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Editor's note: This is part of a series at KSL.com featuring some of Utah's coolest cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semi trucks — email fjolley@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration.SALT LAKE CITY — Nic McMillan did more than restore a 1965 Lincoln Continental; he learned how to restore it as he went along.
He picked up the “rust bucket” for $1,000 off KSL Classifieds and got to work. First, he had to learn how to weld. He says that unlike late 60s Camaros, you can’t get body parts for a ’65 Continental. He bought a welder, compressor and tooling so he could patch up and hand-pound the body panels.
He built a paint booth in his barn to personally give the lx some color. McMillan said he did all of the work besides the engine rebuild and interior.
And that was a lot of work to do without manuals or easy parts. He said he had to figure out and fix the vacuum system that controls the vents, heater, A/C and door locks. It wasn't easy though— he said he had to remove and replace the dash about 15 times.
Now, 22-inch rims replaced the stock wheels, and LEDs light up the vehicle from head to tail lights.
Four years later, and after some hustling to get it done before a new baby arrived, McMillan finished. He wrapped up just days before this year’s AutoRama show, where the car took third place in its class. He lost points because the underside was dirty; He drove it 60 miles to the show.
This Lincoln was built to be driven, not trailered. McMillan said he drives it to work almost every day, and would trust it on a trip to Wendover. It is insured for $47,000, but he said the value is hard to pin down since it’s such a niche car.
The Continental elicits looks and comments “every single time,” according to McMillan, adding that a quick trip for a gallon milk can take a half-hour when you add in all the time he spends answering admirers’ questions about the car. Just don’t ask if it’s a Cadillac; he worked too much for that.
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When Kaysville resident Gardner Crane first saw his 2011 Ford Mustang GT for sale, every iota of loyalty to Chevrolet left him all at once. It was instantly replaced with desire for a pony capable of 8-second passes. We’ll get to that, but first, a little history on how this beast came to be.Brian Champagne has reported on cars for more than nine years. He holds a master's degree in communications from the University of the Pacific and teaches at Utah State University.
