My 1959 Continental Convertible Barn find!!!

Beautiful car and nice score! Definitely a "battle cruiser" for sure. That trunk is so big there's room to park a deuce in it. Happy motoring and no doubt it'll be smooth!

 

You would be a fool to put a Carson top on that car. It is an engineering marvel the way they designed that top to function on those cars which included a glass breezeway rear window. The top folds into its own compartment and you still have a trunk, unlike my 62 where the top fills the trunk and youd have a hard time putting a pack of smokes in there with it. I believe the 58 Lincolns hold the distinction of being the very first unibody convertibles, certainly would be the largest unibody convertibles ever made. The suicide door Lincoln convertibles which started in 61 are also unibody, and let me tell you, that floor has its work cut out which is really evident when you open all four doors and see the empty space between the cowl and rear quarter. Late 50s early 60s was a grand era for the Lincolns. Great car, look after it, dont F it up!

 

Thanks Modeleh! The Carson top is just an idea, ive never seen one done on one of these which makes me curious as to how it would look and what others would think. Also i believe the 58-60 lincoln are the largest unibodys made at least in the us next to a prototype v16 1938 cadillac. That breeway window is a dream on days i dont want to be directly in the sun. I was EXTREMELY HAPPY to see the floors weren't gone in this when i took it all out, all minor surface rust, like you said they have there work cut out for em. Im not worried about me F'n it up, im worried about everyone else staring/seering into me which has happened on one or two occasions hahaha!

 

Great score, it is a beauty as she sits.

 

baaa !

 

AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Thats probably How it would look!!!

 

ok ,, now to decide where the top will start at the back

 

Nice score.
I knew they were big, but 22 feet, WOW.

 

Hmmm I always thought 59 Boniville Pontiac was longest , guess not

 

In 59' there are a lot of close cars for the biggest. Bigger is better was the motto for most car makers in 59' i guess. Cadillac was the closest with 21 ft 9 inches. Also it was the Lincoln was one most expensive cars goin for around $8000!! Rolls Royce's & Cadillac's were goin for around $5k at the same time the Lincoln was being sold, which would explain the low production numbers. But if you wanted to have a yelling match or check the weather in a different state you just stand at either end... its ridiculous and pretty awesome at the same time...

 

Thanks Johnod!! I find most people are at a loss for words when they stand next to it or sit in it and see/feel how ginormous it is hahah!

 

Da Top

 

ok I'm done for the nite . I don't have Photo Shop so the pics are crude , The Lincoln looks like an Olds /Pontiac from a block away , It would definitely be a SHOW STOPPER! Ya think ?

 

Looks good to me!! i dont know what everyone else thinks but i would consider it!

 

I left a word out ,,, I take it that boot hatch is totally water proof

 

It's a Kustom with that style of top , and you don't need to change any thing else .

 

Do you have any Buds who are metal pros, the hard part will be forming the stainless in the window openings . There are some pictures in some threads of detailed work on that a home made jog+ applied heat then bend then lots of polishing ,like at a chrome shop

 

That Ford has slide in/out windows .. but you need up and downers ,

 

Im pretty much the guy everyone i know goes to, so i would have to either try it myself, or go to outside sources for and info as far as forming and polishing...

 

I 'll find the thread for you to see , I think its a top chop of a 40 Merc , you know that car like the 51 -52 Ford Vicky is all stainless

 

Yep! i know exactly what your talking about

 

That car is a beast for sure! Hope you drive to Columbus this year for the goodguys! I have never seen a ragtop 59 in real life!

 

60widewithez if thats a request, ill try my damnedest to get out there with her!!

 

It was a real bummer to every one when the quit building convertibles, What year was that ?

 

Are you talkin Lincoln? or....?

 

No all convertible production ceased,,,

 

You know IH was here at The FORT, When IH closed many workers daily commuted to Columbus and worked , Some moved there . But ones who were near retirement commuted

 

I'm trying hard not to hate you right now. Some of you guys are so lucky!

 

From what i know, alot of car companies stopped building convertibles when the gas crisis happened in the 70's cuz they were way too heavy for the new "gas efficient" engines of the era... But started back up again with the camaro's, and lebarrons, but everything was mostly T-Tops for safety reasons for awhile, but are now getting back into the convertible game cuz they are becoming popular again. the VWbeetle has always had a convertible option... if memory serves me right

 

ok it s coming back to me now , VW had converts but were not allowed in the country , I also remember the insurance companies causing a lot of that . and trying to kill the mussel cars , I think Chrysler was the one to come back first . like you mentioned