Car Of The Day: June 17, 2011

Today's car of the day is Muky's 1969 Lincoln Continental MK III.

The Lincoln Continental Mark III was a personal luxury car produced by Lincoln and sold in North America in the 1969 through 1971 model years.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Lincoln Continental Mark III

Here's a Reline Club exlcusive Muky version of the Redline-era Hot Wheels MK III.  Mukys are not known for their quality, but this one isn't as bad as the bulk of the ones I've seen over the years.

Introduced in April 1968 as an early 1969 model, the Continental Mark III is the direct spiritual successor of the limited production, ultra-luxurious Continental Mark II produced by a short-lived Continental division of Ford Motor Company between in 1956 and 1957.

Confusingly, a direct linear descendent of the Mark II, the Continental Mark III, first wore the name in 1958. Large and somewhat extravagant even for its time, it did not sell as well as Cadillac, but nonetheless earned high reviews from motoring periodicals of the day. The 1958 Mark III was the first car to be built at the new Wixom, Michigan assembly plant.

Intended to compete head-to-head with Cadillac's heavily redesigned front wheel drive Eldorado, the Mark III made its debut a clear notch above less expensive, less well-appointed personal luxury cars such as the Ford Thunderbird, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. As the Eldorado was built upon the Toronado frame, so the Mark III was the Thunderbird's. While the side-rail frame was identical to the Thunderbird's, the Mark III bore almost 300 lb (140 kg) more bodywork. demanding all the power Lincoln's all-new 460 cu in (7.5 l) 365 bhp (272 kW) V8 could generate.

In style, the Mark III was squarer and more upright than the sleek Thunderbird, featured a Rolls-Royce like grill, hidden headlights, and a classic albeit ersatz Mark II spare tire bulge on its trunk.

Despite some bad reviews by the automotive press, the public took to the car, with some 7,000 built during the remainder of the 1968 model year, and another 23,858 cars for the 1969 model year, a respectable showing; Lincoln had always trailed Cadillac in production numbers, but the Mark III almost equalled the Eldorado, which tallied 23,333 for 1969. This was the start of a long, successful run for the Lincoln Continental Mark Series.

Because of its early introduction and extended production year, the 1969 model had several running changes made. Cars produced prior to July 1968 had a steering wheel pad with a much larger wood applique and Continental star logo than later cars. Cars produced prior to July 1968 featured a decorative stitching pattern on the face of the rear seat above the center arm rest. After July 1968 the seatbelt retractors were relocated and eight additional exterior color choices were added. Cars produced before the second week of December 1968 had white indicator needles for all instruments and controls, and an electric clock with Arabic Numerals was used. Cars Produced after the second week of December 1968 utilized orange indicator needles for all instruments and controls, and a Cartier Chronometer with Roman Numerals was installed. All cars produced after December 31, 1968 were equipped with driver and front passenger head rests per Federal mandate.