1939 Lincoln Model K US $29,995 - Not Mine

[Przemek M]

Looks like an interesting car with the right engine (I own few V12 cars). It is listed by Steve from Vault Classic Cars. He is knowledgeable guy.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304052213293

 

Seller description:

This 1939 Lincoln K V-12 with Coachwork by Judkins in the 5 passenger limousine style - was delivered December 22, 1938, and is likely the very last Lincoln built by the Judkins firm. 

This is a very original example of a fine coachbuilt V-12 Lincoln - the very last of the Judkins built cars, and a great example of brilliant styling - notice how the entire window line flows back, the padded roof, and the body accent lines that make a big limousine beautiful and attractive!

The Lincoln Greyhound and the "Lincoln V-12" enamel emblem are highlights of this streamline moderne flowing design.

This engine was rebuilt about 15 years ago, at considerable expense. I contacted the former owner who had commissioned that work to confirm it.

Note the Holley Carburetor. The original carburetor which requires attention and air cleaner are included. I would say the original wiring harness is due for replacement too.

The interior is completely original.

The doors fit and shut beautifully, an indication of a solid body structure. Some of the original glass has distress, including the driver window, both windshields, the divider window, and the rear window. It still needs a few things, like making the toeboard filler, the speedometer and gas gauge don't work, and the front end will shake sometimes on the road. So it's running and driving, but not ready to take on tour yet.

This is a V-12 Full Classic with a Judkins custom body!

 

[trimacar]

Very interesting car, I know nothing about Lincoln’s, but doesn’t seem to be outrageously priced, and with some sorting a good tour car.  Thoughts from Lincoln experts?

[deac]

I think the Lincoln K series from the late 30's are beautiful cars.  I have only heard a few things about the Lincoln V12's how they overheat and are don't develop good power.  To a Lincoln aficionado this could be a nice addition...

[edinmass]

Lincoln K’s are great car, have tons of power, and don’t overheat. 

[suchan]

1 hour ago, deac said:

I think the Lincoln K series from the late 30's are beautiful cars.  I have only heard a few things about the Lincoln V12's how they overheat and are don't develop good power.  To a Lincoln aficionado this could be a nice addition...

The Zephyr/Continental series V12 had issues with over heating, premature failure, lack of power. Completely different from the K series V12 here.

[58L-Y8]

7 hours ago, deac said:

I think the Lincoln K series from the late 30's are beautiful cars.  I have only heard a few things about the Lincoln V12's how they overheat and are don't develop good power.  To a Lincoln aficionado this could be a nice addition...

The overheating, underpowered Lincoln V12's are the H-Series V-12 in the Lincoln-Zephyr and Continental.    This '39 Lincoln is the Model K which is a completely different V12 engine properly engineered for the size and weight of the cars those power.

[deac]

I knew I had a part of the story but this fills in the blanks.  So that make the Lincoln K-series all the more desirable in my book!  I knew I liked the K's from Lincoln but now I really them.

[WHSEWARD]

I seriously considered buying this car as I have owned a Lincoln K in the past and they are magnificent and very under-appreciated cars.  I passed only because I wanted a car that was more turnkey than this one is.  The buyer will need to sort the front suspension issues (tie rod ends? king pins?  front-end shimmy?), along with replacement of a lot of the window glass and probably some instrumentation issues.  All that said, whoever puts the money and time in, will have a car that, according to the Judkins production records, is literally one of one or one of two, and very possibly the last Judkins bodied Lincoln.  Ever. For the right owner, a really great bargain.

[m-mman]

On 7/5/2021 at 8:38 AM, WHSEWARD said:

I passed only because I wanted a car that was more turnkey than this one is. 

 

I thought about it also.

Nice car BUT. . . .

Too rough to be really nice as is, and too nice to think that it needs a full restoration . . . . BUT once you open it up you can be sure it needs more than you originally thought. 

[Matt Harwood]

I'm tempted to make a sarcastic joke about this car being like mine--just a set of tires away from being a great tour car--but I won't.

 

On the plus side, I have learned that these Lincolns are as finely crafted and well engineered as anything else of the era. There are remarkable bits of engineering in there that really make them special. But as m-mman points out, there's a slippery slope hiding inside each one and that slope is paved with $100 bills.

 

The asking price is not objectionable (it's less than I paid for mine), it's a custom-bodied Full Classic with superlative road manners and engineering, and if you can live with the cosmetics and the engine's internals are healthy, a thorough sorting may be all it needs. Of course, even that sorting will be expensive; many thousands of dollars but probably not tens of thousands. Or not. No way to know until you're in there. The carburetor alone will be $2500 if you can find a usable one. But other stuff like a wiring harness, tires, and rebuilding the front end are manageable tasks that won't break anyone's bank.

 

The quality is there if you're willing to tackle the work and expense that it will require and for which there are no shortcuts. It's a worthy car that will be rewarding to drive. You just won't know how long the journey is until you embark on it.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Very stylish automobile.

[m-mman]

1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

'm tempted to make a sarcastic joke about this car being like mine--just a set of tires away from being a great tour car--but I won't.

 

And I thought of your situation when I wrote my post. 

 

People know that rust is always worse that it appears, in the Full Classic world it is commonly the smallest broken and missing pieces that come back to bite you hard. 

"I just need a simple part for a water pump . . . "

[trimacar]

I just finished the interior of a 37 Packard Super Eight sedan.  Great car, nicely restored, with interior in boxes and most interior trim pieces missing. You’d be shocked at cost of finding sun visor brackets, door edge pieces for carpet ( not sill plates, sent home without them), pull strap hardware, robe rail hardware, and so forth.  The little stuff can eat up hundreds and thousands of dollars so, so quickly.  This looks like a worthy car, one just has to be aware that sometimes the purchase price is just a down payment…..

[Gearheadengineer]

17 hours ago, trimacar said:

I just finished the interior of a 37 Packard Super Eight sedan.  Great car, nicely restored, with interior in boxes and most interior trim pieces missing. You’d be shocked at cost of finding sun visor brackets, door edge pieces for carpet ( not sill plates, sent home without them), pull strap hardware, robe rail hardware, and so forth.  The little stuff can eat up hundreds and thousands of dollars so, so quickly.  This looks like a worthy car, one just has to be aware that sometimes the purchase price is just a down payment…..

Sometimes? 😀

[Przemek M]

Another 1938 Lincoln Model K is now for sale in......... Poland:

https://www.olx.pl/d/oferta/lincoln-judkins-kv12-1938-rok-4-sztuki-na-swiecie-CID5-IDKs0J8.html?isPreviewActive=0&sliderIndex=6

 

I believe this car was imported to Poland from US. The price in US Dollars:  $46,000 (for negotiations).

It seems that cars in Europe are "slightly" more expensive than in the US.

 

Seller description:

Historic Lincoln Judkins KV12 car. Year of production 1938. Complete documentation: customs clearance, registration certificate, customs, excise, all paid. Half Convertible. Not this one, but that was what Al Capone drove. There were 66 manufactured, 4 of them now in the world.

Price: PLN 180,000 for reasonable negotiation
Offer directly from the owner.

 

 

[George Albright]

Way too many zeros!

[m-mman]

It is overwhelming to imagine trying to restore this car in Poland!!  

BUT if it really was there during the war, I would be overwhelmed with the tales it could tell. 

[daniel boeve]

4 hours ago, m-mman said:

It is overwhelming to imagine trying to restore this car in Poland!!  

BUT if it really was there during the war, I would be overwhelmed with the tales it could tell. 

You can see customs clearance in the description meaning this car came from the US not that long ago .If it would have been in Poland since ever it would have a Volga engine and a Lada rear end etc ....

[Przemek M]

1 hour ago, daniel boeve said:

You can see customs clearance in the description meaning this car came from the US not that long ago .If it would have been in Poland since ever it would have a Volga engine and a Lada rear end etc ....

If someone decided on such a terrible "upgrade", which unfortunately was a common situation, most likely the donor car would be the Warszawa M-20, which was produced in Poland.  

 

At that time, the Wolga M-21 was a high-class car.

 

Regards 

Przemek M.