1929 Lincoln Model L Four-Passenger Coupe by LeBaron BAT

[alsancle]

I love this.  Toss the whitewalls in the dumpster and copy the drivers side seat to replace the baby seat.  Totally cool.

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1929-1929-lincoln-model-l

 

This 1929 Lincoln Model L is one of 138 examples built with LeBaron four-passenger coupe bodywork for the model year and is said to have undergone a refurbishment several years ago. Finished in maroon and black over tan cloth, the car is powered by a 385ci L-head V8 with fork-and-blade connecting rods and a single updraft carburetor. Additional features include a three-speed manual transmission, mechanically actuated four-wheel drum brakes, 20” wire wheels, dual side-mount spares, cowl lamps, driving lights, a fold-down luggage rack, and a passenger-side jump seat. This Model L coupe was purchased by the selling dealer six months ago and is now offered in Murphy, Missouri, with a Florida title.

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

 

I like the looks of the body style, but

wouldn't it be awkward to drive with

passengers?  One's wife would probably

want to sit in the back seat, not in the

jump seat.

 

One older man I knew grew up in the 1920's.

He said the young children in the family

always wanted to sit on the (elevated)

back-seat storage compartment, better to

see out the window!

 

Edited August 24 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[prewarnut]

I have a question for those in the know. The Greyhound mascot on this car is angled at maybe 40 degrees. On other cars the dog is almost horizontal (maybe angled at 5 deg). Are these occasionally bent? I'd think they'd break. Is it that some cars have repros? Would Ford really be that inconsistent in the manufacturing process?

[Jim Skelly]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

copy the drivers side seat to replace the baby seat.  Totally cool.

 

 

 

If you did that, a person would have to climb over the passenger front seat to get into the back seat. 😄

Edited August 24 by Jim Skelly (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

The is a LeBaron design that the coachbuilder introduced on the 1926 Lincoln as a full custom then was produced in the Lincoln Body Plant as Model 156.  Those encircling 'coach-molding. were an archaic style by the last of them being sold for 1929.  It was superseded the modern 5-passenger coupe Model 179 with the straight through window molding that originated at the radiator.  It also has wider doors, rectangular windows and better proportions.  

The small front passenger seats were made to fold the backrest onto the bottom cushion, then tilt forward under the dash panel to create access to the rear seating, itself rather cozy.   A full-sized seat that slides forward and the backrest tilted forward would make this a better tour car. 

Edited September 6 by 58L-Y8
Added photos for clarification. (see edit history)

[edinmass]

This car has been in Florida for about five to ten years. It ended up in a nice shop local to me that had no experience with pre war cars. Long story short, I'm was called in to get the car running. I got it running well and drove it a bit around the area. Anyone interested in it is invited to contact me by PM. I was interested in purchasing the car but for my position the numbers didn’t work out to a favorable deal. Best, ED. 

[KLF]

The whitewalls look great on this car. I'd never change them.

Ken

[alsancle]

11 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

If you did that, a person would have to climb over the passenger front seat to get into the back seat. 😄

Have a buddy that pulled off the swap and you can make work.  Matching seats just look so much better.  Typically I'm a purest but I do not like that jump seat.

[Jim Skelly]

42 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Have a buddy that pulled off the swap and you can make work.  Matching seats just look so much better.  Typically I'm a purest but I do not like that jump seat.

I agree that the front passenger seat looks like an afterthought.  Matching seats would have looked much better and been more practical.  The back seat only holds one adult and the seating configuration is kind of odd. 

[Walt G]

I like the whitewalls as well on the road wheels  , but for the spares would have tire covers made . Without the whitewalls the car may appear very much looking like a top hat.

that does not mean I like white walls on all cars! Depends upon the body style, length of wheelbase, location of spares, height of green house ( window area on enclosed cars) What I would remove is the trippe lights. A single pilot ray lamp or oval lamp would be a better balance for me visually.

[Brass is Best]

9 hours ago, edinmass said:

This car has been in Florida for about five to ten years. It ended up in a nice shop local to me that had no experience with pre war cars. Long story short, I'm was called in to get the car running. I got it running well and drove it a bit around the area. Anyone interested in it is invited to contact me by PM. I was interested in purchasing the car but for my position the numbers didn’t work out to a favorable deal. Best, ED. 

I knew this car when it lived in Ohio. It shared a garage with a wonderful 1932 Packard Twin-Six Roadster and a 745 Dual Cowl Phaeton. 

[Fossil]

This shade of maroon looks much richer than the more common shade like on my car. Beautiful Lincoln.

[Walt G]

If one is fortunate enough to have fairly large paint chips of that era ( Acme had ones that were about 2 1/2 x 4 inches) you can visualize so much easier what a color is without a white back ground on a piece of paper the smaller chips are usually mounted on.  I have about 300+ Acme chips of the 1929-32 era plus a separate kit made by a company with a glass window and early plastic screens of body styles to create what a car would look like in color of assorted body style to help customers visualize a car all finished- wheels color, fender color body color. Most people can not see a car "done" in their minds eye. I have picked out the colors for several people/friends to paint their car of that era over the decades, from Franklins to Peerless.

[John Kelso]

Great looking Lincoln! I like it!

[wayne sheldon]

That is a sandbox I will never be able to really play in. However, I do like that Lincoln. 

If that jump seat is what the car had originally? I think it should be kept that way. I have seen a few high end big "C" Classics with ridiculously silly small jump seats in that position. Victoria/opera coupes were sometimes like that. I once rode in a friend's Pierce Arrow opera coupe that had a seat like that in it, and it had the original upholstery in very nice condition. My friend just kept the little seat folded up forward against the dashboard. If I had that Lincoln? That is what I would mostly do about that seat.

It does seem silly that way. I have also seen and ridden in a number of Victoria/opera coupes with much nicer front passenger seats that folded forward enough that access tor the larger rear seat was still easy. And the front seat was comfortable for a passenger to sit up and carry on conversations with the driver. So why some of the Classics didn't have better front seats? We may never know.

[ericmac]

Love it. I too would trash the Trippe Lights and...pretty much nothing else. Great car.

[TAKerry]

Great looking car not sure I would change anything. I would even offer Ed and AJ a ride in it, trippe lights and whitewall tires included! LOL They could flip a coin as to who gets to sit in the front seat.

[29PierceArrow]

So far I'm the high bidder on this car at $15k. What'll you think it'll go for?

[Matt Harwood]

I bet it's a no-sale at $40,000 or so.

[mrspeedyt]

I like it!

is that drivers seat just wide enough for me and my hot girlfriend?

[29PierceArrow]

It does say 'reserve not met' on the BaT auction site. Is this a 'no reserve' auction?

[Matt Harwood]

10 minutes ago, 29PierceArrow said:

It does say 'reserve not met' on the BaT auction site. Is this a 'no reserve' auction?

No, there is a reserve. If it was no reserve, it would say NO RESERVE at the top and have a yellow call out underneath the headline.

[Hulet_deLimal]

Hello All,

In the past I was on this forum under the name llopdoro but as I do not find which email I was using for the control, I have changed it.

 

I have the book "The Production Figure Book for U.S Cars" by Jerry Heasley where I can not find this model. Generally there is a plate in the engine compartment indicating the bodywork. It is not appearing in the pictures.

 

Who is knowing the L number?

 

Thank you,

 

Philippe

 

[58L-Y8]

3 hours ago, Hulet_deLimal said:

Hello All,

 

I have the book "The Production Figure Book for U.S Cars" by Jerry Heasley where I can not find this model. Generally there is a plate in the engine compartment indicating the bodywork. It is not appearing in the pictures.  Who is knowing the L number?  Thank you,

 

Philippe

 

Philippe:

The is a LeBaron design that the coachbuilder introduced on the 1926 Lincoln as a full custom then was produced in the Lincoln Body Plant as Model 156.  Those encircling 'coach-molding. were an archaic style by the last of them being sold for 1929.  It was superseded the modern 5-passenger coupe Model 179 with the straight through window molding that originated at the radiator.  It also has wider doors, rectangular windows and better proportions.  

[Hulet_deLimal]

Thank you very much for these details. You are probably wondering why I, a stranger in the field of collector cars, am attached to these details. In fact, for about forty years, I have been keeping a sort of catalog of American collector cars that are for sale on the world market. Before the arrival of the Internet, I would pick from photo magazines and articles and make photocopies, but then it was much easier and much less expensive. However, I do not consider auctions. Once the cars are no longer on the market, I put them in a file where I can consult them if necessary. I knew Mark Hyman in his early days, but also Jack Passey Jr, the people from Blackhawk Collection and Imperial Palace and many others... I also participated in the development of History of the American Automobile with Alexandre Schyns (Lex) for the magazine of the French Club ACCF.

[RansomEli]

Reserve not reached. Bid to $29,300.

[kar3516]

Now listed here by the owning dealer:

 

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1929-lincoln-fenton-mo-2809520

 

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 9/2/2024 at 12:33 PM, kar3516 said:

Now listed here by the owning dealer:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1929-lincoln-fenton-mo-2809520

The dealer has no price listed at Hemmings,

nor on his website.  Looking at other cars

for which he gives asking prices,  I see that

he lists very unrealistic prices.

[edinmass]

I offered 22,500 for it when I worked on it last year. I was a bit light, but it needed some work. 30k is a real retail number............for this car. It ran and drove reasonably well. It's a 40 mph car..........not 45. Fun and interesting off beat car, so I liked it. Glad I didn't get it........space for more than any reason. Certainly a fun around town car in the country. Sadly Lincolns just don't bring the money they should. It looked like a 40 year old well done restoration with moderate paint cracking.  If memory serves me correctly, Mecum sold the car about 7 years ago. the number 45 is in my head from that sale, but I could be wrong.

Edited September 4 by edinmass (see edit history)

[DavidinCA]

I’ve always liked those Lincolns since coming across the 1928 ad series with the birds.  I’d always through of them as good performers for 20s cars based on the police flyers, but I have no personal experience other than a brief test drive in a 1928 phaeton.  I probably should have bought it, but although it was a nice car that had been used for touring, it has sat for probably 10 years and needed remedial maintenance as a result.  I also wasn’t sure who I could find to work on it at the time.  

 

Is the 40 vs. 45mph car based on the gearing, brakes, all of the above?  

 

I’m curious how they drive for the era and how they compare to say a Packard or Cadillac.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

6 minutes ago, DavidinCA said:

Is the 40 vs. 45mph car based on the gearing, brakes, all of the above?  

I’m curious how they drive for the era and how they compare to say a Packard or Cadillac.  

In 1928, the Jordan car company did a

survey of car owners, and found that

90% of them seldom drove more than

40 or 45 miles per hour.  So there was

little need for a car to go faster than that,

though the survey found that the owners

appreciated extra speed capacity for hills,

for emergencies, or for instant get-away

in traffic.

[Matt Harwood]

I've always found the Lincoln L to be a little bit... agricultural. I'm sure it's durable as hell and that it'll run forever, but it isn't as refined or polished as a Packard or even a Cadillac of the same vintage. That would change with the K series, but the Leland V8, while durable and reliable, was a bit lacking in the smoothness department. Add in a set of typically short gears in the rear end and you get an engine that sounds like it's really doing a lot of work at 40 MPH. I'm sure it'll cruise at more than 40 MPH but it sounds unpleasant and borderline abusive while doing it.

[edinmass]

Agricultural........interesting application for the word. I was thinking dump truck. I have no issues with the more truck than car vehicles of the era.......but as I get older I have less desire to deal with something with poor road manners unless it pre WW1. Anything post WW1 better be better than average with its driving and performance envelope or I just don't want to deal with it. My mentality as a car collector is basically the same as the big collectors back in the 1950's. Most stuff is too little or too slow to be worth my time dealing with it. 

[DavidinCA]

I really appreciate your response.  It sounds like a Lincoln would be better as a town car, complete with driver than a coupe.  

 

I’ve driven a Model T, loads of fun, but I didn’t feel I needed one.  I’ve also driven a Model A and a 1924 Chrysler.  The Chrysler is a much better car to drive than the A, but still I find has limited capabilities.  I have a 1941 Buick Limited which is an entirely different world and while I wouldn’t mistake it for a new car, it’s actually a pleasure to drive so long as parallel parking isn’t involved.   

[wayne sheldon]

One of my longtime best friends sold his 1929 model A sedan to buy a 1925 Lincoln seven passenger sedan, which he kept and drove a lot for the rest of his life. A long time ago, we went to many club tours, car shows, and related events (lots of silent movies!) together. Often in his cars (which were nicer than mine), sometimes in my cars, and often both our cars. He sometimes had a problem falling asleep at the wheel after a long day or two, so in spite of I never did like driving other people's cars, I often drove his car heading home after long days or busy weekends. 

His Lincoln may have had higher speed rear end gears (I think it did), and would run 55 mph on the freeway. I drove it hundreds of miles over several years. Even with the gear ratio, it accelerated very well, and was a fine driving (well sorted, he was meticulous tinkering with the little stuff!) nickel era car.

 

I do feel the need to add that gasoline forty years ago was so much better than what we can have today, and I know for a fact that most prewar cars today will not run as fast as they could with better real gasoline. So I would not expect it to do 55 for long distances anymore.

[m-mman]

The Victoria coupe with body by Brunn AND with the expected seating arrangements  

More pictures in the listing 

 

https://auction.owlshead.org/listing/1925-lincoln-126-brum-and-company-bodied-victoria-coupe/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFHbQxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcI4jz3owwYBUlsKoRCrCEYA5LOhczgVCM2jqbrSOzGe0K4veOXBgxrjww_aem_W_CB66Ow2LXNeF6u2y8HPA 

 

 

[Billety]

This is my 1929 Lincoln 179, 5 passenger coupe. It will run happily at 50mph and with big 4 wheel brakes stops very well. The steering is heavy at slow speeds but is solid on the road. It's biggest problem is 7 to 8 mpg.

[alsancle]

5 hours ago, m-mman said:

The Victoria coupe with body by Brunn AND with the expected seating arrangements  

More pictures in the listing 

 

https://auction.owlshead.org/listing/1925-lincoln-126-brum-and-company-bodied-victoria-coupe/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFHbQxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcI4jz3owwYBUlsKoRCrCEYA5LOhczgVCM2jqbrSOzGe0K4veOXBgxrjww_aem_W_CB66Ow2LXNeF6u2y8HPA 

 

 

 

I like that it doesn't have the little baby seat.

[wayne sheldon]

I am not crazy about the color, but otherwise I really like that Owls Head auction cream 1925!

Billety's 1929 is beautiful also.

[edinmass]

5 hours ago, Billety said:

This is my 1929 Lincoln 179, 5 passenger coupe. It will run happily at 50mph and with big 4 wheel brakes stops very well. The steering is heavy at slow speeds but is solid on the road. It's biggest problem is 7 to 8 mpg.

While the fork and blade motor can and will spin to push the car at fifty, you’re rolling the dice big time without a high speed rear or gear splitter. The steering, suspension, and brakes are at 100 percent of the design curve at that speed. I like Lincoln’s. The market hasn’t been fair to them, for the quality that you get. But plainly stated they cost a fortune to repair and their driving envelope is probably the poorest of the high end cars from 1922 to 1930.