1957 Continental Mark II Got Chopped, Cut and Sliced to Become Cashmere, The Jaw-Dropper

Of the entire Continental bunch, the most exquisite is probably the Mark II. Available for just two model years, 1956 and 1957, it was so high-end that it was meant to take on the heavyweights of the luxury segments, the likes of Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and another Continental, the one made by Bentley.

Technically speaking the Mark II is not a Lincoln, as for the duration of its presence on the market it was the product of the short-lived Continental Division. But that's a sort of distinction without a difference, one the custom industry cares little about when setting out to change the look and feel of one of these amazing machines.

Modified Lincoln Continentals are aplenty on the collectors' market, with a number of them coming to light during this year's major auctions held in the U.S. Mark IIs are however rarer, and when one comes into the spotlight it's bound to capture the public's attention. Especially when we're talking about a fine piece such as the Cashmere.

That's the name of a 1975 Continental remade in resto-mod guise at the hands of Arizona-based Havasu Speed. A build that was chopped, cut and sliced to become one of the most awarded vehicles of its kind in recent years.

The Cashmere broke cover in 2020 at the LA Roadster Show, where it was so well-received that it snatched the inaugural Sam Foose Memorial Design Award presented by Chip Foose. And for good reason because, well, just look at the thing.

Although the overall design lines of the Mark II were kept, Havasu's crew chopped the roof, the fenders, and the decklid, shortened the spare tire hump, and tucked the front bumper into the car's body so deep it's like looking at another vehicle entirely.

Elsewhere on the body, the door handles have been remade to follow the side body line of the car. Then, every body panel was drowned in a color more common to Bentley cars, something called Dark Cashmere (hence the stage name for the custom), which is perfectly highlighted by the patches of chrome on the fenders, headlight surrounds, window trim, and of course on the Colorado Custom 19-inch wheels.

At the same 2020 LA Roadster Show the Mark II was handed the Al Slonaker Outstanding Interior award, and it's clear why that's so as well. We get tan leather all around, a perfect match for the car's exterior, a custom dashboard that holds Classic Instruments gauges, and a center console that ends in a screen controlling the car's Kicker audio system.

The visual upgrades made to the Mark II are, of course, complemented by a wealth of mechanical improvements. Originally, this breed of Continental shipped with a 368ci (6.0-liter) Y-block engine under the hood, but in this modified form it features a Ford 5.0-liter Coyote.

The original 3-speed automatic transmission has been replaced as well, and we now get a 4-speed automatic instead. We are not given any estimates as to how much power the drivetrain delivers in this application.

Underneath the flawless body the builders hid boxed and melded frame rails, a custom suspension system highlighted by RideTech air-ride gear, and braking hardware supplied by Wilwood.

Aside from the two major awards it got at the 2020 LA Roadster Show, the Cashmere has become since a Goodguys' favorite, snatching no less than three of their awards, including the Del Mar First Place Custom Rod, Scottsdale Top 10 Award, and Custom of the Year Top 12 Award.

With all these accolades to its name, and in spotless form, the 1957 Lincoln Continental is going under the hammer in January. Auction house Barrett-Jackson will try to find a new home for it during the Scottsdale Auction taking place at the end of January 2024.

We are not given any estimates as to how much the car is expected to fetch. That probably has to do with the fact the car is going with no reserve, meaning it will be snatched by whoever offers the most, regardless of how much that is.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect, consider the fact a 1957 Continental Mark II is estimated by specialist Hagerty to be worth $138,000. But that's for the base vehicle, with no enhancements and certainly with no awards to its name, many of them very coveted by car collectors.

We will come back and update this story once we learn for how much the Cashmere sold.

Update: sold for $715,000.