1934 Lincoln Model KA Series 521

Henry Martyn Leland founded Cadillac in 1902 and later formed Lincoln. Leland sold Cadillac to General Motors in 1909 for $4.5 million but remained as an executive until 1917. After a dispute with company founder William C. Durant, Leland left General Motors and founded Lincoln. Durant was a pacifist and refused to build Liberty aircraft engines and materials in support of the World War I effort. Leland disagreed, formed his own company (the Lincoln Motor Company), and was awarded a $10,000,000 contract to building the V12 Liberty engine. When peacetime resumed, the company was reorganized, and the Lincoln Motor Company Plant was re-tooled to manufacture automobiles. The first Lincoln automobiles were powered by V8 engines which were influenced by the Liberty engine's design.

In the sharp post-WWI economic recession, along with other issues, Lincoln entered receivership, only to be rescued by Henry Ford in 1922. With the help of his son Edsel Ford, Lincoln quickly gained a reputation in the American luxury car segment. The Model L was introduced in 1931 and was the first new Lincoln under Ford ownership, and its modern styling quickly boosted sales. In 1932, the Lincoln model range continued to grow with the V8-powered KA resting on a 136-inch wheelbase and the V-12 powered KB on a larger 145-inch wheelbase.

In 1933, the Model KA received a 382 cubic-inch V12 engine, creating a lower-priced and more affordable alternative to the KB. The Model KA V-12 was based upon the KB's design but was simpler, less extravagant, and less expensive to produce. For 1934, the displacement rose to 414 cubic inches, and the new design would become the company's sold powerplant until 1936. 1934 styling remained very similar to the previous years, with refinements to the body-colored radiator shells, smaller headlamps, and cooling shutters replaced the earlier louvered hood treatment.

The 414 cubic-inch V12 engine was fitted with a two-barrel carburetor and backed by a three-speed sliding gear manual transmission. Mechanical drum brakes were located at all four corners.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020