1961 Lincoln Continental convertible restoration

[Paul Payne]

I picked up this one a couple years back but have been working up the courage to restore it. Lots of fiddly places to sand and fill- especially around the windshield posts and vent windows where the mirrors, and I think spotlights, were glued. Windshield frame is broken but repairable. Glass is poor- anyone out there have a replacement or repro? White walls might be restorable but I picked out some replacements from the stash just in case. Dash, which I had to saw out of the interior bucket,  had a phone glued in, and the original builder meant it to stick! Great news is that the grille and rear bumper are in good shape needing only chrome touch up. A fellow forum member very kindly made resin copies of the rear grille which was missing.

[rickcaps55]

Nice to see one of these kits on the bench i have a 61 and 62 and 64 that are in the middle of rebuild. I started the project 15 years ago when i found them at a local block sale and I am glad now at the time Modelhause was on line I was able to get all the missing parts from them and all new chrome. can't wait to see yours done.

[Paul Payne]

Rick, thanks for the encouragement!

[BIGTRUCK]

Are you restoring both? The 1/2 roof Lincoln would make a great looking custom. I always have trouble repairing those windshield frames as they seem to get very brittle cleaning up glue residue. You have some good cadidates for rebuild, they should look sharp when done. I love seeing an old kit get new life.

[Paul Payne]

Ken, The 1/2 roof Lincoln is the 1961 I'm restoring to stock, but with wire wheels and different tires. Still have the 1/2 roof, but no plans to use it. The 1962 in the pic will also be restored to stock.  I I love the 1961-1963 Lincolns- really great American luxury cars with fantastic clean style.

[Kah puts]

I agree those early 60’s Lincoln’s are so elegant, you’re off to a great start. Try using a piece of wire under the windshield header just to give it some extra strength, nothing feels worse than having it break during polishing ?

[RickRollerLT1]

Since you have essentials to the '61 year it might be wise to pick up a reissue AMT '65. I believe the windshield is the exact same piece plus the windshield frame and all should graft on cleanly.

 

[Paul Payne]

Rick, I do have a 65 I am customizing, may use the glass as a donor.

[Paul Payne]

Progress! Decided to use a white paint pen to freshen the white walls after a good scrub. Broke out the chrome pens and touched up the wheels and chromed the steering wheel- now to paint the rim. Also found some knock offs in the stash. Shot primer on the chassis after removing the insert for the lower portion of the engine- this will be primed and detail painted. One rocker panel had a lakes pipe glue bombed in place- been working on smoothing this out. The area of the fenders around the wind wing widows was badly damaged by glue from attachment of mirrors and antennas (or spot lights). So- filing, sanding, flat black, filler, repeat until happy (model building is FUN!) The is still a wip- glue damage and a cramped area to try and fill and sand- plus there is a Lincoln logo there as well as other chrome trim- we shall see! Any ideas on detailing deeply recessed gauges and the chrome trim would be appreciated!

Edited May 24, 2023 by Paul Payne

[Can-Con]

8 hours ago, Paul Payne said:

Rick, I do have a 65 I am customizing, may use the glass as a donor.

Paul, I don't think there the same windshield but I'm not sure. 

You could try one from a similar year Thunderbird. The real cars were built on the same floor pans with slight differences like wheelbase.

[charlie8575]

The '65 windshield will most likely fit.

A 1961 Continental is on my most wanted list...a real one. I have a model to restore somewhere......I really need to start going through my boxes and find stuff, and get it re-organized.

I personally like the dark blue and dark green on these. What colors are you thinking?

Charlie Larkin

[Paul Payne]

Charlie, I have always been very partial to maroon over maroon.

[Paul Payne]

More progress on the restoration. Chassis has been painted. Tires are clean, white walls refurbished with white paint marker, inner wires washed with flat black, chrome touched up with chrome pen, and new knock offs from the stash. Upper axle holes used for a nice low look. Rear bumper and front grille re-chromed with pens, headlight lenses added over existing lenses after painting the existing lenses with steel. Need to buff away a little more wash to make it pop. Rear tail lights are in the process of being fabricated from various parts in the stash. The windshield frame is starting to be rebuilt- the part from the center to driver's wind wing was one piece, then broke and had to be glued together before installation. Same with the rear wind wing pillar- started as two pieces, broke into three, now back to one, soon to be installed. Will reinforce everything with small diameter brass rod and super glue. Windshield glass had to have the wind wings cut off- totally unsalvagable. Needs more polishing, and will also make new wind wings with acetate. Yankee thrift led me to use up a can of paint on the interior- ran out, so I am stripping it for a repaint. Dash was stripped and new paint applied. Now for hours of fun bmfing the interior and detailing the gauges- what I call fiddly stuff!

[250 Testa Rossa]

Can't wait to see how this turns out!

[Paul Payne]

Progress! Paint! Detailed the dash, constructed door handles and window cranks from 1/8" rod, 1/16" rod, and 0.030" x 0.030" square stock, since the engraved ones would be impossible to detail, painted the interior tub with Testor's garnet pearl metallic, and painted the body with Duplicolor dark garnet red. Once the body is dry, it will be clear coated- then the crucial decision- chrome pen or bmf? Hours of fun ahead, that's for sure!

[John B.]

I have a 61 Continental that was given to me in a bag - literally! Your build is very informative and interesting.

[Paul Payne]

Thanks, John! Good luck with your own rebuild!

[Paul Payne]

Well, the interior was stripped and repainted, because too much paint had buried the details. Pix soon. Also broke out the chrome pens and bmf and worked on the trim- needs a little touch up but coming along!

[bisc63]

That color is really nice, and makes the chrome trim pop!

[Paul Payne]

Thanks, Rusty, the interior will now be black and chrome, should also make the body color stand out!