Let’s get down to the gist of my project. I love the Mark III. It’s on my top ten list. Unless a 2024+ Mustang decides to share its bones with a new Lincoln Mark IX concept, the 69-71 Mark is the coolest two-door Lincoln ever made (don’t worry all you suicide door Continentals, I still have a ton of love for you). I love the body lines (almost like a stretched out 60’s Mustang coupe with its long hood proportions). I love that it does NOT have an opera window (Mark IV-Mark VI), because it looks more muscular and less luxurious. The Mark III is also several hundred pounds lighter than its 1972-76 Mark IV son…and we’ve already talked about the glory that is a pre-emissions 460 big block. All said, the Mark III is already great, but has potential for more. Whereas my Mark V and its tragic 400M felt like putting lipstick on a pig–even a hopped up version was just meeting the baseline of the 60’s predecessors.
Goals of My Build
I need to be clear, my first goal of any of my project cars, is to drive it. I’m not old enough, nor do I have enough space to hermetically seal my car in a garage (besides, it spends enough time in the garage getting worked on as it is). I have immense respect for the care and cleanliness of show cars, but that’s not my cup of tea. Perhaps after having enough people shoot, and or try to blow me up over in Iraq, that I have an appreciation for life. I’m not about to sit around all day. Neither are my cars.
I have taken a very practical approach to my build, and I’ve accepted that trial and error is all part of learning. This is a catalog of my experiences and what I have learned. A wise Marine once said, “Make your goals rigid, but your methods flexible.” I believe I am an expert on the Lincoln Continental Mark III, because I have been messing with them for twenty years. That does not mean I am an expert on all things cars, and I am usually the first to realize my mistakes.
Here’s my goals for this project:
- Make it drive
- Make it drive faster
- New paint all around
- New/Restored interior and upholstery
- Enjoy
My list probably looks similar to most people’s out there, with the exception that some people just want a race car that’s fast as hell and don’t care what it looks like or the creature comforts inside. My list doesn’t have a real order, and before I can tackle any of these projects, I have to address my true #1 priority: STOP THE DECAY.
Differences in Model Years for the Marks
When I first got my ‘69 Mark III, I also owned a ‘71 Mark III. I personally like the ‘69 body style more. They have the exposed windshield wipers (which some people don’t like). The hidden wipers can cause problems if you don’t get the right replacement because most modern wiper blades are taller than they were in ’71, and won’t clear the cowl. You’ll probably have to special order them. Ultimately whichever you choose comes down to personal preference. But for those that are new to the Mark III club, the windshield wipers are the fastest way to spot a difference between the 1969 versus 70-71 models.
This difference with the wipers causes a lot of separate issues. Namely that wiper-motor geometry is different between 69 and the 70-71 models. The windshields are also different. So if you have a 71 windshield, it will not swap into your 69. But a 69 Thunderbird windshield will fit a 69 Mark III, and a 71 Thunderbird will fit a 71 Mark III.
Interior Differences
The early model Mark III’s also have a lot of differences in the interior. The seat adjustment are on the seat and not the armrest (70-71). In ‘69 the ignition is on the dash instead of the column, making it easier to swap out for an Idididit or other aftermarket steering column (which I will talk about later). After tearing into the electrical of both versions, the ‘69 just has less wiring in general. But don’t get the impression this is a Mustang. There is a TON of wiring. The steering wheel is also different on the 69 versus the 70-71, and I’m told there’s something about the wood paneling on the dash (but I was less concerned about that). My 69 has a much more elaborate interior pattern on the door panels and seats. I will say if you want to duplicate the original pattern, ‘70 and ‘71 would be easier.
Exterior Differences
The other major differences revolve around the exterior lights and reflectors. A ‘71 Mark III has reflectors in the rear bumper (which mine is currently wearing), and the ‘69 does not. Supposedly the mirrors are also different between early to late models. Unfortunately my ’69 came with some cheap knock-off and were not original, so it is also wearing 71 versions now. And if you were wondering, pretty much all Mark III’s only have a driver’s side mirror. There was an OPTION for a passenger’s side mirror that is about as rare as hen’s teeth. If you happen to own one and want to donate them to my project, feel free. I hear they aren’t worth much because no one likes Mark III’s (joking, they are probably worth more than my whole car because they are so rare).
Engine Swapping
OK so my ‘69 was originally going to serve as a donor car. After my second deployment to Iraq, I had the engine on my ‘71 rebuilt. It went back into the car and ran long enough for me to park it at my parent’s house while I was moving around the country. My build was based off an old Car Craft article from the early 2000’s titled “500hp out of a Ford 460.” I’m sure it was close to that mark. But it turns out, ten years of a car sitting (even with monthly starts) isn’t good for it. I had a mess of vacuum leaks in everything that was rubber. It was a miracle that the engine could even stay running! I attended to its basic needs and gave it a tune. However, I soon realized that my ‘69 doner was going to become my primary. It had fewer body/rust issues (or so I thought), and for the above mentioned preferences of 69 versus 71.
’71 Block into a ’69 Body
My new goal was to pull the engine out of my 71, and swap it into my 69 that didn’t have either an engine or transmission (someone wanted those for their 70’s Ford pickup). I’m not worried about numbers matching anything. If you have a number’s matching car, good for you. That’s not my preference because I’d rather make something my own, even if it isn’t original. And I’d be too scared to touch a number’s matching car…
It turns out the 71 engine is actually better in the long run than the 69. From 1959-1969 Lincoln used a crank driven power steering pump. For 70 and 71, it’s the usual V-belt version. Motor mounts are the same for all years, so the swap is straight forward.
Like every person who has ever started into a rebuild/restoration–these projects explode without warning. My initial goal was to transfer a very large engine from one car, into another car that looked the same. Little would I predict how much this would snowball…Stupid.
