Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Continental for 1958

Opalescent Pistachio Point Green lacquer perfectly highlights the lines of this Wixom-built '58 Continental coupe. Altering the new-that-year unibody Lincoln, I changed the proportions for more of a personal coupe appearance. The hood length looks back to the Classic era consisting of almost half of the length of the car. The four passenger interior would have been based on the '58 Thunderbird, itself brand new that year and also built at the fabled Wixom plant. The roof would have been available in linen-covered steel or brushed stainless to match the front fender coves.

And, yes, I started out with the regular Lincoln that year, not the upscale Continental. This mockup would have been early in the process and trim was still being mixed and matched and developed...

I also left off the spare tire hump... Rocketships don't need no stinkin' spare tires, lol.

8 comments:

  1. Terrific. I really like the design but for me it is the color that makes this one perfect! I think that the Europeans and Asians could learn a bit from looking at our cars from the past. It seems like all the contemporary cars are silver, gray, black or white. What a personal coupe! Two and a half tons of late fifties glitz and glamor. I can see this parked in a circular drive in front of one of those great mid-century homes in Palm Springs. Perfect.

    BobF

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  2. I've always been fascinated by the fact that the 58-60 Lincolns and Continentals ever made it to production! I think this one would ahve made a suitable Continental Mark III, although it's obviously going in a whole different direction than the Mark II. But the long hood and shape of the top really echo the Mark II and even the original. Great work, as always, Casey.

    Paul, NYC

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    1. thanks, Paul! I really had to channel my inner kitsch for this one. But that's the fun of it all for me. I pretend that I'm a junior stylist and have been given the car pretty much as is and I'm allowed to suggest from that point on. Might as well have a rich, full, fantasy life, lol.

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  3. Cool :-) I think it's interesting to compare with the other "what if?" 1958 Continental.

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    1. Cool I should have linked to it myself! thanks, Stéphane!

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  4. My dad had the '58 Thunderbird as I got my license. Thrilling for me at the time. Someone at Edmunds just included it in "100 Worst Desgns."

    At least you haven't decided to 'rescue' it as far as I have discovered.

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    1. The first car I ever fell in love with was the '58 Tbird, my aunt's. Later on, in '73 she gave me her '64 Tbird for my 16th birthday. You won't ever see me grousing about the looks of Tbirds from '55-72! They are among my favorite cars ever. Who could ever think the '58 was ugly? Yowsah! thanks for checking out my site!

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