AceCollins

Putting my engine back together this week. What oil do you feel is best for a V-12 running in a warm climate -- Central Texas? I have gotten answers all over the board on this one. My mechanic feels that a 30W would be best to start with in the fresh engine. Ace

Pete, Don't be sorry you outbid me, I am just glad that someone is going to really use them. I take it that your car is the British right hand drive model. My youngest son (14 years old) has an internship at the Baylor University film school this year and is shooting a sequel to the great movie Rebecca using kids his age. It is a super project. As the film is set in England, he longs for a car to use in the film that drives on the right side of the road. As it is, he is simply using my 37 and having the actor explain that the car is an import! Let me hear more about the LZ and the UK when you get a chance. You can see my LZ at my website http://www.acecollins.com/37zephyr.html and check my other Fords by then clicking on the Classic Fords button on the right side of that page. Ace Collins ace@acecollins.com

My water pumps are in, rope gaskets soaked in oil, the clutch resurfaced and the radiator cleaned with leaks fixed. My 37 engine will begin to be put back together tomorrow. With any luck, the old girl might be running again by this weekend. What a thrill it will be drive it home. Guys, a couple of good looking heads on eBay right now. They just came up. I am new to this game and don't know what they are worth, but if you are searching for some cast iron models for your V-12, might be worth a look. I would love to see pics of your car Phil and area that your friend is doing a super job. I have only had a chance to get my first two issues, but I like the style and substance! Ace <ace@acecollins.com>

Pete, I was wondering who outbid me. Congrats! I was hoping to land the prize, but I think you got a heck of a deal. Good luck with you car, and, as a man who has only been a member for a few months, you might have to help me from time to time with my 37. Have a great day in the land of my ancestors. Ace Collins

I would love to have you research my old girl as well. I noted the pictures and what a job you have in front of you. I am almost fifty, I had only seen Zephyr in museums. I want to drive history so that others can see this car. I drive my 57 Ranchero a couple of times a week and in our local monthly cruise nights. I plan on doing the same to the LZ. These cars, along with the 36-37 Cords, were the ultimate in Art-Deco styling, years ahead of their time. Of cars that normal folks could afford, the LZ's were in a league of their own. Every line of the car is perfect. And of what character! Jim, email me at ace@acecollins.com and I will give you the information I have on my 37. Anything you need to see, I have already sent some pictures of certain parts to Cecil, just let me know. I can't wait to see yours on the road. History is to be shared. Hey, three weeks ago I drove mine to shop to have the engine pulled and redone and those three miles were simply incredible! Ace Collins

CB George told me the same thing. As I will probably never make it to Deaborn, guess I will never know. If you make the trip, I would like to give you my car #s to take with you. Ace

Jim, I am fairly new to the LZ game myself, and I know that mine has been three different colors in its lifetime. I like the garnet it now wears, but it was non LZ green before that and I think it was what is called Mercury when it came from the factory. I think when the interior is pulled out I will find out more. Anyway, as a writer I have tried to dig up the numbers on popular paint choices, etc, and have been told that no one really knows. The editor of the club magazine told me that almost everything he sees nowadays is black and garnet, of that is just an observation, so those must be the most popular colors at this time. Unlike my 57 Ranchero and 65 Mustang, there are no codes anywhere that give colors and optional equipment information. It really becomes a guessing game. The good thing is that no one can frown at you painting it the color you would chosen then. My other frustration is not being able to trace my 4-Door back to a date earlier than 1988. It was sold in California at that time and issued a Nebraska title. Yet as all California records of titles are kept only five years, then destroyed, I can't get it back beyond that. And as the California owner had a very common name -- Donald Wallace Smith, Stockton, CA -- it makes it hard to trace him too. Yet because it has no obvious signs of rust, I would assume that it was a western car throughout its driving years, but I can't find a thread that would prove that for me. I would love to pictures of your car. If you get a chance, email me some at ace@acecollins.com Ace

It should be no problem to make. My car will be back home late next week, having the engine rebuilt right now. If you need a picture of where the switch is located, etc. on my 37 to use as a guide, please email me at ace@acecollins.com. I will take one from a couple of different angles the day it comes back. Ace

I can't imagine tackling the task of reassembly without having been the one to take it apart, I did that on a 41 Ford once and nearly lost my mind. Still, what you probably need to get to begin the operation is a Lincoln Chassis Parts Catalogue that covers 36-48. It is not as inclusive and complete as one of a hundred Mustang books, but it does give you some pretty good drawings, parts numbers, etc. for almost everything and can serve as a general road map that will probably allow you to identify about 98% of the stuff. After that, who knows? You can probably guess and be right 99% of time. On the Garnet color, I have 37 paint chips and it is a 37 color as well. For 37 the Royal Maroon was very dark, while the Zephyr Garnet was almost a medium dark red. The factor lacquer # was 32169. It broke down as 70 parts Opex Deep Maroon, 93 parts Opex Crimson Red, 7 Open Bone Black and a touch of Opex Auto White. The maker of the paint was Sherwin-WIlliams. The Royal Moroon was 100 parts Deep Maroon with just a touch of Crimson Red. I have the paint numbers and the gauge readings for the four paint combinations that make up Zephyr Garnet if you need them. Ace

Merv Atkins will have one, I am sure. Check the LZ owners page for contacts. He is listed there. Ace

The switch is released when the spare tire is flipped out on my 1937. So I would anticipate it being that way on the 39 as well.

The garnet red is a medium red, a little darker but not that far removed from what you find on today's Lincoln Navigators. While mine is "Zephyr Garnet," paint code # 32141 now, it was originally painted with a color that Lincoln called "Mercury." That was a lifeless green that reminds me of what they sprayed on Army trucks in World War II. I have never even seen a Zephyr painted like that. I think I will stay with the garnet. One of the club members told me that garnett and black are about all folks redo them in now. The evergreen is pretty too. The only "major" change that mine has undergone over the years was the moving of the battery to under the hood. As I don't have a battery cover for under the seat, I may just leave it there as well for the time being. Whoever switched it did a good, put it right where Ford put it in 1939, so most people have no idea it was not there. I have found what I needed that the car had lost over the years -- door arm rests for the front doors, one bumperette for the back bumper, and pull ups for the back seat passengers (they mount near the roof at the top of the windows. I still have to get a pattern for making the foot rests for the back seat passengers. I will have to redo chrome, but it is mostly in good enough condition to wait for now. My rubber is the problem. Door strips and trunk and window seals are no problem -- there is a good and cheap club source for those, but I need to find a reasonable source for hood and door bumpers. Also need the rubber seals that go on the body where the bumpers come through it, I think those are easy to come by and affordable. I have no holes, but my passenger pan might be a little weak too. By the way, if you want to email directly, just hit me at <ace@acecollins.com> . On a more modern note -- my 65 Fastback has a straight six and original interior. I am going to add disk brakes and three point seat belts when my son turn sixteen (fifteen months) and let him use it during high school. It will never leave the family and Rance will probably get my college son's 94 GT when he goes to college. My daily driver is a 99 Cobra convertible. Clint's, our college kid, first car was a 65 coupe and he followed that with a 86 Mustang SVO. So, as you can clearly see, we love Mustangs. Yet it is my 57 Ranchero that is simply a dream. Looks and drive like a car that is maybe two or three months old. Can't wait to see picks of your coupe. I personally feel that the 37 Zephyr is one of the three best styled cars of the pre-war era and the coupe is simply the most beautiful Lincoln ever produced. By the way, how is your motor? Ace

I just started on my 37 Lincoln Zephyr 4-Door. Have the engine torn down right now (I did have it running well enough to drive it to the shop -- 3 miles), once I get the mechanics in shape I will go to work on the interior. Mine was a California car until the late 80s -- best that I have been able to tell, spent four years in Nebraska, then came to Texas in 1992. I don't think it has been on the road since the late 70s. Except for a second coat of paint and some really bad seat covers and door panels, the car is pretty original. The crank has never even been turned. Anyway, stay in touch and keep me on what you are looking for, maybe I can help. Would love to see pics of your cars (I already checked out your Mustang link). You can catch my cars at this link <http://www.acecollins.com/classicfordsa.html> . Look over the Lincoln and my 65 Fastback. Ace Collins [color:"blue"]