An accurate description of the Zephyr V12?

[CBoz]

One of the big problems with the Internet is that information gets copied over and over again, with little verification. Now I know those of us here are biased toward our cars, but is this an accurate description of the V12?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln-Zephyr_V12_engine

I think if we can come up with a knowledgeable, fair assessment of the engine's strengths and weaknesses, we should update it.

[Rolf]

Thank you Cecil for a flashback to all the nonsense ever ascribed to our poor maligned engines, If any of these Shakespeares's that knew so much had ever driven a really good V-12, there were a few aound, especially way back, they never would have written such tripe, and if they might have checked their facts a little bit, like the number of folks who have bored their 2 15/16 1942 engines out to 3 1/16 standard Ford size, with no problems, and the totally bogus timeline on the Ford flathead V-8's, this article may have been best never written, so when the many present owners of these cars and engines are confronted with the nay-sayers that have read articles like this, the owners should say, "let's take a drive smartass", and if they still believe what they read, let them move to Ohio, where they just ran out of Democratic ballots for their primary, are all you Bucks trying to emulate Florida Jeff-

[no more]

HELLO ....NURSE,....PLEASE RETURN TO MR BURDETTES ROOM....

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM......

TAKE A DEEP BREATH ROLF, YOU'LL BE OK..

[Mike Cullen]

That sort of frosts me too. I get the same line from people who stop to visit when I show my 36. All of these "experts" telling their buddies how the Lincoln 12s were junk, and that "everybody pulled the 12s out and replaced them with V8-85s because the Ford engine was so much more powerful and reliable." When I tell them I've seen dozens of Zephyrs in person, and not a one of them was sporting an V8, nor has anyone who owned one told me about having to pull the Ford engine and find a V12. (although I'm sure it happened) I always respond that more likely the reason was the low production numbers, a Ford V8 could be had from a wrecking yard for a song, and since the V12 was fairly uncommon it would be more expensive to overhaul or replace so they were occasionally replaced with V8s. They seem shocked that My old V12 with a non-pressurized cooling system doesn't puke coolant everywhere, even in Florida summers. I'm not afraid to drive anywhere, within the general limitations of a 72 year old car, that it gets 14-15 MPG and that it will run circles around my buddy's 37 Packard or Ford V8s from the 30s. I assume that the so called experts have never owned a V12, likely only "remember" them from stories they heard in the early 50s by which time even flathead technology had developed to the point that our old 12s were underpowered, due to the higher compression ratios and eventually the shorter stroke higher winding OHVs replaced them too.

[no more]

Here in the vast cornfields of oHIo, I have not had that problem. The old boys are grinning asking to see that v-12..

they recognize an exotic automobile when they see one..

We are mostly "farmers" as u know, and maybe we understand that a lincoln v-12 can be worn out in the same way a chevy, honda or chrysler would be.

Lincolns were not owned by the masses when new...(at least not here), so by the time they were second hand..during a time of very limited resources, war, depression, cars were

run down..or lugged around for conservation quiet etc.

Our cars were very modern,before the war, but then became very dated jalopys no tworthy of major repairs...

Compare the modern Cadillac aluminum 4.1 v-8. It was a marvel when new..(lots of oHIo farmers drive caddys) but

the engine wore out and required serious overhaul, just like our v-12, but secondary or 3rd owners couldnt or wouldnt spend that much..sooooo bolt in an olds v-8 or a chevy or drive a nasty knocking smokin mess....sound familiar.....

I suppose that makes caddy 4.1 junk too...I dont know...

I am bored or I wouldnt devote this much time to an pointless post...but oh well...

as soon as obamma rama is elected, we will send our cash to D.C. and eliminate need for old cars to spend it on...

[imported_Phil Knapp]

The very first time I drove my newly acquied '41 Continental to the local cruise-in which was infested with new Corvettes, Mustangs (I don't go to that one any more!), a guy walked casually past my open hood and commented: "That's the WORST engine Ford ever built". I replied: "Well, maybe so, but it's 66 years old, original, and still drives down the road. Where will your Chevy be in 66 years"?

I rest my case.

[no more]

yea u tell 'em Phil

If i go to a show,

I pull in and tell them I want to park with the other 12 cylinder cars.... or with all the other Zephyrs

even the ford v-8 guys chuckle. I am easily amused.

[no more]

LOOOOOOK

[Mike Cullen]

I don't know about those new-fangeld hydraulic brakes....

My cables are smooth and answer eagerly too!

[Guest imported_MikeWilliamsUK]

Anyone know how to feed back information back to these Wikipikid.. thingy people?

Apart from the comments about engine failure which could be followed by a comment about modern oil pumps etc solving the problems, they also state that:

"The Zephyr V12 was also used by Allard, Atalanta, and Brough Superior in England.".

Well, Allard I believe made only one V12 car as all their others at that time used the Ford V8, Brough also made only one V12 as his others were Hudson 6 or 8 powered, but if they are including one-offs then they have omitted Jensen. OK, they too only made one car with the V12, but as its my car I'd like to put the record straight!

But I can't see how you contact them. Any suggestions, please?

Mike

[CBoz]

Wikipedia is wide-open; we can make corrections to it as we feel fit. There's a function to do it.