De-Pimp My Ride: Continental Mark V Edition

It’s well established that I am addicted to tiny model cars. But as my friend and fellow collector Jim Smith says, there’s worse things to spend your money on!

Recently Auto World released lowrider editions of the Mark V.

While I already had several of the stock versions (and multiple copies of the triple pastel yellow version, referred to in Lincoln literature as Cream; I am a sucker for yellow 70s Caddys and Lincolns), I initially had zero interest in the new ones.

But wait a moment! I realized I could customize one to my own non lowrider specifications! So I snagged a silver example from the local Walmart and got to work.

I decided on red on red, with a “slick top" - no landau roof or otherwise.

All told, it took about five coats to really look good. I added a set of 70s Cadillac wheels and whitewalls, and rapidly discarded the dorky tiny wheels it came with.

Let me tell you, this damn thing was a pain though. Some of my customs go painlessly, but not this Continental.

Every time I'd try to chrome the windows or side molding, I'd get fingerprints in paint.

Then when I'd fix the paint I'd smudge the chrome, and on and on. Fortunately every time that happened I'd back away. Otherwise I'd have drop kicked it into the harbor 2 weeks ago.

But I finally finished it Sunday, and it did turn out pretty decent.

I was channeling my inner Peter Stormare, in “unpimping my ride.”

If you remember the VW commercials he was in, you’re probably my age, and I salute you. Next up. Hmm, maybe an interior color change to cranberry on the new Matchbox Toyota Century!