1953 Lincoln Capri

Like most automobile manufacturers, Lincoln began post-World War II production using revived pre-war designs. It was not until 1948 that Lincoln introduced a new model, and wore a similar appearance to those of parent company Ford. The luxurious Continental was gone, and the new top-of-the-range model was the Cosmopolitan. A year later, the 'Capri' name was adopted for the Cosmopolitan in its two-door hardtop coupe configuration. It became its own series for 1952 when the entire range was restyled and a new 317.5 cubic-inch (5.2 liters) overhead-valve V8 was introduced. Lincoln's new top-of-the-range model had Bodystyles that included a four-door sedan, two-door hardtop coupe, or two-door convertible. A year later, the Lincoln V8 offered more power per cubic inch than any of its rivals, although the company's image remained with the height of luxury courtesy of the Continentals. 1953 Lincoln advertising capitalized on its 1-2-3-4 victory in the 1952 Carrera Panamericana road race, stating 'The first function of a fine car is outstanding performance.' Lincoln scored a second consecutive 1st through 4th finish in the 1953 Carrera.

1953 Lincoln Capri photo
Convertible Victoria by Derham
View info and history
The price for the 1953 Lincoln Capri ranged from $3,450 for the sedan to $3,700 for the convertible. The hardtop coupe was the most popular with 12,916 sales, followed by the sedan which attracted 11,352 willing customers. 2,372 examples of the convertible were built.

The 26,640 examples of the Lincoln Capri produced in 1953 represented approximately 65 percent of the company's total output.

Specifications
The 317.5 cubic inch, overhead valve V-8 engine had five main bearings, 8.0:1 compression, a Holley four-barrel carburetor, and produced 205 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. A Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was standard, and power steering, electric windows, tinted windows, power brakes, and a four-way power seat were on the options list. The wheelbase measured 123 inches, had an overall length of 214.1 inches, and rode on 8.00x15 tires. The convertible body styles had 8.20 x 15 tires.

The Lincoln Capri
Production of the Lincoln Capri lasted from 1952 until 1959, initially serving as a premium trim variant on the two-door Lincoln Cosmopolitan before it became a stand-alone model in 1952. Its name was sourced from an Italian island in the Gulf of Naples, conjuring the exotic and distant destination located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy.

The 1953 model was part of the first of three generations of the Lincoln Capri, with the first generation lasting from 1952 through 1955. Lincoln sold 14,342 examples of the Capri in its debut year, followed by a dramatic increase to 26,640 units in 1953.

A division-wide restyling in 1956 introduced a new styling direction for the Capri plus the addition of a new Y-Block 368 cubic-inch V8 engine. While the first generation served as the top-of-the-line model, the second generation would move down-market, becoming Lincoln's entry-level model and the newly introduced Premiere based on it became the upper-level Lincoln-branded model. The number of body styles was trimmed down, losing its drop-top variant.

Lincoln introduced all-new styling in 1958, and like the Lincoln-Zephyr, was given a unibody platform. Production of this Third Generation of the Capri lasted from 1958 through 1959 before it was replaced by the Lincoln Continental.


by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020

Related Reading : Lincoln Capri History

The Lincoln Capri was powered by an eight-cylinder 430 cubic-inch engine which was matted to a three-speed automatic gearbox. The Life Magazine hailed the Capri as the safest vehicle produced in 1955. The Lincoln Capri was entered in the grueling Mexican Road Races and was able to sweep the top five places in the International Standard Class. The following year, they captured the first four....
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Related Reading : Lincoln Capri History

Replacing the Cosmopolitan as Lincolns top of the line series, the Lincoln Capri debuted in 1952 with modern squared-off styling. Available in three body styles, the design was similar to the Mercury models at the time. A full-size model, the Capri rode on a 123.0-inch wheelbase, had an overall length of 214 inches, a width of 77.5 inches and a height of 62.6 inches. Designed to compete with the....
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1953 Lincoln Capri Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$1,260-$3,450
1953 Capri
$3,700-$12,680
1953 Lincoln Capri Price Range: $3,450 - $3,700

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1953 Lincoln Models

Capri

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
14,342
123.00 in.
8 cyl., 317.40 CID., 160.00hp
$3,330 - $3,520
26,640
123.00 in.
8 cyl., 317.50 CID., 205.00hp
$3,450 - $3,700
29,552
123.00 in.
8 cyl., 317.50 CID., 205.00hp
$3,705 - $4,030
23,673
123.00 in.
8 cyl., 341.24 CID., 225.00hp
$3,750 - $4,070

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