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

[Matt Harwood]

 

[old car fan]

Any weekend at the Gilmore, is a great time. 

[Matt Harwood]

Also great to meet two forum regulars, @KVP and @Stude Light who stopped by to say hello. An honor to have friends I've never met stop by and become friends I know by sight. Thanks for saying hello, guys!

[Stude Light]

5 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Also great to meet two forum regulars, @KVP and @Stude Light who stopped by to say hello. An honor to have friends I've never met stop by and become friends I know by sight. Thanks for saying hello, guys!

It was great to meet you and Melanie and chat a while. I blame the morning rain on the Ferraris that showed up…Mother Nature trying to wash away the riff-raff and cleanse the Lincoln show field. It turned into a beautiful afternoon.

 

You two have a magnificent car - thanks for bringing it out to Michigan to show it off.

Scott

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Stude Light (see edit history)

[AB-Buff]

This was texted to me

 

[KVP]

It was a pleasure to meet you and Melanie.  Thanks for showcasing the Lincoln at Gilmore.  It was a

real treat to lay eyes on it after following your journey to make the car right.  Well done!

 

Keith

[edinmass]

Interestingly, the Governor of Massachusetts had a 1935 Lincoln. Seems he had a few too many when this happened. Notice the lack of extras on the car. Nice clean look.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[dalef62]

31 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Interestingly, the Governor of Massachusetts had a 1935 Lincoln. Seems he had a few too many when this happened. Notice the lack of extras on the car. Nice clean look.

 

 

And look, it has White Walls!!!!!   Shame on the Governor, he should know better than to put white walls on a car.

[charlespetty]

All of the Lincoln sales brochures of this era show whitewalls and usually on both sides of the tire.  

[Roscoe]

This is still one of my favorite cars I've seen on the forum. I've always thought Packard was the best looking thing out in the 30s, but Mr. Harwood's Lincon is just beautiful, black walls and all.

[edinmass]

All the big 30’s cars are special. Each in their own way. So much more choice 90 years ago.  Lincoln K’s have never had the following they deserve. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I think the Lincoln has now earned the right to be named!  What's left, late summer or fall long distance run?

[edinmass]

He should name the car “The Gauntlet”.

[Grimy]

33 minutes ago, edinmass said:

He should name the car “The Gauntlet”.

I suggest "Lazarus," because Matt has returned it from the dead.  🙂

[Matt Harwood]

The car already knows what I call it. It has to earn a different moniker now.

 

I'm not really in the habit of naming my cars, it feels kind of weird. However, Melanie has taken to calling the greyhound "Pierre" and says she is going to make him a little jacket.

[BuickTom87]

Absolutely beautiful, the Lincoln  is incredible.  

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Matt understood but thought of this one earlier today, Ramsey like Chef Ramsey who kicks your a$$ to make you better...

[Matt Harwood]

A friend of ours plays bass in a local band and they were playing a gig about 40 miles away at a local historical society's 25th anniversary celebration. So Melanie and I decided to take the Lincoln out to watch them play. Nice drive with quiet country roads at 45-55 MPH, very little traffic, and weather in the mid-70s. Lincoln drove superbly with no issues other than 3 or 4 seconds of stuttering on the way home when I needed to click on the electric fuel pump for 10 seconds or so. Can't complain about that.

 

 

Again, I am pleased with the fact that I'm wiling and able to just jump in the car and go just about anywhere (within reason) without worries. An 80-mile trip was no sweat and was simply a few hours of nice, relaxed driving. I still think an overdrive is in my future because it gets pretty busy above 50 MPH, but I don't think I'm hurting anything at about 2300 RPM. We're nearing the 1000-mile mark since we installed the new engine and I figure that if anything was going to go catastrophically wrong, it would have by now. The car is sorted and reliable and I'm finally able to relax and enjoy the ride. Always a few little jobs to do, of course, but I'll hit those over the winter. We'll debate removing the torque tube, rear end, and transmission once the weather turns and maybe see about installing that Gear Vendors overdrive unit I have on the shelf...

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

Another easy day with the Lincoln. My 85-year-old father has been alone for a few days with his lady friend being out of town with her grandchildren, so Melanie and I drove the Lincoln over to take him to lunch. He hasn't seen the car in person and I really wanted to show it to him. The big reason this Lincoln initially appealed to me is because it looks much like the 1934 Ford sedan that was my father's first old car and the car that got 3-year-old me into cars. I wanted my father to experience it. I also wanted to show him that the Harwoods finally own a 12-cylinder big kid car, to which we both aspired back in the '70s and '80s. 

 

 

The 1934 Ford that started me in the hobby 50 years ago. My father is

35 years old and that's 3-year-old Matt with the red hat on the

passenger side. Looks are fairly similar to the '35 Lincoln, no?

 

My father lives on the west side of Cleveland, while I live on the east side. There are two ways to get from here to there: on the highway or straight through the city. So Melanie and I hit the road and drove through the city with traffic and LOTS of red lights on an 86-degree day. Would it be a mistake? We didn't know but I had faith in the car. That feels very strange to say, given our history together.

 

 

Driving westward through the City of Cleveland. 

 

We made it without incident and picked up my father at his house. Melanie grabbed a photo of us together with the Lincoln before we headed off to lunch. I offered my father the opportunity to drive, but his back is so painful that he just can't manage it. He was content to ride along, smiling. The Lincoln was really on its best behavior and I think dad was a little surprised by the speed, power, and comfort. Doing a stop sign without taking it out of high gear really impressed him. The closest thing he's had to the Lincoln was probably that '34 Ford--the rest of his collection was stuff like a Model A roadster, a '41 Buick Super coupe, and a '25 Buick touring. We never had a Full Classic or anything with 12 cylinders, so it was very gratifying to share this car with him after all these years.

 

Peter and Matt with the Lincoln.

 

We had a nice lunch and talked about all kinds of things, including how wild Pebble Beach must be (it was going on as we spoke). The hobby is a lot different than it was when my father was active in the '70s and '80s. I really miss those days, too.

 

Then we drove him home the long way enjoying the scenery. We got stuck in some construction on a bridge and sat for 5 or 7 minutes and dad started getting nervous. I told him not to worry and opened the glove box to show him the temperature gauge. He was shocked that the Lincoln wasn't boiling over--that's what his cars always did when they had to sit for any period of time. Again, I'm pretty proud of my results and only wish that I knew then what I know now about sorting cars. He might have had an entirely different experience with the hobby if we could have dialed-in his cars. I hope I can share it with him some more.

 

Took dad for an extended drive home, which

he really seemed to enjoy.

 

Once we dropped dad off, we headed home the same way we came: through the city. It was hot and traffic was a little heavier, but the car never missed a beat. We stopped for gas, just in case, and made it home without incident. A total of about 75 miles today. Hot weather, plenty of very slow driving on city streets, lots of red lights, and enough traffic to make me a little frustrated, not to mention a trip through the valley (which meant a VERY long uphill climb) and the big Lincoln never missed a beat. It never went above 185, it never stuttered or got fussy, it started instantly even after a hot soak at the gas station, and, well, I'm giving myself a pretty big pat on the back for getting this thing dialed in. This is the kind of driving my father could never do in his own cars because he never trusted them. We were always limited to drives around the neighborhood in case the cars broke (which happened frequently). I guess this is what motivates me today to make my own cars right. I just wish I could have given this experience to my dad back in the day.

 

And you really see some weird stuff driving through a major city. In addition to the video store that had a window display that said, "XXX AND KIDS MOVIES!" this guy was trying to sell some ancient cassette stereo in a parking lot from the trunk of his Saturn. Is that a hot location for selling such things?

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, another rewarding drive and a great day sharing the Lincoln with my dad.

 

 

 

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

[old car fan]

I think  you have it Matt

[30DodgePanel]

Amazing thread. 

Your last post with your father says it all. 

 

Kudos Matt! You did an amazing job 

[keiser31]

SWEEEEEET!

[Ken_P]

Matt, hats off to you. That was one hell of a journey, and I think you capture in a single post what makes it all worth it - time with family. I'm getting misty eyed thinking about it. Really glad you got to share that with your dad, and thanks for sharing it with us, and making our days just that little bit better.

Edited August 22, 2023 by Ken_P (see edit history)

[95Cardinal]

Congratulations Matt, and thanks for sharing your story. Great job! Joe

[Cadillac Fan]

Matt, thanks for sharing all of this.  Your perseverance is extraordinary. 

[LARRYCAROL]

We are so happy things worked out after all this time 😄. Any chance we will ever see the Lincoln at Hershey? I realize that is more business than pleasure for you but would be nice to see after following your story for so long. Anyway great everything finally worked out.

[Matt Harwood]

3 hours ago, LARRYCAROL said:

Any chance we will ever see the Lincoln at Hershey? I realize that is more business than pleasure for you but would be nice to see after following your story for so long. 

 

Funny you should mention that. I just sent my (last minute--sorry!) registration for the Lincoln at the Hershey show and although I don't really chase trophies, I signed up to have it judged. It might win a junior award, who knows? I am just a little curious. It'll also be in the car corral all week (although it won't necessarily be for sale unless someone makes me a truly ridiculous offer). 

 

You guys have been so supportive that it seems like a good idea to have the car there. Riley, Melanie, and I are looking forward to seeing our online friends and letting them have a look at my handiwork!

[neil morse]

On 8/20/2023 at 1:39 PM, Matt Harwood said:

well, I'm giving myself a pretty big pat on the back for getting this thing dialed in.

Go ahead, Matt, you've earned it!  I'm so happy for you and your family after following this saga up to the present.

[West Peterson]

Excellent to hear you're bringing it to Hershey!! The Duesenberg cover car from the July issue is also schedule to be on hand.

[West Peterson]

Your drive with your dad reminds me of the last time I drove with my own dad. We had the Packard Speedster at Hershey and I was going to give him a ride in it back to the hotel. Before I knew it, he jumped in the driver's seat (much to my better judgement), and said he wanted to drive it "one last time". He was 90 years old at the time. I told him that we should probably just take it for a spin around the show field, which was empty at that time. So he did, but when we got back around to the front, he worked his way onto the highway and drove to the hotel himself. It was white-knuckle riding for me. But it's now a memory that I will have forever.

[alsancle]

5 minutes ago, West Peterson said:

Your drive with your dad reminds me of the last time I drove with my own dad. We had the Packard Speedster at Hershey and I was going to give him a ride in it back to the hotel. Before I knew it, he jumped in the driver's seat (much to my better judgement), and said he wanted to drive it "one last time". He was 90 years old at the time. I told him that we should probably just take it for a spin around the show field, which was empty at that time. So he did, but when we got back around to the front, he worked his way onto the highway and drove to the hotel himself. It was white-knuckle riding for me. But it's now a memory that I will have forever.

 

My dad was 94 before he ever allowed me to drive.   The New England Caravan back in 2016 when he was 91 was terrifying.   I'm in the back seat of a 1940 Packard with my wife and I turn to her and say "20 mph over the speed limit in a 80 year old car with a 91 year old guy driving on winding mountain roads... why could possibly go wrong?".   

[Matt Harwood]

We sponsor a local car club (Rock 'N Roll Capitol Street Machines) and their cruise night every Tuesday evening, and today they were doing a driving tour that would end at a retirement home with a car show. We agreed to be the starting point and host them with coffee and donuts first thing this morning and tagged along for the drive in the Lincoln. There was actually a good variety of cars, including a '50s Bentley, a trio of MGs, a Porsche 911, a T-bucket, several muscle cars, and a Nomad. Good cross-section of the hobby. The drive was uneventful, albeit slow, and we found that every turn we wanted to make had a road closed sign--a tornado touched down here Thursday night and they're still cleaning up the damage. 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, we eventually arrived at the retirement home, which hosted us with a cookout lunch. The residents of the home wandered amongst the old cars and visited a bit, which was nice. Then we had a somewhat stressful ride home since all the main roads were closed and there was A LOT of traffic on all the side roads. Lots of stop-and-go traffic, but the Lincoln never missed a beat and stayed nice and cool. I can trust this car.

 

 

 

 

Hey, our first Best of Show! Sorry it got

a little crinkled in Melanie's purse.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[EmTee]

7 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

Lots of stop-and-go traffic, but the Lincoln never missed a beat and stayed nice and cool.

Restrictors are out, correct?  Good to hear that the car is running well and temps are stable.  Drive on! 

[edinmass]

The old girl is turning into a trophy machine! 👍👍👍

[ericmac]

Matt and all, 

I have followed this thread from beginning to end and am greatly impressed by Matt and Melanie's perseverance with this car. Unfortunately I couldn't see the car when it was 20 miles from my house but hope to see it some other time. The story of the ride with dad filled me with joy and a touch of envy as I lost my dad several years ago. I am so happy you are finally able to drive, trust and enjoy the car.

Eric

[Matt Harwood]

I wanted to start getting the car ready for Hershey so I tackled a few projects I've been putting off. In increasing order of difficulty, they were:

 

Replace headlight bulbs (the LEDs don't throw much useful light)

Lubricate springs

Adjust sidemounts (again)

Install water pump packing

 

On the face of it, none of these jobs should be particularly difficult. Since the workshop area is pretty crowded (we just brought in a fire truck and it takes up A LOT of room) I worked up front on the inspection lift instead. I decided to start with the springs since that was the only job that needed the lift.

 

Once I got it in the air, I quickly spotted an unrelated problem. Melanie was riding in the back seat when we went out to lunch with my dad and said she could hear a scraping, grinding, thumping noise under the floor. I figured it was the springs groaning, but once it was in the air, I spotted the real cause:

 

The radius arm for the rear axle was rubbing on the

exhaust. Obviously that's a problem.

 

I removed the mounting bracket for the exhaust pipe that was nearest to the rubbing spot and made some "adjustments" to get the pipe farther away from the radius arm. I think I freed up about 1/4-inch and that should be good enough for the time being. You can see that it was just starting to rub all the way through the pipe and that may eventually be the source of a leak, but I decided against trying to weld it up. One, the metal is probably so thin that I'd just blow right through it, and two, the thickness of the weld would probably use up any clearance I just bought myself. So I decided to leave it as-is. I'm going to have Tim Shaffer make me a new stainless exhaust system anyway, so I'm not going to worry about it unless it really starts to sound crappy.

 

 

They've clearly been rubbing. I think I found enough 

clearance to eliminate the issue.

 

So back to the springs. Acting on the advice of others in another thread, I bought a needle adapter for my grease gun:

 

 

The gaiters on my springs are EXTREMELY tight (which is good) so it was tough to work the needle in there--in fact, I broke the first one and had to go buy another. Ugh. After that, I used a small screwdriver to gently pry them open, slide the needle in, and then filled the pocket with grease. That worked a lot better.

 

Using a screwdriver to make some clearance,

I was able to squirt some grease into the gaiters.

 

The prying action peeled the gaiter a little bit, but tapping it with a hammer made it flat again and seemed to seal it up. I'm assuming that some driving and the natural movement of the springs will distribute the grease between the leaves. That should cure the squeaking on cold mornings.

 

Finished.

 

While I was at it, I also greased all the various fittings under the car--there are about 50 of them. A bit of hide-and-seek and I think I found them all and shot them with fresh grease. This job took longer than I expected and I was tired after that so I went home. I'll tackle the other jobs tomorrow. It's a long weekend.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

12 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I wanted to start getting the car ready for Hershey so I tackled a few projects I've been putting off. In increasing order of difficulty, they were:

 

Replace headlight bulbs (the LEDs don't throw much useful light)

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I was at it, I also greased all the various fittings under the car--there are about 50 of them. A bit of hide-and-seek and I think I found them all and shot them with fresh grease. This job took longer than I expected and I was tired after that so I went home. I'll tackle the other jobs tomorrow. It's a long weekend.

 

 

1. Matt, you may want to consider 6V QH globes with relays. I was able to mount relays inside the buckets of my ‘38 Buick and Classic and Vintage Bulbs (Australian company) was able to supply the bulbs that had the same base as the original Buick lamps bulbs in 6Volt. Much brighter and usable at night than the original globes.

 

2. Does the shop manual supply a lubrication chart inside showing ALL lubrication points similar to the GM shop manuals? That way you make sure you get them all.

 

Just my two bobs worth

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

 

[AB-Buff]

Matt

it’s an easy fix. Make sure your reflectors are in good quality of silver or I had mine aluminum coated not quite as good as a perfect silver but they don’t oxidize. There’s a guy in Oregon that does it. I have his contact info somewhere if you need it. But, go on eBay look around for a little while and find some 25–30 pre-focus bulbs there 52 candle power. When you’re driving your car at night set your headlight on passing. I am wondering if you still have that feature. The passing mode is your left headlight stays on low beam and the right one goes to high beam. You can see fantastic. I don’t mind driving mine at night at all. See pic

 

[ply33]

Along the same reply theme as @AB-Buff here is what I did for my headlights: https://www.ply33.com/Repair/lights

 

That is a bit dated. I have experimented with a couple of LED replacement “bulbs” but none that I have tried focus properly so they all performed worse than the quartz-halogen bulbs I have in there now.

[AB-Buff]

Matt, I should also point out your reflectors or designed to have a filament in a specific spot. It’s a reflector not a projector. So if you’re trying a bulb that is just pushing light out the front of it it’s not gonna be very good in. Unless it’s got its own reflector. Hope that makes sense.
L