Hey everyone, Chris LaPointe here. This month we are in Akron, Ohio visiting our good friend Mark Harper Sr. He’s got a couple of classics for y’all. A pair of Lincoln Continentals! Let’s hand it over to Mark so he can tell us all about his Smokin’ Rides!
I saw my first 60s Lincoln Continental when I was just a kid and the way the rear doors opened backward blew my mind! From that day I told myself when I get old enough and if I can find one, I’m buying that car! That day came in the summer of 1986, when I saw a 1963 hardtop being sold by some guy who was getting a divorce and didn’t want his wife to get the car. I kept that one for 20 plus years before giving it to my son, with the understanding that I would get my dream car (1962 Lincoln Convertible) when I retire. Well as luck would have it, I stumbled across a 1961 hardtop for sale just over a year before I was going to retire. It was in great shape and had a good price, one I thought I wouldn’t find when I retired. I took a picture of it with my phone and sent it to the wife with the tag line of “Look What I Found”. She responded with “that’s not a convertible and nor are you retired sir”! I knew what I had to do if I wanted this car, so I repeated my strategy that worked when I bought my first 60s Lincoln. I talked to her nonstop until she says just go buy the car and shut up.
Then three months after I retired, I came across an ad for my dream car a 1962 convertible in North Carolina. Lucky for me I had a friend who lived about 20 to 30 minutes away from where the car was located. I called him and sent him some pictures and asked him if he would go check the car out. After he and his wife checked the car out, he called me and said “if you are thinking of buying this car then you should” so I did.
I like to buy my vehicles with very little needing to be done to them except turn the key and enjoy the ride. I do like that the cars I buy are easy to work on if you have the right tools and space to work on them. Small jobs I will tackle myself or at least attempt to do the work until I run into something I can’t handle. If you are into classic cars, you must understand that there will be days when you are cussing, throwing things, and just questioning yourself as to why you decided to make classic car ownership your hobby. There also will be days when you are just in your happy place to be working on your car, taking it to a show and seeing someone’s face as your car takes them down memory lane, or the calm and joy you feel just driving around town in your classic car. Seriously if you are considering owning a classic car, I say do it but make friends with your local towing company or buy a trailer! Know what you are buying. Check the car out thoroughly inside and out, drive it, open doors, check the engine compartment, the trunk, and look under the car. Buy the car that speaks to you, just know if it’s not a popular car, parts and people that work on it is going to cost you more, because of that fact.
The only downside to having classic cars is that I live in Ohio so from November thru March I can’t enjoy riding in my cars. But, from April thru late October I am out every chance I get attending car shows, Cruise Ins, or just out riding around in one of my cars. My motto is “If the Sun’s Out the Car’s Out”! Now I love my convertible but if it’s over 80-85 degrees out, the top stays up or I take the hardtop out, because that sun is hot and I’m dark enough!
Fun Facts 1961 / 1962
Base cost $6,067.00 / $6,721.00
Weight 4,927 lbs / 5,417 lbs
Length 212.4 inches / 213 inches
Width 78.6 inches / 78.6 inches
Height 53.6 inches / 55.4 inches
# Built 22,303 / 3,212
Engine 430 CID V8 / 430 MEL V8
Tire Size 9.00 x 14 / 9.50 x 14
Trunk size. 15.5 cu. ft / 15.5 cu. ft
Gas Tank 25 gallons / 20.9 gallons
