69 Mark, it didn't have the headrest, that is how early edition it was. I was allowed to drive it to senior prom is June of '72. I loved that car, when my aunt came to visit and parked in the driveway, the windows and the house vibrated, it was so powerful! I love riding with her on visits to family. It was a very dark green metallic paint with a matching vinyl top that was not the current style. It kind of a woven pattern and not shiny. Very subtle and classy. The interior was a matching leather in very nice and I love to honk the horn, because it was a triple horn and had an extremely deep tone to it. It reminded me of a semi horn in a very nice way. I enjoyed the reading lights in back at least had to turn them on once when in the back seat for some reason and slide the window back into the roof, because it was so unique.
If I was rich, I would love to own a '69 Mark III in the color you have here! My favorite color. We have a Hyundai Palisade of a similar color! I would also want a '67 Thunderbird 4 door with the suicide doors with ears and the Tilt-Away steering wheel! I wouldn't turn down a '67 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible. The last year of the convertible!
Thanks for the video!
Loren
My mom had a Mark lll, pale green with dark green top and interior. She looooved that car. Loooooootsa road trips in that car in the early 70’s. My dad traded it in ‘75 for a Nova after a broken water pump left Mom with us small kids stranded along the highway a couple of times. She hated that Nova.
Ive owned a Mark IV, a Veraailles amongs a few other Lincolns. Our family had a 1967 Two door Continental with the Slide style speedometer but I truly admired the Mark III
In 1970 my father found a Mark III just like yours but in Triple Black for $4K in Mint Condition, When the Rear Quarters Rusted out he traded it for a 88 Town Car . Eighteen years of perfect Reliability and no Repairs ever !
I always felt that the Mark III was by far the most beautiful Lincoln ever .
The rap on the Mark lll's styling was that they looked like "Mafia staff cars.". And they did. In styling, the first generation Eldorado front drive cars win hands-down, IMHO. BUT in quality and value, Lincoln wins in a walk. Magnificent car, Adam!
Leave the hood ornament on. Looks great. I had a 69 and the power locks were so quiet.
Love this model Lincoln Mark III. So smart looking. And cool.
I liked GM at the time but when the MK3 came out it definitely left an impression on me. It was a car that just grabbed your attention unlike any other car before or after IMO. My friends grandparents had a '71 MK3 in tabacco brown with the high back seats and I literally couldn't take my eyes off of it when they would come visit.
We had an 89 mark vii in the family and that car was a tank.. had 450k miles on it when it was sold in 1999... nothing ever changed besides oil, plugs, coolant, tires, breaks, and basic maintenance parts for high mileage..no major issues. Never left us stranded never missed a beat. Unbelievable cars Ford/Lincoln built.. nothing like regular POS Fords. Gas mileage wasn't great but also didnt drink a ton of gas..interior was basically the living room minus the TV. We replaced it with a 1999 Lincoln Town car..and it was just as good if not better because of gas mileage and it was a little slimmer..still has to touch the garage wall to get the beast inside lol. Lincolns are bad ass cars.
This car was a boat,it floated great for the highway,in the city you needed a lot of space,and to park? A mission!
The door hinges and door are just like my '66 Lincoln Continental; massive chucks of steel for hinges but moved easily and smoothly like a bank vault door. But the door has never sagged unlike my late model year daily driver Grand Marquis with modern flimsy hinges. The park lights on my Lincoln do the same thing when you turn on the headlights. Similar era of build for both cars.
Beautiful classic Lincoln.
"Who's going to be flying around corners in this anyway?"
Only one person I know of. Frank Cannon!
It may not be The Pinnacle, but it certainly is one of the pinnacles, and this example is one of them. Dad had a Thunderbird from around the same time and it was indeed well-made, quiet, and a great car.
It’s interesting, my 1970 Mercury Marquis Brougham hardtop sedan that I owned decades ago had such similar styling queues from the Lincolns. Very similar interior design, aluminum trim along the top of the fender, somewhat sweeping wheel well openings although not as much. People always thought my Marquis was a Lincoln. It was a great car.
Man i love these old Lincolns, but i really love true survivor, all original, unrestored cars, this is the best of both worlds.
Im glad this gem is in the hands of someone who truly appreciates these rolling pieces of history.
The tall antenna mast was for better AM reception. FM mast antennas work well at 30-31", but AM, which transmits on lower frequencies, and thus longer wavelengths, works much better with taller masts. Back in the 50s, AM antennas which would extend up four to five feet were common. Extending the antenna all the way up really helped in rural areas where the AM signals were weaker. In cities, where signals were strong, running the antenna up three feet or so worked well on AM. This is the major reason you'd see power antennas which allowed the user to select the amount of extension. It allowed the user to select an antenna extension to match the incoming signal strength. As you note, this was as fine an American car as one could buy at the time, and this example is nicely equipped. The original buyer could easily have afforded a few bucks extra to add FM, but didn't. FM developed long after AM. In many parts of the country, FM didn't really develop until the mid-to-late 70s. Going into the 70s, many areas only had a few FM signals (some had none). I'd guess that this car was originally purchased in a smaller city with little or no FM service.
Jeeez! I fell in love with this car since i watched The French Connection
From the day it came out it put the Eldo to shame. I was in high school and I remember people just staring when these would go by.
Two different buyers really. The MkIII was a boat for Town Car owners. The Eldo had legitimate sporty overtones. I would say the Mk IV tried to close the gap. The T Bird was really closer to the Eldo. My friends moms Bird was well made and very luxurious. All white leather interior. I believe it had a 429.
Lovely classic American car, just love them.
We were life long Lincoln Mercury people and my Father had a 69 Mark III. I am astounded at your comment about the transmission as our car shifted silky smooth unlike my Mother's 66 Oldsmobile Toronado which was far more " jerky " which was also the case with a Buick and Pontiac that we briefly owned. My parents subsequently bought a 73 Mark IV and 78 Mark V , the build quality on those was not as good as the Mark III however they were equally smooth and reliable.
Around 1980 a buddy of mine bought a mint condition '69 Lincoln MKIII. Such a beautiful, elegant car. So much so it inspired me to start looking for one. I found a 1971 MKIII in near mint condition at a Lincoln dealer. I read that the die cast chrome grill cost Lincoln $350 in 1968 dollars ($3,050.00 in 2023 dollars). The intake ports on the 460 heads were huge, and hurt low-end torque and horsepower. I read to replace the factory cast iron intake manifold with an Edelbrock aluminum performance manifold with smaller runners and ports. I installed this manifold (back in 1981) and it made a very discernable difference in low-end acceleration -- chirping the tires at the 1-2 shift. My car was pewter (exterior) black vinyl top and black interior. Later I also bought a 1970 MKlll (blue exterior, white vinyl top and white interior). Also, I took apart a wheel cover on my 1971 Mark, and the cover comprised seven different sections, all stainless steel. Yes, the quality of the MKIII was superb.
You can certainly see the quality in this car. Just the door hinges alone show how substantial the build is. Very nice
My dad had 3 of these. Loved them ❤️
I enjoy seeing these late-60s Fords--the evening drive was good, too.
For the design oriented that spare hump is actually repeated in the bumper for symetry and also to perhaps further the illusion that there's a tire carried under the bulge. Of course harkening back to the original in 39, although originally the actual tire was exposed (metal cover came later) I have to agree about the quality of these things - even on a an average condition driver it shows - Ford did not remove content from interiors nearly as fast or as egregiously as GM - and they gave the Mark III extra attention. I believe Brunn (son of the coachbuilder Brunn) did the interior.
What a classic, luxurious Lincoln. Perfect color for this design, as well. Thanks!
The '69 Continental was also a gem. The last of the unibody Continentals, the last of the suicide doors, and IMO the best-looking.
My mother had one. Love that car.
Thanks for a smoooth ride. My mother owned a 1963 Lincoln and would lend it to me from time to time for important dates (!!!). 😏
I always say: what are cars? They are adult toys. A child says:- Come here see my new toy. You don't have a toy like this!... And the child goes far very proud with his unique and special toy that nobody else has.
One of my Favorite Classic Lincolns. In the perfect Color Combination. I lmost pulled the trigger on one back in the mid 80’s. Back in the AUTO TRADER publication was a Bible to car lovers. Looking at 1x1.5 inch black and white photo. 1 pic. Taken from the 3rd floor down onto the car made it look even classier. I drove blindly into Boston from Worc. County took over an hour to find a car that needed a paint job badly and very worn interior for the mileage that was supposedly on the car. I was so upset. I told the seller that he miss represented the Car! Back then I was shy, I never spoke up but after getting lost on my way to his place and being all nerved up I has no problems getting upset with this liar. It Was Black over black. Thank You so much Adam you add so much to my day brining back these with such detail and level headed explanations of each car. Thank you again.
I drove down to Pembroke to look at a '69 4 door Continental, which was only $400 in 1978, but I chickened out because it needed the dual exhaust system replaced. It seemed to look good and drove well. Thinking back, unless I overlooked other important things (and I could easily have), the car was a steal and I should have gone for it.
Nice color on that example too. I would leave the hood ornament on.
I absolutely love my 70 mark.
Totally agree! Almost bought a 71 dark blue. Big luxurious decent power trim and not overly long/bulky.
One of these days…..
Thanks for that drive, Adam, it was beautiful. One can imagine being a wealthy Detroiter in 1969 silently driving through those leafy suburbs. Leaving the cares of the world behind.
Please keep the hood ornament. Even though it wasn’t original to the car, it looks so good when you are driving it.
Agree!
Stunningly beautiful car! That color combo works well on that vehicle.
Yes. I owned one. Most comfortable, quiet ride. The one quirk was the combo AM - 8 track radio.
I had a 74 T Bird that was a virtual clone of the next gen,Mark 4. They both had 460 as the only engine in 74. Only the front and rear facias . It weighted 4800 lbs. It had 50/50 front seat,power of course and it was extremely well equipped. It was like riding on a cloud. I always said when I owned that was like driving down the road in a living room recliner. I actually think the differences make the T Bird a better looking car. I got about 8 to ten miles per gallon. I tuned it and kept it perfectly maintained,
10 mpg. That was it.
One of my dream cars. I've owned three Mark IVs and one 76 T-bird (a Mark IV with different trim) but I've never own a Mark lll. Loved owning the Marks, best ride ever, 460ci 4bbl, 9-10 mpg but gas was cheaper then. Only problem was with the ECU. Couldn't get a new one, forced to source salvage yards. And the antilock brakes (yes they had them, vacuum powered, and four wheel discs). T-bird ran for 259k miles before someone sideswiped it.
What a solid car! I never knew how solid that thing was built. I always thought it was just a fancy Ford but now I see that it was in a league of its own. Thanks for a great video! Enjoy that work of art land yacht!
When I was a kid, my grandparents neighbor, a local restaurant owner drove one. I remember being marveled by that continental spare on the trunk lid and how huge it looked sitting there in his driveway.
I like the twilight drive :-) with this georgous car
Adam you hit the nail on the head with every one of your comments on this car! Having owned mine since 1985 I know it very well!
I always saw the power antenna as a Fishing pole!!!! Lolol thought of using one for that 😉
I have always felt that the Mark lll was the best car made in America from a quality standpoint and use of good materials as well as the superb SOLID construction. These are NOT snap together cars. I also own 66 Toronado and while it has striking styling the ride pales in comparison, the brakes are terrible and it is crappy compared to the Mark lll. My 67 Tbird has the vault like build quality of the Mark lll and I feel is even a touch better!! Great cars these 60s FoMoCo products!!!!
Beautiful car.
One word: craftsmanship.
Just stunning. Wow. What an amazing car. Beautiful in every aspect.
Truly a pinnacle of American luxury automation, wonderful. When I was younger I had this idea that everything from vacuum cleaners to loudspeakers would improve year by year. So wrong I was. When I see a superlative car like this, I cannot avoid thinking/dreaming of what if they had continued developing it instead of replacing it. My dream version of the mid 1970’s for it would have to have forged aluminum or magnesium wheels as it probably would take around 20 kilograms of un sprung weight of the car. A Bosch fuel injection system of the time wouldn’t be bad as well.
Thanks for sharing this delightful vehicle with us! Greetings from Denmark
Fantastic car.
The cruise control before the lawsuits were settled. Stellar.
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful car! My Godparents bought a new 1969 in white with black top and a red interior, and we were so envious. My mom had just purchased a new 69 Riviera, which was beautiful, but I think she really wanted a Mark III. In 1972 she bought a Mark IV, and I got her Riviera at 15. My first car. I really think she would have preferred the Mark III. Your videos bring back so many wonderful memories!
My favorite Mark!
That firm C6 shift quality adds the the longevity of the clutch friction packs. I have a 1979 Ford F250 and the C6 has around 279,000 miles and the transmission has never been rebuilt.
mark III is top ten favorite cars. Mark II is my all time favorite.
Had to love changing a flat on a 5000 lb car with a single stalk bumper jack.
Thankyou Adam, from a UK viewer, for sharing this review of a lovely car.
Beauty! Recently owned a 79 MKV but feel the MKIII was THE best looking design of all Continentals other than the '57. Would love to find a similar car as this one!
Man in the area had one just like this when I was a kid. He was a rancher and a realtor. He beat the tar out of his cars. I can still see that Mark III sitting in front of his house with the mud dripping off of it and forming a puddle all around it.
Memories....Thanks
I was born in the summer of 1969 and am amazed at the technological advances of this vehicle. It has a timeless design reminiscent of my 2022 Maybach 57s. For god's sake, please keep the hood ornament on.
"Look, I've checked everything on that car except the rocker panels"
"C'mon Irv, what the hell is that?!"
Still my one of my favorite cars of all time.
So knowledgeable. Thanks sir