My Classic Lincoln

I Purchased my 1978 Golden Jubilee Mark V from an estate in Kentucky. The original owner had purchased it brand new, right off the truck with the plastic still covering the seats. It did not even go through dealer preparation! He just drove it home (a distance of 92 miles) and stored it.

Ford Motor Company celebrated its 75th year in the automobile business in 1978. To commemorate this milepost in automotive history, Ford produced two very special automobiles as limited editions. The 1978 Continental Mark V was one, the 1978 Ford Thunderbird was the other. The Mark V version truly was limited with production of just 5,159 cars. Ford's Thunderbird was at the peak of its popularity at this time, and 18,994 were built. At $20,529, it's easy to see why the Mark was more limited in its scope when compared to the $10,106 Thunderbird edition.

To set it apart from the ordinary Marks, the Diamond Jubilee was available in just two colors: Diamond Blue and Jubilee Gold. Whichever color you chose, it would be repeated throughout the car. In addition to the special Clearcoat paint, the padded Landau (shades of T-Bird!) vinyl roof featured color-keyed moldings and integral Coach Lamps. The vinyl-insert bodyside moldings, vertical bars on the grille, bumper guards and rub strips, turbine-style cast aluminum wheels, grille ornament, and padded vinyl deck lid kickup with matching vinyl-insert lock cover were all coordinated.

Inside, the interiors of the Diamond Jubilee Edition Mark V's were the most luxurious ever installed to date by Lincoln in a production car. Also matching the exterior color scheme, the interior featured front bucket seats with a padded center console. The console provided extra storage, and came equipped with an umbrella built into the underside of the padded armrest. The seats were upholstered in luxury cloth with a unique sew style, and had broadlace inserts as distinctive reminders that this was NOT your ordinary Mark V!

Other distinctions included padded leather in high wear areas of the interior, as well as ebony wood inserts on the instrument panel, door trim panels, front seat backs, and console. The backs of the front seats also featured assist straps and map pockets. The carpeting on the floor was a sumptuous 36 oz. Tiffany cut-pile. All Diamond Jubilee Marks were supplied with a leather bound owner's manual and tool kit. If this weren't enough, special touches appeared everywhere you looked. Instrument panel lenses were bevelled, with the look of cut glass.

The outside edges of the opera windows were also bevelled, and featured Diamond Jubilee Script and a simulated diamond chip laminated between the glass. Even the keys had a woodtone insert. After delivery, the customer could choose to have his or her initials monogrammed on the doors, interrupting the bodyside stripes. Most Mark V optional features were standard on this car, including the new digital "Miles-To-Empty" fuel gauge that calculated approximately how far the car could be driven with the remaining fuel in the tank, based on fuel level, driving speed, and fuel consumption rate. An on-board solid-state computer performed the math. Also included as standard equipment: Defroster Group, Garage Door Opener, Headlamp Convenience Group, Interior Light Group, Interval-Select Windshield Wipers, Power Lock Convenience Group, Power Lumbar Seat, Power Vent Windows, Right-hand Remote Control Mirror, Speed Control, Tilt Steering Wheel, Appearance Protection Group, Illuminated Entry System, Rocker Panel Moldings, AM/FM Stereo with Quadrasonic 8-Track Tape, and Dual Wide Band White Sidewall Tires.

Regardless of what other cars may have been compared to the Diamond Jubilee Mark V, they just don't come any plusher or better equipped. It truly was the most luxurious Continental ever produced. Of course, they are very rare and highly prized collectible cars today.