1937 Lincoln Model K

Following a disagreement, Henry Leland left GM to start his own company. He built Liberty aircraft engines and, after World War I, turned his attention to building motorcars. His new Lincoln made its debut in September of 1920 as a 1921 model. Although technically advanced, they lacked style, and production never really took off. In 1922, the Lincoln company was put up for sale and was purchased by Henry Ford. Ford's intervention, deep pockets, and styling turned the company around.

The Lincoln Model K was introduced in 1931, and by 1935 it received an all-new chassis and body styles. To achieve a lower center of gravity, the passenger space was moved forward by eleven inches, placing all seats ahead of the rear axle. With lower seating, the bodies could be more streamlined. All cars were now designated Model K, regardless of wheelbase. Mechanically, they were little changed.

Streamlining continued for 1936, with a more sharply sloped windshield and lower headlamps. Pressed steel wheels replaced the previous wires.

The 1937 Lincoln lineup included the Zephyr and the Model K, offered in 17 custom body styles. Styling was simplistic, perhaps influenced by Cord, and the front headlamps were now of an art deco teardrop design that had been streamlined into the front fenders. All of the standard bodied were given the V-front windscreens. The belt moldings were removed and replaced by a narrow crease, and the doors extended down almost to the running boards. The V-12 engine received hydraulic lifters and a different cam contour. A new camshaft was accompanied by hydraulic valve lifters and new engine mounts moved the powerplant even farther forward. Production and semi-custom body styles now numbered 21, the customs supplied by LeBaron, Brunn, Judkins, and Willoughby.

Zephyr and Model K Comparison
The Lincoln Zephyr rested on a 122-inch wheelbase, was powered by a 267.3 cubic-inch L-head twelve-cylinder engine producing 110 horsepower, and was priced from $1,165 to $1,425. A total of 29,997 examples were produced during the model year.

The Lincoln Model K had a 136-inch wheelbase and a 150 horsepower V12 engine, and its price began in the mid-$4,000 and rose above $7,000. During the model year, 977 examples were built.

Model K Mechanical Specification
The engine powering the Model K was a 67-degree twelve-cylinder unit with an L-head design, hydraulic valve lifters (a first for the Lincoln V12), four main bearings, a two-barrel Stromberg carburetor, and 6.38:1 compression. It had a 3.13-inch bore, a 4.5-inch stroke, and an overall displacement of 414 cubic inches. It produced 150 horsepower at 3,800 RPM and was paired with a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a double dry disc clutch. Bendix duo-servo mechanical brakes on all wheels provided the stopping power.

Body Styles
The Model K was offered with both factory and custom coachwork, with the list of independent carrosseries including Willoughby, Brunn, LeBaron, and Judkins.

Factory Bodies
The four-door, five-passenger sedan with two or three windows was priced at $4,450. The seven-passenger sedan listed at $4,750, and the limousine was $100 higher.

The total number of factory bodies built for the 1937 Lincoln Model K was 644 units. The most popular was the limousine with 248 examples built, followed by 212 of the 7-passenger sedan, 136 of the 3-window sedan and 48 of the 2-window sedan.

Bodies by Coachbuilders

Willoughby
The coupe and seven-passenger tourer produced by Willoughby were both priced at $5,550. The Sport Sedan was approximately $6,850, the seven-passenger limousine at $5,850, and the Brougham at $7,050.

The total number of 1937 Model K bodies built by Willoughby was 83. A total of 7 were tourers, 6 were coupes, 4 were broughams, 6 were sport sedans, and 60 were Limousines.

Brunn
Brunn built open coachwork for the 1937 Model K, including a convertible Victoria priced at $5,550, a semi-collapsible cabriolet at $6,750, and a non-collapsible cabriolet at $6,650. The 7-passenger brougham listed at $6,750 and the 5-passenger touring cabriolet was nearly $7,000.

The total number of 1937 Model K bodies built by Brunn was 69. Brunn built 7 semi-collapsible cabriolets, 10 non-collapsible cabriolets, 13 convertible victorias, 29 broughams, and 10 touring cabriolets.

Judkins
Judkin's coachwork included a 7-passenger sedan limousine priced at $5,950, a Berline 2-window listed at $5,650, and a 3-window Berline at $5,750. A total of 47 examples were the 2-window Berline, 19 were the 3-window Berline, and 27 were the sedan limousine. The total number of 1937 Model K's bodied by Judkins was 93.

LeBaron
The coachwork built by LeBaron for the 1937 Model K included a convertible roadster and coupe priced at $4,950, and a convertible sedan at $5,650. The total number of bodies built by LeBaron for the 1937 Model K was 73. 37 examples were the sedan limousine, 12 were the convertible sedan, and 24 were the coupe.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020