The Continental was first produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motors in 1939. Lincoln the Continental, the Mark II, III, IV and V consecutively. Although all very imposing and beautiful cars, I'm most fascinated by the 1960s Continentals purely due to the fact that they sport suicide doors. I think they just look cool. The 1960s Continental is the most well-known suicide door vehicle and that feature remains its most striking one. Suicide doors were most popular in the 1930s in the midst of gangster era... which is probably why I think the 1960s Continental is so freakin awesome. In addition to that, the Lincoln insignia on the front somewhat says "rifle scope".
The 1961 Continental was completely redesigned and was actually two feet shorter than its predecessors. The suicide door feature was apparently more practical. After 1969, the Lincoln Continental forfeited its suicide doors.
It is only fair to mention that John F. Kennedy was assassinated in one of the revamped 1961 Continental. The Presidential Limsousine SS-100-X had a removable "plexiglass bubble top" in case it got too hot for the passengers inside the car. Such was the case in Dallas on the fateful November 22, 1963. After the assassination, the car was returned to its originating factory in Ohio, where it was modified and had the removable roof transformed into a fixed roof to better serve its purpose. This car is now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan.
These two Continentals were spotted respectively parked in West LA and zipping through Santa Monica.
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