Lincoln cars traditionally had unique engines, dating all the way back to inception by Henry Leland. But the purchase of the company by Henry Ford, refinement by Edsel Ford, and restructuring in the post-World War II era by Henry Ford II all led to an all-time great engine, sourced from the Blue Oval.
The revitalized Ford Motor Company of the 1950s expanded the use of common components in production. Lincoln’s first overhead-valve V8 engine in 1952 was also used in heavy-duty Ford trucks that year. In the 1960s, Lincoln’s power came from 430-ci and 462-ci variants of the “FE” engine family (as in Ford-Edsel) introduced in 1958.
With a new era of future emissions regulations to contend with by 1968, Ford created the Lima 385 engine family.
Made at Ford’s Lima, OH, engine plant, the 385 engine family’s most popular manifestations were the 429-ci V8 — used in Fords and Mercurys — and the 460-ci V8.
The latter engine, while eventually available in all three brands and nearly all ranges of trucks, was initially intended for Lincolns — namely the new-for-mid-1968 Continental Mark III. When this baroque interpretation on the T-bird platform went into production, this engine also supplanted the 462 used in the Continental sedans and hard tops. The 429 premiered in the Ford Thunderbird, also during 1968 production. From then until 1972, Lincoln used the 460 exclusively.
Class and girth
As part of the Continental’s 1970 redesign, it returned to body-on-frame construction. It looked for all the world like a bigger Mercury Marquis. A 1975 refresh gave the car a larger, blockier and more distinctive look (primarily through a unique greenhouse), yet it still had a nondescript grille that made some wonder if it was still a fancy Mercury. This was cured in 1977 with a new front end, featuring the same type of Rolls-Royce-esque cathedral grille that helped make the 1968–71 Mark III a runaway success, along with porthole oval rear-quarter windows as options from the Mark IV and V.
1978 saw the Continental go on a diet, using lighter-gauge glass, sheet metal, and the plastic LTD/Marquis dashboard structure in lieu of the Continental’s formerly unique metal-framed assembly. The Continental also got the 351M-based 400-ci engine standard nationwide. For this final year of the 460 in cars, it was not certified for sale in the Golden State, but the other 49 could have it as an option in Continentals and Mark Vs.
The party only lasted one more year, as the 400 was the only engine for 1979 — the final year of the full-sized Lincoln.
Continentals from 1978 with the 460 have the best power-to-weight ratio and are noticeably better performers. I’ve owned a number of 1970s Lincolns, and these are my favorites.
Best of the bunch
While the 1977–78 Mark V with a 460 has plenty of snort (despite rear-axle ratios as tall as 2.50 to 1), the shorter wheelbase and longer overhangs make those cars wallowy. The Continental, on the other hand, with a longer wheelbase and more-taut rear springs, handles surprisingly well. With an aftermarket sway bar added to the rear suspension and careful tire selection, I surprised many BMW owners with a 460-powered Town Car that I once owned.
The cherry atop the sundae is that 460-equipped Lincolns have a more robust rear-axle assembly than even an F-150 pickup, plus hydroboost brakes, making them a superb tow vehicle.
For those who are in the market for one, you’ll find that they are about as cheap a collector car as you get for the size and money. If you pay over 10 grand for one, it had better be a low-mile original Grannymobile in well-preserved original condition.
These cars sold exceptionally well from 1977 through 1979, and most were bought by an older clientele that generally took good care of them. As such, good Continentals are still plentiful.
With $5,000 to spend, the market is your oyster, with spare change left for gas. On that note, mileage isn’t as bad as some make it out to be. Around town, factor about 12 to 14 mpg. Out on the highway, I’ve seen 18 mpg, but 14 to 16 is more realistic.
Your best bet for performance is to find a mid-1968 or 1969 460, as they had high-compression heads (10.5:1). Later production used a phenolic-cam gear that was retarded four degrees to further help emissions. Pull and replace the water pump and the timing set with a double-roller chain and all-steel gears, and you have a no-brainer 300,000-mile engine with great torque that can be built up from there for performance. Oh, and 429 Cobra Jet heads will bolt on — the ultimate in go and grunt.
Leave it in a 1975–78 Continental, and you’ll have the best in a Cheap and Thrilling Q-ship.