Where do you stand when it comes to big, modern wheels on classic cars? Do you think it’s something that shouldn’t happen? Is it too cheesy? Well, it’s definitely a “love it or hate it” thing but I think it’s a concept that works on certain cars. Yup, I’m obviously thinking about Chevrolet Impala and Caprice donks, but this 1963 Continental is proof that old Lincolns can also look cool on massive rollers.
Spotted at the Kaotic Speed shop, this fourth-generation Continental four-door (yup, it’s a suicide-door version) has been bagged and fitted with a set of 24-inch Forgiatos. That’s a rather big increase in wheel diameter for a car that came with 15-inch wheels from the factory, but interestingly enough, the multi-spoke rims don’t look out of place.
It may have something to do with the car’s brick-like shape and massive footprint (this thing is 213.3 inches/5.4 meters long), but the swap doesn’t ruin the Continental’s elegant look. What’s more, when the air suspension is dropped to its lowest setup and the top of the wheels hides underneath the arches, the Continental gets that cool low-rider stance that even Snoop Dogg would approve of.
The four-door is otherwise stock on the outside, but the interior rocks a few modern upgrades and red upholstery. The latter is not unusual in a 1963 Continental, but Lincoln offered a duller shade of red that year. The shop went with a brighter hue, which provides a stunning contrast against the black dashboard and the matching exterior.
Sure, Lincoln had nicer exterior colors on offer at the time, including Riviera Turquoise, Teaberry, and Inverness Green, but black on red is always a great combo, much more so when it comes to luxury four-door sedans.
The footage also shows the Continental being moved out of the shop under its own power. And that’s when you’ll notice that this Lincoln doesn’t sound like the average 1963 Continental. While it still packs a V8 under the hood, the exhaust note is more aggressive and hints toward a swap. It’s tough to say whether we’re talking about a modified vintage unit or a more modern V8. Or even if it’s a FoMoCo powerplant or a GM-made LS V8.
I know a Chevy-powered Continental would have “controversy” written all over it, but LS-swapped Fords are no longer exotic. But no matter what’s under the hood, this four-door sounds quite mean and I’m pretty sure it becomes impressively fast once the pedal hits the floor. For reference, all Continentals came with the 430-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) MEL V8 in 1963. Lincoln introduced an enlarged 462-cubic-inch (7.6-liter) version in 1966 and a 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8 of the 383-series variety in 1969.
So what do you think, is this a great way to upgrade a classic Continental, or should this 1960s Lincoln be reverted to stock components? Check out the video below and let me know in the comments section.