Show Car Sunday - retirement edition

RETIREMENT CIRCA 1987

This is one of those cars I stopped to make fun of and in the time I was doing so started to like it. You know how your 1st grade best friend is usually some kid you fought and the girl you make fun of becomes the prettiest one in your eyes. Well maybe this isn't the prettiest . . .

What we have here is a 1984-1987 Lincoln Continental in two-tone Glacier Blue over Dark Blue. The Ford Motor Company (which of course includes Lincoln) altered its Continental pretty dramatically in 4 generations between the largess of the '70s to the rounded shapes of the '90s, and this is one of them. The previous generation had a stand-up flat front as opposed to this more aerodynamic shape.

Only the tiniest evidence of parking scuffles can be found on this ride. Looks like a school bus got a bit too close on the corner of the bumper.

This is the most subtle version of a Bustleback design. You can see where the line of the back window continues down past the top of the quarter panel all the way to the darker blue color. This is a shout-out to the early automobile days when the car stopped at the rear window and the trunk was an actual trunk held onto the back of the car with straps. Cadillac had an extreme version of the Bustleback in the early '80s that looked like a safe was dropped onto the trunk in a cartoon. This one manages to carry it thanks partially to that swooping chrome side trim.

Here is the signature design feature of this model: the Continental tire trunklid. The spare tire isn't actually in that space but it harkens back to the original model from the late '30s.

The trunk is very tall and as a result can hold tons of stuff. The taillights are super '80s!

Here is the Bustle on display. I have to give it up for the fuel filler door hiding in plain sight. Two different colors and a chrome trim piece accentuate the door which would make it a legit pain in the arse to replace.

Stay hydrated and claim your nickels people!
The interior is a 1980s version of stately elegance. Power bucket seats have their own control panel in front of the individual armrests. That original cassette stereo probably boasts 6 factory speakers. The black panel above the stereo contains all the idiot lights like OIL and ALT. Being an '80s luxury car the entire dashboard is digital.

Well that's that for this forgotten era Lincoln. In many ways it's not surprising that this car is in mint condition. This ride was always marketed for the recently retired as it's plush and glitzy without an ounce of sex appeal. I'm sure garages and rest home carports across America contain equally unused examples with a coating of dust on flat tires. Still, it managed to stop me in my tracks for a moment as it was so well presented so I'll give it that. Would I want to own one myself? Nah