For 1977, Lincoln introduced the Versailles, a downsized response to the success of Cadillac’s groundbreaking “European-size” Seville. In a time of fuel crises and emissions regulations, the Versailles clearly showed the path that American luxury would take in the next two decades, and it sold 15,434 examples.

What is largely forgotten today is that the Versailles was nonetheless handily outsold that year—by a factor of 400%—by the Continental, Lincoln’s traditional luxury sedan. The Lincoln buyer was a certain type of man or woman, who was unmoved by fads, trends, and long lines at the gas station. They demanded the comfort that could only come from a roomy six-passenger interior, a massive 460-cubic inch V-8, and every state-of-the-art comfort that Lincoln could supply.

“You’ve got your standards. Everything you do has to meet them. You won’t compromise. Lincoln Continental hasn’t compromised,” soothed the narrator of a 1977 television commercial. “Full-sized, full luxury, it sets a high standard for luxury cars. Some luxury cars are smaller than last year; the 1977 Lincoln retains its traditional luxury car size.”

The car shown here, one of those “last of the big Lincolns,” is a Continental in ultra-luxurious Town Car trim. Having covered 30,000 actual miles, it is presented in excellent original condition, in exactly the form it was delivered to Dave Pyles Lincoln/Mercury, of Annandale, Virginia. The body is finished in Midnight Blue, with a Blue Valino vinyl roof and an interior in red leather and vinyl. A raft of options was specified, including opera windows, an automatic transmission, a headlamp convenience group, illuminated door sills, whitewall tires, a defroster, cruise control, a tilt steering column, an eight-track stereo system (naturally!), and much more.

Documented by an Elite Marti Report and a copy of its passenger build sheet, this Continental is a wonderful survivor from an era when everything was changing—except for tradition at the Lincoln dealer.