It’s amazing what nature can accomplish on an object left over many years, and a Lincoln Continental left abandoned for 15 years is a perfect illustration of this. The awesome 1973 Continental Mk IV had been sitting in a yard for over a decade after its owner passed away. The classic land yacht was found by the car detailing YouTube channel WD Detailing and taken away to undergo a deep clean. With just a bit of TLC, this Barn Find Lincoln undergoes an incredible transformation.
This 1973 Continental Was Winched From Its Grave
The awesome Mark IV Continental is the quintessential land yacht, the epitome of American luxury automobiles of the ’70s. Seeing an example weathering away, unloved, uncared-for is heartbreaking, to say the least. When the team at WD Detailing found the Continental, the car was stuck in an awkward place. The task of freeing it from its bed of neglect would be difficult.
The car was completely entrenched in mud, and as it was a wet day when they picked it up it was impossible to extract it initially. They ended up using a winch mounted to their recovery truck to pull the Continental clear and onto the truck. The vehicle was then transported back to their workshop so the clean-up operation could begin.
15 Years Of Weathering Had Taken Toll On This Lincoln Continental
Engine Specs
| Engine | 460 ci V8 |
| Gearbox | 3-Speed Automatic |
| Power | 219 hp |
| Torque | 360 lb-ft |
| Top Speed | 117 mph |
| 0-60 mph | 11 seconds |
| Weight | 5231 lbs |
Source (Automobile-Catalogue.com)
The guys found that the body of the barn find Lincoln had been left completely coated in grime due to its extended camping trip. Before they began cleaning up the Continental, they removed the battery. It had to be loosened up with a special screw tool due to the bolt having seized before being taken out. The guys then vacuumed the many leaves that were stuck in the bumpers, under the hood near the 460 ci V8 motor, and below the windshield, before the real work could start.
Weathered Wheels Look Brand New Once Cleaned
The WD hosts needed to sort out the grime on the wheels. First, they removed the hubcaps and removed any foreign debris such as cobwebs with a vacuum. The wheels were then coated with rim cleaner and power-washed to remove the thick grime before the tires followed after being treated with tire cleaner and subsequently power-washed. The hubcaps were then attacked with rim cleaner to finish off the look. The results were profound, as the wheels ended up looking shiny and new like they had just come out of the factory in 1973.
Years Of Grime Suffocating The Continental Attacked With A Power-Washer
The WD team then embarked on the task of getting the body and windows free of grime. They used generous amounts of degreaser to soften the dirt before attacking it with a power washer. The effects of this were clear to see, as the underlying blue color of the body began to stand out against the ever-receding amount of green dirt. A brush combined with shampoo was then used to agitate the ground-in dirt on the badging and lights before the final dose of pressure-washer, cleaning it away.
The damage the elements had done to the car became clear once the dirt was removed. Clear rusting could be seen across the hood and the headlights, as well as towards the bottom of the front fenders. The roof was badly damaged, and the paintwork was peeling away from the body. These areas are most exposed to the elements, and time has visibly taken its toll.
| $39,800 | |
| Excellent | $27,400 |
| Good | $12,700 |
| Fair | $6,500 |
They finished off the interior by cleaning the leather seats and trim with leather cleaner, and then power-washing the gritty floor mats until they looked factory-fresh. WD’s work with the Continental is a stunning display of what can be achieved with a vehicle that may look long past its best. A couple of handy tools and some effort go a long way to restoring any vehicle to its previous beauty, whether it hasn’t been cleaned for 15 days or 15 years.
The WD team then embarked on the task of getting the body and windows free of grime. They used generous amounts of degreaser to soften the dirt before attacking it with a power washer. The effects of this were clear to see, as the underlying blue color of the body began to stand out against the ever-receding amount of green dirt. A brush combined with shampoo was then used to agitate the ground-in dirt on the badging and lights before the final dose of pressure-washer, cleaning it away.
The damage the elements had done to the car became clear once the dirt was removed. Clear rusting could be seen across the hood and the headlights, as well as towards the bottom of the front fenders. The roof was badly damaged, and the paintwork was peeling away from the body. These areas are most exposed to the elements, and time has visibly taken its toll.
Interior Of Continental Refreshed With Game-Changing Trick
