Fifties flash for not much cash

Why one sale’s below-estimate Lincoln made complete sense

It isn’t a ‘typical’ US classic – which made it better value.

The British classic American scene isn’t all about 1960s Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Corvettes, and nor is it just about 1970s Cadillacs. Delve a little deeper and every now and then something just off-piste makes an appearance. That was certainly the case with this 1950 Lincoln – it’s often those less in-demand examples that are not only more fascinating but potentially offer great value.

A lot of buyers overlooked it.

There are plenty of self-proclaimed ‘experts’ who’ll tell you that an early 1950s American car won’t be fast or go around corners and you won’t be able to buy replacement parts. Needless to say, they are talking out of their hats because mechanical spares back-up on a car like this is good, while trim and cosmetic components can be ordered from the USA with generally quick delivery times – and by overlooking this Lincoln, they left a great deal to a smaller portion of bidders, who had a better chance of getting a good deal. Which, clearly, someone did.

Condition-wise, it was a very sound buy.

It wasn’t at all bad for its age. The body was mainly tidy and straight. Panel fit was good and the vast ‘spear’ on either side confirmed this. There were some dings, these being revealed by the reasonable black paint and while the passenger door showed some bubbling this would be an easy fix for any competent bodyshop. The bumpers were in fair order but a trip to the platers would have improved things greatly. All was complete and tidy inside but a good clean and detailing would have beefed up appearances greatly.

At below its pre-sale estimate, it was a smart deal.

Fifties US classics are characterful and immensely usable. This Lincoln was good as it was but some cosmetics would have lifted it into an entirely different league. Rare and with a flathead: what’s not to like?