1932 Lincoln Model KA

Henry Martyn Leland left Cadillac in 1917 and established the Lincoln Motor Company with the purpose of building Liberty aero engines. After the 1918 Armistice, Leland switched to automobile production using precision-made craftsmanship that had made the Cadillac marque so successful. Power was from a 60-degree V8 engine offering 80 horsepower, unfortunately, the bodies that clothed the Lincolns did not match the engineering prowess, and were regarded as stodgy and out-dated. Additionally, production was eight months behind schedule and customers had to wait until September of 1920 for deliveries. Coupled with the onset of the post-war recession that hindered sales, the company soon entered receivership, only to be rescued by Henry Ford, whose acquisition enabled him to contest the luxury car segment, complimenting the Model T's dominance of the other extreme.

By 1928, Lincoln's eight-cylinder engine had been enlarged from 357.8 cubic-inches to 384.8 CID, although it continued to produce the 90 horsepower of its smaller predecessor. In 1931, freewheeling and synchromesh were introduced on second and third gears, and a new double dry disc clutch was installed. Slight revisions were made to the floating rear axle and torque tube, and the prior steel rod and Perrot braking system were replaced by a cable-operated Bendix Duo-Servo system. Double-acting Houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers were now standard on all four wheels. The engine was upgraded with five main bearings, a separate generator and starter unit, a new Stromberg carburetor, and more efficient manifolds. The prior vacuum fuel pump system was replaced by a mechanical unit. The result of these improvements boosted power to 120 BHP, and was the first American manufacturer to use a two-barrel, downdraft carburetor.

Lincoln's new engine was installed in a new car called the Model K, replacing the prior Model L and its 136-inch wheelbase in favor of a larger, 145-inch platform.

Lincoln buyers were met with major changes for 1932, as Lincoln now offered two models - a mid-priced Model KA powered by an eight-cylinder engine, and a higher-priced Twelve-cylinder model. All models received fresh styling that kept the family resemblance with the new 1932 Ford.

Pricing for the Model KA's ranged from the high $2,000s to the mid-$3,000s, and the Model KB's ranged from the mid $4,000s to over $7,000. The twelve-cylinder engine delivered 150 horsepower while the 384.8 cubic-inch, L-head, V8 with its five main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and Stromberg carburetor had 125 horsepower. The Model KA had a 136-inch wheelbase and the Model KB measured 145-inches. The Model KA was offered in factory-built bodies, plus a rolling chassis, while the KB had both standard and factory custom bodies.

Lincoln built 2,132 examples of the Model KA in 1932, and 1,515 of the Model KB. The Model KA and KB would continue to be part of Lincoln's model lineup through 1934. In 1935, Lincoln returned to a single model line with the introduction of the twelve-cylinder Model K. In 1936, Lincoln added another twelve-cylinder model, the unibody-built Zephyr, with was immensely popular, greatly improving the companies sales. Lincoln's would continue to be powered by twelve-cylinder engines until 1949 when they returned to V8 power.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2020