How many Mark IIs are still in existence?

[CMSCPO]

I've seen statements that there are still about 1,500 Mark II's still around. Does anyone know how many are still with us?

[Pat Marshall]

Wow, members Mike Teske and Bill Kieger have just asked me the same question. I'll get on that!

[Pat Marshall]

How many Mark II's are out there, is not an easy question to answer.

I can tell you that I have identified 1,400 Mark II's that are known to be in existence after the year 2000. However, I think the actual number of cars still around (regardless of shape) may be 25% or more greater than that.

The reason is that (1) cars last known to be inexistence before 2000 are continually re-appearing as are cars which have no post-original-dealer history, (2) I was not tracking car histories for several years and most cars that surfaced during that period have not been recorded in our Registry, 3) Many people do not reveal their VINs (we even have Forum Members who will not share their VINs), 4) Many cars for sale listings do not list VINs.

[5219]

I wonder a lot about the same thing. These cars had a higher than normal survival rate because they were always considered special. When I was in high school in the late sixties, Mark II's were frequently advertised at prices around $3000. Other 1956 luxury cars were barely bringing a few hundred.

Judging by the number of Mark II's I see advertised, I don't have any problem believing that 2000 of them might still exist. I would be willing to bet that an awful lot of these are not roadworthy. People tended to hang onto these while they would have given up on most other cars of this vintage.

The high survival rate is the main reason that our cars do not command the kind of prices that would be expected considering the low production numbers and high price of these cars when they were new. The 1940's Continentals have the same problem. They had very low production compared to the lesser Lincolns, but today, the Continentals far outnumber the regular Lincolns.

Alan R. Harris
C56D2744
C56B2119

[Mike Teske]

Thanks Pat. The survival rate shows that these cars have alway been appreciated and were able to survive the final 1970’s when they were fully depreciated and yet not scrapped out as many large 1950’s cars. The list grows!!