1961 Lincoln Continental 7.6L V8 3AT RWD (340 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The fourth generation of the Continental was the first in its lineage to reach eight years of uninterrupted production and the first in its family to become a presidential car.

Lincoln was struggling to survive after huge financial losses with the third generation of the Continental. The American brand produced that model for just two years, between 1958 and 1960, and it had to pull the plug on it due to creeping sales. Its replacement, the 1961 Lincoln Continental, was a complete surprise for its customers. It was shorter, had a revolutionary look for those times, and was fitted with modern technologies for those times, such as automatic dimming headlights. It is worth noting that many automakers didn’t offer that even after six decades. Unfortunately, the third generation of the Continental earned the Kennedy Lincoln nickname since it was the vehicle on which the former president of the United States was shot in 1963.

The 1961 Lincoln Continental had a front fascia almost entirely covered by a broad grille with a rectangular mesh and integrated the quad round headlights in oval-shaped clusters. However, a year later, the automaker raised them about an inch (2.5 cm) for improved illumination during nighttime driving. Above the grill, the automaker installed the hood ornament with extended spokes of the North Star element that exceeded the rectangular vertical badge. At the same time, the chromed bumper stretched from side to side, with higher outer parts, while on its lower side, it integrated the turn signal lamps.

Thanks to the low-slung profile with straight lines and chromed details. A long chromed trim started from the front upright edge of the fenders and ran along the waistline to the taillights. It was interrupted only by the coach-type doors and the neatly concealed antenna behind the thick C-pillars. The idea of rear-hinged doors those seated in featured an automatic mechanism that slightly lowered or raised the windows when the push-button from the door handles or from the inside was activated. That was unique on the market. The rear door panels also sported a slight step upwards, just in front of the C-posts. Finally, at the back, the 1961 Lincoln Continental featured a flat trunk lid and a mesh grille on the rear fascia that echoed the one from the front. A set of vertical taillights flanked them, and a massive chromed bumper was on the lower side.

Inside, the 1961 Lincoln Continental tried to impress its customers with unseen features. The automaker offered a self-dimming system based on a sensor mounted on the dashboard. The three-spoke steering wheel fronted a horizontal-sweep 120-mph speedometer, an analog clock, and gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature. On the center stack, Lincoln installed a wide ashtray or, as an option, a retractable V-shaped vent for vehicles fitted with air conditioning. The radio above it was also standard. The automaker installed two bench seats in the vehicle, with plenty of legroom and headroom. Furthermore, it put folding armrests that proved useful when only four people, including the driver, were traveling.

Under the hood, Lincoln installed a 430 ci (7.0-liter) V8 gasoline engine fed by a two-barrel carburetor. It paired it with a three-speed automatic gearbox, which sent the power to the rear wheels. The automaker employed four drum brakes for the massive vehicle, but that was common for those times American vehicles.