1956 Classic Rare and Stunning Continental MK II By Lincoln Collectors

"To craft the finest automobiles in America" - This was the brief of Ford's short-lived Continental Division. Luminaries such as Duesenberg. Cord and Peerless were long gone. and Ford's not-insubstantial order was a direct shot at knocking Packard and Cadillac off their pedestals as the remaining premier American marques.

The first Continental that debuted was the 1956 Mark II; while this premium luxury coupe was not the sales success that it was hoped to be. it became one of the most influential designs of the decade. famous both for what it was and for what it wasn't. While these rare vehicles were among the most expensive and exclusive when new. today a nice example costs about the same as a loaded new Focus. making the Mark II a surprisingly accessible piece of American automotive royalty.

Riding on a 126-inch wheelbase. it stretched 218. 4 inches long and sported a low 56. 25-inch roofline. The original Lincoln-Continental's proportions remained. with the Mark II's hood stretching a massive 70 inches. Under that hood was a standard Lincoln engine and drivetrain; the 368-cu. in. V-8 was overmatched by the car's weight. offering a 0-60 mph time of just under 16 seconds and an indicated top speed of 118 mph.

While the Continental spare tire bulge was more a styling gimmick than useful. it became a trademark used through the late 1990s Mark VIII. and details like the stepped side character line. small nameplate lettering and fuel filler hidden behind the driver's taillamp were delightful. That conservative style continued inside. where the leather-covered dashboard was an ergonomic triumph; in an age where engine information was minimal and shiny dash chrome a distraction. the Mark II had easy-to-read round-dial analog instrumentation that included a tachometer. oil pressure and amperage gauge.

The standard four-way power front seat could be covered in a myrid of fine leathers and fabrics directly from the factory.

Other standard features included power steering. brakes. antenna and windows with tinted glass. a dual heating system. premium Travel-Tuner AM radio with two speakers. self-regulating electric clock. fully carpeted trunk and an engine dress-up kit. The Mark II was so comprehensively equipped that the only option offered was air conditioning. and if so built. the condensing unit was housed in the trunk and four registers were set in the headliner to deliver cool air to the occupants.

ENGINE
Open the hood of a Mark II. and under the die-cast ribbed rocker covers that are part of the standard engine dress kit is the 368-cubic-inch V-8 that powered the standard Lincoln line. This overhead-valve engine. a member of Ford's Y-block family and new for 1956. featured a 4. 00 x 3. 66-inch bore and stroke. five main bearings and a 9. 0:1 compression ratio. Fuel was channeled through a 390cfm four-barrel Holley 4000 carburetor into the engine to make 285hp at 4. 00 rpm and 402-lbs. ft. of torque at 3. 00 rpm; and spent gases were released through cast-iron manifolds. dual mufflers and resonators.

TRANSMISSION
The Mark II's exclusive transmission was Lincoln's three-speed automatic Turbo-Drive. This unit used a 1215/16-inch aluminum torque converter with planetary gearsets and forced air cooling. and it incorporated a kick-down function and low-gear start. Gear ratios included 2. 40:1 in first. 1. 47 in second. 1. 00:1 in third and 2. 00:1 in reverse.

REAR AXLE
A Hotchkiss-type open hypoid differential with spiral bevel gears was used in 1956 Continental Mark IIs; its semi-floating drive axles and 3. 07:1 ratio made the car a comfortable cruiser.

SUSPENSION
Any luxury car worthy of the title offered a smooth. controlled ride. and the Mark II was no different. The independent front suspension utilized unequal-length A-arms. coil springs. ball-joint spindles. a link stabilizer bar and advanced-for-their-day tubular hydraulic automatic speed-compensating front shocks. The solid rear axle was suspended by longitudinally mounted semi-elliptical leaf springs and tubular hydraulic shocks. The Saginaw power steering. which offered a 22. 1:1 ratio with four turns lock-to-lock and a 45. 3-foot turning circle. was noted as predictably light with a solid feel and good tracking.

BRAKES
Braking duties were handled by the Mark II's dual-servo hydraulic. internally expanding four-wheel drums; the 12 x 2. 5/2-inch front/rear units gave 207. 7 square inches of lining via their riveted molded asbestos linings. The brakes sat behind 15 x 6-inch steel wheels with drop-center rims. mounting 8. 00 x 15 four-ply tires. Like those on its Ford and Lincoln stablemates. replacement Continental brake parts are readily available through many suppliers.

BODY/FRAME
Due to the car's substantial 4. 25-pound curb weight and its low 56. 25-inch height. the Continental Division had to develop a new ladder-type frame for the Mark II; it used double-dropped square-tube steel construction with widened side rails and seven cross-members. The floor pan's dropped foot wells on either side of the three-point driveshaft added passenger room. and the car's dual exhausts were routed outside the frame rails for clearance.

INTERIOR
The luxurious interiors of Mark IIs were filled with the finest materials; as expected.

PRODUCTION
1956- 2. 56

Air conditioning

Automatic Transmission

Climate Control

Clock

Floor Mats

Power Steering

Tachometer

Trip Odometer

V-Style Engine

This vehicle is being sold as is. where is with no warranty. expressed written or implied. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description. authenticity. genuineness. or defects herein. and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness. imperfection. defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle. and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgement solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request prior to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle.

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