RE: BEAUTIFULLLL!!!!!
I do love the 1958 to 1960 Lincolns. They were cousins to the Squarebirds built in the same Wixom plant. (For more information on Squarebirds see
http://www.squarebirds.org .) Sometimes I wonder why the 1958-60 Thunderbird did not get more of the luxury options that were available on the Lincolns such as power door locks, outside adjustable mirror, automatic headlight dimmer, etc. The 1958 to 1960 Lincolns are the biggest unibody cars ever made. They were not light either. They got no weight savings from making the car unibody.
I know it is confusing but the Mark III, IV and V designations were used twice in the history of Lincoln. The first time around there was a 1958 Mark III, a 1959 Mark IV and a 1960 Mark V. Ford perceived these cars as not being well received by the public and basically wrote them out of their history. In 1968, when the next Lincoln to carry the Mark designation was introduced, it was called Mark III, as if the 1958-60 Marks never existed. I have a Ford issued book for the introduction of the 1993 Mark VIII, and they actually state that the Mark II was made from 1956 to 1968. This is revisionist history. The Mark II model was only available for 1956 and 1957.
The 1958 to 1960 Marks had unique front and back grille, taillights and interiors, but used the same basic body as the regular Lincolns. They had more luxurious interiors but otherwise identical to the regular Lincolns of those years.
Through the years, the Lincoln nomenclature of its models was confusing at times. Continentals of 1956 and 1957 are not technically Lincolns. It was its own separate division at the time. The Mark series until 1985 were Continentals also even though there was a separate Continental model. The Town Car was a sub-model of the Continental in 1971 and 1972 until it became its own separate model in 1973. The first Mark I of 1940-1948 was never called that when new, but was actually a Continental.
In the discussion forum, I have grouped the 1958-1960 Marks with the 1958 to 1960 Lincolns and have grouped the other Marks in one conference, as Ford would like to have viewed the Mark history.
Alexander
President
Lincolns of Distinction
