Minneapolis Street Sighting: Lincoln Mark V Collector's Edition

Upon my walking home from the Lake and Chicago transit station, I pass by two tow yards, three car dealerships, and a paint/rim/window tint place. I scope each and every lot out for interesting cars. In the dreary cold of winter 2010, my luck paid off big time. I First spotted this Lincoln Mark V in a tow yard near the intersection of Lake and Park. I know the area is rather rough, so I honestly expected to only see it once or twice.Looking forlorn and log-abandoned, I assumed the big guy was headed for the scrapyard; it hadn't moved all all since March of this year, when most of the snow had subsided. Caked in mud and surrounded by beater cars, and broken glass, I knew the end was near. Or was it?









Far from it, actually. Over the next half a year, I've seen this car almost daily. I've even come to know the owner's routine. Call me a bit of a carparazzi, but with this big boat, I can't help but autostalk it. My "stalking" paid off big time this summer. It took me awhile, but I finally found out where it lives. Naturally, I headed over there early in the morning to do a preview and look the car over to make sure it was indeed the very car I'd seen almost half a year earlier. Yup. The plates matched. Time to a worthwhile shoot.
Often seen at either the Lake Street Taco Bell or one of various Holiday gas stations, this is one of the few big coupes I see daily. Each time I see it, I'm taken aback by its presence-- it's got flair and classiness a Mark VIII can only dream. Why, you ask? Well, just look at it. It's big, it's square, it's elegant, it just oozes 1970s pimpness-- even in this condition.
Like the Diamond Jubilee, the Collector's Edition was a limited edition release of Lincoln's big coupe, too. Well duh, the name alone suggests that it's a "collector's item". While that may be true if it's restored, this example serves as someone's daily driver. Sadly, like the Diamond Jubilee I posted, this example has got its three decades of wear and tear on it, and it shows. While the paint is clearly shined up its best, the salty winter have taken their toll on it. Rust sprouts from the wheelarches, and if not taken care of, that rust could envelope the whole car. Not a pretty sight. However, unlike the DJE, the trim on this example seems to be intact; even the Collector's Edition badges are all complete; faded, sure, but imagine trying to find replacement badges. I didn't get any shots of the interior, so I can't vouch for the condition, but it does look like the owner tries to take care of the car to the best of his abilities. At least he loves it enough to drive it around instead of letting it sit there and rot.
While not pristine by any means, I applaud the owner for not letting it become one with the earth-- yet anyway. Who knows, maybe this example of a once-prestigious car will get its glory back. It certainly deserves it. It was already saved from the crusher once.