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1941 Lincoln Continental

The Lincoln Continental had a simple, clean, and elegant design that was initially conceived as a personal car for Edsel Ford for use as his winter home in Hobe Sound, Florida. It was instantly identifiable as a Lincoln and based on the Zephyr but had a seven-inch longer hood and the body sectioned to be 3 inches lower. The design was greeted with instant acclaim and was soon put into production.

Production began as a 4-seat cabriolet followed shortly by a coupe, which quickly became more popular than the cabriolet.

Only minor modifications were applied for the 1941 model year, such as the interior and exterior door handles being of the push-button type. 400 examples of the Cabriolet were built at a base price of $2,780 while the coupe had a base price of $2,725 and 850 examples were built. The L-head 12-cylinder engine displaced 292 cubic-inches and had four main bearings and a Holley downdraft two-barrel carburetor. They had a three-speed transmission and Bendix hydraulic, internal expanding brakes on all four wheels. The Lincoln Continental script was placed on the spare tire hubcap and on the hood. The road hubcaps had the Lincoln V-12 name.

Lincoln produced 1,250 examples of the Lincoln Continental in 1941.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe

In 1922, Henry and Wilford Leland's Lincoln Motor Company was purchased by the Ford Motor Company. The LeLands had gone into business in 1917 building Liberty airplane engines. When the war ended they eventually switched to luxury automobile production but financial calamity forced the sale to Ford.

Edsel Ford took the helm with an eye towards upgrading Lincoln styling. To that end he enlisted the finest American coachbuilders to produce stylish new bodies for the company. Edsel had always been influenced by European automobile styling. He began working with the designer E.T. Gregorie, Jr. to bring his ideas into fruition. After building two prototypes the company set up a special assembly area where stock Lincoln Zephyrs were lengthened, lowered and modified to create a design that has become a timeless exercise in automobile styling.

Noted architect, Frank Lloyd Wright considered Gregorie's Continental 'the most beautiful car in the world.' Utilizing very little chrome trim and emphasizing the long low clean shape, the Continental was far ahead of its time and set a standard few cars could match. By 1941 small details were changed; the grille and door handles for example. Otherwise the design remained the clean pure design envisioned by Edsel and Gregorie.

This example is the oldest surviving 1941 Continental. The original owner was a professor at Virginia Military Institute. The second owner was a physician in Martinsville, Virginia. The current owner is the third owner.

Cabriolet
Chassis number: H121025

When Ford Motor Company President Edsel Ford returned from a European vacation in September 1938, he asked designer E. T. 'Bob' Gregorie for a special car that would be 'strictly continental.' Clean uncluttered lines, elegant styling and a nod to art deco were the result.

First seen in the Palm Beach, Florida area in winter of 1938, Edsel soon had orders for 200 'just like his.' Initially available only as a cabriolet, the coupe appeared in May 1940. Production in 1941 was 850 coupes and 400 cabriolets.

The stunning Spode Green Lincoln Continental Cabriolet with chassis number H121025 was sold at the 2006 RM Auction sale at Amelia Island. It has been awarded 97.33 points, earning it a second place finish in the Senior Class at the 2005 Lincoln & Continental Owners Club. This is just one of the many awards it has received.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet

Designed by E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie, the Cabriolet Convertible evolved from a prototype personally built in late 1938 for Edsel Ford.

The V12 engine powered Continental was offered through 1948 in both a Cabriolet Convertible and a comparable two-door four passenger Coupe. The Continental was the pride of the Ford family of automobiles. The Continental name appeared again in 1956 and continued in production through modern day.

This wonderful example is largely owner restored and was completed in 2006.

Coupe

The Continental was first developed as a one-off special for the Ford president, Edsel Ford. The public reaction was so enthusiastic that it was put into limited production. These cars were virtually hand built and incorporated a V-12 engine. The Continental was featured in The Museum of Modern Art's Famous 1951 exhibition '8 Automobiles.' It is now recognized as a true icon of American automotive design.

Derham Coupe by Derham

The Continental was considered a sub-series of the Zephyr and shared its 292 cubic-inch, 120 horsepower V-12 with aluminum heads. Standard bodies were built by Briggs for Lincoln and production, while interrupted by World War II, continued after the war and ceased following the 1948 model year. The Continental and Zephyr shared the same 125-inch wheelbase, though styling was similar yet distinct. Priced at $2,926 it cost twice that of a Zephyr. Frank Lloyd Wright said the Continental was 'the most beautiful car he had ever seen.' John Steinbeck said that no other car 'so satisfied my soul.' Time magazine would ultimately put the Continental on its list of 100 best-designed commercial products of all-time.

This car, which left the factory as a stock 1941 Continental coupe, was purchased new in 1941 by industrial designer Raymond Loewy. Loewy hired Derham Body Company in Rosemont, Pennsylvania to build a custom version of the car as he designed it. During the transformation, it became a town car incorporating many unique styling touches, including shortened front fenders, redesigned grille and hood, custom bumpers, removable Plexiglass top, opera windows, gold-plate dashboard accents, and a fin below the trunk. The body was lowered six inches over the frame and the special top helps to create one of the most elegant Lincolns of the prewar era.

Loewy's initials on the cowl sides are surrounded by a circular piece of trim from a Frigidaire refrigerator, also a Loewy design. This is one of two cars built for his two residences in Manhattan and Palm Springs.

Considered the father of industrial design, Loewe immigrated to the United States from his native France in 1919. He became a shop window decorator while also working as a fashion illustrator. He opened his own design firm in 1929 and one of his first successes was the redesign of a copying machine that drove up the sales of the product.

Bob Gregorie's early Lincoln continental design is considered one of the best in automotive history. That Loewy believed he could improve upon it is a testament to his self-confidence.

Cabriolet

Edsel Ford had the best seat in the house as the birth of the automobile unfolded before his eyes. The only son of Henry Ford, Edsel possessed a strong mechanical mind and, like many of his peers, was already tinkering with cars and even building his own automotive creations at an early age.

By 1919, when he was appointed president of Ford Motor Company at the age of 25, Edsel had already established his reputation as an industry leader and savvy executive. At the same time, his personal dream and easy-going nature had won him the affection and respect of Ford employees.

Edsel Ford's greatest contribution to the automotive industry was his ability to combine the artistry of custom design with the functional requirements of mass production. His passion involved the look and feel of the car, the position of instruments on the dashboard, the configuration of accessories, as well as the vehicle's style and shape. His ability to discern an ordinary line from a classic one made him one of the most talented (and under-appreciated) design directors of his time.

When Edsel returned from a trip to Europe he asked Ford designer E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie to create a one-off convertible that would be 'thoroughly continental.' Working directly under Edsel's guidance, Gregorie executed a custom design based on the Lincoln-Zephyr platform.

Edsel Ford took the custom cabriolet with him when he wintered in Palm Beach, Florida that year and it created a sensation everywhere he drove it. When a production version of the Lincoln Continental was introduced, it created an equally sensational response, becoming a favorite of Hollywood stars, design aficionados and celebrities. Today, Edsel Ford's Dream Car is on display as part of the 'Different by Design' exhibit at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores.

This 1941 Lincoln Continental cabriolet was built in the Lincoln factories on December 4, 1940 for Edsel Ford, painted in Mr. Ford's favorite color, a special order Pewter Grey. It was personally driven by Mr. Ford.

For the 1941 model year the car was now known as the Lincoln Continental instead of the Lincoln-Zephyr Continental. The Continentals were essentially custom-built on the Zephyr chassis and were powered by the 292 cubic-inch, 120 horsepower, Zephyr V-12 motor.

The car was in Edsel Ford's garage when he died on May 1943.

Cabriolet
Chassis number: H108325

This 1941 Lincoln Continental Convertible is believed to have only 54,000 original miles from new, and benefits from a comprehensive body-off restoration completed in the late 1990s. After the work was completed, it easily earned AACA Junior and Senior awards at the National Level.

The car is finished in the original Lincoln color of Rockingham Tan with a tan cloth convertible top and a maroon leather interior. There is a maroon dashboard with the correct knobs, gold-rimmed instruments and radio speaker grille.

Under the bonnet is a 292 cubic-inch V-12 engine fitted with a 2-barrel downdraft Holley carburetor. The 120 horsepower produced is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission with Wizard control. Braking is by four-wheel hydraulically-actuated drum brakes. There is a front beam axle with transverse leaf springs and transverse leaf spring setup in the rear.

In 2010, this Lincoln Continental was offered for sale at Gooding & Company's auction held in Amelia Island, Florida. The car was expected to sell for $100,000 - $130,000. Bidding reached $75,000, but was not enough to satisfy the car's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 16456301

Lincoln produced 750 Continental Convertibles; 350 in 1940 and 400 in 1942. For 1942, the Lincoln's were redesigned. This example was restored in the 1980s and has been repainted in its original black and retains its original red leather interior and cream top. It has its original AM radio and is powered by a 292 cubic-inch L-head V-12 engine.

In 2011, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Hershey Auction presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $70,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the vehicle had been sold for the sum of $46,200 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet

The Leland brothers went into business in 1917, building Liberty airplane engines. When the war ended, they switched to the production of luxury automobiles. This move started a financial landslide that ended with the 1922 sale of the company to Henry Ford.

Eventually, Edsel Ford took control and upgraded Lincoln's trademark conservative styling. Edsel enlisted America's finest coachbuilders as well as Ford's own genius, E.T. (Bob) Gregorie. After completing two prototypes, the company set up a special assembly area where stock Lincoln Zephyrs were lengthened, lowered and re-bodied into one of the timeless designs in automotive history. Frank Lloyd Wright bought one, because it just looked good, when photographed in front of the homes he designed.

The 1941 model was the first year for pushbutton door releases, turn signals and a Borg Warner overdrive transmission. It was powered by a 292 cubic-inch, 120 horsepower, 12-cylinder engine, weighed 5,800 pounds and cost $4000. This car is body 9 of 400 Cabriolets built in 1941.

This car made its post-restoration debut at the 2012 Amelia Island concours d'Elegance. It is number 9 of the 400 produced in 1941. Among the 'new for '41' features are turn signals and a Borg Warner overdrive.

Coupe

When Lincoln introduced the Zephyr with its Art Deco styling, they quickened the inevitable demise of the large Lincoln K series that was phased out after the 1939 model year. It was powered by a new V12 engine derived from the proven Ford flathead V8. The designer E.T. Gregorie Jr. is credited with the original design for the Continental, which was based on a lengthened Zephyr chassis. Noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright considered Gregorie's Continental 'the most beautiful car in the world.' Production in 1941 was 850 coupes and 400 cabriolets. A 1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe was famously driven by Sonny Corleone, played by James Caan in the film The Godfather.

Cabriolet
Chassis number: H107729

This Lincoln Continental Cabriolet was assembled on August 21st of 1940, and shipped on the 29th to Jacksonville, Florida. It wears body number 09 of 400 produced for the year.

The car was formerly owned by William Stone of Atlanta, Georgia. It has been given a sympathetic five-year restoration and every effort was made not to over-restore the car. It retains much of its original finish. The exterior is painted in Coach Maroon, a 1941 Lincoln color, and the interior is upholstered in matching leather. The convertible top is tan canvas. It has a factory radio and Columbia overdrive.

Since the restoration has been completed, it has been driven barely 1,000 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Town Car by Brunn

This special Lincoln Continental was designed by Edsel Ford for the use of Ford family members and senior Ford company executives. Built by Brunn & Company in Buffalo, New York, it was the last Lincoln to be bodied by that coachbuilder. It is one of only 14 Lincoln Continental Town Cars built, and today just six are known to have survived. It is powered by a 292 cubic-inch, L-head, V12 engine with a 3-speed gearbox and overdrive, hydraulic drum brakes, independent suspension and a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs. The car features a Continental style hood, and inside are a radio, gold-plated fixtures, and a division window with an intercom system for rear passengers. The car was first shown at the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and has been restored over a nine-year period.

In 2008 it was awarded First Prize in the National Competition at the Classic Car Club of America National Convention in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.