1956 CONTINENTAL MARK II *The Car of Kings, The Rich and Famous!

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1956-57 Continental Mark II


History and Bankground.

 

A styling masterpiece. Ford Motor's largely hand-built 1956-57 Continental Mark II is one of the most outstanding cars ever built in America.

The limited-production Mark II two-door coupe was built under the direction of 26-year-old William Clay Ford. who was Henry Ford II's younger brother. The younger Ford was put in charge of a new "Continental Division. quot; which came up with the Mark II.

The Mark II was largely a successor to the glamorous Lincoln Continental of the 1940s. which led some to mistakenly call the 1956-57 Mark II a "Lincoln Continental. " Ford Motor never called it a Lincoln.

The Mark II technically wasn't a Lincoln because it came from the Continental Division. which was separate from Ford Motor's Ford. Mercury and Lincoln divisions. The new division--initially called the "Special Product Operations" or "Special Projects Operation. quot; was housed in sumptuous quarters and had a star-studded lineup of designers and engineers.

The 1956 Mark II cost $9. 95. which would have let you buy two Lincoln Premiere luxury convertibles and have had a few hundred dollar left. With air conditioning. the Mark II's price was $10. 30.

The new car's base price made it the most expensive American car. It was a picture of refinement and taste. contrasting sharply with the heavily chromed. finned autos of the mid-1950s.

The new Continental was introduced in October 1955--but not at big American auto shows. such as those in New York and Chicago. Rather it was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show. and later that October at Ford headquarters in Dearborn. Mich.

The Mark II was greeted with acclaim and wonderment from the media and public on both sides of the Atlantic. Elvis Presley was among its celebrity buyers along with Frank Sinatra. Louis Prima. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Liz Taylor. Spike Jones. Nelson Rockefeller. Henry J. Kaiser and Howard Johnson among many others.

The Mark II had its own manufacturing facility. where nuts and bolts were hand-torqued to aircraft standards. More time was spent in the Mark II's metal-finishing and painting than typically was needed for the completed assembly of other high-quality autos. Then. each Mark II was shipped in its own fleece-lined cover to dealers.

Powering the 115-mph Mark II was a large 368-cubic-inch V-8 that generated 285 horsepower in 1956 and 300 in 1957. It was a 1956 Lincoln engine. but was disassembled. minutely inspected and reassembled after being individually hand-balanced. It was connected to a specially tested "Turbo-Drive" three-speed Lincoln automatic n transmission.

Despite its lofty price. Ford Motor lost about $1. 00 on each Mark II. although some dealers initially got a $1. 00 premium over its list price. GM lost a whopping $10. 00 on each complicated Eldorado Brougham. which had such things as an air suspension.

Only 1. 25 Mark IIs were sold in 1956 and just 444 units found buyers in 1957. when the car cost $9. 96.

Among new features of the low. sleek Mark II was a chassis that dipped low between the wheels and allowed a low center of gravity for better handling and comfortable. chair-high seats without the need for a high roofline.

The Mark II had the original. clean Continental's styling theme: long hood. short rear end--and a "continental" spare tire outline on the trunk lid. (The actual spare was inside the trunk. )

Even the Mark II's bumpers were elegant. and taillights were neatly inset. In fact. the Mark II styling was years ahead of its time. The Mark II interior was simple and elegant. inspired by aircraft and locomotive designs. It contained top grain leathers. expensive fabrics and thick. luxurious carpeting. It was loaded with power accessories and other equipment. There were even dual heaters. The only option was air conditioning. which had ducting built into the headliner on the inside roof.

1956 Continental MK II
Base price: $ 9. 66
Base weight: 4. 25 lbs.
Body: Five-place two-door hardtop. steel construction
Frame: Y-shape
Wheelbase: 126 inches
Length: 218. 5 inches
Width: 77. 5 inches
Suspension: A-arms with fully automatic speed-compensating shock absorbers
Suspension (rear): Semi-elliptic springs with hydraulic shock absorbers
Steering: Power-assisted cam and lever
Brakes: Four-wheel hydraulic internal expanding drums. power assisted
Engine: Overhead-valve 368. 6-cu. in. V-8. cast iron block. 300hp @ 4. 00 rpm. 10:0 to 1 compression ratio
Transmission: Turbo-Drive automatic standard equipment

 

Besides the Rolls Royce price. Continental Mark II construction had similarly impeccable hand craftsmanship with parts materials. and amenities of the highest quality available. such as Scottish leather upholstery. which was stored in humidity-controlled rooms to prevent cracking. scratching or discoloration and only removed when ready to be cut for installation. Everything that went into a new Mark II passed severe quality and durability tests and was critically inspected at every stage throughout the building and assembly process. i. e. : exterior chrome got an expensive. time-delaying 10-day salt spray test. More time was spent in metal finishing and painting the body of each Continental Mark II than was normally required for the complete assembly of other quality automobiles. Transmissions were routinely tested before installation with engines. and the joined units went through a rigorous dynamometer test. All sheet metal was fitted to the frame before assembly and lacquer painting. There were no less than fourteen quality control inspections at critical points along the assembly line. Once each car passed muster and the critical eyes of the plant inspectors they were road tested extensively before finally being signed off as ready for delivery. And even that was a public relations and marketing production.

With appropriate fanfare. new Mark II's arrived at dealerships in protective cloth bags and usually drew a crowd to watch the vehicle extracted from the covering. Mark II owners were informed that a field service program. reportedly unmatched in the automotive industry. would promptly correct any problems. deficiencies or complaints the rich and famous customer's had. To make good on the promise. Ford sent a team of Continental factory engineers around the country to investigate and correct serious or repeat complaints.

 

History and work done to this car

Considerable service records available.   Work performed in addition to comments in the condition field:

 

Rebuilt steering link Replaced pariking lamp wiring and rubber aprons Vaccum advance NOS diaphragm shocks replaced newer heater ducts rebuilt wiper motor and washer pump. Vacuum converted to electric replaced vent motor and switches rebuilt automatic choke replaced sway bar bushings and NOS idler arm replaced hood hinges. renewed springs replaced door glass replaced quarter window felt and channels NOS oil sending unit replaced window and seat switches replaced rear spring rebuilt water pump replaced coil replaced midshaft bearing and support replaced exhaust system reconditioned window and seat switches rebuilt right hand door latch new battery

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