Lincoln’s history has been tumultuous, facing almost three near-collapse moments in its journey. The first instance occurred when it was still an independent company. Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Co., discovered that his wife desired chauffeur-driven cars, which Ford did not produce. Consequently, she purchased a Cadillac, leading to speculation that Ford purchased Lincoln Motor Co. to remove his wife from the embarrassment.
The second near-collapse was a result of the Great Depression. Fortunately, Edsel Ford, Henry’s son, devised the Lincoln-Zephyr in 1935, which saved the brand from dissolution yet again.
The third instance happened between 1958 and 1960 when Ford Motor Co. misjudged the market. The Lincoln Continentals produced during this period were excessively large, weighing over 5,000 pounds and stretching almost 19 feet long. They became a commercial failure, with only 2,044 units manufactured. Lincoln suffered heavy losses of around $60 million (equivalent to $618 million in 2023). Robert McNamara, Vice President of Vehicle Operations at Ford Motor, suggested discontinuing the Lincoln brand altogether. However, the company decided to give Lincoln one final chance. The design studio proposed a more formal look for the 1961 Thunderbird, but management altered the plan, resulting in the next Continental. The goal was to create a car that exuded elegant simplicity, reminiscent of an elegant lady donning a simple black dress with a minimalist diamond necklace. The proposal called for a four-door sedan and a four-door convertible, making it the first production four-door convertible since the 1951 Frazer Manhattan.
Compared to the 1960 model, the 1961 Continental was 14.8 inches shorter and had an 8-inch shorter wheelbase. It could accommodate six passengers and featured “suicide doors” (hinged at the rear) for easier entry to the backseat. The price tag of the Continental convertible was $6,713 ($68,500 in 2023 dollars), which was $646 and 300 pounds higher than the sedan but still lighter than the 1960 model by about 1,000 pounds. The 1961 Lincoln Continental achieved tremendous success, selling 22,307 sedans and 2,857 convertibles. It even became President John F. Kennedy’s official limousine.
The car featured in this article is a 1961 Lincoln four-door convertible owned by Dustin Oxborrow, a resident of Danville. He acquired the vehicle from the second owner in 2018 for $27,000. Oxborrow ensured that each aspect of the car was evaluated and either restored, modified, or replaced to achieve perfection. Despite some surprises, like finding a dead rat and Skittles in the roof folds, Oxborrow meticulously restored the car’s systems, including the engine, transmission, power top, paint, interior, and wheels. The car, which previously had 81,000 miles and had been used to pull a trailer, is now valued at $80,000 after restoration. Additionally, Oxborrow intends to keep the car as a part of his collection rather than sell or trade it.
Danville’s Rare Gem: Only a Fewer than 200 ’61 Lincoln’s Remain on the Road
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