Me & My Car: Walnut Creek man’s ’47 Lincoln Continental a head-turner
“Nothing could be finer” — that was the bold headline for the 1947 Lincoln Continental in their journal ads. That was it. No mention of the V12 engine, the electric power hydraulic windows or prime, the gorgeous leather-based interior, force button doorways or the cost.
All one required to know was that practically nothing could be finer, so if you were being on the lookout for a new car or truck and experienced major bucks, which you desired, you needed glimpse no more. The retail price tag of today’s showcased 1947 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet was $4,746, or about $59,835 in 2022 bucks, which was much more than 50 percent of the median property worth at the time.
Lincoln cars have been 1st produced by Lincoln Motor Co., which was established in 1917 by Henry Leland, who before experienced been a founder of the Cadillac model. The Lincoln small business was failing, nevertheless, and Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, finally talked his father into buying the enterprise in 1922 for $8 million, shut to $133.9 millionin today’s bucks. At that time, Ford Motor Enterprise was still cranking out the incredibly standard Product T Ford at $319 each and every, so acquiring into the luxurious car business was a extremely daring action. Amongst competing luxurious cars at that time were Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Duesenberg, Marmon and Peerless.
“Father built the most well known automobile in the globe,” Edsel Ford mentioned. “I want to make the best motor vehicle in the globe.”
He was set in charge of the Lincoln, and Lincoln Motor Co.’s fortunes began to strengthen. Edsel was into styling considerably a lot more than his father and imagined the American cars and trucks were too boxy. He took a vacation to the European continent and was impressed with some of the automotive styling he saw. In individual he appreciated the proportion of the extended entrance end and a quick back again close. So in 1938, he obtained Ford’s Main Stylist, E. T. Gregorie, to structure a European-styled Lincoln-Zephyr Convertible Coupe that he could travel in Florida for his winter holiday vacation vehicle.
His wealthy good friends had been impressed, and the motor vehicle went into creation for the 1940 product 12 months. The pursuing yr, the Zephyr identify (so branded soon after America’s most fashionable train) was dropped and it grew to become the Lincoln Continental. Pointed out architect Frank Lloyd Wright reportedly mentioned it was “the most gorgeous car at any time made” and acquired two of them.
In 1941 with enhancement in tooling, the Lincoln Continental was produced on the assembly line, replacing the preceding hand-designed building. Soon after Planet War II, creation was restored, developing the 1942-styled Continental with fairly minor grill do the job, and output was reasonably gentle. The 1947 Lincoln Continental continued to have the 125-inch wheelbase and was the only American vehicle to be powered by a V12 engine that was rated at 130 horsepower. It came regular with a 3-speed handbook transmission, but an electric powered overdrive was an alternative. Right now it is difficult to consider that America’s most pricey car’s options incorporated a radio and heater.
Today’s element is one of only 738 Lincoln Continental Cabriolets developed for the 1947 design yr. It is a 5-passenger auto, seating 3 people in the front bench seat and two in the back again. Its operator is Paul Borgwardt, of Walnut Creek, an avid Lincoln collector.
“These cars,” he claimed, “had a good deal of curves and artwork deco styling and were mainly constructed with unibody development. Edsel Ford preferred these autos to have a V12 engine, but the current Lincoln V12 was too big, so they redesigned the motor that was mainly based mostly on the Ford V8 and included four cylinders. The automobiles ended up acknowledged to be good extensive-length cruisers, and they have been basically rather fantastic on gasoline too.”
Borgwardt bought this Lincoln Continental in 2011 with only 58,300 miles and its initial V12 motor.
“A good friend of mine owned it. We had found it many yrs before in Bakersfield at a Lincoln display. I have often loved these cars in what is named ‘Pace Car Yellow,’ ” he reported.
The car was fairly much as it is now when procured. It has a vacuum-driven radio antenna for the nonetheless-doing the job, sign-looking for, nine-tube AM radio. The electrical clock even now works, which is remarkable, as car or truck clocks at that time were being notoriously unreliable.
“Aside from the paint job and upholstery this motor vehicle is very primary,” Borgwardt claimed.
He’s doubtful exactly what he paid out for the motor vehicle but believes it was in the very low $30,000s. He does not believe this vehicle has appreciated incredibly substantially, as numerous of the present-era motor vehicle collectors are not searching for vehicles this aged.
“A great deal of persons don’t want to have cars and trucks with the old mechanicals,” he mentioned.
Generally talking, the owner has only had routine servicing charges. Whilst it is a true demonstrate car, Borgwardt drives it in between 1,200 and 1,500 miles a year. I got a ride in this stunning car, and it is a head-turner. I was impressed with how tight the human body is and the ease and comfort of the journey. I can certainly understand why there will be no “for sale” signal on it any time before long.
Have an interesting car? Make contact with David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To see far more images of this and other issues’ automobiles or to read a lot more of Dave’s columns, pay a visit to mercurynews.com/writer/david-krumboltz.
