Lincoln-Zephyr was a brand name for the lower priced line of luxury cars in the Lincoln line. Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury bridged the wide gap between Ford's DeLuxe line and the exclusive Lincoln K-series cars. This served a purpose similar to Cadillac's smaller LaSalle "companion car".Introduced in November 1935 as a 1936 model, the Lincoln-Zephyr was extremely modern with a low raked windscreen, integrated fenders, and streamlined aerodynamic design. It is noted for being one of the first successful streamlined cars after the tall and gawky looking Chrysler Airflow market failure. The Airflow was actually more aerodynamic than the lower wider sleeker looking Lincoln-Zephyr. The Lincoln-Zephyr was extremely successful in reigniting sales at Lincoln dealerships in the late 1930s, spawning the Continental line that would replace the aging K-series by the end of the decade. By 1941, Lincoln-Zephyr, Continental, and the Zephyr-based Custom line were the only models offered at Lincoln dealerships.
Production of all American cars halted in 1942 as the country entered World War II, with Lincoln producing the last Lincoln-Zephyr on January 31. After the war, most makers restarted production of their pre-war lines, and Lincoln was no exception. The Zephyr name, however, was no longer used after 1942, with the cars simply called Lincolns.
Designed by John Tjaarda (1897–1962), who was fascinated with airplanes, with a Cd of 0.45, the body was monocoque construction and very rigid, but surprisingly light for its size. The first model had a weight of 3,350 lb.
The Zephyr was powered by a small 75° V12 engine developed from Ford's Flathead V8 and unrelated to the previous Lincoln V12 engines. The side-valve engine was quite compact, especially compared to the tall L-head Lincoln 12, allowing a low hood. But its V8 roots, with enormous hot spot due to exhaust passages through the cylinder block would prove troubling, with cylinder warping, water leakage, excessive oil burning, bearing and crankshaft problems becoming common. Lincoln worked hard to solve most of these problems during the first year of production, with less than absolute success, and eventually introduced iron heads in 42, which cured the recurring problem of burnt head gaskets. The 1936 to 1939 models were 267 c u in with hydraulic lifters added in 1938.
The original engine had 110 hp and gave the car a top speed of 90 miles per hour. Suspension was by Henry Ford's beloved transverse springs front and rear, with dead axle front and torque tube rear, already seen as outdated when the car was introduced. Brakes were cable-activated for 1936 to 1938; 1939 and onwards were hydraulic. The Zephyr was the first Ford Car to have an all-steel roof.
This car was part of a nice small collection in Northern Indiana, and was purchased by our client who has decided to part with the car due to space considerations, after absorbing the whole shebang. It reportedly is a 2 owner car and came out of Wisconsin originally. It appears to be mostly original, but has obviously been extensively detailed, and well cared for its entire life. The undercarriage and engine compartment are show ready(as of course is the rest of the car). The paint appears to be mostly original, and has only a few small areas on the passenger side doors that need atttention-luckily a good amount of the correct paint is included with the car. A good amount of other spares are also included.
The car runs and drives exceptionally well and cruises comfortably at highway speeds. This is a turnkey car you can jump in and drive away without hesitation.
The Art Deco styling of this car is simply gorgeous! Note the amazing Radio Antenna, oval shaped windwings, and fully skirted rear fenders. The interior in this car is a tour de force of streamlined design, and everything in the interior is in excellent condition- The Dash, Steering Wheel, Guages, door handles, Upholstery, door panels and carpet are all without fault. The exterior chrome is in excellent condition, The rubber mouldings are all very nice and the paint is quite nice with the exception of the few small areas mentioned and pictured, but of course this is an easy touch up job.
This is a very nice example that perfectly exemplifies the era and will create a stir on the Show and Tour circuit now that it has emerged from its hermetically sealed vault.
What a Neat Car!
