Lincoln passion drives classic love

For American and avid Lincoln fan Dr William Mayo, it's more than just an interest — it's a familial connection as well.

Mayo's grandfather, also William Mayo, worked as a chief engineer for Henry Ford from 1911 to 1933. And it was he, along with Henry Ford's son Edsel Ford, who convinced the boss into buying the brand Lincoln.

“I have a connection in that I own one and the fact I'm the grandson of the man that started it for Henry Ford, that's my great interest in it,” Mayo says. “I think it's significant to why I'm so interested in Lincolns.”

Mayo owned about 10 Lincoln models in the US, his favourite a 1967 four-door convertible with suicide doors, identical to the one in which president John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

And after coming to Australia to live, Mayo was eager to get his hands on another to maintain the connection with the brand. But they're not the easiest cars to come by Down Under.

After years of searching, Mayo tracked down a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII.

“I have had it now only about a year,” he says. “I found it in Bendigo, Victoria, and it was exactly what I was looking for because the Mark VIII was the end of the Mark series and it was just about the best one.”

Ahead of its time in terms of features, the Mark VIII came with heated seats, a moonroof, ABS, four airbags, electric windows, seat memory and keyless entry.

“My favourite thing is the styling. It's definitely an eye-catcher,” he says. “People who see me stop and ask what it is, they want to know about it ... it attracts a lot of interest from people and not just car collectors. It's so special to me.”

Mayo has lived in Australia since 1988 and to this day, he's never seen another Lincoln here.

But while they have never officially been released here, Mayo says there was a dealer in Perth who was so taken with the styling, he decided to import them into the country in 1995.

He says there's also another person in Brisbane who imports the models. Although in both cases, converting the cars to right-hand-drive as well as import expenses, has meant that the cost is a lot more than what it is in the US.

The Mark VIII sold for $36,440 in the US when it was first released, with 30,899 of the models sold. Mayo says the few that made it to Australia were priced well over the $100,000 mark.

The 77-year-old was particularly attracted to his model as it had just two previous owners and only had about 27,000km on the clock.

“It's beautiful, there's plenty of room in the back, it's just a very roomy car with plenty of head room for me even, with a moonroof and all the features, it's just a beautiful car,” says Mayo who stands 193cm tall.

This Lincoln is powered by a 208kW 4.6-litre V8 and came with a four-speed automatic transmission as standard.

While it's a car that could very well be used as a daily driver, Mayo treats his Lincoln as a “hobby car” as he thinks it's too special for everyday use.

The Lincoln is a big part of his life and is a nice reminder of his grandfather's role with the company. Because of his age, Mayo says he has considered selling the car, but only to the right person. Ex-pat Americans are often impressed and Mayo hasn't ruled out passing it on to one of his countrymen.

“A couple of the people who have stopped me turned out to be Americans who'd owned Lincolns,” he says. “One man said, `How did you find that car? I have had several in America, but never seen them over here'.”

And the Lincolns have become an important car in US history as well. Not long after Ford bought the brand, president Herbert Hoover bought one for the White House and ever since, Lincoln's have been used as the presidential car.

And one of the very first Lincoln Mark I models, now very rare, belonged to Mayo's family.

“Edsel Ford took delivery of the first Mark I in around 1938 and he gave my grandfather, his close friend, the second one,” Mayo says.

The only cars to come into his life have been Fords and plenty of Lincolns were among the mix.

Mayo fondly recalls riding in the back of a 1932 Lincoln limousine Henry Ford gave his grandfather for his grandfather's wife.

“I used to ride with my grandmother in the back seat and I drove the chauffeur crazy, putting the window between us and him up and down and calling him on the phone. It was an incredible car, it was so long and would hardly get around the corner,” he says.

While there's only one Lincoln model currently in his life, Mayo hasn't ruled out owning more.

“Once you're a car collector you're always a car collector,” he says. “I wouldn't mind if I could afford it. Every so often some really old Lincoln limousines come up at car auctions, but they sell for $200,000 to $300,000.

“That would be the ultimate for me, if some day I could get something like that.”

Snapshot

1995 LINCOLN MARK VIII

Value when new: $36,640

Value now: about $40,000

Verdict: There aren't many in Australia, but the Lincoln is a car that can turn heads with its unique styling and many features.