The 1961 Lincoln Continental - Learn About its Origins, Design and Influence on Automotive History 

An interesting note, the Lincoln Continental was prominently featured in the TV series "Green Acres." The beautiful champagne convertible was seen almost weekly. Ford provided a lot of vehicles for TV series in the 1960's. Hank Kimble, county Agent of the same series drove a mid-sixties Bronco, as well.

These were beautiful Lincolns! I love them because they really said something without being brash, or loud. Elegant and Cool at the same time. Thanks for this!

I owned a '63 Continental. Bought in 1973; at that time, big cars were anathema due to the gas crunch and I think I only paid $500. The workmanship, fit and finish were absolutely stellar. A truly elegant car, it truly loped down the highway effortlessly. I certainly got more than my money's worth.

Still today this is an unique vehicle: four door convertible with suicide doors. Thanks for the video.

Both the 1961-63 T-Birds and 1961-1964 Continentals were beautiful cars.

Absolutely timeless.

I had the privilege to maintain a 62 Lincoln Continental for an elderly gentleman. I loved every minute taking care of that car. To this day it was the smoothest riding car I ever drove. It was literally the lap of luxury. The car was so solidly built, it felt literally like a very comfortable tank. The convertible system did act up, so the owner didn’t like to use it and left it up all the time. The gentleman that owned the Lincoln owned and operated a small motor lodge for over 50 years. The car was like a member of his family. He had other vehicles, but the Lincoln was his BABY. The 430 engine was smooth and powerful and had factory dual exhaust with big resonators at the end of the pipes because Lincoln insisted these cars run quietly. If Lincoln would build a new luxury car today to this same caliber and quality I bet the car would have an MSRP starting at 200K! It’s amazing how great Detroit was and still could be if they would get back to basics.

This car is magnificent. Especially the early years. It never gets old esthetically, it is a timeless design

61...62..63. Those Lincolns were in my opinion the zenith of US auto manufacturing. They are masterpieces of beauty, design, comfort, luxury and CLASS....CLASS. Simply beautiful. My father purchased a 1962 deep black Lincoln, used, in 1964 from a friend who was a doctor and purchased new every 2 years. We had that 62 for the next ten years. Incredible machine. It's comfort and performance were remarkable. It had one single glitch. Those 62s had a tendency to go through generators on a regular basis. Never figured out why, and my father was a helluva talented mechanic. Other than that problem the car gave impeccable service. It's was the smoothest riding, quietest car I've ever been in. Hands down. And I still consider it to be the classiest, most beautiful car ever. I would LOVE to own one.

So many of these Lincolns were in movies and TV programs when I was a kid in the 1960's. Some include James Bond, The Outer Limits, and many others. It just became iconic to my generation.

One of the most beautiful cars ever. I took my driving test (1970) in a 61 Lincoln. I currently own a 61 Lincoln sedan with 34000 miles, original turquoise leather sultana white exterior.

Another Excellant presentation, Adam. MacNamara was a "Stay Combed" wearing bean counting Machine. He didn't discover he was a human being until late in life. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) drove a '61-2 Lincoln convertible in the 61-62 season. That black on black soft top is fabulous !

A brilliant move to go less while Cadillac & Imperial we’re offering more chrome finned rocket ship designs. Another beneficiary of the Continental design was Studebaker‘s ‘62 Gran Turismo Hawk.

Thanks, Adam, for this look at the 1961 Lincoln Continental. My lifelong obsession with these gorgeous automobiles runs deep, as I own two 61 convertibles, a 62 convertible and 62 and 63 sedans. They really are beautifully designed and built. The exterior gets the praise, but the interior is just as gorgeous. The dual cowl dash and the seat and door panel design are mid century modern at its most elegant and tasteful.

My Uncle Joe ran the Ford Lab in the early 60's and would own a succession of this era of Lincoln. After driving each car for 2 years, he would then offer it to one of his brothers for purchase as a gently used car. In 1968, it was my Father's turn and he proudly drove his 1966 Bronze/Black/Black Continental for many years. That car was solid! As it was equipped with cruise control, it was the car of choice when the family drove to Florida over spring break. Once at a stoplight, the car was rear-ended by a late 60's Mustang when my Father was driving. The result?...a small scratch on the rear bumper of Dad's Conny and the poor owner of the Mustang had to contend with a fully caved-in front end! My Dad loved telling that story to regale about the solid build of the Lincoln. Such a great road car and very elegant in-town. It was a sad day when he sold that car, I think around 1974.

Another work of art!

The first ‘61 Continental I remember seeing is the one my uncle bought one Saturday morning and then brought to our house to show it off to us. It was a gorgeous black with red interior - a stunning car. It was very smooth, cunningly handsome, and an all around amazing ride. And we all thought the suicide doors were so cool. I, my brother and four cousins piled in and went for a ride. Those were the days!

My favorite is, and will always be, the 1965 convertible... As a child, between 1965 and 1969, I would make my annual pilgrimage to Cherner of Shirlington, Virginia, the local Lincoln-Mercury Dealership, where I would spend hours in the showroom and on the lot, and of course get my treasured brochure... which I still have. Then once home, I would study the brochure from cover to cover and commit it to memory. I was a strange child....

I have absolutely always loved the 61 Continental. In an era of weird wings and such, the Continental is classic and simple. If I could get one, I would not hesitate.

In 1961 I was working in a Body Shop , the boss said to me go out to the lot and bring in the Blue Lincoln ,it needs some repair, I was awed by the Beautiful body lines, the elegance, of the interior. A couple of years latter I purchased a 1963 they were almost identical. It was Black with a red leather interior,one of the most Beautiful cars I ever owned.

Many early 1960's Ford's are beautiful. These Continentals and Thunderbirds are the cars that immediately come to mind.

Another great choice for a vehicle to highlight. As a child of the sixties every time I look at this car I see JFK. Once again it’s as though subscribers are enrolled in a college level automotive history course. Thanks for continuing to expand our knowledge of an industry we all love.

Very educational. The 61-69 Continental and 63-64 Gran Prix are 2 of my favorite designs from the early sixties…. Who knew they had a designer in common.

Our neighbors had one of these. We had a white 64 Grand Prix. And my neighbor across the street had a Thunderbird. Loved that Lincoln.

I own a 1965 Continental convertible. It is truly the finest riding car in my collection. I have a period correct phone and record player in it. Love my Conti.

One of the coolest looking cars ever. The lines are epic. More so when in black.

In 1970, my stepfather bought my mother a used ‘64 light blue Continental from…yep… a little old lady who had driven only 1,500 miles in it. He paid $2,500 and it was an absolute gem. Prom Night that year was very cool “chauffeuring” my date!

I would have been happy if this video was 3 times as long. So interesting.

61-64 are my favorite Lincoln years. Thanks for the great insight.

1961-69 lincoln continental are truly classic cars with a beautiful style 👍

The mid-1960s AMC Ambassadors also took styling cues from the Lincoln.

My father owned a 1964 Continental sedan in the early 90's. The 430 cubic inch engine. He traded it in for a 1977 Corvette. That Lincoln was a fun car to drive as a teenager!!! You hit the gas and the front end would come up like a boat!! 😂😂 This car was a great part of my childhood and teenage years! Today's values have skyrocketed in value the past few years. Great memories of that car. Thanks Adam for talking about it!!

My folks owned a ‘61 Continental several years and it’s the first car I remember as a kid. It wasn’t until many years later that I began to appreciate how pivotal this car was at the time. Even today, the sheer body side and almost total lack of adornment is stunning, especially when one compares it to contemporary cars, not to mention the styling atrocities of the late ‘50s. How this car made it to production is nothing short of a miracle. Thanks again for such a thorough and interesting history!

It would be interesting to do a video on how the Kennedy Administration saved Ford by taking McNamara! He was not a car guy…

Many design cues from the ‘61 Lincoln Continental persisted in the Lincoln Town Car through 1989. I had a 1980 Town Car , black with black leather interior, the most elegant car that I have ever owned. I wish I still had that car

The body style of the 61 Lincoln Continental has always been one of my favorites. Such an improvement over the garish look of the previous body style.

My Uncle Bud Loved these cars. He had a gold hardtop and I do recall loving the ride. My dad was a GM station wagon guy and although GM made fine cars then it was a real thrill to squire around Winston-Salem with Uncle Bud and a car full of cousins! I recall that a tree limb once fell on the upper front left finder chrome trim and dented it. Uncle Bud was at the dealer within 1/2 an hour ordering that new trim as it was going to be perfect. For a few days he had to look at that dent and he grumped about it every day. I think in todays money it would be a cost of about $300 ($50 back then I think) but it was going to be fixed ASAP! Thanks for all the work you put into these videos. Bobby

I’d venture to say that the ‘61 Continental inspired the 1965-66 Rambler/AMC Ambassador’s exterior styling, as well. Especially those clean, flat sides with chrome trim along the upper fender line connecting the front and rear fascias. The ‘61 Continental was also a huge inspiration for Brooks Stevens’s update of the 1962-64 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk and the 1963-71 Willys Aero/Itamaraty in Argentina.

Nice job Adam. To go from those '58 - '60 Lincolns to that '61 is difficult to comprehend. What a 180 degree turnaround. It's on every designer's 'best of' lists.

I love, love love, Lincolns, thank you so much for doing this video.

Loved and miss my 1963 Lincoln in Sky Blue. Only 60K original miles. Ice Cold A/C and those Suicide doors. Turn heads all day long. No storage ended my time with that Beauty.

Man, I love these cars. An excellent design that, I think, they managed to keep looking excellent through '69, before evolving into the equally handsome 1970 redesign, which itself evolved many of the same styling themes across both the 1970s and 1980s generations of Continental and Town Car. While I personally prefer the more substantial, menacing look of the later 60s Continentals (especially the gorgeous coupes), the early ones really were spectacular examples of automotive design- both inside and out! My only complaint is that on the convertible models, you don't have a normal trunk. Definitely a concession for high style and technology though, as they are absolutely graceful and impressive with the top down. The impact the '61 Continental had was immense, both in design and pop culture. The '63 Grand Prix, '64 Imperial, and '65 Cadillac are all some of my favorite automotive designs, and it's cool to be able to trace their lineage back to an equally stylish and seminal automotive design. Also, as someone who's never been a really huge fan of the 58 or 59 Lincolns, I have to admit that the new, heavier, less sculpted front bumper for the 1960 cars was a big improvement and I actually really like how that car comes together.

Seeing this is fabulous! Of all the designs of the Lincoln Continental (LC) over the decades, I consider this model to be the *Standard Bearer* for the LC line. This is the design that comes to mind whenever I hear or think about Lincoln Continental.

thx for that great history of a truly seminal american car. I had a '64 for a while...what it made up in greater wheelbase it lost in its flat side glass which I thought was a style regression...the curved glass of the 61-63 was a lot nicer. as far as the suicide doors...a lot of people could not figure out how to gracefully sit down into the car, and i had a couple people basically fall backwards into the rear seat, smacking the back of their head on the roof. it must have been even more difficult for the shorter wheelbase 61-63. I drove that car, in the 80's, back and forth across country several times, including from WA state to FL...what a great miler it was. I now own a '59, which I love...it is just so very very strange, that how could I not love it.

The first Bond film I saw (at age 9 when it came out) was Goldfinger, in which they used a beautiful blue '63 or '64 Continental. The Aston Martin left a lasting impression on me, but so did the Lincoln. Others have remarked here about the complexity of the convertible top - Jay Leno has a long video about the '66 Continental and that subject is well covered. For those who did not live through the 1960s, the styles changed so radically between the 50s and 60s, perhaps with this car being the pivot. I remember feeling bad by the mid-60s about anybody driving a car from the earlier era (our second cars did date to that era). You might as well have been driving a dinosaur, even though mechanically the cars were not that much different. I don't think of the 12-year old car I'm driving today as a dinosaur by any stretch.

My Uncle owned a 1964 Cream Color with Black Leather 4 Door S-door. I wish I was old enough when he sold it I was only 11 around 1990. But rode in it many times...Great Car

I thought the '58 through '60 Lincolns were gorgeous. I do really like the design change in '61 as well

Massive departure from my world of early Zephyrs what a change in a couple decades! Thanks Adam

Thank you for a very scholarly presentation on a beautiful classic car!

A timeless beauty. It may be that the aesthetics were simpler and cost to construct was less, but talk to anyone maintaining or restoring the car and they will tell you it was an extremely complex car, especially the convertible. Thanks as always for the video.

Oh, how times have changed! A good bit of Lincoln's advertising for the 1961 smaller Continental was how much it weighed... well north of two tons. But, man, how clean and lithe it was. The interior design was just as lovely as the exterior, and the quality is still unequalled.

With the later generations the TV series Entourage brought this design back into the mainstream . This is where I first saw one and wondered what this cool car was and learnt a bit more about the Lincoln Division from the internet. Again these were another type of car not released in my country.Our "Full size" cars got a few styling cues and possibly some trinkets from the parts bin of the full size luxury cars made in the US. Thankfully a few of these high end cars have made it down under and if you are lucky you might see them at a car meet. Great work again Adam in bringing the stories of these vehicles to life.

GREAT stroll down memory lane for having owned many conv. T'Birds and conv. Continentals. At 72, maybe I will treat myself to one more Lincoln.

Just found your site. Your posts are excellent. No annoying background music, video clips and photos that actually relate to the topic, and information that has been researched. I look forward to more posts. Keep up the good work. Thank You.

60s Lincolns are a class act one of the best looking cars Ford has ever released.

A wonderful synopsis of a seminal automobile. You do great work, Adam.

I purchased a 1960 Thunderbird at age 16 for $250 from my friend’s father. It was in excellent condition and I was able to sell it a year later for $1700. I then purchased a 1961 Lincoln continental for $600 that had 80,000 miles on it. I drove that car for the remainder of high school and sold it two years later and purchased a 1968 Lincoln continental that had 45,000 miles on it for $2000. This was all in northern California in the 1970s. I will never forget the build quality and amazing attention to detail that the 61 continental had. My father himself was a collector of cars and restored many and had taught me in my youth a lot about cars. In the 1980s my favorite cars became two different Mark IIIs, which at the time I thought were the most beautiful cars ever designed. I was lucky enough to grow up in a time when the dollar was more valuable and used cars were affordable. If you bought the right car you could make a good amount of money on it, especially if you purchased clean well-maintained cars and continued to keep them as pristine as possible. I very much miss all of the Lincoln’s that I had in my past and sadly find no current car Lincoln offers to truly be a real Lincoln.

The 61 Continental is a car that just exudes CLASS. I'm a guy who likes small, sporty, good handling cars. The Connie is none of these, but OMG, I want one soooo badly! Great video, Adam!

Adam, a few tidbits on the 1961 LC. It was the first car to have a relatively small steering wheel. Compare it to a 1961 Ford or other cars of the time. Also, the early models had the steering wheel so low and close to the seat cushion, that customers complained - so it was raised mid year. If you look closely, you can tell if it is an early or late model by the steering column being centered in the chrome ring on the instrument panel - not centered or concentric (raised) on the later cars. An other change from early to late is the horn ring/steering wheel. Early cars had the horn ring under the spokes, which were all chrome plated metal. Since there was no stop on the horn ring, the ring could be pressed so hard that it would break it. Late cars have the horn ring above the spokes, which are plastic like the wheel. Also, the interior door handles and vent window cranks had no screws holding them on, but a clip on the back side. Late cars have a screw in the center of the handle holding the handles on. And on top of that (no pun intended) the center top bow of the 1961 is about an inch or more taller than the center bow on the 1962 and 1963 models, giving the roof a more sedan look. I prefer the more bubble top look with the taller bow, which contrasts to the low linear body. Another interesting thing, is that the engine employs 3 thermostats! Another reason for the center opening doors was the fact that on the convertible (mainly), the massive weight of the rear doors would be hung off of the door post centered between the wheels - not a good idea with a 4 door convertible with no frame! Rear hinging was almost necessitated.

I bought a '63 convertible in 1977 as I had always admired the beautiful design.The folding top however was a nightmare.I was living in Toronto at the time and was lucky to find the only Ford mechanic in the whole of Ontario who was able to fix it!

Thanks for covering this exceptional car.

I'm still struck by the fast angle of the windshield combined with the oversized front wheel openings. These two features combined give the 1961 Continental a timeless quality, complimented by the unadorned bodysides, plus the severe tumblehome of the curved side glass. Even today, the sight of a '61 Continental in traffic reveals how outstanding this car's design continues to hold up. The Continental's kinship with the '61 Thunderbird simply heightens the appeal of both cars, in my opinion. Thank you, Adam!

One of my favorite antique cars. I would love to own one and show it.

Thanks for another wonderful video, these are the best Lincoln's ever

Probably the best example of mod 60s sedan style that took most all sedan designs into the 70s.

As a child in the sixties, a neighbor of ours bought a 1963 that I rode in many times. He traded that for the 1965. Amazing cars. I remember feeling so 'protected' because there was such a prominent ledge between the side windows and that stainless strip running along the sides.

Thanks, Rare Classic. These 61 Continentals look as unique and luxurious today as they did back in their day. Also I didn't really see the front end tie in to the 61 Thunderbird before. Go figure 💁🏼‍♂️

My all time favorite car. Thanks for showing. I own a 70 MK3 - love it.

Just a brief comment on the styling. Can you imagine what a shock this car must have been in fall, 1960? Particularly to luxury car buyers. Look at the competition:. Cadillac had been completely restyled for '61, and while it was a handsome automobile, it had its excesses. At Chrysler, the '61 Imperial was downright bizarre. The tailfins couldn't decide where to place the taillights, so they were hung seemingly in mid-air. And Virgil Exner was out the door.

Adam, you hit it out of the park with this video!!! I absolutely love the early sixties Continentals!!!! Timeless classics indeed, thanks for showcasing the Continental!!! 👍👍🙂

The 1956 and '57 Mark II strongly previewed the '61 Continental even though no one knew it at the time. The '58-'60 models were a dead end. They HAD to start fresh in '61, with a design that would remain fresh for years, just getting a few touch-ups throughout the decade.

My only negative experience with the 63 sedan was the roof was inset from the body and rain would drip in easily if the window was open. The rainwater corroded the power window switches.

They had a '64 Lincoln parked at the front entrance of the beautifully restored TWA Terminal (now a hotel) at JFK airport, as a reminder of the era. In addition, there was a Lockheed Constellation at the back. Very classy.

Interesting guy. Not only a presenter and purchaser of older cars, he's also an author and a executive.

Really enjoyed this one Adam... As a kid I remember us having three different cream-colored cars in the early 60s a Continental, Grand Prix and Fleetwood. I remember always playing with the rear-powered vent window in the Fleetwood. Thanks for taking me back.

Very good video, I learned many tidbits regarding Ford in the early 60's. This was a beautiful design. For some reason, the '66 was my personal favorite. All Continentals, from 61 through the mid 1970's were works of automotive art.

This is my all-time favorite car! Beautiful!

Thank you for all the information you provide, Adam. You manage to teach me something every time I watch.

My aunt had one. She was married to a executive at Bird's Eye Food and had grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle. When she and my uncle divorced he mocked her by saying she would never be able to afford to live the lifestyle that he provided for her. She went on to become a very successful real estate agent and bought herself a convertible version when she retired. It was always garaged and meticulously maintained and was in near showroom condition when she passed away 25 years later. After the estate sale it was eventually purchased and exported to Europe and is now in a private collection in the Netherlands.

With financial horror stories of the Mark II, the Edsel and the '58-'60 Lincolns (cars that barely made it from Los Angeles to San Diego before running out of gas) it's a miracle FoMoCo survived the 1950s

Love the slab-sides from the 60s!

My friend used to have a 1965 Lincoln convertible. I loved to drive it--it did not drive "big," felt like a much newer car, was very comfy and quiet with no cowl shake.

Another good video. Indeed a gorgeous car. I recall reading that another reason for using the suicide doors was so that the rear doors would be hinged at a more substantial part of the car rather than a short B pillar - especially important in a four-door convertible with no roof to strengthen the body.

Proudly own a '61 T-Bird convertible, '62 Lincoln sedan and a '63 Lincoln convertible.

A true masterpiece.

This car was such a clean departure from it's predecessor with clean and simple lines. They weren't as spacious as the luxury cars from GM and Chrysler, but they were more tasteful in their definition of what a luxury car should look like.

Who knew that such an iconic feature as those suicide doors would've been brought about in the interest of function - oh, I guess it was 60+ years ago... One could argue that those suicide doors by themselves are what made the entire car the icon which it still is today.

the 1966 Cadillac is my favorite classic car design. It's very interesting to find out it's design is taken from this Continental.

I was a little kid then. The early 60s Lincoln is the most beautiful American car - ever.

66 has been my all time favorite, I first found out what suicide doors were at our family's salvage yard where we had two sedans. I was about 9-10 years old at the time. Roughly 80-81, I think they were a 61 & 64, and even though they were basket cases I thought they were the best thing ever. Looked at quite a few trying to find a decent convertible about 1990/91, never found one before my dream was put on hold after I had kids. Hope to be able to find one soon as they only seem to be going more expensive by the day.

Great video Adam!

As a owner of a 2017 Lincoln Continental I think I'll find this interesting.

Beautiful luxury car. This and the suicide door T-Birds from the last half of the 60s are my favorite luxury cars of the era.

IMO, the most elegant large car ever made. Even today it looks absolutely beautiful - timeless, in fact.

The most beautiful American car ever made. I prefer the '61-63 curved glass short wheelbase cars, I always thought they lost that design purity with the longer wheelbase and flat side window glass.

Piece of art.

Hey Adam, I started watching your reviews of the 67 Thunderbird and the 69 Mark llls. Two beautiful cars that were ahead of there times. I was pretty young when when these cars were introduced, but I was old enough to appreciate them. So as soon as I could I bought a 1970 Thunderbird, even though I already has a 69 Mach I that I loved.

Adam, I must say you have a great command with your presentation, great job on this Continental. I notest that you did not refer this area of Lincoln as the "Slab Side." I have always lusted over this generation and believe it is one of the finest looking L.C. in modern times. I learned more about this Lincoln and I am impressed. I see some of the influence of the Thunderbird styling, the head light trim set up in the same of both. Thanks, Hal

Engel's big Chrysler sedans deserve a shout out. He lowered the bodywork and popped up the greenhouse for a sort of Mercedes Pagoda look. Really stunning

These were and still are fantastically gorgeous cars, and you are absolutely correct on all points, except partly one. The other reason for the 2 barrel carb is because Lincoln was trying to out-quiet Cadillac, AND, the 58 and 59, especially the 58, used horrendous amounts of gas. They wan ted to try to reduce that a little, as the 58 recession had people temporarily willing to give up some speed for better mileage. Lastly, the reasons the 58 - 60 giants flopped was because of the 58 recession and the fact that not many garages were big enough for it. Set-back ordinances and minimum distances between buildings prevented many people from widening and lengthening their garages.