Kustom Builds: 1969 Lincoln Continental
Thanks to its handsome lines and those distinctive rear suicide doors, the fourth-generation Lincoln Continental has long been a desirable classic. This particular 1969 Continental belongs to a very good customer of Karl Kustoms, and needed a comprehensive refresh to restore it to its former glory:
Having refurbished four of this customer’s cars already, the Lincoln was the next project on the list. It had been the customer’s father’s car, and the team painstakingly restored it to better-than-original condition.
The Lincoln Project
Restoring any classic the right way takes time and more than a little know-how.
“We stripped it all the way down to bare metal.”
Ed Birmingham
Happily, Ed Birmingham and the rest of his team have decades of experience between them, and they started the process with a complete strip-down of the vehicle.
Painting Perfection
Ed Birmingham is the man who takes the Karl Kustoms paint shop from good to great. With close to three decades of experience, Ed and his team have repainted just about every kind of classic car and motorbike around.
The Lincoln was one of the larger vehicles to have gone through Karl’s paint shop, and it required two gallons of base coat and two and a half gallons of clear coat to meet Karl’s exacting standards. The process of stripping and then painting the car in its original presidential blue hue took hundreds of hours. To get an idea of the lengths the team goes to ensure a perfect finish, watch this time lapse video of the Lincoln in the paint booth:
“Anything that has to do with paint, I can do it.”
Ed Birmingham
The time it took to sand and prep the panels? Close on 200 hours! A necessary detail to get the car looking smooth and wrinkle-free once out on the road. The car originally had flag stickers just above the door handles, which were the customer’s dad’s initials. Karl painstakingly painted these back on the car, making them look even better than before.
The Detail Is What Sets Karl Kustoms Apart
The goal for this project was to bring the Lincoln back to ‘as new’ condition. Well, Karl Kustoms intends to deliver what the customer wants, and in this case, they over-delivered. Bringing the Lincoln back to better than factory condition.
“He’s one of those customers that likes that we go the extra mile.”
Ed Birmingham
Being a relatively low-mileage vehicle meant it was in good overall condition. But stripping it down revealed that it had the usual corrosion on the rockers and quarter panels. The interior and window glass were all original and didn’t need any work. The suicide doors were still in great shape and the vinyl roof was also spotless.
Engine Refurb
The massive 460 cubic-inch 4-barrel Ford V8 was next on the list. Dennis Garland took this part of the project on, spending countless hours ensuring that every hose, clamp, nut, and bolt was checked and replaced if necessary.
“Anything that looked like it was old or brittle, we fixed.” Ed Birmingham
Ed Birmingham
The motor was removed and given a full refresh. The transmission was sent away to get refurbished, and the gas tank was replaced. Aside from that, the brakes were redone, and the team replaced any worn-out or visibly tired components.
The end result was a 1969 Lincoln Continental that not only looks better than new, but also drives better than ever.
Let Karl Kustoms Make Your Classic Better-Than-New
Karl Kustoms is a machine shop, custom shop, and service shop. We do restoration, custom upholstery, custom painting, bodywork, accessory installations, and more. So, whether you need an upgrade, refresh, or ground-up restoration, we are ready to assist.
Our staff are passionate and extremely knowledgeable. If you would like to know more, then call us at 866-697-7805, or get in touch online. Let us make your automotive dreams a reality.