340 hp, 462 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, three-speed Turbo Drive automatic transmission, front control arms and coil spring suspension, rear live axle and leaf spring suspension, and front disc and rear drum brakes with power assist. Wheelbase: 123 in.

• Heavily-optioned example with original window stickers

• Less than 47,000 miles from new

The all-new 1961 Lincoln set styling standards for American cars for years to come. The handsome, chiseled, slab-sided car with formal roofline was void of excess chrome in an era when domestic manufacturers lacked any semblance of restraint. Designed by Elwood Engel, Lincoln wisely kept the classic shape current with only gentle styling changes through the 1969 model year. Quality control was exceptionally high on the unitized body, which featured unusual suicide opening rear-hinged doors that harkened back to pre-war coachbuilt cars. For 1966, styling was updated featuring curved side window glass and, overall, a softer silhouette more akin to its sister Mercury. The interior received a new dash, and mechanically, the Lincoln V-8 was upsized from 430- to 462-cubic inches and power was increased from 320 to 340 horsepower.

Wearing a Venetian Yellow exterior with black convertible roof over black leather, this stately Continental was first delivered to Peterson Lincoln-Mercury, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was restored by marque expert Gordon Jensen in the late-1980s, after which the car received a Ford Trophy qualifying it as a Senior Car for the Lincoln Continental Owners Club in the early-1990s. It has been in the current owner’s possession since 1998 and regularly serviced by former LCOC officer Jim Wittenberg, with corresponding receipts available for review and inspection. Its odometer reads less than 47,000 miles, which are believed to be original.

Having an as-new sticker price of $8,056.10, it is equipped with power steering, brakes, windows, and convertible roof, along with optional power door locks, dual six-way power bucket seats, air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, an automatic headlamp dimmer, and an AM-FM radio. The troublesome original automatic temperature control was replaced some years ago with the reliable standard system, which works flawlessly and blows cold air. This is a fine, well optioned example of the elegant ’66 Lincoln Continental.