1941 Lincoln Zephyr

The sleek and curvaceous Lincoln Zephyr was introduced in 1936 and named after the radically streamlined Burlington Zephyr high-speed express train, itself named after Zephyrus, the mythical Greek God of the west wind. An employee at Briggs Body Corporation named John Tjaarda created the initial shape with pre-production stylistic refinements, especially at the front, were completed by Eugene T. 'Bob' Gregorie, who worked closely with Lincoln president Edsel Ford, himself a noted designer.

The underpinnings of the Lincoln Zephyr were equally impressive as its exterior, built using advanced unitized construction principles and powered by the company's proprietary 292 cubic-inch V-12 engine, a multi-cylinder derivative of Ford's proven 'Flathead' V-8 engine. Four body styles were initially offered including a two-door coupe, a two- and four-door sedan, and a four-door Town Limousine. A Convertible Sedan joined the list in 1937.

The Lincoln Zephyr rested on a 122-inch wheelbase platform with an overall length of 202.5 inches, and a height of 69 inches. It was much shorter than the company's coach-built model, The Model K Twelve, which used either a 136- or 145-inch wheelbase platform. The L-head twelve-cylinder engine in the Zephyr had a 75-degree angle and displaced 267.3 cubic inches. It too was smaller than the 414 cubic-inch 67-degree L-head unit powering the Model K. Both models employed a three-speed sliding gear transmission with floor shift controls. The Zephyr had a single dry plate, centrifugal clutch while the Model K had a double dry disc clutch. Zephyrs were priced in the low-$1,000 range while the Model K pricing began at $4,200.

Lincoln produced nearly 15,000 examples of the Zephyr in its inaugural year, doubling to 30,000 units the following year. The styling was so well received that only minor updates were implemented, with refinements to the front bumper, grille, side vents, and new sweeping moldings. The interior was given a redesigned dash panel with glove compartments on both sides divided by a central console housing the controls and instruments.

The updates for 1938 were more extensive including a longer, 125-inch wheelbase and new sheet metal styling at the front, and updates to the rear fenders. Teardrop-shaped headlights were carefully integrated into the fenders and the two-piece grille carried thin, horizontal chrome bars. The rear fenders were more elongated than in previous years with styling similar to the front fenders.

The 1939 Lincoln Zephyr gained hydraulic brakes, a voltage regulator, two (instead of four) side hood bars, and a larger grille shape with vertical bars. Lincoln built 19,111 Zephyrs in 1938 and approximately 21,000 in 1939.

The 1940 Lincoln Zephyr had over 20 percent more glass area than in the past highlighted by a one-piece rear window. The designs continued to embrace modern styling trends including the use of sealed-beam headlights and the lack of running boards. The interior had a mahogany metal finish, rearranged instrument panel, and a two-spoke steering wheel. The engine's bore was enlarged to 2-7/8 inches resulting in a displacement size of 292 cubic inches and an output of 120 horsepower.

The 1941 Lincoln Zephyr
Lincoln's model lineup for 1941 included the Zephyr, Continental, and the Custom. The Zephyr and Continental had similar designs and mechanical specifications with the Continental being three inches lower and its hood being seven inches longer. Both received the 75-degree L-head twelve-cylinder engine with hydraulic valve lifters, a Holley downdraft two-barrel carburetor, four main bearings, a 7.2:1 compression ratio, and delivered 120 horsepower at 3,500 RPM. The engine used a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a single dry plate clutch, and column shift controls. Stopping power was courtesy of Bendix hydraulic, internal expanding brakes at all four wheels. Drivetrain options included a Borg-Warner overdrive and Columbia two-speed rear axle. The wheelbase measured 125 inches and had an overall length of 210 inches.

The Lincoln Custom was 13-inches longer than the other 1941 Lincolns with a wheelbase size of 138 inches and a length of 225.3 inches. Body styles included a seven-passenger sedan and limousine, with the former priced at $2,620 and the latter at $2,750.

The 1941 Lincoln-Zephyr was offered as a three-passenger coupe ($1,430), a five-passenger coupe ($1,465), a sedan ($1,500), a convertible coupe ($1,800), a club coupe ($1,500), and a Town car with coachwork by Brunn. The most popular was the sedan with 14,469 examples built, followed by 3,750 of the club coupe, 972 of the 3-passenger coupe, and 78 of the 5-passenger coupe. 725 examples were convertible coupes and just 5 were Town Cars.

Styling updates for 1941 included front fender-mounted parking lights, additional chromework around the reshaped taillights, a rear deck light, slightly restyled bumpers, a new hubcap design, and a wide grille outline molding. The interior received circular door handles, a clock, and ashtrays. The list of fabric options increased including leather. Also on the options list was a Borg-Warner overdrive transmission.

Lincoln produced 20,094 examples of the Zephyr in 1941, along with 1,250 of the Continental and 650 of the Custom.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2022