1956 Lincoln Continental

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £15,000, then £750 is added, making the total amount payable of £15,750.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

A company buying the car will have to pay VAT on the hammer price, as well as duty + VAT.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £350 for processing the bond discharge & NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

In common with many vehicles from the vendor’s collection, the car comes with very little history and no service records.

We haven’t tried to start or drive this car and can therefore only attest to its cosmetic condition.

We know that the chassis number is C56F3034.

We know that, today, the odometer reads 40,630 miles.

We know that it was bought for the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles in 2013.

In general, and if you ignore the bonnet, this car presents pretty well.

The panels are largely free of any dents, dinks, folds or creases of any significance and most of the gaps and shut lines seem consistent and even.

The cream paintwork is good where it is untroubled by any bubbling or micro-blistering.

The front of the bonnet has been severely nibbled by corrosion and will need sorting out sooner rather than later.

There has been a spillage of some sort of sticky liquid on top of the o/s/f wing. There is bubbling at the bottom of the same wing and into the wheel arch

Bubbling is also present at the bottom of the o/s/r wheel arch and on the roof in a few places.

There is some rust staining in evidence at the base of both ‘C’ pillars and around the kickplate and sill on the n/s/f door. There is some bubbling above the sill and at the base of the same door.

The chrome work is tarnished and pitted below the rear bumper and on the n/s of the front bumper. Elsewhere, the chrome and badging is good.

The o/s hub caps are with the car, but not attached.

The interior condition is really very good indeed.

The white upholstery in swathed in protective plastic covers which seem to have done their job with commendable success.

The seats, front and back, seem untroubled by either age or use.

The carpets and mats are decent, as is the headlining.

The interior trim around the windows has fared rather better than its exterior counterpart and is mainly intact.

The door cards are good, if a little grubby and in need of being shown a moist chamois.

The instruments, gear selector and steering wheel are very much of their era and seem to be in fine condition.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t tried to start the vehicle.

As expected, the undersides are showing some rust dust and flaking, but it is by no means extensive and most of what we can see appears to have a good amount of structural integrity.

Clearly, you’ll want to take a look for yourself.

The (vast) engine and engine bay look very clean and dry.

The car doesn’t come with a service history or any record of work done.

Currently, this car has neither an MoT certificate nor a V5. It must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this. Any paperwork shown in the gallery in no way constitutes any kind of licensing or registration certification.

We haven’t tried to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat limited.

That said, provided the car’s engine and mechanicals prove to be in proper working order and amenable to recommissioning, we think this 1956 Lincoln Continental Mk II has enough intrinsic quality and class to merit the restorative attentions rightfully due to such a distinguished, low-mileage luxury vehicle.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £15,000 - £25,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.