1966 witnessed the debut of another facelift for the Continental series, this time including styling refinements and engine upgrades.
The 430 (7.0-liter) was enlarged to 462 (7.5-liter), with the power output reaching 340 hp. The new engine could be ordered with just one transmission configuration: the SelectShift TurboDrive 3-speed automatic gearbox.
The new model year’s production started in September 1965, and Lincoln eventually assembled close to 55,000 units. Most Continentals (35,000 units) rolled off the production lines as a sedan, while the convertible was much rarer, with just 3,180 vehicles eventually built for this model year.
One of them is right here, fighting for life after decades of sitting.
This 1966 Continental convertible left the factory painted in Medium Blue metallic, but for some reason, a previous owner liked the yellow finish so much that they decided to go for a respray. The same owner probably got bored with it eventually, as the car was parked in storage in 1999 and hasn’t moved since then.
Sitting for over two decades, this Continental comes with one fantastic selling point: it’s still complete, so everything you need to get the car back on the road is theoretically there. Sure enough, you shouldn’t expect all the parts to be in tip-top shape; after all, it’s a 57-year-old car, and the rust damage isn’t surprising.
And speaking of rust damage, there’s plenty of it on the floors. In fact, the floor pans must be replaced completely, as they look wrecked due to the long sleep in storage. The trunk lid also exhibits a bunch of holes, but as eBay seller gbtrainsales claims, they seem fixable.
The overall condition of the car, inside and outside, looks doable, so at first glance, bringing this Continental back to the road shouldn’t be such a hard mission, especially for a professional restorer.
The more concerning part happens under the hood. As I said, the engine was upgraded to a bigger displacement for this model year, and while this is good news for big-block fanatics, the bad news is the V8 is locked on this Continental. It did not turn over on the first attempt, so make sure you bring in a good mechanic to determine whether the engine is still fixable.
Taking the Continental convertible home isn’t going to be affordable, as the seller won’t let the car go for less than $5,900. On the other hand, the Make Offer button has also been enabled, so if you’re interested in another deal, just reach out to the seller to discuss the details. At this point, the convertible is parked in Arlington Heights, Illinois, if you want to see it in person and check out the condition of everything.