November 30th Update: We just confirmed the private seller of this ride deleted their Craigslist ad, so we’re now able to call this one “Sold!”  While this one got away, if you have your heart set on something similar, email us the details of what you’re looking for or call Rudy directly at (908)295-7330.

October 24th Update – The private seller just posted a fresh listing for their ’79 Lincoln but remains firm on the revised price of $15,000 set earlier in October.

October 5th Update – The private seller of this ’79 Mark V just lowered their price by two thousand dollars to now ask for $15,000.

September 30th Update – When we first featured this 29K original mile 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Collector’s Series, the private seller indicated their car has just received a fresh vinyl top but claimed it was in need of paint.  The asking price then was $7,500.  Fast forward to this weekend when we came across this car again offered with a number of updated pictures and an asking now of $17,500. While the new post does not mention it, we’re fairly confident either the first caretaker sold it to someone who painted the car and is now trying to flip it or he just took the time over the past year to get the work done and recoup his investment.  You’ll have to get the details when you connect with the seller.  We’ve updated all of the pictures and the links below.  

Lincoln actively promoted 1979 would be the last model year of its full-size Continental Mark V by offering Collector’s Series such as this 29K original mile example originally listed in September 2020 on Craigslist in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania where the current caretaker is now asking $17,000, a $9,500 increase from the $7,000 desired last December.  A review of the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool for this car confirms it’s now priced $300 less than the #2 “Excellent” estimate of  #$17,300.  A second data point based on the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool indicates the seller’s asking price is $330 above the #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $16,770 after factoring in the 30% premium for the optional moon roof and Collector’s Series package.

At 230 inches long, the Mark V is the largest two-door coupe ever sold by Ford Motor Company.  To commemorate the end of Continental Mark V production, Lincoln repackaged the 1978 Diamond Jubilee Edition for 1979 as the Collector’s Series. An $8,000 option for the Mark V, the Collector’s Series Edition had a base price of nearly $22,000.   The most notable feature of the Collectors Series versus other Mark V examples was the lack of opera windows. The Collector’s Series came in only one of four colors: White, Diamond Blue Moondust Metallic, and Light Silver Moondust Metallic, and the Midnight Blue Moondust Metallic on the example featured here.  All examples were given a gold-colored grille with a gold-trimmed hood ornament. Inside the trunk, both the trunk floor and the underside of the deck lid were lined with color-keyed midnight-blue 18-ounce carpeting. The Collector’s Series included virtually every available feature as standard equipment on the Mark V. A cloth interior with a center console, rear-seat armrest, and bucket seats came standard; as a delete option, the Collector’s Series could be ordered with a standard Mark V leather interior. Another delete option replaced the 8-track player with a cassette unit such as the one this example appears to feature.  Of the 6,262 Collector’s Series editions produced, 3,900 Midnight Blue examples such as the car featured here were built, with 2,040, 197 Diamond Blue, and 125 Silver.

The small YouTube Channel Auto Moments provides some great reviews of a few oddball classic cars, one of which happens to be on the 1979 Collectors Series Continentals:

As we said back in December, we like this Mark V as it truly represents the end of an era in American car manufacturing that will likely never be duplicated.  The sheer length of this land yacht makes this classic car a deal killer for many garages.  The new true dual exhaust likely makes the sound of the 400 cubic inch V8 better than stock while likely providing a slight bump in torque.  The caretaker at the time claimed the car needed a paint job, but based on the latest pictures we wonder whether the original paint was saved through a great detailing.  As we indicated back in December, even if they have had the car painted, the money they are asking now is in line with the improved condition and it was money well spent.  Good luck with the purchase!

This is the current description provided in the latest Craigslist post:

Here’s the seller’s original description from last December:

“1979 Lincoln Mark V Collector’s Series
29,000 miles…documented.
400 ci motor, auto trans. New carb, alternator, battery, voltage regulator, starter solenoid, ignition module, cap, rotor, and ignition wires. Brand new dual exhaust from manifolds back. Brand new front brake pads, rotors, front grease seals, repack wheel bearings, and oil change. Well maintained. No pets, no smoking vehicle, no leaks. Brand new vinyl top.
Solid floors & frame, good tires.Runs strong, rides smooth. Needs paint.“

Do you have a Fiat Spider story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!