1956 Continental Mark II Coupe

In the early 1950s, Ford Motor Company created a new Continental Division to design, built, and market ultra-luxury entries. These cars were priced well above Cadillac and Packard, and they would rival anything on the planet. But its first product, the Continental Mark II, lasted just two model years (1956 and 1957) before being discontinued, and its division folded into Lincoln.

The Mark II was designed by Ford's Special Products Davison under chief stylist John Reinhart and was quite unlike other flamboyant, chrome-laden American luxury chariots of the time. The Mark II looks cleanly, gracefully European, with a tasteful egg-crate grille, a long, sculpted hood, and straight fenders that kick up behind the doors along with very sparing use of chrome. Mostly hand-built, it wears multiple coats of hand-sanded, double-lacquered, and polished paint, plus a Bridge of Weir leather cabin. Power steering, brakes, windows, seats, and vent windows were standard, and its only option was air conditioning for $595.

The powertrain is a factory blueprinted 285 horsepower 368 cubic-inch (6.03 liter) Lincoln V-8 coupled to a three-speed Lincoln automatic transmission.

Priced at a stunning $10,400 (equivalent to a Rolls Royce or a pair of 1956 Cadillacs), just 2,556 1956 Mark IIs were built, followed by 444 1957s.

According to the owners, this light green example 'has spent its entire life on the Northwest coast where road salt and air conditioning were not needed.'