Trio Of Classic American Vehicles Found In An Abandoned Show Room In Texas

Hunting for classic cars can be a long and exhaustive process, particularly when trying to find something on the rarer end of the spectrum. While barn finds and junkyard digs are quickly becoming the go-to way to find some abandoned cars from yesteryear that need TLC, there are some other obscure places where classic pickup trucks, muscle cars, and luxury cars can pop up.

Abandoned car dealerships always have an air of mystery about them, and this showroom in suburban Texas is no different. The YouTube channel Classic Car Rescue has been looking at this assortment of classic Fords and Lincolns, left to gather dust in this abandoned showroom for decades.

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These Abandoned Lincoln Continentals Are Some Of Ford’s Finest

1956 Continental Mark II VS 1962 Lincoln Continental Specifications

(figures courtesy of Hemmings/automobile-catalog)

In the early 1950s, Cadillac was the king of the luxury American automobile hill. While Ford’s subdivision, Lincoln, was steadily gaining a foothold in the luxury market, the brand was sometimes seen as a rung or two below the opulent Cadillacs, battling it out with Buick and Oldsmobile for best of the rest.

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That would soon change as Ford established their Special Projects Office, revealing their sub-sub brand Continental and their newest world-beating Mark II 2-door coupe. While the Continental brand only lasted from 1956-57 the Continental Mark II is a Lincoln. A very expensive, hand-built Lincoln at that, costing a staggering $9,695 in 1956. While performance was never the Mark II’s priority, it was no slouch, with a 368 cu-in Lincoln V8 under the hood producing 285 hp and 402 lb-ft of torque.

Despite being covered in dust, this Mark II appears to be in fantastic condition, with a completely straight body with no visible rust and the deep red factory paint untouched. There’s also a fourth-generation 1962 Lincoln Continental 4-door hardtop in white, which looks equally stunning. The 1962 was only offered with a 430 cu-in Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln V8, producing 300 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque going to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission.

Classic Pickup Trucks Also Appear In This Abandoned Showroom

From the height of luxury to the more utilitarian end of the scale, these pickup trucks are also classics (mostly) in their own right. Arguably, the most interesting of the bunch is this first-generation 1951 Ford F-1 truck. Unlike the other vehicles in the showroom that appear as untouched survivor cars, the F-1 seems to be an unfinished project car, with no glass whatsoever, what looks to be stripped-down paint and primer on the body, and some bigger aftermarket wheels that are reminiscent of SS Cragars.

Tucked just behind the F-1, obscured by a Coca-Cola vending machine, is what appears to be a Chevrolet El Camino. Unfortunately, as only the rear quarter panel is visible, and barely at that, it’s difficult to tell what year or model the car is. The last of the pickups is a 1993 Ford F-150 Flareside. While this truck doesn’t exactly have the historic appeal of the other vehicles, the aggressive fenders give it a distinct appearance.

How Much Are These Abandoned Classic Cars Worth?

Abandoned Showroom Car Values

(figures courtesy of Hemmings/J.D. Power/classic.com)

Sadly, purchasing a car from an abandoned dealership or showroom is nearly impossible without either buying the showroom or land itself or striking a deal for a vehicle with the owner. Abandoned dealerships and showrooms tend to be so for a reason, though. There are ways to go about purchasing abandoned cars through a lien sale, but the legalities are a bit murky and vary by state.

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Still, if someone were to get their hands on these cars, it would undoubtedly be worth their while. The 1956 and 1962 Lincoln Continentals go for an average of $53,664 and $78,721, respectively, while the 1951 Ford F-series trucks average at $32,538 and can reach top values of $159,500 for custom restomods, according to classic.com. The ambiguity of the El Camino is trickier to nail down, but F-150 Flareside prices can reach over $20,000 if it’s in perfect condition, according to an example on webeautos.com.

sources: YouTube @ Classic Car Rescue, Hemmings, J.D. Power, classic.com, automobile-catalog, webeautos.com