1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan

The Ford vehicle family, including Mercury and Lincoln, received all-new styling for 1949. The in-house studio of E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie and an outside consultant named George Walker and his team had provided proposals for the new design. Walker's design was chosen for the low-priced Ford cars and the Gregorie proposal became the Mercury, Lincoln, and Lincoln Cosmopolitan, respectively. A smaller version went into production at Ford France as the Vedette.

The 1949 Lincolns wore new designs that shed the pontoon fenders and replaced them with flowing envelope styling that sloped slowly down to the back bumper. Many design cues were shared with its Mercury sibling, yet easily distinguished by its grille and more potent V-8 engines. The Lincolns were popular with racing privateers, including Johnny Mantz who finished 9th int he first Mexican Road Race in 1950. They were also popular with the White House, who ordered 19 for presidential, government, and VIP use.

The 1952 Lincolns received completely new styling which meant 1951 was the last year of the styling introduced in 1949. Styling changes were made to the grille which now had a center horizontal section and five vertical louvers giving it a slightly more sophisticated appearance. The sunken headlamps remained unchanged. On the inside, the dash was removed with the speedometer moved to in front of the driver.

The Cosmopolitan Series continued as the top-of-the-line Lincoln for 1951, its final year in this position (for 1952, the Capri was top-of-the-line). The Cosmopolitan was distinguished from its sibling by the chrome rocker panels, fender skirts, and the Cosmopolitan name located on the upper front fenders. Body styles included a club coupe, Capri Coupe, Sport Sedan, and convertible. Power was from an L-head V-8 with a cast-iron block, a Holley two-barrel carburetor, and a 336.7 cubic-inch displacement size. It offered 154 horsepower at 3,600 RPM and was backed by a three-speed manual transmission or optional Hydra-Matic. The standard Lincoln had a 121-inch wheelbase while the Cosmopolitan rested on a 125-inch platform. It was longer too, measuring 222.5 inches compared to the 214.8-inch standard Lincoln size.

The following year, all Lincolns would ride on a 123-inch wheelbase chassis with a 214-inch length. The list of body styles would shrink to three, with both the Cosmopolitan and Capri offering a Hardtop Coupe and Sedan, with the Capri also having a convertible.

by Dan Vaughan

Club Coupe

The Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917 by Henry Leland. He was an ambitious entrepreneur who had previously started the Cadillac Motor Car Company in 1903 from the remnants of Henry Ford's second failed attempt to start an auto company (Henry's third attempt resulted in the Ford Motor Company we know today).

The Lincoln's built by Leland were very expensive and well-built, but stodgy in design. The Ford Motor Company acquired Lincoln in 1922. Edsel Ford, Henry's son, was put in charge and used his natural design instincts to lead Lincoln to build beautiful, luxurious cars. With Ford's backing during the lingering depression, Lincoln was able to continue its focus on the luxury market.

The Cosmopolitan was the last Lincoln designed by E.T. Gregorie and influenced by Edsel Ford before his death in 1943. It was a full-size sedan introduced in 1949 and continued into the early 1950s. The Cosmopolitan featured a Hydra-Matic transmission and a 331 cubic-inch V8 engine. It had an 'aerodynamic' hood ornament and suicide doors that opened from the B-pillar.

This car is one of 1,427 Cosmopolitan coupes built in 1951 and was purchased by the current owner in 1987 in Spokane, WA. It is equipped with standard hydraulic power windows and seats. Its restoration was completed in 1998.

Convertible
Chassis number: 51LP14919H

This 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Convertible was offered for sale at the 2007 RM Auctions held at Meadow Brook. It is powered by a 337 cubic-inch V8 engine that is capable of producing over 150 horsepower. It has a Hydra-Matic gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. It is one of only 857 examples of the Cosmopolitan Convertible Coupe produced in 1951 and one of 19 known to have survived in modern times. When it left the dealership, it carried a sticker price of $4,234. When it was brought to the auction, it was estimated to sell between $70,000 - $90,000.

It has been treated to a comprehensive restoration that was done to the highest of standards. It is finished in light green paint, called Chantilly Green, and was exclusive to the convertibles that year. The interior is in brown leather. It has power windows, power top, spotlight, whitewall tires, and fender skirts.

At auction the car was sold, though its selling price was less than the estimated value. It was sold for $60,500.

by Dan Vaughan

The Lincoln Cosmopolitan was introduced in the late 1940s and remained in production until the early 1950s. For 1949, the entire Lincoln model line was all new; no longer were there pontoon fenders. In their place were a flowing envelope styling that gracefully drifted down to the rear bumper. The Lincoln models were similar to the Mercury, mostly distinguished by their grille and a larger engine.

In 1950, Johnny Mantz finished in 9th place in the Mexican Road Race. They were popular with racers due to their small size and powerful engines. Even the White House ordered 19 examples for presidential, governmental, and VIP use.

The 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan was easily identifiable by its front end, which featured sunken in headlights. In the back were slight fins and fender blades.

by Dan Vaughan

The whole Lincoln model lineup was revamped in 1949 and lost the dated pontoon fenders and instead received a flowing envelope styling that flowed to the rear bumper. Similar to the Mercury, the Lincoln models grille and larger engines set them apart. Easily distinguished from the 1948 models, these models featured recessed headlights and a more 'streamlined appearance'.

A stately full-size luxury car, the Cosmopolitan from Lincoln was the type of car to chauffeur presidents. Introduced in 1949 the all-new postwar Cosmopolitan was produced until 1954. The design of these elegant models came from high-school dropout turned automobile designer Eugene T. Gregorie or 'Bob'. Its one-piece windshield and chrome spears trailing the front fenders could easily differentiate the Cosmopolitan.

Available in four body styles, the grand Cosmopolitan came in club coupe, town sedan, sport sedan, and convertible. The vehicle had a 125-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 220.5 inches, and a width of 77.8 inches and had a height of 62.7 inches. The most expensive and the heaviest, the convertible had a base price of $3,948. Only 1,230 convertible Cosmopolitans were produced. Weighing around 4,400 pounds, the Cosmopolitan featured a base three-speed manual and a 5.5-liter (337 cubic inch) 152 hp or a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission from General Motors.

Sporting a sleek ornament on the hood, the Cosmopolitan was every inch of its detailed body majestically perfect. Suicide doors opened from the B-pillar and the headlights and taillights typified a new styling trend called 'frenching' where parts were recessed into the bodywork. New coil springs were added to the front in 1949. Power windows and power seats became a standard option in 1951.

Johnny Mantz finished in 9th place in the Mexican Road Race. The White House purchased 19 Lincoln Cosmopolitans for their presidential, governmental, and VIP needs.

The second generation of the Cosmopolitan was introduced in 1952 and ran until 1954. Following a restyle in 1952, the Cosmopolitan was paired with the new full-sized Capri. Updates this year included sunken headlights in the front end, slight fins, and fender blades. Replacing the previous engine was the new OHC 317 cu in (5.2 L) Lincoln Y-Block V8. For long-legged passengers legroom in the front was increased to 42 inches. Thanks to the new V8 engine Lincolns won the top four spots in 1952 and 1953 in the Stock Car category of the Pan American Road Race. Lincoln took both first and second place in 1954, its final year.

Based on a regular Cosmopolitan sedan, the Limousine was modified heavily and featured a variety of luxury features. Specially designed for U.S. President Harry S. Truman, the Cosmopolitan Limousine sported gold plating, letter desks, and reading lights. Incredibly modern for the day and time, the vehicle featured two-way intercom between the driver and passengers and full power windows, which could be completely controlled from the President's seat. Only 18 of these unique models were built. Nine models were sent to the White House and eight traveled around the U.S. to place Truman often visited. Henry Ford II donated a very special 1950 Cosmopolitan Limousine to Dr. Weizmann in Israel.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Cosmopolitan

http://www.brewtowncruisers.com/Lincoln

http://www.complex.com/rides/2012/11/the-complete-history-of-presidential-rides/2-1950-lincoln-cosmopolitan-limousines

by Jessican Donaldson