where are the serial numbers?...

Shawn Miller · December 10th, 2003

on a 47 Continental. recently got barn find/basketcase. surface rust everywhere, cant find the numbers.

Shawn

Rolf · December 10th, 2003

Hi Shawn, usually they are a 6 digit number preceded by an H and are located on the top of the front crossmember usually on the passenger side, the bottom of the rear crossmember on the drivers side, this is where I found my '41's VIN, sometimes I have heard they are on the frame adjacent to the steering box too like a Ford, but I have never seen one there, have your wire brush and some solvent handy, good luck, Rolf

CBoz · December 10th, 2003

Oh no, Shawn! What will PH do if he finds out you're thinking of going over to the dark side? I can hear him now:

"...As ANY student of what we call "true" Classics can tell you, the Lincoln Continentals were VASTLY inferior to those beautiful, yes even "arrogant", V-12 and V-16 brutes put out by Packard and Cadillac. Why, I remember when we were MOCKED for buying them and you could pick up a formal sedan for $25, a cabriolet for a few dollars more ..." blah blah blah

Geez, I kind of miss him!

Shawn Miller · December 11th, 2003

Actually I am pretty excited about being on the dark side of PH's world! HA!

although this is yet another one of those 60k restorations efforts that will be worth maybe 35-40 when I am done. How do I get myself into these things?

Shawn

Rolf · December 11th, 2003

Good One Shawn!!! That is the way my restorations always end up too, small comfort at not being alone, Rolf

imported_48LCCOUPE · December 11th, 2003

Rolf, the serial number location, is that the motor mount crossmember that you refer to? Haven't looked yet but just curious.

Shawn, I am finding a lot of stuff for these cars, I don't need much (I hope) but if you do, shout out and I will try and find for you. I'm starting to think most of the LC's either ended up in FL or their snowbird owners did.

imported_Zephyrparts · December 15th, 2003

The information just told to you is wrong. The serial number (not to be confused with the body number) is found in three places on the vehicle.
1. Stamped on the frame front cross member - left side adjacent to the left water pump (drivers side).
2. On the bell housing of the transmission just above the inspection plate
3. The police number located on the left frame rail just below the filler pipe going into the gas tank.
Obviously, if the transmission has been changed that number will not match the other two. The body number is found on a plate screwed to the engine firewall just above the starter solenoid.
Bare in mind that body numbers are repeated for each body style every year and thus can not be used for identificaton for licensing of a vehicle.

In this case your car will start off with the number 7H (if it's truely a 47). Models through 1946 begain with H, 1948 begain with 8H. The first serial number was H1 -1936. The last one in this series is 8H 182129. This represent the total production of the "H" series 1936 to 1948. There were approximately 300 cars manufactured in Windsor Ontario 1936-1937. Serial numbers on these cars start off with CH-1.

February 20th, 2004

I was told you should be able to tell what the car was originally built as (4-door, 2-door, convt. ect.) by just having this number?????
Is this true?

February 21st, 2004

Serial numbers tell you very little. If you have a list of what numbers were assigned to what year you can tell the year. If you send to the Henry Ford Museaum in Dearborn Mich. , they can look up the build sheet by serial number and tell you body style, color , etc. Body numbers are also individual and tell you the body style and year. 26H = 2 = l942. 6H is the Zephyr series ie 56 = Continental Cabriolet, 57 = Continental Coupe. followed by the sequential body number. Thus 26H 56 82 would be a l942 lincoln Zephyr Continental Cabriolet 82nd built that model year.
Bill