(first posted 6/17/2013) Cadillac and Lincoln shared an almost identical early biography. Both were founded by “Master of Precision” Henry Leland. And both were eventually sold off to their current corporate owners. Caddilac was first, having been founded in 1902, and quickly establishing itself as the “Standard of the World”, which actually reflected Leland’s obsession with standardized precision parts that could be interchanged rather than some inflated PR claim. Caddy went to GM in 1909, and after WW I, Leland started Lincoln.
By 1922, Lincoln was in trouble and this time Ford came to the rescue. It particularly gave son Edsel Ford an opportunity to engage himself in something outside of Henry’s control-freak influence over the Model T and A.
The Lincoln Models KB and KA were highly regarded during the classic era, with superb engineering, large V12 and V8 engines, and the finest custom coachwork. Except for a visual example here, we’re going to skip over the classic era because it was a dead end, and is largely irrelevant to the continuity of the brand, post WWII. That’s not in any way a reflection on these exquisite cars, but we can’t do them justice here.
The car we’ll start with is the Lincoln Zephyr of 1936. The Depression was killing the classic big cars, which created an opportunity for fresh thinking on a smaller and more affordable scale. The Zephyr was Lincoln’s counterpart to Chrysler’s Airflow; both of them arising out of the new obsession with streamlining everything from trains to toasters. The Zephyr had its origins in a series of radical rear-engine designs by John Tjaarda, using airplane-type stress analysis to prove the advantages of unit construction. The prototype that led to the Zephyr is above. And yes, Erwin Kommenda–who penned the VW Beetle–saw this prototype on a trip to the US at the time. It was on of a number of influences on his evolution of designs that resulted in the final on of 1938.
Tjaarda did his work in conjunction with Briggs, one of the major pressed-steel body builders of the day. Eager to find a client for their efforts, they ended up at Lincoln. But the radical rear-engine construction, which was remarkably similar to the Tatra 77/87 of the same vintage, was highly ambitious. Since the Tatra was a favorite of my childhood, it’s no wonder I transferred that to the Zephyr after our move to the USA, as there were still some around on the streets of Iowa in the early sixties.
Interestingly, Briggs built almost the complete Zephyr for Ford at its own plant, leaving Lincoln to install the drive train and mechanicals. It was a foreshadowing of outsourcing to come.
The final production Zephyr was only radical in its semi-unit construction. The streamlined styling was toned down enough to make it palatable to conservative buyers, unlike the doomed Airflow. And under the skin, the Zephyr was anything but radical, using the same transverse leaf spring suspension as the Model T, and its engine was essentially a 12 cylinder version of the Ford flathead V8, but suffered even more severely of that design’s inherent thermal deficiencies. The small V12 developed a bad rep, and many were later swapped out. But it didn’t keep the Zephyr from being a commercial success, at a critical time as the big Lincolns fell out of favor.
Now we get to the real beginning of the Lincoln Continental DNA. Edsel Ford commissioned a special one-off convertible for him to use during his winter vacation in Florida in the winter of ’38-’39. Edsel laid out the basic shape and design, and it was executed by Bob Gregoire. With the idea of capturing a decidedly European flavor, the “Special Lincoln-Zephyr” became known as the Continental. And everyone who saw it wanted one.
So in 1940, the Continental cabriolet was put in production. As is readily apparent, its design cues have been rehashed by Lincoln ever since, most notoriously again right now, with the baleen-mouthed new Lincolns aping the original Continental grille, in a highly exaggerated and garish way.
The handsome (if not exactly brilliant) Continental survived for ten years, right through 1948, but not without losing its delicate face to a heavier and somewhat overpowering mug for the bulk of its ten year run. I rather prefer the more delicate original, but isn’t this 1946 Continental Mark I a perfect foreshadowing of Marks to come?
Lincoln’s new post-war cars arrived for the 1949 model year, in two distinct series. Very late in the planning stage for all of Ford’s new 1949 cars, they were all moved up a notch: the originally-planned 118″ wb Ford became the Mercury, with the Ford getting a smaller new 114″ car. And the planned 121″ wb Mercury became the new low-end Lincolns (top in photo above), sharing the same basic body with the Mercury. The Cosmopolitan (lower) was the “real” Lincoln, with a 125″ wb and its own whale-like body. Power was delivered from a 152 hp 337 inch flathead V8 derived from a truck engine, and starting in 1950, backed by GM’s Hydra-Matic.
These Lincolns have certain charms, but stylistically they were a far cry from the dashing Cadillacs and Buicks over at GM. Needless to say, the fifties did not get off with a bang for Lincoln. The ’49s sold fairly well, due to the pent-up post-war demand, but by 1950, sales were down considerably.
Things didn’t get any better with the new 1952 – 1955 models; they looked more like Mercuries (or Fords) than ever. But they did get a new OHV V8, a big 318 inch Y-block that was fairly ambitious for the times, in terms of specific output. That was soon put to good use in Mexico.
The bright spot during this era was Lincoln’s remarkable success in the grueling 2000 mile Panamerica race the length of Mexico. This climaxed in 1952, when Lincoln took the top five places, and then came back in 1953 and took the top four places. This was due to a combination of factors, including diligent improvements in the Lincoln’s all-round abilities as well as the factory supplying plenty of special “truck” or “export” parts. But the Lincolns of this era really were better under the skin than to look at.
New Lincolns appeared in 1956, sporting design cues from the 1954 Mercury XM-800 show car. It was contemporary, but certainly didn’t have what it took to turn Cadillac buyers into Lincoln drivers.
A refresh for 1957 gave it big fins, and had it looking like an oversize 1957 Chevy Bel Air coupe. Now that wasn’t going to do the job either.
Technically, Continentals from 1956 through 1958 weren’t actually Lincolns at all, because the Continental division was given brief autonomy in Ford’s ambitious but disastrous attempt to go mano-a-mano with GM by having five separate divisions: Ford, Mercury, Edsel, Lincoln, and Continental. Well, that sure didn’t work out so well, and not only did Edsel and Continental bite the dust, but even Lincoln almost became a victim in that implosion.
The Mark II was a very ambitious attempt to recreate the Continental mystique and compete with the most expensive European luxury brands. Priced at $10k ($80k adjusted), its then very lofty price was more than twice what a Coupe DeVille went for. Extreme quality measures and small-scale production meant that each Mark II was built at a hefty loss.
So that’s where we’ll leave off for now, as the 1958 and later models have been covered here so extensively.
And of course we have a detailed CC on the1961-1965 Lincoln Continentals here.
More:
CC 1937 Lincoln Zephyr V12 R.Kim
CC 1940 Lincoln Continental VinceC
CC 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Coupe PN
CC 1954 Lincoln Capri Coupe Tom K.
Very well researched and well written. I just had a couple of very small notes;
– I’ve always seen the hp rating for the 337 flathead as 152, though I’m sure there were truck and other variants that differed.
– The 56 is very under-appreciated – beautifully designed and the 368 was a very good engine. However, the makeover for 57 was one of the most horrendous ever.
– The 55 is a very attractive re-design of an old body style.
Again, nicely done.
Typo! Fixed.Although my Encyclopedia of American Cars does list it with 154 hp for the last year (1951).
I thought i was the only fan of the 55 Lincoln!It’s a nice looker it’s often dismissed unfairly as a warmed up 52 and having too much Mercury looks for an expensive car.I’m in full agreement about the beautiful 56 and the 57s being a backward step styling wise.That Wisteria lilac is gorgeous,I painted my nails that colour.The Mk2 Continental is so elegant,sadly it was down hill after 56,the 57s were bad enough but as for the 58s,no wonder Edsels outsold them 4 to 1!
Please permit me to join your 1955 Lincoln fan club. I have always considered the 55 as the best looking of that entire series. And the 57 is the worst of the entire decade. On the Mark II, it has always looked good in certain views, but a bit awkward in others. Sort of too visually heavy, lacking the light touch of the original.
Membership active JP
While I’ve never understood the love for the 57 Chevy (I much prefer the 56) I don’t have the hate on for the 57 Lincoln. One of my Dad’s best friends had a new one back in the day – a turquoise convertible with white top and leather – and it was a beauty. I think they look better in the metal than in pictures and made a lot of sense at the time. The 56 always seemed a little busy and heavy to me while the 57 was a bit sleeker and lighter. The convertibles were especially nice and wore the pastel colors of the time quite well. And they were a helluva lot better than what came for the next year, IMO.
Of course the 61s – that was a whole new world. I’ve always found it interesting that the refresh of the Kennedy 61 Lincoln that included the 62 grille also replaced the Continental type wheel covers with 57 Lincoln sombrero style ones.
The original Continental was one of the most beautiful cars ever made. My father grew up on the Philadelphia Main Line, surrounded by people who could afford to drive what they wanted to drive. I have no doubt that more than one of those early Continentals were on the streets in my father’s neighborhood during his childhood. He loved Lincolns for all of his life, driving a handful of them in the 70s-90s. I am quite sure that the original Continental sparked his love for the brand.
His last car was a late 90s fwd V8 Continental. He knew that it was no longer a genuine prestige car, and it saddened him. I recall him saying about Lincoln not being a top tier car “they are really messing with my value system.”
As for me, I am giddy with anticipation of Lincoln Week here. During my middle school years, I was a dedicated Lincoln geek. Somehow, I have never owned one, but I still have that little spark inside that gets me all excited when I see an old Lincoln. During that time, my best friend’s father (my famous car-mentor Howard) owned a beautiful 1947 Lincoln sedan, and I will never, ever forget the one ride I got in it.
Looking forward to this week! Like many people, I imagine, I have a love/hate response to Lincolns. Love the classic-era Ls and Ks, and the first Zephyr and Continental. Love the 60s Modern Connie and like the Mk III. Can’t get excited about the 70s stuff, and as for the 50s…oh, I picture the Imperial Division muttering, bad action-movie style, “I shoulda killed ya when I had the chance.” 😉
I feel pretty much the same way. When Lincoln tried a fresh, unique design they really pulled it off well. When they tried to do something derivative, it came off as overwrought. An interesting contrast versus Chrysler during the same time period; their unique styling tended to be too quirky for mainstream tastes, while some of their most successful cars used design cues that were already proving to be popular on competing models.
It has always seemed to me that Ford Motor Company always understood what a Ford was but struggled mightily with what a Mercury or a Lincoln was. Usually about the time you think they’ve picked a solid direction to stick with, they change directions.
When I look at the original Continental I have a sense of peace and well being. The lines flow so well. I see the convertible to be the most beautiful motor car to be built ever. I often wonder what FMC would have become had Edsel lived and the Czar of Dearborn had passed on. Edsel was a refined man and I am sure his products would have reflected his strong sense of style . Surely he would have had hired Harley Earl and Raymond Lowey. Imagine that would have been a deadly combination catering to Edsel’s taste and left the competition in the dust.
Another bit of Lincoln trivia that involves my current hometown, Charlotte, NC… The very first NASCAR “Strictly Stock” race was held in Charlotte on June 19, 1949. “Alfalfa” Jim Roper drove a 1949 Lincoln over 1000 miles from his home in Kansas to Charlotte. He won that first race and drove the car back home to Kansas. While his NASCAR career wasn’t as noteworthy as many others, he did take his place in racing history winning that first race in a Lincoln. In those days, cars were driven to the track, and if they survived, were driven home. When they say “stock car racing” they really meant it.
And if it was still Stock Car Racing I’d actually give a dang about it. Weld in a safety cage (although given all the safety systems of a modern car it might not be strictly necessary) add a racing seat and 5 point harness, replace the windows because of the danger of flying glass, strip the passenger seats and carpet for a little weight savings… and let’s GO!
FWD Impala and Fusion vs. V8 RWD Chevrolet SS and Charger (oops, Dodge withdrew, dang.) That would make it “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” for me.
We call that the showroom showdown run for 12 hours at Bathurst recently not the V8 supercars those are almost facsimilie cars now
According to the Robert Pacy book FORD Henry only bought Lincon for revenge on Henry Leland as he was the engineer who took the original bankrupt Ford motor company and transformed it into Cadillac He made all sorts of promises to the Lelands about keeping them in place but moved his own men in shortly after purchase. So both Luxury brands in the US were the progeny of another Henry, FORD NOT Leland
I have to admit the original Continental has never done much for me, but I really love those long tailed Zephyr coupes!
The `56 Mark ll Continental is probably one of the most deceptive looking cars ever designed.It looks small when you first see it, but when you get closer, you see how big it really is. This car was absolutely radical in its time because in the era of chrome, fins, garish two and even three tone paint jobs and the wrap around windshield, the Mark ll eschewed all these gimmicks for a clean, crisp, classic and conservative style. This vehicle was light years ahead of its time.If I weren`t a car guy and somebody told me it was a `73,`74, or `75, I`d believe it.
That 57 is a stunner. Did they sell well?
I have always wondered about the production process of the original Continental. It looks a lot like a regular Lincoln with about 4″sectioned out of it. Did they really redo the dies for the body pieces and firewall etc., or did they section each one?
Initially, for 1940, the Lincoln Continental bodies were built by the same craftsmen who had built the factory catalogued styles for the last years of the Lincoln Twelve Model K. Some panels were modified from Zephyr stampings while others were hand formed or by panel-beating methods. There was plenty of lead used to smooth the seams on the 354 1940 cars built. Since the Continental became the expensive ‘halo’ model which was Edsel Ford’s pet project, low-volume dies were built for the 1941-’48 production so not as much skilled panel-beating and leadwork were necessary.
The Continental was approximately $1K more than a comparable Zephyr, continued to provided Lincoln with a glamourous showroom draw and keep a presence in the luxury car segment. The Lincoln-Zephyr was an upper medium-priced model selling opposite Chrysler New Yorker, Buick Roadmaster and Packard 120/Clipper.
Correct that 1940 total to 404 cars: 350 cabriolets and 54 coupes. The coupes were a late season addition is the reason for the low production number,
I still like that particular 46 the fat tyres and shadow coat just make it.
The 1956 Continental would cost $102K in 2021 dollars.
To me, the 56 Lincoln is the most underrated ‘Fifties’ car ever made. It has all that overblown “what were they thinking?” design, while still being truly an attractive product of the Fifties. Of course, one year later they just had to go over the line.
To my teenage eyes, 1954 was THE year for Ford cars in general. Fords got their great new Y-block and better front suspension/steering, Mercury’s styling and handling got a boost too, and the Lincolns had both flair and … I guess you’d say “gravitas”, though I hadn’t learned that word yet. When I became a driver those impressions held up as I drove a girlfriend’s ’53 on summer nights over rural roads, and a year or so later another girlfriend in a borrowed ’54 sedan, marveling at the huge difference in ride, steering and handling. Lincolns and Mercurys were mostly appreciated from outside the car, though a ’53 Merc, with passengers, participated in a probably illegal timed-lap “race” around our radar site’s perimeter road (to clear out the brush, you see!), and whipped all the others WITH a car full of passengers! But the base commander had gotten his retirement nailed down, and the site was going away too.
As a Ford Guy I’m automatically in the cheering section for these, but realize how few I’ve actually seen.
The late-1950s ones (Lincolns) intrigue me, even if they did get totally caught up in the exuberance of the length, fins, heavy bumpers, etc. Measured against all that, the Continental is an admirable styling exercise in what I’ll call “European restraint.” Interesting to see that it got toned down further after approval of the final clay model: