1969 was the final year for the classic ’60s Continental. Only gradual changes had been made to the car since its 1961 debut, and the center-opening doors lasted nine model years, before giving way to a larger, all-new Continental for 1970. So many cars changed drastically between 1961 and 1969, style-wise, but not the Continental. Even in its last year, it was smooth, elegant and impressive.
“Lincoln Continental: America’s Most Distinguished Sedan,” extolled the 1969 brochure. The sedan differed from its 1968 predecessor with a new checkerboard-style grill with a raised center section, mildly updated taillights, and a few other minor refinements. The convertible, of course, was absent, having left the model lineup after 1967.
But the coupe remained as a companion to the four-door and its new brother, the 1969 Continental Mark III personal luxury coupe. Both the sedan and non-Mark coupe rode a 126″ wheelbase, and 224.2″ overall length.
Yes, the Continentals pretty much just marked time this year. Of course the big news was the Continental Mark III, Lee Iacocca’s baby, with its hidden headlamps, Rolls-Royce grille, and baroque, button tufted luxury interior. 30,858 Marks were made; though that included the Mark IIIs built from April to September 1968. Like the 1965 Mustang, there was no “1/2” year. All first-year Mustangs were ’65s, and all first-year Mark IIIs were ’69s, and never mind what car show know-it-alls may tell you, ha ha.
The sedan, with its oh-so-distinctive doors, sold 29,351, while the non-Mark Continental coupe sold 9,032. This would become a trend, with the non-Mark coupe finding relatively few buyers, now that it was competing with the Mark III, and later Mark IV.
While all 1969 Continentals were initially equipped with the 462 cubic inch engine, but around January of 1968, the new corporate 460 CID V8, with a healthy 365 hp at 4600 rpm, replaced it. It breathed through an Autolite four-barrel carburetor.
Yes, 1969 Connies were not drastically different from 1966-68 models, but one new option that debuted would have some serious legs: The Town Car option. It was basically a super deluxe interior trim option. As the brochure stated, the option package included “leather-and-vinyl seats and door panels…special napped-nylon headlining, extra plush carpeting, and color-keyed instrument panel trim.”
And since this was 1969 and not 2019, it was offered in several colors: navy blue, white, black, light gold and dark gold. A shame red or burgundy wasn’t offered, in your author’s opinion…
However, the standard Continental interior was nothing to sneeze at. In fact, with its stitching and button-tufted Broughaminess, it seems fancier to your author than the extra-cost Town Car interior. Well, to each their own!
But of course it was a Lincoln, not a Fairlane, Galaxie 500 or even a Mercury Marquis. Strictly first-cabin. And as with cross-town rival Cadillac, a long list of standard equipment was featured. After all, it was a luxury car, Ford’s finest.
Said standard equipment included the aforementioned 365-hp 460 V8, Select-Shift automatic transmission, automatic parking brake release, power steering, power brakes (front disc, rear drum), power windows, power two-way seat, and variable-speed wipers.
Optional extras were many, as was expected from the domestic manufacturers at the time. And befitting its status in the lineup, and its snob appeal at the country club, I’m sure many Continentals were loaded.
Just a partial option listing included the Town Car interior, manual A/C, automatic temperature control, AM/FM signal-seeking stereo radio, tilt wheel, leather interior, vinyl roof (available in black, white or dark ivy gold), cruise control, and a six-way power seat. Twenty-two, exterior colors were offered, fourteen of them metallics.
I spotted this 1969 model in one of the Facebook groups I favor. Unfortunately, only a couple pictures were posted.
However, I managed to find the original ad, with even more shots of this most excellent, gorgeous example. Sadly, it had long since been sold.
But I still wanted to write it up. The black paint, black top and white leather interior was striking. I’ve always liked that combo, ever since my grandparents had a ’77 Thunderbird in black with a white bucket seat interior and red trim. That car made a very big impression on me in my youth.
It was the end of an era. The Seventies were rapidly advancing, and an all-new 1970 Lincoln would be even bigger, more powerful and massive than the 1961-69 Connies. It would also be body-on-frame, making the 1969 models the final unit-bodied Lincolns for quite some time. The 1970s would also be just a little bit more Mercury-Marquis-like, with their conventionally front-hinged rear doors.
Studies at the time showed that while Lincoln owners could take or leave the center-opening doors, Cadillac owners did not like them. So to try to make some Cadillac conquest sales, the ’70 would have conventionally-opening rear doors. But like a starving man at a buffet, I like all these Lincolns!
For even more pictures, you can check out the listing here, on ClassicCars.com. At the risk of repeating myself, I really love this color combination! It’s not common to see cars in black with a white interior, but I’ve always found it striking.