“Nothing might be finer” — that was the daring headline for the 1947 Lincoln Continental of their journal adverts. That was it. No point out of the V12 engine, the facility hydraulic home windows or high, the gorgeous leather-based inside, push button doorways or the worth.
All one wanted to know was that nothing might be finer, so in case you have been searching for a brand new automotive and had massive bucks, which you wanted, you wanted look no additional. The retail worth of at the moment’s featured 1947 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet was $4,746, or about $59,835 in 2022 dollars, which was greater than half of the median dwelling worth on the time.
Lincoln automobiles have been first manufactured by Lincoln Motor Co., which was based in 1917 by Henry Leland, who earlier had been a founding father of the Cadillac model. The Lincoln enterprise was failing, although, and Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, lastly talked his father into shopping for the corporate in 1922 for $8 million, near $133.9 millionin at the moment’s dollars. At the moment, Ford Motor Firm was nonetheless cranking out the very primary Mannequin T Ford at $319 every, so stepping into the luxurious automotive enterprise was a really daring step. Amongst competing luxurious automobiles at the moment have been Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Duesenberg, Marmon and Peerless.
“Father made the most well-liked automotive on this planet,” Edsel Ford said. “I need to make one of the best automotive on this planet.”
He was put in command of the Lincoln, and Lincoln Motor Co.’s fortunes started to enhance. Edsel was into styling way more than his father and thought the American automobiles have been too boxy. He took a visit to the European continent and was impressed with among the automotive styling he noticed. Particularly he appreciated the proportion of the lengthy entrance finish and a brief again finish. So in 1938, he received Ford’s Chief Stylist, E. T. Gregorie, to design a European-styled Lincoln-Zephyr Convertible Coupe that he might drive in Florida for his winter trip automotive.
His rich associates have been impressed, and the automotive went into manufacturing for the 1940 mannequin 12 months. The next 12 months, the Zephyr identify (so branded after America’s most fashionable practice) was dropped and it grew to become the Lincoln Continental. Famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright reportedly mentioned it was “probably the most stunning automotive ever made” and purchased two of them.
In 1941 with enchancment in tooling, the Lincoln Continental was produced on the meeting line, changing the earlier hand-built development. After World Conflict II, manufacturing was restored, producing the 1942-styled Continental with comparatively minor grill work, and manufacturing was comparatively mild. The 1947 Lincoln Continental continued to have the 125-inch wheelbase and was the one American automotive to be powered by a V12 engine that was rated at 130 horsepower. It got here commonplace with a three-speed handbook transmission, however an electrical overdrive was an choice. At present it’s onerous to imagine that America’s costliest automotive’s choices included a radio and heater.
At present’s function is one in all solely 738 Lincoln Continental Cabriolets produced for the 1947 mannequin 12 months. It’s a five-passenger automotive, seating three individuals within the entrance bench seat and two within the again. Its proprietor is Paul Borgwardt, of Walnut Creek, an avid Lincoln collector.
“These automobiles,” he mentioned, “had lots of curves and artwork deco styling and have been largely constructed with unibody development. Edsel Ford needed these automobiles to have a V12 engine, however the present Lincoln V12 was too massive, in order that they redesigned the engine that was largely based mostly on the Ford V8 and added 4 cylinders. The automobiles have been recognized to be good long-distance cruisers, they usually have been truly fairly good on gasoline too.”
Borgwardt purchased this Lincoln Continental in 2011 with solely 58,300 miles and its unique V12 engine.
“A pal of mine owned it. We had seen it a number of years earlier in Bakersfield at a Lincoln present. I’ve all the time beloved these automobiles in what is named ‘Tempo Automobile Yellow,’ ” he mentioned.
The automotive was just about as it's at the moment when bought. It has a vacuum-powered radio antenna for the still-working, signal-seeking, nine-tube AM radio. The electrical clock nonetheless works, which is wonderful, as automotive clocks at the moment have been notoriously unreliable.
“Other than the paint job and fabric this automotive is fairly unique,” Borgwardt mentioned.
He’s uncertain precisely what he paid for the automotive however believes it was within the low $30,000s. He doesn’t imagine this automotive has appreciated very a lot, as most of the current-generation automotive collectors should not searching for automobiles this previous.
“Lots of people don’t need to have automobiles with the previous mechanicals,” he mentioned.
Typically talking, the proprietor has solely had routine upkeep bills. Though it's a true present automotive, Borgwardt drives it between 1,200 and 1,500 miles a 12 months. I received a trip on this stunning automotive, and it’s a head-turner. I used to be impressed with how tight the physique is and the consolation of the trip. I can actually perceive why there can be no “on the market” signal on it any time quickly.
Have an fascinating automobile? Contact David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To view extra photographs of this and different points’ autos or to learn extra of Dave’s columns, go to mercurynews.com/creator/david-krumboltz.