1979 LINCOLN MARK V 2 DOOR COUPE RARE 'COLLECTORS EDITION!
RARE ORIGINAL 'MOONDUST SILVER' PAINT.
1 of ONLY 125 BUILT IN THIS RAREST OF THE COLLECTOR EDITIONS!
TOOL KIT IN TRUNK & UMBRELLA UNDER THE SEAT.
RARE LEATHER INTERIOR OPTION.
1ST PLACE IN ITS CLASS AT NATIONAL LINCOLN MEET IN MAY 2022.
PREVIOUSLY OWNER RENOWN LINCOLN COLLECTOR PROMINENT IN THE LINCOLN CLUB.
As Mark V and Continental were in their final year of being the largest, and the last "traditional-sized luxury" production cars in America (and the world, for that matter), a commemorative "Collector's Series" package (a few months later, an actual stand-alone listed model) was introduced. The ever-popular Designer Series and optional Luxury Group offerings continued - yet again in newly revised color and trim selections.
To commemorate the end of Continental Mark V production, the 1978 Diamond Jubilee Edition was repackaged for 1979 as the Collector's Series. An $8,000 option for the Mark V ($29,869 in 2021 dollars), the Collector's Series Edition had a base price of nearly $22,000 ($82,139 in 2021 dollars). Alongside the Mark V, Lincoln marketed a similar edition of the Lincoln Continental sedan.
Distinguished by all other examples of the Mark V by its lack of opera windows, the Collector's Series was produced in four colors 'Midnight Blue Moondust Metallic', 'White', 'Diamond Blue Moondust Metallic' (shared with the Diamond Jubilee Edition), and 'Light Silver Moondust Metallic'. In a slightly monochromatic appearance, Midnight blue and White cars have matching vinyl tops while Silver and Diamond-Blue cars have Midnight Blue vinyl tops; 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 decklid were lined with color-keyed Midnight Blue 18-ounce carpeting.
As with the Diamond Jubilee Edition, 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 was standard; as a delete option, the Collector's Series could be ordered with a standard Mark V leather interior, as was this particular example. Another delete option replaced the 8-track tape player with a cassette player.
In total, 6,262 Collector's Series editions were produced. 3,900 Midnight Blue examples were built, with 2,040 White (an unknown number without any vinyl top), 197 Diamond Blue, and the rarest of all, only 125 in Silver.
West Coast Classics are proud to present an absolutely stunning, exceptional and completely rust and accident free example of this all original award Winning First Place in its class at National Lincoln meet this year, very rare 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V 'Collector Edition' 400c.i. V8 2 Door Hardtop Coupe with all it's original factory specifications including it's original 'Light Silver Moondust Metallic' factory paint and a virtually flawless all original special order Twin Comfort Lounge Seats 'Midnight Blue' leather interior with 6 way power seat adjustment and its original large 400 c.i. V8 engine.
Collector's Series Standard Equipment
Unique paint stripes on bodyside and hood
Valino grain Landau vinyl roof
Color-keyed Landau roof insert (no Opera Windows)
Landau roof molding with integral Coach Lamps
Special hood ornament
Gold color grille bars
Bright edged fender louvers
Wheel lip/rocker panel moldings
Right-hand remote control mirror
Padded contoured decklid accent with matching vinyl insert lock cover
Color-keyed bumper guards and bumper rub strips (Midnight Blue on the Blue and Silver cars/Gold on the white cars)
Color-keyed turbine-style spoke cast aluminum wheels
Appearance protection group
18 ounce carpeting in luggage compartment and on inner decklid
36 ounce floor carpeting in passenger compartment
Midnight Blue bucket seats with six-way power seat and passenger recliner with Twin Comfort Lounge seats with leather seating surfaces
Power Lumbar driver's seat
Padded leather seat-side shield and back shell
Seat back assist straps and map pockets
Woodtone applique on seat back trim
Padded leather-covered console and rear seat fold-down center armrest
Umbrella
Tilt steering wheel with unique woodtone insert and ornament
Leather-wrapped dash pad
Owner's plaque
Unique instrument panel applique
Speed Control
Power lock convenience group
Electronic AM/FM Stereo Search radio with Quad-8 tape
Automatic Garage Door Opener Control
Digital Miles-To-Empty fuel indicator
Seat belt reminder chimes
Interior light group
Unique door and quarter trim
Bright trim on foot controls
Cloth-wrapped package tray and garnish moldings
Leather-bound owner's manual
Leather-wrapped tool kit
Headlamp Convenience Group
Interval-select wipers
Power vent windows
Illuminated Entry System
Michelin radial tiree
This particular example has obviously always been pampered since new. Obviously an always garaged car without any paint, rust or accident damage whatsoever! This rare 'Light Silver Moondust Metallic' and collectible 'Collectors Edition' stands out with very striking original factory paint with a matching Padded Vinyl roof and a gorgeous all original 'Midnight Blue leather interior with a matching dashboard and carpeting.
The original engine is extremely strong and powerful and this particular car drives absolutely magnificently and must be driven to be appreciated and seen to be believed - drives straight as an arrow with no strange road wobbles, shakes or rattles - all the options are working as they should including the air conditioning - a truly remarkable car that must drive almost exactly as when it left the showroom floor over 43 years ago and which needs nothing but a new proud owner!
If you were somehow able to travel back in time and purchase a classic automobile brand new, and retain it over the years as an investment, wouldn't you jump at the chance? Lincoln gave everyone the opportunity to do just that in 1979. The Collector's Series was Lincoln's way of bidding farewell to the full size luxury cars it had been building. And in doing so, it provided the opportunity to purchase a future classic.
Somewhat of a dinosaur by 1979, the Mark V was the last personal luxury car built on a full size platform. Cadillac had downsized the Eldorado for 1979, and was enjoying rejuvenated sales on its foot shorter wheelbase, after shedding both poundage and 20 inches in overall length. Cadillac wasted no time in advertising the advantages of its smaller size when compared to the Lincoln. The new car buying public knew this would be the last year for large automobiles, and rushed to purchase one of the last ones, despite the fuel economy (or lack of).
Contributing to the departure of the big Lincoln was the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirement that mandated a 19 mpg minimum average for all cars built by a manufacturer. In California, the Mark V was rated at the bottom of the barrel, at just 10 mpg. Healthy sales of the big Lincolns during the Fall of 1978 were placing Ford perilously close to the 19 mpg minimum. The penalty for failing to meet the average minimum requirement was severefive dollars for each one tenth of a mile per gallon below the requirement for each car produced. Ford responded in December 1978 by raising the prices on Lincolns, while leaving the price of its other cars untouched. This must have been a bitter pill for Lincoln to swallow, having to discourage sales by raising sticker prices in its farewell year as a large car, one might think the final blow would have come in February 1979, when a sudden fuel crisis caused by the Iranian revolution led to a slow market for big cars. But Lincoln was surprisingly resilient. Sales during this period dipped, which helped Ford's CAFE requirement, but overall sales remained quite good. This changed by late Spring, when long lines at gasoline stations virtually halted sales of large heavy cars. Chrysler came very close to not surviving, and Ford and GM were not fairing much better. By late Summer, Lincoln dealers were struggling to sell the last of the large Lincolns before the new smaller, more efficient 1980 models were introduced.
The last Mark V was built on June 8, 1979 ending this chapter in Lincoln's very distinguished history, The 1979 Collector's Series Mark V was equipped essentially the same as the Diamond Jubilee Edition of 1978, virtually every Lincoln luxury was provided as standard equipment on these cars. Offered in just two colors initially, 'Midnight Blue Moondust Metallic' and 'White', two additional colors, 'Light Silver Moondust Metallic' and Crystal Blue Moondust Metallic, were offered later in the year. Both of the Blue paint shades featured Midnight Blue Landau vinyl roofs, as did the Silver-painted cars. The White ones were equipped with a White Landau vinyl roof. There are reports that a few White cars were also built with the Blue vinyl roof, and perhaps a handful of Collector's Series cars were delivered without a vinyl roof at all. Unlike other Mark V models, these cars did not include Opera Windows. Gold colored grille bars and a padded contoured decklid accent with matching vinyl insert lock cover ensured distinction from all angles. Exceptions seem to prevail here too, as a few reportedly were built sans the vinyl accent on the decklid kickup and lock cover.
The changing luxury car market was due in part to competition from the imports, the fuel crisis, and Cadillac's downsizing in 1977, all put Lincoln on the defensive in the late seventies. Advertising during this time reflected Lincoln's position. Ultimately, only time will tell the true value of these cars, designed to be collectible from day one with the 1979 Mark V 'Collector's Series' being Lincoln's supreme achievement, the pinnacle of American luxury car design that has its roots buried in the age when bigger was better, style was based on grand visions, and a powerful engine under the hood provided status and became part of the American dream. Automotive styles and visions may change with time, but excellence, quality, and standards don't. With a lineage that goes back to the original 1939 Lincoln Continental, the Mark V Collector's Series was a dream car that was also a reality. The highest expression of luxury. And it always will be.
This is a rare opportunity to own a very fine and unabused example of an obviously always garaged 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V 2 Door Hardtop 'Collectors Edition' in the rarest of color combinations with absolutely no evidence or history of any rust or accidents and recently acquired from a prominent collector! This is a great investment that's sure to appreciate over the years for any American classic car collector of obviously any Lincoln enthusiast!
