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1968 Continental or Mark

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Posted by: 1986_MarkVII

Bare with me, I'm new to Lincolns. I've always been a Chevy owner

Can anyone answer a question about a 1968 Continental? I had to make a high speed run to the Hot Rod shop (only place you can buy the steal belted hoses.)

When I drove into the parking lot, there was behemouth coup version of my Mark VII, but with late 60s - early 70s embellishments. It was metallic gray with black vinyl top.

But it was not a Mark. It had Continental insignas. According to the tail lights, it was a 1968 Continental.

What caught my eye was the Mark VII style trunk lid that looks like a tire inside.

Does anyone know the story? Why did that Continental have a Mark look to it?

What is the history behind the Mark? Why is it called a Mark?

-------------------------

1986 Mark VII
Bill Blass
Female in the House

Posted by: ND4SPDLSC

You should really google Lincoln Continental. We can't cover the breadth of the topic well enough in a single post. The Mark VII was not the first Mark and hence its name. The Lincoln Continental Mark II started the Mark series. The Mark series shares a common ancestor to the Continental line, the original Continental. There were Continentals and Marks before 1984 and the 1968 Continental Mark III is one such example.

Posted by: 1986_MarkVII

That picture looks just like the Continental I saw, including those cone hub caps.

Thanks for the 411. I wasn't looking for an indepth bio on Lincolns. I was just confused why a car that looked like a Mark carried the name Continental.

Now I get it. It's like Chevy's Bel Air to Impala and Malabu to Chevelle.

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1986_MarkVII

It's like Chevy's Bel Air to Impala and Malabu to Chevelle.

Not exactly. The Mark VII progressed from the Continental line. The first of the Mark VII's in 1984 even came with Continental badging.

Posted by: 1986_MarkVII

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMcMadMac

Not exactly. The Mark VII progressed from the Continental line. The first of the Mark VII's in 1984 even came with Continental badging.

What distinguishes the two?

My Impala has various embelishments that distinguish it from the Caprice, which later replaced the Bel Air as the luxery counter to Impala.

I can tell Imprices (my word for Caprices that someone tried to make into an Impala).

Posted by: OldSchool1

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1986_MarkVII

What distinguishes the two?
...

Don't laugh when I tell you this but, the answer to your question is a fifty cent badge on the fender above the driver's side headlight.

What Josh is saying is that our VIIs started out in 1984 as Lincoln 'Continental' Mark VIIs. The Continental name and badge was dropped for the remaining eight years.