This forum is for discussion of those terms we see in car ads and articles that can be misleading, misunderstood, or misused. The goal is to arrive at definitions we all can agree upon.
Every Schmoe out there says their Lincoln is "rare".
What does "rare" mean to you (referring to cars, not steak ) and in what instances should a car be considered "rare"?
Rare: It means no one bought these cars even when new.
Seriously. Just because a car only sold 2,000 copies doesn't make it rare. If you can open up a Hemmings or search online and find one in an instant, it is not rare.
To me, rare means hard to find at shows, for sale, etc. Very few copies (less than 500? 100?) KNOWN to exist.
How can a car be rare if you see them all the time at every show?
Wow! Are you ever right. The word "Rare" is so over used in the collector car world it is rediculous. "Old" does not equate to "Rare." Maybe scarce, but not "Rare."
The only other desriptions that even come close to such over use are the "Frame off" and "Low Mileage" phrases. Half the people that use those terms have know idea of the implications and how easy it is to identify a vehicle as being otherwise.
Several factors might be involved. My 1960 Lincoln Base sedan is fairly rare, only because in 1960 most people who bought luxury cars bought the best model available, in this case the Continental. As a result the base was only represented by about 1000 new cars. As well, 1960 was a depressed North American economy, so nothing automotive sold in large numbers, even more popular, more affordable cars sold poorly. Here in western Canada, where I live, luxury cars were even more rare beasts. My parents new car at the time was a new 1960 Chevy Biscayne 6 cyl., standard transmission sedan...a common car at the time. Very few Canadians drove Lincolns or Cadillacs.
So this car, in this area, from this time period, is rare...No better than any other car, but rare, nonetheless.
And because it isn't a muscle car, it isn't particularily valuable either. I had it appraised last year and it's worth $11, 500.00 Cdn ($ .82 USF) according to their evaluation.
Jim Smith, Saskatoon, Canada
1966 Continental conv, white/lt. blue
LCOC Member
I think what might apply in the category of 'Rare' are some factory upgrade options that for some reason, Lincoln Dealerships just did not sell a lot of. for one, the factory upgrade 'Dual Wide Band Whitewalls' that You get in the mid to late 1970's. I would call them Rare and, there are some people in this group that have never seen or remember them.
'76 Mark IV
Previously owned:
'70 Continental coupe
'71 Mark III
'73 Mark IV
The reason you see "rare" in ebay listings is because they enourage it. I remember reading that you should use words that attract attention. Rare, unique and hard to find are words that do this.
Yes, it's funny. Today I was looking for cleaning solution refills for my Braun Syncro shaver, and one guy said the're hard to find at retail stores.
I can to to Wal Mart, Kmart, Target or my local Shop Rite grocery store and pick them up!!
In my opinion, rare is something you don't see often, like the "double catch" for a touchdown in today's Eagles game.
This is going to sound stupid somewhat but what's 'rare' out there to often is integrity. Look at the advertising you guys/gals are bringing up. Then again that's part of selling and it's been like that since the snake sold Eve about the apple, then Adam bought in too!
Like many of you, I peruse old car ads for fun. Not that I'm looking to buy, but just out of curiosity. The misuse of rare has always been there, but ebay is completely out of control. Both with the use of these terms, and with the inaccurate descriptions. I feel bad for the uninformed newbies who get taken when trying to buy a "dream" car.
I own three collector cars, in addition to my LCC I have a '57 Chevy and an MGB. In 1957, Chevy was the #2 make in the US (slightly behind Ford, believe it or not). For whatever reasons, '57 Chevies have been very popular since they were new. So many of them have survived and been restored, hot rodded, etc. Probably one of the most common collector cars out there. A quick search on ebay or traderonline will yield dozens of them at any given time. Yet people insist upon calling them rare. In fact, I bought my Chevy precisely because they are so popular. I wanted a car I could drive every day, without worrying about finding replacement parts when needed.
I'd have to go with Dan's comment. If I can regularly find some in Hemmings or on ebay, then it's not rare.
- John
Designer & manufacturer of the GearHead Engineering disc brake conversion kit for 1961-1964 Lincolns.
1964 Lincoln Continental Convertible
1965 Ford Galaxie
1967 MGB
2007 Mazda5 (kid hauler with zoom zoom!)
How they cook meat in a country outside the US
An original wiring diagram for a mid 60's Lincoln (not a reprint)
Chicken lips
Anyone paying cash
Bufflo wings
Government assistance
A "loaded" Lincoln
Nothing but the truth
someone admitting it's their fault
a low milage car that's 40 years old
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
Oh, that's why they're like mad cows over there! Sorry, I couldn't resist that .
My own subjective view of the term "rare" is something that isn't seen all the time. Not factoring in Hemmings or E-Bay or other specialty classifieds or auctions like that, just factoring in everyday advertising and everyday sightings, a suicide Lincoln is rare, except in specific areas of concentration. Here in the Hood, granted, mine is seen on the road every day, but mine is the only one on the road...so far. A guy in Killeen has a '65 that hasn't been registered in over three years, so it just sits at his house; and a guy in Harker Heights just bought a '66 coupe--same color as mine (but a nicer paint job)--but he hasn't registered it yet, so it just sits at the tattoo shop he works at. Mine is the only one that is on the road regularly, compared to about 300+ different Mustangs of the same period in this area.
How's this for rare? An old Mustang in any condition (that's more than an empty shell) with a sales tag less than $6,000. I've yet to see one.
Here is a perfect example of the ebay "rare" example
Did you know that there was a very rare option in 1966 called the "Striver St Louis edition" Lincoln? (this dipstick cannot even spell the emblem right)
Better hurry and bid, there are only a couple in the whole world....
) and in what instances should a car be considered "rare"?
