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Thread: Buying a Mark ii

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    6

    Default Buying a Mark ii

    I'm interested in buying my first Mark ii. Are there any items on the car that are really difficult to repair/replace such that it would be helpful to find a Mark with these items? Any other helpful tips would be appreciated. Thank you!
    Marjo Miller

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Woodbury,CT
    Posts
    939

    Default

    In general, body and paint work are expensive, particularly rusted sections. The car is very large and has trim that is flash chromed, stainless steel so it is difficult to work on without scratching the flash chrome.

    Most parts, with the exception of brake drums, are generally available.

    Of course, the general rule applies, "buy the best car you can afford" to take advantage of the money that prior owners have already invested in the car.

    Larry
    Larry Durocher
    1956 Mark II C5601429
    1962 RR Silver Cloud II drophead
    2006 Ford F150
    2010 RR Phantom drophead
    2013 Bentley GTC
    2015 Lincoln MKT

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Yellow Springs, OH
    Posts
    2,800

    Default

    That sage advice from Larry is right on the money. I would also say that the cow belly frames tend to rust badly especially behind the front wheels; please be sure the car frame has only minor surface rust, if any. Windshields and windshield wiper arms are especially difficult to replace. Just make sure you buy a solid, rust free, not wrecked, complete car as possible.
    Good luck. John
    John Snoddy

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Thank you Larry and John. I appreciate you taking time to give me your thoughts.
    Marjo Miller

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    72

    Default

    above all the chassis is the number 1 thing doesn't matter how the body is. the cost to remove the body and everything to get to the chassis is just not worth it.
    Jacob Dout
    Denver Colorado

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Lake Zurich, Illinois
    Posts
    451

    Default

    All good advice from these 3 fellows.

    Make yourself a checklist and take a friend with you so he can read the checklist as you check everything out.

    Some things are hard to check such as the gas gauge.

    Unless you either fill the tank to see if it registers full or siphon some gas out to see if the gauge drops, you can't tell if it works.

    Mine showed empty when I went to buy the car and when I filled the tank the gauge only came up to half full so I am still messing with the sender to get the gauge to work right.

    New gauges and senders are no longer available. If you buy original ones, they are 63 years old and may not be any better than the ones you have.

    Having things like this working is important when buying a Mark II.

    Good luck in your search.

    Ask more questions because the folks you see here on the forum are always happy to help and there is a lot of knowledge about Mark II's on the forum

    My car looked like it had never been driven in rain let alone bad weather which is one of the reasons I bought it.

    If things like the engine are painted the wrong color, that proves that it has been removed for some reason in the past.

    You can imagine how difficult it would be to remove and repaint the engine.

    Some things I never thought of checking when buying my most recent one (I have bought 6 over the last 57 years) were things like the door locks.

    I never thought of checking to see if they work. Both of mine didn't work with the key because the handles were removed in the past for a repaint and were not put back on correctly.

    The good news is I was able to fix this because I had the door panels and handles off to do my paint job.

    A good checklist is about three 8 1/2 by 11 pages of things to check.
    Jack Bowser
    C56B2198
    Past Ownership 1991, 3206, and 1763
    2006 Ford GT
    2006 Cadillac XLR-V
    427 Cobra
    2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster
    1924 Dodge Brothers Rat Rod
    Lots of Bowser gas Pumps

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    611

    Default

    All fantastic advice. I would possibly add the lack of availability of windshields.
    Chuck Lutz :cool:
    San Mateo, CA
    2022 BMW X7
    2022 CADILLAC XT6
    1956 MKII C56C2287 15-1A1A-106-1
    1969 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible
    1957 Skyliner Retractable
    2014 Bentley Continental GTC
    2010 Dodge Challenger 5.7 HEMI R/T
    1970 Ranchero Squire 351C/4spd
    1947 CHEVORLET PICK UP
    1970 VW BUG
    Galvanized Mop Bucket on Wheels

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