Colin Spong

Your window appears to be correct. Please see attached photo of my NOS 1939 window

Just checked my two '37's and they are as Dizzy Dales photo. As I restored both cars I assume that I got it right at the time.

That headlamp decoration was for 1937 only. Strangely, 1938 Ford V8's sold in South Africa used the same decoration.

Ambassaborblue.....I can set up the LZ distributor as I have the original timing jig. You will find my contact details in the LZOC Roster but if not a member let me have you contact details. I am in the UK just outside London.

Chuck The trunk lid support that you have is non-original. The trunk lid hinge on one side had a spring loaded mechanism that held the trunk in the open position To close it the trunk lid would be raised slightly that would turn the mechanism to release the lid. Most were broken as owners tried to close the lid by simply pushing down. There was even a warning tag in the spare wheel bracket to remind owners. Most likely you hinge was broken many years ago and a repair was made....Regards Colin.

As you have discovered these are not easy to fit. With my 1937's I found that they simply pushed into place but it needed a great deal of care. At the top they fit under the "V" shaped top mounding and at the bottom mine were secured with a small machine screw but this may not have been original. Hope this helps.

The wide flat seal with the circular part is the lower door seal This fits on to the wire clips that hold the upholstery panel to the door You will need to mark the positions on the rubber (flat part) and then use a small hollow puch to make the holes. Make sure that the circular part of the rubber is in alignment with the lower edge of the upholstery panel. Trim the ends to match the door contours. There was a cup and machine screw in each end of the upholstery panel that also goes through the rubber section to hold it firm. Hope this helps.

There are two references to vibration dampers in Bob Barr's Technical Article Compilation as follows :- Volume 17, Issue 2, Page 10 written by Paul Clancy which deals with removal of the damper. Volume 7, Issue 3. page 19 written by Roy Tucker which deals with service of the damper. Hope this helps.

Hello Larry, Thanks for your message, you are always so very helpful. The measurments that you have supplied give a very good indication of the original length of the spring. As a starting point I will set it to 40 inches and also get the opinion of the spring overhaul company. Incidentally, the 14 leaf spring was standard on convertible sedans and special equipment on all others. Thank You, Colin.

We are doing a refresh on a 1938 LZ that we restored some 8 years ago. In common with many others the front spring has dropped to the extent that the outer ends now point upwards. I have the spring off the car and when unladed the spring measures 41 inches from the centres of the shackle studs. The spring is part number 86H-5310A (13 leaves).The 1948 parts book tells us that this is replaced by 06H-5310C "spring front 13 leaves 2250lbs load 40 3/4inches free length measure from centreline of shackle stud" . As this is only 1/4 inch shorter that my problem spring I can't see that this will fix the problem. Does anybody have any mesurements for the sizes of the spring when off the car and its free lenght? I can have the spring re-tempered and raised but it will be all guesswork . Thank for any advice. Colin

John... The sender unit for a 1936-38 LZ is mounted in the top tank of the radiator and looks like a small cigar. As a point of interest it is the same as the one used on the 1937/38 Willys. The temperature gauges used on 1936/38 LZ's "rest" on COLD but the 1939 and possibly later "rest" on HOT. Therefore I seem to remember that the cylinder head sender was incompatible with the 1937 dash unit. Of course you may well have a defective dash unit but this could be part of your problem. Colin

John, The bolt that you show on your first post is the correct item for a 1937 LZ and as far as I known for all LZ's 1936-39 and maybe later. I have restored two of these cars and a 1938 here in the UK and all had those bolts. The front section of the LZ frame is a "box section" with the steering box bolted to the in-board side of the box. These special bolts go throught the outer section of the box and the shoulder on the bolts clamps against the inner part of the box section as the threaded part is taken up by the screw threads in the steering box itself. The bolt head simply sticks out of the outer part of the box section and allows a wrench to turn it. Orignally there would have been spring washers under the shoulder on the bolt. Hope this helps but if it's unclear give me your phone number and a good time (USA time) and I will call you. The correct fitting of the steering box is a critical thing. Good luck.

The seat for a Coupe-Sedan is the same as the Coupe which might help find one. Regards, Colin (in England)

John, They were normal Ford parts and not identified and LZ. They have been on the car since 1993 without any issues

John,

I used Bob Drake reproduction Ford motor mounts on my 1937 LZ back in 1993. They have never given any problems and are still perfect.

There are two types of bearing retainer, the first type used on early LZ's and Ford's had no provision for the seal. The later type has a recessed area for the seal to fit into. I think this type was used from about 1939/40 onwards and is the same part as used on Ford's. Both parts are interchangable.

I had exactly the same problem when re-assembling my 1938 LZ. I put the car on a vehicle lift and secured the front crossmember to the front of the lift with ratchet straps. Don't put the straps onto the front axle. I then placed a ratchet strap on each side of the rear axle and secured them to the vehicle lift. By pulling up each strap a few clicks at a time the axle will slowly move backwards until the holes align. You probably don't have a vehicle lift handy but any rigid fixture will work. Hope this helps, good luck.

You may have already done this but try loosening the nuts that hold the spring to the front cross member.This should take the tension off the spring and allow the wishbone to drop far enough to get the oil pan out. It's not easy but I have done this several times over the years on our 1937.

Hello Mike, I bought my cardboard glove box interiors from the following:- Ron Carpenter 20 Los Ranchitos Alamo CA 94507 Tel 925-933-1486 At the time they were $145.95 the pair For the 1937 LZ both glove box interiors are the same depth but for 1938/39 one is shorter to allow for the fitting of a radio on the inside of the firewall. RHD is a mirror image of LHD. In the past we had made them ourselves but it is quite a lot of work to bend the material, cover it with the lining and then try to find the fittings if they are missing. The lids are held upright by a flat horseshoe shaped spring and if I look through my "junk" boxes I think that I can find a couple for you.

Thanks for your very prompt reply. I would be very interested and it might be best if I called you on the telephone. Can you confirm that you are LZOC #2752 in Lake Tomohawk? When is the best time to call...the UK is either 5 or 6 hours ahead of your time. Many Thanks..Colin

Does anybody know if it is still possible to get a support bracket that fits to the side of the V12 and allows it to safely fit a convertional engine stand? George Trickett used to sell these but they are no longer available. I will be coming to Hershey and would like to locate one to take back to the UK when I return. Many thanks. Colin

Hi John, We met several years ago at the American Car show at Knebworth. Its good to know that you still have the Zephyr. I remember this car back in the 1970's parked in London and have some photographs of it at that time. Let me suggest that the PIGI on the build card is actually PLGL which means "Plate Glass". Also the "USA" relates to the bonnet (hood) nose trim which on cars shipped to England included the words "Made In USA". This is the same for the badges on 1937 and 1938 cars but not for 1936. Why did Lincoln do this?...who knows !! On the build card for export cars there is usually the note "TP" which indicate that a tin of Touch up Paint is included. Your car is number 270 out of a total of 436 export RHD sedans for 1939. I have Columbia axles on my cars and would be happy to assist you in any way. Colin Spong London, England.

Bart, I will be pleased to assist in any way possible but my telphone number has changed since the last directory was issued. It is now 44-1708-765239 Colin Spong LZOC Foreign Correspondent.

Hello Fred, It looks a very nice radio and is actually a 1938. The radio itself is very similar to a 1937 but the control head is different and this one is a 1938. If it is useful to any purchaser I have a set of installation instructions that I could copy or scan. Regards....Colin Spong (England)