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1932 Lincoln Model KB

The 1930s were an exciting time for automotive development, though the true level of achievement would be hindered by the Great Depression. The so-called 'cylinder wars' began in the 1920's and companies that relied solely on style, such as Pierce-Arrow, were eventually out of business. Cadillac had raised the bar with its V12 and V16 engines and Marmon was quick to respond, introducing their version of the massive sixteen-cylinder engine a short time later. Lincoln's response was a seven bearing, V12 engine with separate cylinder blocks, and fork and blade connecting rods. The engine was potent, powerful, and durable. It did have a flaw - its cost of manufacturing. It was so expensive, that within two years it was no longer offered, and had been replaced by a conventional design that was more cost-effective. The engine may have prevailed if not for the Great Depression, which was dwindling the numbers of potential buyers and making competition fierce in the luxury car segment.

The Lincoln automobiles were stylish and luxurious with many receiving custom bodies from some of the era's greatest coachbuilders including Waterhouse, LeBaron, Dietrich, Judkins, and Willoughby. Many of the creations were unique and built specifically for the customer. The most popular designs were group ordered by Lincoln and made available to a wider selection of buyers. This decreased the delivery time while maintaining a high level of quality. The bodies were built in advance with some available to customers to be trimmed to their exact specifications.

1932 Lincoln lineup included the Model KA powered by an L-head, 384.8 cubic-inch V8 delivering 125 horsepower. It rested on a 136-inch wheelbase, rode on 18-inch wheels, and offered in nine factory bodies, plus a bare chassis for outside coachbuilders. The Model KB came equipped with the 447.9 cubic-inch V12 L-head engine that used seven main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, a Stromberg downdraft two-barrel carburetor, and delivered 150 horsepower at 3,400 RPM and 292 lb-ft of torque at 1,200 RPM. Its wheelbase was 145 inches and its length was 214 inches. Along with nine factory bodies, fourteen catalog custom bodies were offered by Murphy, Brunn, Dietrich, Judkins, Willoughby, and Waterhouse.

Lincoln produced 2,132 examples of the Model KA and 1,515 of the Model KB. Factory prices on the model KA ranged from the high $2,000s to the mid-$3,000s. The Model KB pricing ranged from the mid-$4,000s to over $7,000.

Approximately eighteen examples were sold as a bare rolling chassis, plus another example with a larger 150-inch wheelbase platform. An additional ten examples were 150-inch wheelbase chassis with right-hand-drive configuration.

Priced at $4,300, a total of twenty-four examples were the Sport Tourer (4-door, 7-passenger) and thirteen were the Murphy Sport Phaeton (4-door, 4-passenger). The two-door, five-passenger coupe was priced at $4,400 and a total of 83 were built. Thirty examples were the Murphy Double Cowl Sport Phaeton, 123 were the 2-window town sedan, and 200 were the 3-window town sedan - all priced at $4,500. Selling at $4,600, the sedan (4-door, 5-passenger) found 216 buyers. The seven-passenger sedan was $100 more expensive than its 5-passenger counterpart and was slightly more popular with 266 examples built. Two versions of the four-door seven-passenger limousine were built (Series 237-B and 237-C) and both were priced at $4,900. Forty-one examples were the series 237-B and 135 were 237-C.

The Lincoln Motor Company continued to offer a bare chassis to be fitted with fully bespoke bodies along with a range of semi-custom coachwork offered directly from the factory.

Brunn offered two 'catalog custom' bodies, Dietrich had four catalog bodies (including a coupe with or without a rumble seat), the John B. Judkins Company of Merrimac, Massachusetts offered three bodies (including a 2- and 3-window Berline), Willoughby offered two, and Waterhouse had one.

The all-weather cabriolet by Brunn listed at $7,200 and the all-weather Brougham with seating for seven at $7,000. Production was similar for both with 14 of the former and 13 of the latter. Dietrich bodied eight examples of the Sport Berline with a price of $6,500, twenty examples of the convertible sedan ($6,400), and seventeen examples of the coupe ($5,000). The addition of the rumble seat added an additional $150.

Seventy-four examples were the four-door, 5-passenger Berline by Judkins with a price of $5,700. The Judkins Coupe listed at $5,350. Four examples of the Brougham were bodied by Willoughby at a price of $7,100 while the seven-passenger Limousine sold at nearly $6,000. A total of 64 examples were the limousine.

The convertible victoria built by Waterhouse (4-door, 5-passenger) listed at $5,900, and ten examples were built. The Murphy Sport Roadster, priced at $6,800, found three willing buyers.

The 1933 Lincoln K Series

The 1933 Lincoln Model KA received a new 381.7 cubic-inch V12 engine which shared little with the engine powering the Model KB. Styling updates included the return of hood louvers and the removal of the bar linking the headlights. Updates to the chassis included thermostatic shock absorbers and adjustable-pressure brakes.

The 1934 Lincoln K Series

In 1934, both V-12 engines were replaced by a single 414 cubic-inch unit, with the KA residing on a shorter wheelbase platform and the KB on the larger. The hood louvers were short-lived, removed in 1934 and replaced with doors. The grille surround was now body-colored.

The 1934 Lincoln K Series

The KA and KB designation were dropped, with all cars now referred to as the Model K.

The Lincoln K Series

Production of the Lincoln Model K lasted from 1931 to 1940.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Dietrich
Chassis number: KB1219

Henry Leland founded the Cadillac Motor Car Company in 1903 from the remains of Henry Ford's second failed attempt to start an auto company. In 1917, Leland found the Lincoln Motor Company and built a high caliber automobile that was very well-built, but rather lack-luster in its design. When the Ford Motor Company acquired the company in 1922, Edsel Ford (Henry's Son) used his talents to transform the design into beautiful, luxurious cars.

Many consider 1932 as the ultimate year for the design of custom-bodied prestige automobiles. With a variety of companies throughout the world in the custom body business in the 20's, only a few established themselves as the cream of the crop. Dietrich was certainly one of them.

To many American classic car enthusiasts, Raymond H. Dietrich was the leading car designer of his day. He was born in 1894, as cars were just coming into being, and he had an eye for these new creations and a love of drawing from an early age. His father was an upholsterer, so he also grew up seeing how any item could be transformed with an artistic touch. At age 12 he began an apprenticeship as an engraver, and by 19 he was working for Brewster & Company. He went on to create bodies for many manufacturers, but Edsel B. Ford was a good friend and strong supporter, and those done for Lincoln have a special touch.

Dietrich, Inc. was an American coachbuilder founded in 1925 by Raymond H. Dietrich, who was also the co-founder of LeBaron Incorporated in New York. He was known to be a close friend to Edsel Ford, who introduced him to Fred Murray, owner of the Murray Body Corporation. Ford was able to convince him to partly finance Dietrich to start his own body company. Murray had hoped for an in-house source for designing and building custom bodies for luxury cars, such as the Lincoln. It is said that Dietrich himself held 50% of the stock.

Dietrich, Inc. did styling work for standard bodies for Packard, Franklin, and Erskine. Dietrich, Inc. also built custom bodies to single orders, and proposed semi-customs for Lincoln, which was then headed by Edsel Ford.

By September 1930, Dietrich was out of his company and Dietrich, Inc. was closed in 1936. In 1932, Raymond Dietrich became the first head of design of Chrysler (until 1938).

This 1932 Lincoln KB Coupe wears a custom coachwork body by Raymond Dietrich of Detroit. It is a rare automobile and one of just 17 (perhaps 16) examples produced at a factory price of $5,150. It is one of 11 Dietrich-built KB Coupes with a rumble seat. Dietrich's trademark raked split-V windshield can be fully opened, the rear window can be lowered to chat with rumble seat passengers, and a large storage compartment can be accessed through a door on the right.

The current owner's grandfather, a Lincoln dealer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, ordered the car new in the 1930s. It was rescued from a junkyard in 1951 and treated to a restoration by the current owner in 2001.

In 1932, Lincoln offered two distinct automobiles. The KA was powered by the venerable Lincoln V-8 on a 136-inch wheelbase chassis and the KB was powered by the new Lincoln V-12 on the 145-inch wheelbase chassis. The new 447 cubic inch V-12 produced 150 horsepower.

Custom coachwork was available on the KB chassis only and one of the most beautiful bodies designed for that chassis in 1932 was the coupe by Dietrich & Company of Detroit.

This Lincoln was rescued from a Michigan junkyard in 1951 and received a complete restoration between 1999 and 2001.

Coupe by Judkins

Henry Martin Leland is inextricably linked as the brilliant engineer who founded Cadillac. He was 74 years old when he quit General Motors after a quarrel with Billy Durant. Leland set up a company to produce Liberty engines receiving a $10 million advance contract from the Federal government. As the war ended, Leland was beset with a huge factory, 6000 employees, and mounting debt; so he did what he knew best. He built an automobile. Within three hours of announcing his new automobile (named Lincoln-after the first president for whom Leland had voted), Leland raised $6.5 million in stock. Despite brilliant engineering, the cars were rather conservative in appearance and thanks to his tenacious attention to detail, late in getting to the market. After 17 months, just 3,400 had been sold. Leland's Board of Directors was quick to find a solution to mounting costs. On February 4, 1922, Ford Motor Company bought the Lincoln Motor Company for $8 million....Leland departed just four months later.

Nobody championed the cause of the twelve-cylinder engine more enthusiastically during the 1930's and 1940's than did Lincoln, beginning in 1932 with the KB-series cars. The new 447.9 cubic-inch V-12 was rated at 150 horsepower and was available in either a Dietrich- or Judkins-bodied semi-custom coupe. The Judkins body, like this car, featured formal styling with sharper lines and a leather-covered roof. Priced at $5,100 when equipped with a trunk or $5,350 when fitted with a rumbleseat, just 23 were built for the model year.

Berline Two-Window by Judkins
Chassis number: KB1644
Engine number: KB1644

According to factory records, this vehicle, KB1644, has custom coachwork by Judkins Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts. The aluminum body was built as the Salon exhibition car and was displayed at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles and the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. From this actual display car, only six total orders were received by Lincoln, who forwarded the color and prospective owner's option specifications to Judkins Company for production. During restoration, the body and wheels were refinished in the original color of Jade Mist, the fenders, moldings and upper panels in Birmingham Green and pinstripe in silver, the interior is duplicated in Wiese Bedford Cord cloth.

The Lincoln custom line of vehicles was usually assigned the largest of chassis and motors. The engine is a 448 cubic-inch, fork and blade V-12 producing 150 horsepower with separate cylinder blocks and was an engineering masterpiece in the multi-cylinder race with Packard and Cadillac. This motor is coupled to a three-speed transmission with integral free-wheeling. This vehicle has a wheelbase of 145 inches with four-wheel vacuum assisted servo mechanical drum brakes and tips the scale at over six-thousand pounds.

Convertible Roadster

In 1932, Lincoln produced 1,515 KB or 12-cylinder vehicles and only produced 112 examples of this Model 248 LeBaron Convertible Roadster. It is powered by a 448 cubic inch, V-12 engine developing 150 horsepower. The car weighs 5,535 pounds, set on a 145-inch wheelbase and sold for $4,600.

The present owner purchased the car in 1989 and had it restored in 2002.

Convertible Victoria by Waterhouse
Chassis number: KB9
Engine number: KB9

During the early 1930s, the Great Depression was in full swing and the automotive industry was busy at work attempting to attract customers as their pool of potential buyers continued to dwindle. At least seven marque's introduced V12 flagship models in hopes that horsepower was the way to customer's hearts.

For Lincoln, their V12 model was the KB, which had a top speed of 100 mph and rode on a 145-inch wheelbase. Custom coachbuilders were invited to work their magic on this platform to create vehicles that met the customer's demands and wishes. One of those artisans was Waterhouse, who enjoyed a lifespan of just six years, and clothed approximately 300 chassis for DuPont, Packard, Chrysler, Marmon, Pierce-Arrow, Stutz and Lincoln, among others.

The Waterhouse bodied Convertible Victoria was based on a design of Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky for Belgian coachbuilder Van den Plas. Waterhouse's main designer, George Weaver, refined and improved the design. The most distinct improvement was the way the large soft top folded completely into the body.

There were a mere 10 examples of the Waterhouse Convertible Victoria created on the Lincoln KB chassis. One was brought to the 1932 New York Auto Salon, where it wore colors of light tan and light green with a tan leather interior.

D.U. 'Dee' Howard of San Antonio, Texas gained a reputation for converting military aircraft to commercial use. He was a noted collector and restorer who decided to recreate the 1932 New York Show car. The result was an accurate reconstruction of the Waterhouse Victoria using the same techniques and materials as used in 1932. It was built atop an original KB chassis and done to the finest standards.

The result of the recreation was rewarded in 1989 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it took a First in the 'American and European Classic, New Coachwork' class.

After its Pebble Beach display, it was put into a climate controlled showroom and operated sparingly since that time.

In 2007 this 1932 Lincoln KB in the style of Waterhouse 'Convertible Victoria' was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was estimated to sell for $190,000 - $240,000. As the gavel fell for the third and final time, this former Pebble Beach winner had been sold for the sum of $203,500 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Dual Windshield Phaeton by Brunn
Chassis number: KB1367
Engine number: KB1367

In 1908, Hermann A. Brunn established his own company at Buffalo, New York. He had apprenticed with his uncle in the carriage trade and his new company was intended to use that skill in constructing automobile bodies. The early examples were one-off's built atop of prestigious chassis. Their first automaker customer was Lincoln; Hermann Brunn had been introduced to Henry Leland by a friend. Before long, Brunn was producing 20 bodies a month with most being sent to Lincoln. Brunn would stay in business until 1941, making them one of the longest running of their craft.

Judkins was tasked with creating the coupes and berlines, Willoughby the limousine bodies, and LeBaron the convertible sedans. Brunn bodied the town cars and convertibles.

Lincoln's new V12 engine introduced in 1932 meant the bodies could become larger and more refined, as the 150 horsepower was more than adequate to carry the stately bodies. The engine would be the last of the Henry Leland era to use the fork-and-blade connecting rods. The L-head unit had a 65-degree angle and displaced 447.9 cubic-inches.

Lincoln had four cars constructed for the 1932 show circuit. Brunn bodied a Double Entry Sport sedan and this Double Windshield Phaeton; Rollston created a Seven-Passenger Town Car and LeBaron created a Town Cabriolet. This car, with chassis number KB1367, has two raked windshields which gives it a very low roofline.

After the show circuit the car was sold to a Long Beach, California resident on June 7th of 1932. The current owner has treated this car to a complete restoration. Part of the reconstruction work of needed parts was handled by Hermann C. Brunn, son of the Brunn & Company founder. Herman apprenticed with Kellner in Paris and later worked for his father until joining Ford Motor Company when the family firm closed. The original blueprints for the car were used during the restoration.

Upon completion in 2003, the car was brought to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won Best in Class for prewar Lincolns and the Most Significant Design award, presented by Ford Motor Company.

The car is painted in its original color of Belmont Brown. In 2008 this 1932 Lincoln Model K Dual Windshield Phaeton was brought to the 2008 Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $600,000 - $800,000. Bidding reached $575,000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicles reserve; the car was left unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB998

The 1930s was an exciting time for automotive development, though the true level of achievement would be hindered by the Great Depression. The cylinder wars began in the 1920's. Companies who relied solely on style, such as Pierce Arrow, were eventually out of business. Cadillac had raised the bar with their V12 and V16 engines. Marmon was quick to respond, introducing their version of the massive sixteen cylinder engine. Lincoln responded with a seven bearing, V12 engine with separate cylinder blocks, and fork and blade connecting rods. The engine was potent, powerful and durable. It did have a flaw and that was in the cost of manufacturing. It was so expensive, that within two years it was no longer offered. It had been replaced by a conventional design that was more cost effective. The engine may have prevailed if not for the Great Depression, which was dwindling the numbers of potential buyers and making competition fierce in the luxury car segment.

This 1932 Lincoln Model KB Sport Coupe shown with chassis number KB998 has coachwork by Judkins and was displayed in Automobile Quarterly in 1978. The interior is cloth with a Philco Transistone Radio and a Waltham electric clock. The exterior is just as extravagant with a rumble seat, luggage rack, and leather roof.

It was estimated to fetch between $125,000 - $150,000 at the 2006 RM Auction in Meadow Brook. A high bid of $90,000 was not able to satisfy the reserve and the car remained unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Touring

Lincoln stepped into the multi-cylinder era when it introduced its fabled 12-cylinder KB series. Produced in very low quantity, this series offered a large variety of body styles from a variety of sources. This handsome Dual Cowl Phaeton was a product of Lincoln's own custom shops and graced Lincoln's large 145-inch wheelbase chassis mated to the 448 cubic-inch V-12 engine.

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB998

The J. B. Judkins Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts built this car as a 'Catalog Custom.' According to surviving records, this car was built as a Salon exhibition car. It was finished in early1 1932. Only six examples were created. It was built on their largest chassis with a 448 cubic-inch V12 engine, and weighs over six thousand pounds.

The car was shown at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles and the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

The body and wheels are painted the correct color of Jade Mist with the fenders, moldings and upper panels in 'Birmingham Green.' The interior is Weese Bedford whip cloth (code W-1902). The car selling price was $5,415.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB1303
Engine number: KB1303

The 1932 Lincoln KB model line was available with in-house coachwork but a few, such as this example by Judkins, were bodied by outside coachbuilders. This car is one of only 24 Lincoln Judkins coupes built in 1932, and is believed to be the only surviving example with a rumble seat. This, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, is the 'debut' of this 1932 Lincoln Coupe by Judkins. In its 75 years of existence, it had never been restored or shown at a concours of any automobile, event before the Amelia Island Concours weekend.

This Classic Lincoln, #KB 1303, with its V12 engine, a first for Lincoln Motor Company, is 448 cubic-inches, producing 150 horsepower at 3400 RPM. It was sold and delivered March 16, 1932 by a Long Island, NY car dealer. There were 24 Judkins Coupes built in 1932 and it is not known how many had rumble seats, but this is the only known survivor with a factory-installed rumble seat. The car rides on a 145-inch wheelbase.

The original buyer is unknown, as is its history - until the 1950s when a young teenager spotted the car at a local service station in Connecticut, and was smitten. It was thought that the car was currently owned by a Yale student and was in need of some repairs. The young man's quest to own the car was not fulfilled at that time, but in the late 1960s he had an opportunity to purchase the car. Over the next three decades the car passed through several owners, each planning to restore and drive the car, but none reached completion until now.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB1303
Engine number: KB1303

In the 1932 Lincoln portfolio, the senior KB model line was available in both in-house designed body styles and a few by outside coachbuilders such as Dietrich, Judkins and LeBaron. This featured car is one of only 24 Lincoln custom Judkins coupes produced in 1932, and is believed to be the only surviving example with a rumble seat.

The John B. Judkins coachbuilding company was founded in the mid 1800's and became part of a rich history of horse-and-buggy coach works located around Amesbury, New England. It started designing and producing car bodies as early as 1895, and supplied to the Winton Motor Car Company. Through its subsidiary Merrimac, it also designed and built for duPont and Packard. Renowned designers Sergeant an Charles Waterhouse worked for Judkins before starting their own design house in 1928. Other noted designers, such as Ford styling John F. Dobben and former LeBaron designer R.L. Stickney, had also worked at Judkins. Besides this Jerkins coupe, Judkins had also designed the 1926 Lincoln Model L Coaching Brougham.

This 'top-of-the-line' Judkins Coupe is equipped with the powerful 150 horsepower V12 engine, and features a convenient golf club door. This premium vehicle came at a price approximately 12 times that of the standard Ford. The recent restoration was completed just in time to celebrate the car's 75th anniversary.

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB998

This Lincoln features Custom Coachwork by Judkins Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts. The aluminum body was built for the Auto Salon shows at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, and the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. From this display car an additional six bodies were produced and each was custom tailored to the purchaser's unique specifications. The finish is the original color of the Jade Mist and Birmingham Green.

The KB Lincoln is powered by a 448 cubic-inch, 150 horsepower, V-12 that still maintains Lincoln's Ford-and-Blade rod technology. The wheelbase is 145-inches and the car weighs shy of 6,000 pounds.

Convertible Roadster
Chassis number: KB47
Engine number: KB47

The Lincoln Model KB was built on a 145-inch wheelbase and received coachwork from such legendary names as Dietrich, Judkins, Brunn, Murphy, Lebaron, Willoughby, and Waterhouse. The fork-and-blade connecting rod arrangement which had been in use since the first Leland Lincoln V-8s of 1920 was used in the marque's first V-12, introduced in 1932.

Chassis number KB47 is a Convertible Roadster with coachwork by LeBaron. It was the first KB convertible roadster produced by LeBaron on the KB. It received a restoration that was completed in the mid-1980s and it has aged marvelously. It was once part of the Matt & Barbara Browning collection and has been in the current owner's possession since 2000. Since then, it has been given a new blue fabric top which compliments its deep-blue finish and red upholstery. The top folds below the beltline and there is a golf-bag door on the right side.

This car was shipped to Chicago on December 9th of 1931 and became Lincoln's Chicago Auto Show KB exhibit. It wears body number 460 and is powered by the 115th KB engine produced.

In 2009, this LeBaron bodied Convertible Roadster was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was estimated to sell for $275,000 - $375,000. Bidding failed to reach the vehicles reserve and the lot was left unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Berline 3-Window

The coachbuilding firm of Judkins and Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts, began building horse-drawn carriages under the guidance of John B. Judkins and became one of America's most respected coachbuilders, surviving into the late 1930s. This vehicle has a Berline body built by Judkins on top of the famed Lincoln KB V12 chassis. It offers elegance and slightly sporting feel.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Touring
Chassis number: KB933

This KB is one of just 1,515 such chassis produced for 1932, and one of only 24 Style 233 Seven-Passenger Touring cars originally built that year.

This Lincoln KB Model 233 Touring car spent some years in Jamaica and then returned to the United States where it was thoroughly restored to concours-quality standards during 1975 and 1976. After the work was complete, the car enjoyed a successful show career that included the achievement of AACA Junior and Senior awards, among other honors.

The current owner acquired the car in 2005. In 2011, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's Arizona sale where it was estimated to sell for $350,000 - $450,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $346,500, inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Dietrich

This elegant vee-windshield coupe was penned by Raymond H. Dietrich. Mounted on Lincoln's 145-inch KB chassis and powered by its famous 447 cubic-inch V12, this is the ultimate two-passenger luxury conveyance (with room for two more in the rumble seat). This car came from a long-hidden collection of Lincolns owned by a reclusive San Francisco refuse collector named Tony Porta, a man with a connoisseur's eye for automotive style. The KB weighs about 5,900 pounds and could go 95 mph. The exterior featured a rounded radiator shell and hood doors, which replaced louvers. Single-bar bumpers and fender-mounted parking lamps were introduced as well. The line continued until 1934, when one series of Lincolns was manufactured: the Lincoln Model K.

Coupe by Judkins
Engine number: KB473

This Lincoln KB Coupe with coachwork by Judkins entered the Ruger Collection in 1995 and then brought to the Pebble Beach Concours that same year where it earned a Third in Class. The car is finished in Birmingham Green and Jade Mist with painted wire wheels and riding on Michelin blackwall tires. The car is equipped with dual horns, fog lights, dual side-mounted spare tires with Lincoln script mirrors, and smoked-glass sun visors. All pot metal components have been replaced by cast brass and bronze, all the way down to the carburetors parts and steering column levers. The drive train has been upgraded with the installation of a transmission and rear axle from 1935, which provides much taller gear ratios and better synchromesh, allowing for faster cruising with less stress on the engine. Aftermarket turn signals have been installed for safer touring.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the St. Johns sale presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $140,000 - $200,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $154,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Sedan by Dietrich

The 1932 Lincoln KB with Dietrich Convertible Sedan coachwork is perhaps the most desirable Lincoln of the Classic Era. The Lincoln KB was offered in 16 different body styles designed by top coachbuilders. Raymond Dietrich built 20 convertible sedans on the 1932 KB chassis. This sedan can be transformed into a formal chauffeur-driven car with a closed rear compartment by raising the divider window located in the back of the front seat. It can also be used more informally as an ordinary sedan or, in fair weather, as a sporting open car. This car was restored in the late 1980s by Fran Roxas. It was First in Class at Pebble Beach in 1989 and has won many other awards.

Sport Roadster by Murphy
Chassis number: KB11

The flagship car for the entire 1932 Ford line was the Lincoln Model KB. With its smooth-running V12 engines and highly appointed body styles, it had few rivals. It was magnificent when used around town or as a fast tourer, and its good looks and performance compared favorably to similar models from Cadillac and Packard.

The KB provided more performance than the earlier Model K and was offered with a wider array of bodies. It was magnificent when used around town or as a fast tourer, and its good looks and performance compared favorably to similar models from Cadillac and Packard. Around 1,600 KBs were built in 1932, and this is the first and only surviving example of five roadsters bodied by Murphy of Pasadena. It was first shown at the New York Auto Show, where it was immediately sold. It appeared then much as it is seen now, with similar exterior and interior colors, polished belt line, walnut interior panels and many other small details. The car disappeared for a time but was discovered on the East Coast by Tom Powels and purchased by Harry Andrews, who left it dismantled in his shop for over forty years. John Mozart tried to purchase the car from Andrews repeatedly and finally succeeded in buying it in 2008.

Berline 3-Window

This Lincoln KB Berline Custom by Judkins was the 1932 Los Angeles show car and was purchased new by G. Henry Stetson, son to John Stetson of Stetson hat fame. He sold it in 1951, and the car passed to its current owner in 2006. This Judkins Berline is one of only three known to exist. The Berline body, built on the famed Lincoln KB V12 chassis, provides its owners with both formal elegance and a slightly sporting feel. The coach-building firm of Judkins & Company of Amesbury, Massachusetts, was one of America's most respected coachbuilders, surviving into the very late 1930s.

Convertible Roadster

Henry Martin Leland is the brilliant engineer who founded Cadillac. He was 74 years old when he quit General Motors after a quarrel with Billy Durant. Leland set up a company to produce Liberty engines receiving a $10 million advance contract from the federal government. As the war ended, Leland was beset with a huge factory, 6,000 employees, and mounting debt, so he did what he knew best. He built an automobile. Despite brilliant engineering, the cars were rather conservative in appearance and thanks to his tenacious attention to detail, late in getting to the market. After 17 months, just 3,400 had been sold. Leland's board of directors were quick to find a solution to mounting costs. On February 4, 1922, Ford Motor Company bought the Lincoln Motor Company for $8 million, and Leland departed just four months later.

Nobody championed the cause of the 12-cylinder engine more enthusiastically during the 1930s and 1940s than did Lincoln, beginning in 1932 with the KB-series cars powered by a 447.9 cubic-inch / 150 horsepower V-12.

This Lincoln KB Convertible Coupe with coachwork by LeBaron wears a fresh restoration.

Convertible Roadster
Chassis number: KB 173

The 1932 Lincoln KB represents the pinnacle of aesthetic and mechanical achievement for Classic Era Lincolns. The Lincoln K Series was split in 1932 into two lines, the V8-powered Model KA and the new V12-powered Model KB. Built for only two years, the KB's V12 was the largest displacement engine offered by Lincoln until the mid-1960s.

This car, KB 173, is one of 112 LeBaron KB Convertible Roadsters produced in 1932. Originally black, it was discovered in the mid-1960s by collector Jack Passey on a fig farm near Fresno, California. Later it was owned by Lyle Finley of Hawaii, who undertook a full restoration and won many awards. KB 173 was acquired by its present owner in 2009, and its bodywork, interior and top were restored once again in 2013.

Coupe by Judkins
Chassis number: KB 1635
Engine number: KB 1635

This 1932 Lincoln KB Judkins Coupe was given a 15 year restoration that was completed in 2009. The car is finished in a Ford dark tan color over black fenders with Brewster green reveals.

Between 1921 and 1939, Judkins produced 5,904 bodies with 2,212 being offered on the two passenger coupe. It is known exactly how many Judkins bodied coupes were produced in 1932, but it is believed to be less than thirty. This Coupe is thought to be the only example extant with a rear mounted spare, rather than a side-mount.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Roadster

This is the first 1932 Lincoln KB LeBaron Convertible built and was shown at the 1931 Chicago Auto Show.

Double Cowl Sport Phaeton by Murphy

The K-Series is a line of premium luxury vehicles produced by Lincoln from 1930 to 1940. The original K-Series models feature a 385 cubic inch V8 engine. Customers were given the choice of ordering a fully custom coachwork body.

The Lincoln K-Series was split in 1932 into two lines, the V8 carryover Model KA and the new V12-powered Model KB. The KB features the marque's new L-head 447.9 cubic-inch V12 that produces 150 horsepower.

For 1932, the KB series featured a new grille with a slimmer surround, vent doors rather than vertical louvers on the sides of the hood, a parking light on top of each front fender, and 18-inch wire wheels.

The Lincoln V-12 competed directly with the cross town rival Cadillac V-12 that was introduced earlier in 1930. It would be among a select group of 1930's cars with large multi-cylinder engines, including those manufactured by Franklin, Hispano-Suiza, Packard, Rolls-Royce and Marmon.

This KB Dual Cowl Phaeton with body by Murphy was acquired by the current owner in 1995. It was the Murphy display car that was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show when new. Factory records indicate that it was originally shipped to a Long Beach, California distributor and sold in September of 1932. In 1948 it was sold from a used car lot in Burbank that was known for selling classics.

The 2017 Concours d'Elegance of America at St. Johns was the first showing of this car in over twenty years.

Double Cowl Sport Phaeton by Murphy
Chassis number: KB1349

The economic justification for building a V-12 engine in post-Depression America made no sense, yet Lincoln became immersed in the 'cylinder wars' that developed in the 1930's after Cadillac's introduction of a V-16 engine in 1929. Like other luxury car manufacturers, Lincoln had to respond to its competitors and offer a V-12. In the end, nobody championed the cause of the 12-cylinder engine more enthusiastically during the 1930's and 1940's than did Lincoln, beginning in 1932 with the KB-series cars. The new 447.9 cid V-12 was rated at 150hp. Despite the production of V-12's by Auburn, Cadillac, Franklin, Packard, Pierce-Arrow, and Rolls-Royce; Lincoln built more 12-cylinder engines than all other manufacturers combined during the Classic Era. The KB's blue cloisonné emblem, its thinner rounded radiator shell, and a 145-inch wheelbase differentiated it from lesser models. Lincoln produced just 1,623 KB models for 1932.

The much-respected coachbuilding firm of Walter M. Murphy, located in Pasadena, California, built just five Dual Cowl Phaeton bodies for Lincoln, four of which were mounted to a 1931 Model K. This Dual Cowl Phaeton, the final built, is the only one mounted on a KB chassis. The original brass Murphy body tag is still nailed to the bottom of the front seat. This car was originally painted black, and it had a green leather interior. The paint and interior changed amidst a restoration several decades back, but the car has now been returned to its original livery. The original owner is unknown, but the current owners acquired the Phaeton from Mark Smith, who had owned it for three decades.

Produced in an effort to prove that he could compete with the best Automobile manufacturers in the world, Henry Ford built the Lincoln. Rivaling the most beautiful vehicles of the Classic Era, this vehicle is a demonstration of the success of his venture.

With a body that built by the Dietrich coach building firm, the elegant Lincoln KB was introduced in 1932. A total of 2,108 units were produced during the one year of the Lincoln KB's production.

With a 145 inch wheelbase, the KB had an amazing production rate of 150 horses, with power being supplied by a massive 448 cubic inch V12. There was also a compression ratio of 5.25 to 1 with seven main bearings. Stunning lines swept the sides of the vehicle along with wire wheels and dual side-mount space tires.

With a relatively short sedan body, the rumble seat allowed drivers to carry passengers in the rear. One could also carry additional baggage on the folding luggage rack that was made by Beals and Selkirk.

The interior of the vehicle was ensconced with only the most elegant and luxurious materials that included quality wool broadcloth, burled hardwoods, the best materials, and the perfect amount of bright work.

by Jessican Donaldson

Becoming a vehicle that was known for luxury, Lincoln underwent a total transformation in 1931. Re-powered, re-styled, and becoming lower-priced, this entire transformation was done under the censorship of Edsel Ford. The Lincoln Model K replaced the Model L, and only a total of forty-five models were ever produced.

With an increased horsepower from 90 to 120, the newly added Stromberg carburetor increased the engine with 384.8 cubic inches. With a price significantly lower than any other Lincolns, the Model K 7-passenger Touring vehicle was used primarily as a limousine. Though at $4,400, the model K still cost ten times the amount of a Ford.

The largest updates were contained in the body style. The wheelbase was now increased to 145 inches with a longer hood and rounded bumpers which now gave it a low and sleek profile. Dual trumpet horns and large bowl-shaped headlights now gave the front a stunning look. Utilized mainly as a limousine, sales were less than half of what they were in the late 1920s due to the Depression.

A reflection of the earlier Ford Model K, the Lincoln K-series was a luxury vehicle line that was produced until 1942. A V12 became standard in 1933, while the original K-Series featured a 385 in³ (6.3 L) V8. The option of ordering a fully custom coachwork was available for customers.

Appearing on a new chassis in 1931, the original Model K had a 145 in (3683 mm) wheelbase. Available as a dual cowl model, factory bodies were a 2 or 4-door phaeton. A derivative of the earlier L-series 60° V8, the 384.8 in³ (6.3 L) engine had a dual downdraft Stromberg carburetors, altered timing upped power to 120 hp (89 kW), and higher compression.

Splitting into two lines in 1932, the Lincoln K-series featured the carryover Model KA and the new V12-powered Model KB. The engine output was pushed to 125 hp (93 kW) while the V8 car reverted to a 136 in (3454 mm) wheelbase. Producing 150 hp (112 kW), the KB featured the marque's new V12, 447.9 in³ (7.3 L) 65° L-head unit. These two new lines featured a new grille with less of a surround, and vent doors rather than vertical louvers on the sides of the hood. Both series also featured a parking light on top of each front fender and 18-inch wire wheels.

The Model KA V8 engine was replaced in 1933 with a new 381.7 in³ (6.3 L) V12. The large KB engine shared very few similarities with this new L-head engine. Only a few minor changes that were readily visible occurred on the 1933 K-series. The return of hood louvers and the deletion of the bar linking the headlights were by far the most obvious updates. The chassis was also revised, along with thermostatic shock absorbers and transmission.

In 1934, the V12 engines were replaced by a single 414 in³ (6.8 L) version of the updated model KA V12. The KA and KB nameplates now denoted the wheelbase only. For this year, the only styling updates included the replacement again of the louvers with doors on the side of the hood and a body-colored grille surround.

For 1935, the Lincoln line was trimmed down considerable, as all vehicles were simply referred to as the Model K. Putting focus on the lofty over-$4,000 segment, the marque was attempting to improve profitability, though unfortunately limiting sales in the depression devastated the US.

The following year, a more modern Lincoln Zephyr was debuted. Costing much less, the Model K's days were considerably numbered. However, despite its high $4700 price-tag, a 7-passenger Model K limousine was the marque's best-selling model for 1936. A new and improved raked windshield and pressed steel wheels were also part of this year's update.

Continuing in production for the next five more years, the Model K, unfortunately, faced a decrease in sales in comparison to the more modern Zephyr and the new flagship Continental which became more appealing to buyers. Though production was mostly ended with the 1939 model year, one final Model K, the 1942 model was a one-off 'Sunshine Special' convertible limousine that was built especially for President Roosevelt.

by Jessican Donaldson