MAY 2024: A 1964 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL’S OWNER HAS A DIFFERENT REASON FOR HIS DECISION TO BUY IT

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The Lincoln brand has always been associated with upscale elegance as the flagship for Ford.

The designation is accurate because Lincolns are an integral part of the luxury class for vintage domestic cars because of their build quality and generous array of creature comforts.

Jim Sutherland

Derek Lee may be an unusual candidate for ownership of a 1964 Lincoln Continental 4-door hardtop sedan, given the fact he is a young car guy with a young family, but he likes his unique 60-year-old ride because it is both cool and practical.

The practical factor ties in with the fact his ’64 Lincoln can easily haul his kids when Derek hits the road in it. The cool factor includes the factory rear suicide doors, along with a few special touches added into the mix by Derek.

The biggest change is the air ride suspension system he installed on the Lincoln to give it a low-rider vibe.  1964 Lincoln left the factory with a lower stance, but Derek wanted his car to ride even closer to the ground, given the fact the car’s body style already lent itself to a lower ride height.

Derek told MyStarCollectorCar he bought his Lincoln about 7 years ago and added, “I am a GM guy-but Lincolns keep falling into my lap”, in his words. Derek also said; “Everybody’s got an Impala when it comes to lowriders”, so he decided to head in a different direction.

His ’64 Lincoln was originally a white car, but Derek liked the idea of a retro black Lincoln to enhance its lowrider vibe that he described as “pretty gangster looking”, an appropriate description for the altitude and attitude adjustment he gave to the car. The Lincoln was also given custom wheels with low profile tires to enhance its lowrider makeover. 

As mentioned earlier, a 1964 Lincoln Continental was a flagship luxury vehicle for the Ford boys, and Derek was willing to retain his car’s factory creature comforts during its transformation into an air ride lowrider. The list includes power steering, power brakes, power windows, power antenna, power vent windows, and even power seats.

Derek also retained his Lincoln’s factory powertrain, namely Ford’s famous 430 cubic-inch big block engine bolted to a factory 3-speed automatic transmission. The car “hauls down the highway”, according to Derek, a fact we at MyStarCollectorCar can confirm after he passed us in the fast lane on his way to a car show last year.

Derek is a free-spirited car guy who blazes his own trail in the car hobby, including his custom license plate which reads DED KNDY, a somewhat controversial choice, given the fact John Kennedy was assassinated in a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible that resembled Derek’s ’64 model.

However, Derek was able to convince the nice people at the registry service that his choice was based upon his strong allegiances to The Dead Kennedys, a controversial musical group that lit up the punk rock movement during the late 1970s.

People can draw their own conclusions about the plate, but Derek’s changes to his ’64 Lincoln will grab their attention long before they see the car’s rear plate when the Lincoln is pulling away on the road. He takes the fast lane in life and on highways.                         

Jim Sutherland

BY: Jim Sutherland

Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section. 

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