One of only 197 Diamond Blue Collector Series built. Beautiful original condition, loaded with options including moonroof. Nicely documented, known ownership history. A well maintained and very clean Mark V ready to enjoy.

If you’ve been paying attention to the market, you might have noticed that ‘70s luxury cars are hot. These giant land yachts represented a different kind of luxury and we’ll never see their like again. For road trips, there’s still nothing better than aiming 18 feet of baroque sheetmetal at the horizon and letting it eat up the miles with effortless ease. And when it looks as good as the Mark V, well, it’s easy to understand why these are some of the best collectables of the 1970s. For many, the final-year Collector Series Mark Vs are the ones to own, and with only 197 built in lovely Diamond Blue, it makes for an ideal collector car that will always have a dedicated following. Despite spending the entirety of its life in Illinois and Minnesota, this Mark V has apparently never seen winter weather and wears 100% original paint with no surprises underneath. It’s beautifully preserved thanks to the care of three dedicated owners over the past 45 years and shows quite well overall. The Collector’s Edition had a few unique features and trim, including the padded “Continental kit” on the deck lid and a unique gold grille up front. The Mark V’s styling is arguably the most successful of the bunch, with angular creases and a long hood/short deck look that gives even this gigantic car a sporting look. The doors close with reassuring solidity, panel gaps are quite good, and yes, the headlights work correctly and stay closed long-term, meaning there aren’t any vacuum leaks in the system. This is a really well-maintained car.

The dark blue leather interior is a bit of an unusual find, as many of these cars had cloth upholstery—according to the Marti Report that accompanies the car, only 89 of the Diamond Blue cars had leather. The seating surfaces are in good condition, with the driver’s seat showing some modest wear but nothing out of the ordinary for its age, and the rest of the upholstery is beautifully preserved. You’ll also find a fairly lengthy list of options, including the lighted thermometer on the driver’s outside mirror, the power moonroof, a reclining passenger’s seat, automatic headlights, and the ultra-rare AM/FM/cassette/CB radio—too cool! Of course, that’s in addition to all the standard features like power windows, locks, and seats, cruise control, automatic climate control, a tilt steering column, and even a “miles to empty” trip computer. The padded dash is in excellent shape, the carpets are plush enough to swallow your shoes, and all the interior lights are operational. It feels like an isolation chamber inside and even with all those angles, it’s remarkably hushed at speed. Such is Lincoln luxury. Of note, the A/C works but the blower is offline and the clock does not work, both relatively minor details in an otherwise lovely car. And you have that massive trunk that’s fully upholstered in matching blue carpet and we believe that’s the original spare tire still under the cover.

The only engine available in 1979 was a 400 cubic inch V8 that’s suitably torquey and quiet for service in the big Mark. With a 2-barrel carburetor, it’s not going to win any drag races, but it happily loafs along at 80 MPH all day long without complaint, and that’s exactly what it was designed to do. The engine bay is extremely clean and shows plenty of conscientious maintenance, and its easy life out of the elements is evident everywhere you look. There’s factory Ford Blue enamel on the engine itself, a correct aluminum air filter with snorkel still intact, and all the bare metal parts, from the radiator shroud to the A/C lines are bright, not chalky, more proof that this car has never seen road salt. It starts easily and idles well, and generally goes about its business without much fuss, which is what a good servant is supposed to do. The C6 3-speed automatic transmission offers almost undetectable shifts and with 2.47 gears out back, this is obviously a car designed for road trips. The undercarriage is completely original, but you’ll note no rust or rot in the critical areas and the floors and rockers are solid. Power 4-wheel disc brakes are reassuring for something with this much mass behind it, and the exhaust system is so quiet that the only thing you hear when it’s running is the fan and belts spinning. Beautiful finned alloy wheels were standard equipment on the Collector Series and these carry 225/75/15 whitewall radials that look right.

Documentation is extensive, including the original books and manuals, build sheet, window sticker, a Marti Report, maintenance receipts, and ownership history.

These are big, handsome, very road-worthy cars that have a dedicated following. They’re welcome just about anywhere and like I said, there’s no better car for a road trip. With rarity on its side, this beautiful Collector Series is a good car at a reasonable price, and we’re quite sure these cars have only just started to appreciate. Find out what your father’s luxury car was really like and call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.