The Car Which Shall Not Be Named III (1935 Lincoln K)

[1957Birdman]

This car is a testament to the collaboration of Edsel Ford and Bob Gregorie. They turned out some of the best designs of the classic era, this car being a prime example.

You and your team have done great work on the car and it looks fantastic. If it drives as well as it looks you will have many smiles for the miles. Enjoy the show on Sunday! You deserve it.

Lew Bachman

1957 Thunderbird

 

[Laughing Coyote]

6 hours ago, MCHinson said:

you could swivel them outward

I'm with MChinson on the brackets. I think the lights look to close together and it's crowding the grill at the bottom. If the brackets were pointing outward they would follow the lower grill section better and the lights would be farther apart. All about the details and look. Just my opinion.

[Matt Harwood]

Drove the Lincoln to the show field this afternoon, a distance of about 25 miles, all surface streets, 35-50 MPH. Zero issues other than an elderly lady in front of me most of the way running 5 MPH under the speed limit and riding her brakes all the way down a long, steep hill and giving me a bit of a white-knuckle moment, but it was all good. On the flip side, there's also a very long, steep hill leading UP to the show area--when I was a kid, I recall my father needing 2nd and sometimes 1st gear to grind up the hill in our 1925 Buick or 1930 Model A roadster, and a friend with a 1965 Mustang with the 170 cubic inch six once had to go up in REVERSE! This is always my benchmark for my own cars. The '41 Buick will power up that hill without a downshift and it's pretty effortless, so I was curious to see how the Lincoln would fare. And oddly enough I got a real stress test, as a different driver stopped right at the bottom of the hill to turn into a driveway, killing all my momentum. The Lincoln not only climbed the hill in high gear, it ACCELERATED up the hill. Holy cow, this thing is STRONG!

 

Ultimately, the car never missed a beat, cruised easily, and generally worked like it should. I kept the glove box closed and didn't stare at the gauges all the way--it is what it is. A very good performance. The only real hiccup was a bit of a hard start after parking it for about 10 minutes following the drive. I flicked the electric fuel pump on and it fired right up but the idle was surging a bit. I guess it didn't like the heat soak very much. That's a tuning issue I will work on in the coming weeks.

 

The show is held at Stan Hywet Hall, and Gardens which was the home of the Siberling family, founders of the company that would eventually become Goodyear Tire & Rubber. It's a spectacular English Tudor style mansion with wonderfully tended gardens and a large meadow where the show is held.

 

Show field before it's filled with cars. That's

my family's 1964 Porsche 356C, which we

also brought this afternoon.

 

This car was a 10th anniversary gift from my

mother to my step-father 25 years ago.

 

One of the perks of being the head judge and being married to the show coordinator is that we can bring our cars on Saturday so our Sunday morning (show day) is relatively stress-free. It also means I can get some photos of my car in front of the manor house without the crowds, so I took advantage of the situation:

 

 

 

 

My car will be one of 10 Full Classics from 1935-1940 featured in what they call the "Inner Circle" which is that grassy round area directly in front of the manor house. The theme or featured years change each year, so I just got lucky that I finished my car during the year it would qualify. We also have a pair of Auburns, a Cord 812 phaeton, a Packard Darrin, a 1936 Pierce-Arrow, and a 1939 Packard convertible sedan on deck for display tomorrow. I was able to park my car today so I can focus on being head judge without worrying about parking in the morning.

 

  

Lincoln in the "Inner Circle."

 

Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Hopefully I'll have time to grab a few photos, because this is a really spectacular show. I'm just pleased that the Lincoln made the drive so easily and looks awesome on the grass.

 

[keiser31]

Boy, that looks right at home in front of that home.

[Walt G]

Matt and Melanie

Your car looks wonderful. perfect setting and from now on you can breath easier after all you have had to cope with in so many aspects in the past year.

Sit back and look at your magnificent car- from a chair some feet away or from behind the steering wheel - you have a right to be proud that you have brought a renewed life to a grand automobile. A rolling work of art, preservation of history still functioning as it was designed and made to be. Congratulations.

 

Walt

[M1842]

What a wonderful day driving your car to the show, I've followed this story for what seems like a couple years.  So glad it has worked out, with your attention to detail I really didn't expect anything less.

 

When I get frustrated with my car, I think of what you've been through and how you have pushed through though sometimes you had to walk away.

 

Beautiful car!

 

Congrats!

[EmTee]

It's 1935 again...

 

 

...beautiful!

[BuickTom87]

I hope one day to see this car in person

[Matt Harwood]

24 minutes ago, EmTee said:

It's 1935 again...

 

[Matt Harwood]

A very successful day at the Stan Hywett Father's Day car show. Weather was great, there was a sellout crowd and more than 400 cars on the show field. No complaints about judging, which I take as a personal win, and smooth sailing with all aspects of the show. The people in the club and all the volunteers did a great job making the show a big success. I'm hot, tired, and very pleased.

 

A lot of people and cars!

 

A fellow forum member brought his cool

Gogomobile all the way from Chicago

just to participate in our air-cooled

special class. Thanks, Shaun!

 

Pre-show with the other cars in the

Inner Circle, including David Schultz's

1936 Pierce-Arrow.

 

Like I said, LOTS of people later in the day!

 

After the show we had some dinner in a nearby restaurant with friends, then Riley and I drove the Lincoln home. It was a flawless performance and I couldn't have asked for better. The ENTIRE drive home is uphill (something you only notice when driving an old car) and ambient temperatures were 78 degrees, but the Lincoln ran at 180-185 all the way. I honestly expected it to run much warmer, it stayed steady and cooled off on those rare stretches where the road leveled out. It seems to be finding its equilibrium as it breaks-in.

 

On the other hand, oil pressure was still a little low. I know I'm trying to rationalize my way into letting it be low, but at the end of the 25-mile drive, it was about 28 PSI on the factory gauge and 20 PSI on the aftermarket gauge at 40 MPH. Not thrilled with that, but then again, it doesn't really mean anything. The engine still runs great, doesn't make any bad noises, and pressure isn't a problem as long as there's enough volume. I think I have plenty of volume. Still, now that the show is over I'm going to call Frank and see what he says.

 

Oh, and the idle speed went up again. I'm wondering if @AB-Buff might be right that the engine is breaking-in and loosening up, which is why the idle is going up. It would certainly explain the coolant temperatures stabilizing more easily.

 

Melanie snapped a photo of us driving

in traffic.

 

So that was a 50-mile round trip in fairly hot weather with a lot of uphill stretches, and the car performed flawlessly. I'm pretty happy with it overall. It did everything I asked it to do and didn't complain, even on the long uphill slogs. Not one hiccup, not a stutter, not even a misfire. Just smooth V12 power all the way. Still a few details on my sorting list, but I really hope the end of the road is within reach and I can just start driving it without constant trepidation.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[coachJC]

Matt, as a silent follower of this thread I just want to say congrates on a successful first car show outing and the Lincoln looks awesome. I also want to say thank you for taking us on this journey with you as it could not of been easy at times when things just never seemed to be going your way and still posting about it for all of us followers. I personally felt he highs sitting in my chair reading along when you had successes, and the lows when you did not. Good luck with getting the last few gremlins looked after and hope the car gives you and your family many years of trouble free miles.

 

Jeff

Edited June 19, 2023 by coachJC (see edit history)

[95Cardinal]

Congratulations on a successful event, Matt.

Other experts will weigh in on this, but based on my experience, those oil pressure levels are A-OK.

Yes, it will run a bit cooler and idle speed might increase as you get through the break in period.

The car looks phenomenal!

[West Peterson]

It won't be long before you are free to roam about the country.

The car looks fantastic. I like that you removed the front license plate. I'm in the same boat of Al and Ed (or is it Ed and Al?). While I don't think the lights are terrible.... as Al said, almost forgiven since you put on black tires. However, in deference to what was previously said about moving the fog lights, I would suggest that IF you are going to leave them on, leave them where they are... or maybe swivel them slightly so they are set back a little further.

 

[Matt Harwood]

Took the Lincoln and the Ute to the local cruise night this evening. The special feature was kit cars, dune buggies, and pre-1949 cars (yeah, what kind of combination is that?) so we figured these two would fit the bill just fine. They usually attract 300-400 cars and it's a pretty good event each week. Melanie and I help sponsor it so they give us a special area to park, which is kind of nice. The Lincoln seemed modestly interesting to the folks at the show, and even though we're a sponsor and don't usually compete for awards, the guy who runs the show decided that it should win an award, so I got an award.

 

 

Lincoln and the Audi Ute at the show.

 

Pretty good turn-out for a Tuesday night.

 

And they insisted that we get an award,

so OK then.

 

Oh, and for those of you who don't like the fog lights, I spent some time after the show repositioning them and I think it's a big improvement. Nice right?

 

 

In seriousness, the car ran beautifully all the way there and back. Temperatures continue to moderate and it hovered at 180 all the way even with ambient temperatures in the low 80s. I'm going to stop worrying about temperature, it seems to be managing itself. And with the car running a little cooler, oil pressure was a little stronger, running at about 35 PSI all the way there. Again, all good signs and the engine seems to be getting healthier as it breaks in. We'll just keep driving it and see what happens.

 

Oh, and those metal sidemount covers are squeaky/rattly as hell. Gotta secure them somehow. I'll add it to my list.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[AB-Buff]

Matt, I’m glad you went to the local show. Sometimes those are a lot more fun. Car looks fantastic. Like I’ve said before. I’d love to have it in my garage. By the way, the placement of the fog lights is perfect.

Also that won’t be the last award you get!

Edited June 21, 2023 by AB-Buff (see edit history)

[38Buick 80C]

fog lights are now perfect... don't change a thing...

[dalef62]

As for the squeaky side mounts, I am sure Ed will tell you to run a few screws through them and into the tire. 

Glad you are enjoying the Lincoln!!! 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Fun pic.  Now, Drop the fogs into the container under the shop fan for safekeeping and log some miles!!

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, dalef62 said:

As for the squeaky side mounts, I am sure Ed will tell you to run a few screws through them and into the tire. 

Glad you are enjoying the Lincoln!!! 

No sheet rock screws……just three inch nails from a nail gun.

 

Matt…….I have a secret way to solve the cover issue. Will give you a call when I can…..I’m at the Pierce meet all week…..

 

 

[West Peterson]

8 hours ago, edinmass said:

No sheet rock screws……just three inch nails from a nail gun.

 

Matt…….I have a secret way to solve the cover issue. Will give you a call when I can…..I’m at the Pierce meet all week…..

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

Still a lot of jobs to do on the Lincoln and I like working alone after work, so I went out to the shop to chip away at my "to do" list. 

First up was trying to find a solution to that insanely heavy and precariously balanced hood. It has already fallen twice and done serious damage to the headlights, and I couldn't even leave it open at a show for fear that a breath of wind or the brush of a sleeve would send it crashing into the headlights again. In short, it can't be left unattended for even a second and whenever I'm working on the engine, I have to assume it will fall on me (better me than the headlights). Anyway, I ordered one of those brackets designed for early '30s Fords that bolt to the radiator-to-cowl braces and have folding hooks that hold the hood in place. It required some modification to fit in the wider Lincoln engine bay, but I eventually got it in place (and it only fits in one place due to the air cleaner). 

 

Bought this bracket with folding hooks

hoping it would support the hood.

It did not.

 

 

It only fits in one position due to the air cleaner.

It didn't have a prayer of holding that hood.

 

And the moment I placed any of the hood's weight on it, it bent. It isn't nearly heavy-duty enough to handle that 70-pound hood. Not a prayer. Craps.

 

The rest of the 40-something items on my "to do" list are all what I call "interpretive" service. For instance, I want to make sure my timing and dwell are correct. I keep connecting my dwell meter and getting the same reading (48 degrees). That's good, I guess. But I get the exact same reading from both sets of points and there's no variation. The needle doesn't move a bit even when I rev the engine. So I'm not sure I trust my dwell meter.

 

My dwell meter is an Actron unit (I actually used to work for Actron) with just two leads--one for ground and one to the negative side of the coil. It doesn't even have a battery inside. Somehow it's getting power and reading the dwell. But is it accurate? I'm not sure it's designed for 6V cars. I don't trust it and I'm not sure I should use its readings to make adjustments. What's the alternative?

 

Should I trust my dwell meter? I don't know.

 

I also have a somewhat noticeable high-frequency vibration--mostly through the steering column--between 30 and 40 MPH. It happens on accel and decel and it's getting annoying now that I'm not completely focused on the engine. I haven't been worrying about it simply because there was so much else to do on the car, but now that it's running pretty well, I'd like to figure it out. I had the wheels balanced and nothing changed, so that wasn't it. I rotated the wheels, so that wasn't it. Then I thought maybe I don't have the front wheel bearings tight enough. So in another "interpretive" repair, I removed the hubcap, unscrewed the bearing cap, removed the retaining nut, and snugged up the bearing a bit. 

The manual says there should be just enough play that it can barely be felt. With the wheel mounted there was some very slight play that could just barely be felt, but it was less than a millimeter. Barely perceptible, as the manual specifies. And again, there's no right or wrong, it's all interpretive. Is it tight enough? Too tight? I didn't tighten it much and I don't think it made any difference because it still moved about the same amount before and after my adjustment. It might be my kingpins, but it's so slight that I don't think anything is out of synch. So that's probably not the source of my vibration, either. I don't know what else to check.

 

Up until now, everything was easy. It was just assembly. Bolt parts together, tighten the bolts. Now the jobs are a little less concrete and a little more open to interpretation. The distributor only fits on the engine one way, but things like the dwell and the tightness of the bearings are open to interpretation. And I'm not particularly good at that simply because I have a tendency to second-guess myself. You know when a bolt is tight, but knowing whether a dwell meter is telling you the truth is something else.

 

So I went home a little frustrated. I'll dive into some of the bigger projects (like fixing the leaking lower radiator hose) this weekend.

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[ply33]

48 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

. . . For instance, I want to make sure my timing and dwell are correct. I keep connecting my dwell meter and getting the same reading (48 degrees). That's good, I guess. But I get the exact same reading from both sets of points and there's no variation. The needle doesn't move a bit even when I rev the engine. So I'm not sure I trust my dwell meter. . .

I am no expert, but I believe that the dwell should be constant for all RPMs. Thinking about the construction of a typical distributor, I think the only thing that might cause the dwell to change with RPM is if the points start to float.

 

It is my understanding that generally you want longer dwell so the coil has more time to saturate. But increased dwell means reduced point gap and if the point gap is too narrow then there will be arcing and the coil field collapse will not be as quick. So too wide is bad and too narrow is bad.

[39BuickEight]

Matt, reading your posts over the last week regarding the most recent work and use of the car made me really smile.  I am truly happy for you!  A real automotive triumph in skill and personal determination.
 

And, I like the fog lights.  

[edinmass]

2 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Still a lot of jobs to do on the Lincoln and I like working alone after work, so I went out to the shop to chip away at my "to do" list. 

I also have a somewhat noticeable high-frequency noise/whine/vibration--mostly through the steering column--between 30 and 40. It’s very annoying………

 

I too had a similar problem on a Pierce V-12 of he mid 30’s. The fix ended up easier than you could imagine. I just threw my wife out of the car……….noise/problem solved……and it was very gratifying!

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

8 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

I too had a similar problem on a Pierce V-12 of he mid 30’s. The fix ended up easier than you could imagine. I just threw my wife out of the car……….noise/problem solved……and it was very gratifying!

 

 

[MCHinson]

Maybe you can copy the basic design of the hood prop and just build a modified version out of much heavier material? 

[Stude Light]

3 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

also have a somewhat noticeable high-frequency vibration--mostly through the steering column--between 30 and 40 MPH. It happens on accel and decel and it's getting annoying now that I'm not completely focused on the engine.

My 1939 LaSalle has a similar vibration at at slightly higher speed (flathead V8). The LaSalle did not come with a harmonic balancer so I added a balancer from a Cadillac engine which helped some but didn’t eliminate it.
 

Something in the car “lights off” at a particular engine rpm in 3rd gear around 40-45 mph.

 

I spent years at GM in driveline development so always got tuned in to vibrations - 1st order, 2nd order, 3rd order…. Sometimes it was a torsional vibration, sometimes bending and once in a while we really hit a harmonic frequency. Engine, trans, driveshaft, axles, u-joints, tripots, wheels, tires, brakes - you name it. Basically anything that spins can create a vibration and those vibrations can excited lots of different things like body, roof, floor pan, steering, seats. To really get to the root cause usually requires some decent instrumentation and analysis. At GM, we would hang tuned dampers on all kinds of parts to make cars vibration free.
 

I look at the very basic engine and trans mounts along with the torsional harmonic balancer used on my car and I just ignore it anymore since it is inherent to the design. No one else in the car notices it unless I point it out and have them focus at the right time to which they tell me it’s hardly noticeable. We are often our worst critics. 

[Bloo]

6 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I keep connecting my dwell meter and getting the same reading (48 degrees). That's good, I guess. But I get the exact same reading from both sets of points and there's no variation.

Dwell shouldn't change but often does. Sometimes due to worn out parts like distributor shaft bushings, sometimes by design. For instance you may have heard of various distributors on Buicks and others where some ball bearings have dug pits and cause the vacuum advance to stick. The plate has to rotate somehow unless the whole distributor rotates like a 216 Chevrolet. Bushings can stick too. One approach some manufacturers took alleviate the sticking was to have the breaker plate on an off-center pivot, rather than rotating perfectly around the distributor shaft. It's more reliable because it probably won't stick, but the dwell changes whenever the plate moves.

 

If the number of degrees is reading right you are all set.

 

6 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Should I trust my dwell meter? I don't know.

 

 

That car runs as two 6 cylinders doesn't it? If so 6 cylinder maximum and minimum dwell numbers should apply. With the points open (0% "on" time), the meter should read 0. With the points closed (100% "on" time), the meter should read 60, because 60 is the maximum number of distributor degrees per cylinder on a 6 cylinder. It fires every 60 distributor degrees. If your meter can do that, it is probably working fine.

 

48 sounds high to me, but that number is probably in a book somewhere. If it runs good...

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Bloo (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

7 hours ago, Bloo said:

That car runs as two 6 cylinders doesn't it? If so 6 cylinder maximum and minimum dwell numbers should apply. With the points open (0% "on" time), the meter should read 0. With the points closed (100% "on" time), the meter should read 60, because 60 is the maximum number of distributor degrees per cylinder on a 6 cylinder. It fires every 60 distributor degrees. If your meter can do that, it is probably working fine.

 

48 sounds high to me, but that number is probably in a book somewhere. If it runs good...

 

My dwell meter needle doesn't move, it just goes to 48 degrees when I connect it and start the engine. Should it sweep as it runs?

 

36 degrees is the proper dwell for this engine, so I'm going to try to adjust it this weekend. I just don't trust this meter and fear I might screw up a good-running engine. But if dwell is 33% too high, that's going to cause problems, too. The manual simply says an .020" point gap is acceptable, but that's where it is now and the dwell is way too high. I think it probably needs .025" or thereabouts.

 

Like I said, I'm not entirely sure I should trust this meter.

 

Also, can I test dwell with the distributor cap removed at cranking speed? It's a real hassle to remove the distributor cap every time I tweak the points while getting it dialed-in.

[trimacar]

Great to hear positive stories about the car!
 

Speaking of Pierce Arrow, the heavy hood problem was solved by spring loaded keepers mounted under hood to cowl.  Work great, but there hasto be room between hood and cowlto mount them.

[TexRiv_63]

17 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Still a lot of jobs to do on the Lincoln and I like working alone after work, so I went out to the shop to chip away at my "to do" list. 

First up was trying to find a solution to that insanely heavy and precariously balanced hood. It has already fallen twice and done serious damage to the headlights, and I couldn't even leave it open at a show for fear that a breath of wind or the brush of a sleeve would send it crashing into the headlights again. In short, it can't be left unattended for even a second and whenever I'm working on the engine, I have to assume it will fall on me (better me than the headlights).

 

 

 

 

Don't know if this applies but I had a similar problem with the 34 Packard. The solution was replacing long-gone rubber hood bumpers which "grab" the cowl edge when the hood is raised and keep it from slipping and falling. I also replaced the missing hood straps which kept it from blowing open to the opposite side in a strong wind.

[Bloo]

4 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Should it sweep as it runs?

Yes, sort of. It is full scale (60 degrees on the 6 cylinder scale) with the points closed. It should be attempting to swing wildly back and forth between 0 and 60 (when set for a 6 cylinder) as the points open and close. It can't really do that because of the mass of the moving parts of the meter, so the needle appears steady with the engine running. While cranking it should probably kick around a little bit.

 

Dwell meters are just duty cycle meters with a scale marked in degrees instead of percent. 30 degrees on a 60 degree (6 cylinder) scale is a 50% duty cycle. It is "on" 50 percent of the time. Most engines have a dwell spec of slightly more than 50% "on" time. 36 degrees sounds about right.

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Bloo (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Matt, congrats on everything about this auto. Absolutely stunning. I am a true believer in 'its your car do what you want'. If this were mine I would def. lose the lights (and the tag). The front lines of the fender sweep is way too sexy to be distracted with other objects.

[Stude Light]

Fog Lights....

 

This is my car with the cheesy turn signal lights it came with.

This is it with fog lamps (converted to turn signals)

I'm with Matt on the fog lights. Maybe roll them out a bit wider so as not to block the grill - better airflow across the radiator too. Yes, I'm bias.

 

[Matt Harwood]

Parked the Lincoln over the drain this evening and opened the drain on the cooling system so it'll be dry and ready to go in the morning. One of the joints on the lower hose leaks a bit and I need to solve that before I fill it with something other than plain water. So that's one of tomorrow's projects.

 

I also hooked up my dwell meter to the '41 Buick and fired it up. Dwell spec on the Buick is 31 degrees and the meter showed 32, so that seems to demonstrate that it's working correctly and doesn't mind 6V electrical systems. Good news. If I'm lucky and nothing goes wrong in the coolant department, adjusting the dwell will also be part of my job tomorrow. 

 

 

Buick's dwell measures 32 degrees and spec is 31.

Meter appears to be working properly.

 

 

[AB-Buff]

So just by looking at the pictures, I don’t see a switch on that dwel meter that tells it it’s four, six or eight cylinders. Not sure I’ve ever seen a meter that didn’t have a switch to tell it how many cylinders there were? Before you do anything with the Lincoln, I would find another dwell meter that you could actually set up for six cylinders. Because once you start moving the points in the car, it’s going to be a pain in the butt to make them equal on both banks. It’s not like it was in the distributor machine when I could change it as it’s running. Anyway that’s my two. Cents. 
Lynn

[maok]

1 hour ago, AB-Buff said:

So just by looking at the pictures, I don’t see a switch on that dwel meter that tells it it’s four, six or eight cylinders. Not sure I’ve ever seen a meter that didn’t have a switch to tell it how many cylinders there were? Before you do anything with the Lincoln, I would find another dwell meter that you could actually set up for six cylinders. Because once you start moving the points in the car, it’s going to be a pain in the butt to make them equal on both banks. It’s not like it was in the distributor machine when I could change it as it’s running. Anyway that’s my two. Cents. 
Lynn

The scale varies for 6 to 8  (4 being twice the 8), so doesn't need to be switched. I have a similar meter.

[Matt Harwood]

 

[Milburn Drysdale]

Smooth

[pmhowe]

The impression I got watching the video was similar to that which I had once when riding on a large cabin cruiser, after being on a small outboard: heavy, solid, powerful, in total control of its environment. What a neat car! Thank you for sharing.