1938 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe

The first Lincoln-Zephyr was based on a design by John Tjaarda who, as Joop Tjaarda van Starkenburg in his native Holland, had penned this concept study in the 1920s. After emigrating to the United States in 1923, Tjaarda went to work at Ford. His early drawings caught the eye of Edsel Ford who commissioned a full size car to be built. Smooth and streamlined, the resulting Briggs-built Zephyr concept, with low front and rear-mounted engine, was shown for the first time at the 1934 Century of Progress exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. A year later a new Lincoln-Zephyr was launched, now with a front-mounted V12. After being restored, this rare and handsome three-window coupe was named Best of Show at the 2007 Lincoln-Zephyr Owners Club Nationals. It was part of the famous Dingman Collection before it was acquired by the Academy of Art University.