your first ride or drive in a V12 zephyr or Connie

[vetsalsman]

So around 1980 or 1981 I went to a Lincoln club meet in Mechanicsburg PA and an owner of a white 1940 coupe gave me a ride. The engine ran so smooth that at idle I did not realize the car was running. The owner had put a later model Lincoln a/c system in the car & a modern ( at the time) stereo sytem in. Other than that the car was pretty much stock. I never forgot my first ride in a Zephyr.

What & when was your first time riding in or driving one of these fine cars?

[Tom_Overfield]

Had to be in the early 80s. Tom Lerch. a long time LCOC member. ( and probably LZOC) had two Continentals. One was a 40 Coupe that was the world fair show car. The other was a 47 I believe, Cabrolet. I drove the 47 and it was wonderful. Put it on the interstate and it cruised along nicely. I had bought my 41 and Tom always kept me interested. I was lucky to have him only 25 miles south to ask questions.

Tom

[v12lincoln]

my first drive was in my 48 conv. coupe after 6 years restoring it. Cant say I was impressed as I didnt have the dwell set right and 3 wires pulled out of the cap, after fixing that I was impressed and used it for a daily driver for 4 years until my father in law wanted it. I gave it to him knowing I will get it back, He is blind and cant drive so I still drive it whenever I want.

Im just now putting the engine back in after the block cracked. one more part and it will be all done. Love driving it better than the Packard V12 as the Lincoln gets much better gas milage and the top goes down.

[DSpringer]

As early as I can remember, in the '41 Sedan that belonged to my grandmother and that I am FINALLY getting around to restoring. At some point the V12 became a V8, but I don't remember there being a difference. Just remember the huge back seat and the cool cigarette lighters on each arm rest.

[Guest Jim Zephyr]

Well, its wasn't a Zephyr or a Connie... but a 1941 Lincoln Custom powered by an HV-12 - I barely had my drivers license if at all, and the Zephyr Blue Custom Limo had a divider window but no windshield. Goggles were the order of the day as Jeff Booth and I bounced thru the back roads of Toledo smelling blue smoke and loving every minute

[Phil Knapp]

My first ride in a Lincoln CONTINENTAL (not a Connie) was a hot-rodded 1948 coupe in 1964. Some bozo had installed a complete Cadillac Eldorado driveline and it was the quickest car I had ever owned. Unfortunately, the conversion was the worst backyard job imaginable and the right front fender had been creamed. I couldn't find a fender for it (before I joined the LCOC and before the LZOC came into existence) so I ended up selling that car - and good riddance!

The next Lincoln Continental was a running V-12, also in 1964. It ran OK, but it had been a donor car for the complete interior and I bought it for the princely sum of $300. I immediately sold the complete engine and overdrive transmission to Jack Nethercutt (Merle Norman Cosmetics) for $150 (BIG mistake!) and thought I had done well!

At that time, I was anxious to unload the V-12 because, as a child in Schenectady, New York, our next door neighbors had a VERY troublesome 1941 Zephyr sedan which spent a LOT of time in the repair shop. I thought that ALL V-12 engines should be boat anchors.

I proceeded to install a 1957 Lincoln 368 V-8 engine with a 1965 GM "dual range" hydromatic transmission. In 1970, my wife and I drove that car from La Crescenta, California to the Eastern National LCOC meet in Mt. Snow, Vermont. Then to the Western National LCOC meet at Yosemite National Park in California. It was the only car to attend BOTH national meets that year.

The '47 Continental was my daily driver for nearly 10 years and about 100,000 miles. I retired it after the "new" (vinyl) upholstery became shabby from sun exposure.

We still have that car, but it hasn't run since 1997 when we got thrown out of the 50th anniversary LCOC meet in League City, Texas for arriving late!

http://community.webshots.com/album/33590926dAmhsj

The next V-12 Lincoln was our 1939 Zephyr Convertible, bought in 1993. A very pretty car, but a mechanical disaster! We sold it in 2009.

http://community.webshots.com/album/73152974bRlXIf

The 1941 Continental Cabriolet we acquired in 2006 is a mostly original, relatively un-molested car - this one is a KEEPER!

http://rides.webshots.com/album/557478162IZJiRf

TMI, Sorry!

Edited July 18, 2010 by Phil Knapp (see edit history)

[Sweepspear]

It would be the '40 Continental my Father restored in the early 80's.

Loved driving that car! With the Columbia 2 speed rear axle it would cruise at 60-70 mph all day effortlessly.

It served as a wedding car in not only my wedding, but the weddings of many of my friends.

Sure miss that car. Hope it is in good hands.

P.S,

The turn signals you see in the bumper were removable for shows.

Edited July 19, 2010 by Sweepspear (see edit history)

[Phil Knapp]

Dale,

Check with Dave Cole. Dave has been tracking 1940 Continentals for over 40 years. If the car still exists, Dave will probably know about it!