Lincoln’s! Continental vs Zephyr?

[Licespray]

What’s the differences between these 2 vehicles? Was one the more upmarket version? Continental looks like a larger car..?

 

Cheers.

[Rusty_OToole]

Zephyr was a smaller, cheaper mass produced companion car to the big Lincoln V8 and V12 models.It was introduced in 1936.

 

In 1938 Edsel Ford had a Zephyr built for his own use, with a special low built convertible body. He told the designer "I want it to have a continental look" referring to special Continental models made by Rolls Royce and Bentley for fast touring on the European continent.

 

The new car created a sensation among Edsel's friends when he drove it around Palm Beach Florida. So they had duplicates made and it was added to the Lincoln Zephyr lineup.

 

They made them until 1948 then when the all new 49s came out the Continental was quietly dropped.

 

The next Continental was a very special, very expensive Lincoln coupe made in 1956 and 1957. It was called the Continental Mark II

 

Starting in 1958 the Continental model became a deluxe trim version of the standard Lincoln.

 

Next came the all new, smaller 1961 Lincoln 4 door hardtop and convertible. Now all Lincolns were called Continentals.

 

This went on until 1968. Then in 1969 they came out with a new Continental coupe that differed from the regular line, and called it the Continental Mark III.

 

You probably already know about the Lincolns and Continentals of the 70s to now so will not bore you with the harrowing details. But that in a nut shell is the history of the Continentals.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Licespray]

Great post, thanks!

 

Yeah I know of the 70’s ones. I think I like the look of the plain ol Zephyr more than the continentals of similar vintage.

[Rusty_OToole]

Here is a Rolls Royce Continental compared to a regular Rolls Royce sedan. You can see what Edsel meant by the Continental look.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Here is the first Lincoln Continental and its sedan counterpart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

Both Lincoln Zephyr and Continental were built on the same chassis, are the same length.  What makes the Continental appear longer is the proportioning and lowering.   The hood lengthened, passenger compartment configured close-coupled, the short high boxed trunk.  None of the body panels interchange but all chassis parts do.  Its a fascinating history, worth your time to delve into.   

[Restorer32]

Ex father-in-law had a  '48 non-Continental convertible.

 Same chassis, same chrome , same dash and instruments.

 

 

 

 

B

[Matt Harwood]

The nice thing about the 1930s-40s Zephyr convertibles vs. the Continentals is that the Zephyrs have quarter windows and not that massive blind quarter that makes the back seat of Continentals feel like a cave with the top up. The remaining differences are largely trim and the rear-mounted spare tire, as well as value--Continentals will bring considerably more, probably due to their Full Classic status. But from the driver's seat, they are pretty much the same car.

 

It's just another example of small differences having a large effect on value, regardless of whether it's based on anything substantial.

[58L-Y8]

Oddly enough, now the Lincoln-Zephyr is the rarer car as the Continentals were collected almost from their years as used cars in the 1950's.  The Lincoln Continental Owners Club formed in 1953.  Back then Zephyr and postwar Lincolns were mostly considered only useful for parts to restore Continentals.   That's why there are so many Continentals available now compared to Zephyrs.  Zephyrs being semi-unit body construction also suffered from rust-prone bodies.  All suffered with the H-Series V-12 from 1936-'48, which you will find a recent discussion regarding here on another thread.