CHAPTER TWO

THE LELAND LINCOLNS

Where In "L" Do We

Go From Here.

In 1920, within weeks of one another, two new luxury automobiles were

introduced. They were Henry Leland's Lincoln and Fred Duesenberg's Model

A. Although the Lincoln motorcar was new to the industry, its people were

not. "The Boys" at Lincoln had built the first precision Oldsmobile

engines in 1902. Under Cadillac, they had introduced the Kettering

electrical system in 1912, and developed a V-8 engine in 1914.

Automobile publications of the time gave the new Lincoln more publicity

than it deserved or needed. The initial stock offering was

over-subscribed, and sold out the first day it was offered. On January 26,

1920, Lincoln Motor Company was officially organized as a Delaware

corporation, and assumed the liabilities and assets of the Lincoln Motor

Company of Michigan. These included the business address, buildings,

property, and manufacturing equipment of the old Liberty engine company.

Much of the early Model L development had been accomplished under this

company. At the stock offering, plans were announced to manufacture three

hundred cars per month with the first production models to be delivered in

January. The new corporation was capitalized at $6.5 million. This was

problem number one, a violation of the basic economic precept that

everything costs more than you think it will. The Lincoln Motor Company

turned out to be under capitalized. The Lelands put up $1 million in cash,

and personally endorsed another $3 million in loans during the next two

years.

The press continued to hype the Lincoln as the car of tomorrow,

Leland. They predicted that it would outperform everything on the road and

run forever. Wilford Leland assumed more and more of the actual

management, as Henry was now in his late seventies. The Lincoln turned out

to be as finely-built and precision-engineered a machine as could be

produced at that times.

In late 1918, Henry Leland called the boys together for one of his

conferences. He was strong on conferences, always saying, "Nothing

important should be left to the judgement of one man." When H.M. called

them into a meeting, they listened, and he announced, "You have been

telling me for years about this idea you all have for a quality-built,

rugged, and stable automobile. Well, we are ready to go ahead. You have

an opportunity now such as you have never had before to make a thoroughly

roadable car, a car that will not only go anywhere, but that will go there

with ease to the driver and with comfort to the passengers, a car in which

it will not be necessary to pick out only the good roads, a car that will

enable people to travel less frequented highways and to go places they have

not been able comfortably to go heretofore. Do the job as you have always

been accustomed to doing, only do it better. After the experimental cars

are finished, we want to figure on at least a year to prove them out so as

to leave no shortcoming for the car owner to discover." In about six

months, they had designed several different prototypes and actually

constructed two of them.

According to Leland, "They were both truly wonderful cars, but we

adopted the better of the two. Four engines were built, three of them were

installed in chassis and the fourth was assigned for testing on the

dynamometer. Then followed a refining process and ferreting out of

deficiencies. The cars have been subjected to the most severe and the most

practical punishment we could prescribe and have successfully withstood

endurance tests equal to about five years of service in the hands of the

average user. I believe motorists will agree that the ideal car should

possess primarily six important virtues: good appearance, trustworthiness,

long life, power, economy, and comfort. The order of their importance is

largely a matter of individual opinion. In appearance, the cars are

substantial, well-proportioned, and graceful. There is nothing extreme or

overdone in any of the eight body types, just thoroughly dignified. They

are cars such as the best citizens, persons of good judgment and refined

taste, will be proud to own. Their beauty is a type dictated not by

passing fancy but by a desire for permanent attractiveness. The cars are

replete with those many little conveniences which contribute so much to

real pleasure and enjoyment."

The chief engineer for Lincoln was Ernest Sweet. He and his people

questioned the concept of geometry on the 90 degree V-engine with a single

plane crank. Even during Lincoln's aircraft engine days, their engineers

had considered going to a tighter degree engine. The new Lincoln's engine

cylinders were opposed at approximately 60 degrees instead of the 90

degrees used on the V-8 introduced by Cadillac. An engineer by the name of

Heldt had published a paper in 1916 which suggested that such an engine

would run smoother, and it did. On a 60 degree engine, the firing stroke

was alternated between 60 and 120 degrees of angle (a power stroke, then an

added push occurring alternately.) These engines were referred to as

"out-of-step." The cylinder firing order was rotated rather than

sequential. This was accomplished by some complex mechanical calculations

regarding the crank and cam shafts.

Frank Johnson, a brilliant design draftsman and University of Michigan

graduate, actually made most of the working drawings for the new Lincoln.

He later became head of engineering, and worked at Lincoln for many years.

Advertising claimed the accuracy and fit of Lincoln parts to a hair's

breadth. Take a human hair, they suggested, slice it into ten equal parts

and one of these parts is how tight the tolerances on three-hundred

individual manufacturing operations was held. The crankcase on the Model L

engine was cast of solid aluminum. The pistons were alloy and not

cast-iron. Aluminum pistons had previously proven successful in aircraft

engines. The block was made in two halves and bolted together. Cylinder

heads were interchangeable, and the valves were made of tungsten steel

alloy. The crankshaft had five main bearings, each two inches in width.

This ment that there was over seventy square inches of main bearing

surface. Leland was always pleased to demonstrate that after tightening it

to running clearance, you could spin the crankshaft with one finger. The

connecting rods were twelve and one-half inches long, reducing the

side-thrust on the cylinder walls, greatly reducing wear. Their design

incorporated a new concept referred to as "fork-and-blade" which acted like

a counter balance. The Model L eight-cylinder engine had a three-inch bore

and a five-inch stroke, giving it over 350 cubic inches of displacement

(85x122 mm; 5.8 liters).

The Lincoln engine's combustion chamber was of the L-head type, which

meant that the valves were mounted to the side of the piston, and opened

upward into the chamber. This allowed the cam and the valve stems to

remain within the block for better lubrication. (Ford stayed with this

design into the early 1950s.)

The Model L engine was a massive and durable engine which developed 81

brake horsepower at 2600 RPM. At higher RPM, the engine developed 90 bhp

or better. Innovations in engine accessories were a multi-barrelled

updraft carburetor, circuit breaker electrical system, and automatic spark

advance. The electrical generator was shaft-driven off the back of the

water pump. A device called the "Electrofog" generator operated when the

choke was pulled out. The device electrically preheated the gas-air intake

mixture, and cut itself off after fifteen seconds. The transmission was a

standard H-pattern floor shift with three forward gears and one reverse.

The cooling system was sealed, and had an overflow tank. When the engine

cooled, boiled-over water was siphoned back into the radiator which

eliminated the need to stop and replenish the coolant frequently. (Most

modern cars are equipped with overflow tanks, but this was innovative for

the Model L's time.)

Engines at Lincoln were assembled under the supervision of engineer

William Guy. They were then turned over to Charles Marten's group where

each engine was placed on a dynamometer, and ran under a load. As the load

was increased from ten to twenty horsepower, each engine was checked for

overheating and roughness. If these occurred, the engine was rejected.

The transmission parts were also precision machined. This, coupled with a

multi-disc clutch, gave the Model L an incredibly smooth pullaway. The

basic Leland engine design remained unchanged until 1931, attesting to its

fine design.

About a dozen original designs for the new Lincoln had been looked at

seriously. After the two development models were built, the first

production prototype rolled out in June of 1920. The chassis was oversized

and rugged, and the body was distinguished by its quality construction

rather than by innovative styling. The drive shaft was a torque-tube

design and stressed the rear suspension under engine load to provide a

smooth ride. Double-shackled rear springs, used by car manufacturers until

the 1950s, were installed. Large mechanical brakes, capable of stopping

the Lincoln effectively, were installed on the rear wheels only. Rear axle

options were available in either 4.58 to 1 or 4.2 to 1 ratios. Wheels were

23 inch wooden-spoke with bolt on rims, commonly referred to as artillery

wheels. The cord tires were five inches wide and 33 inches in diameter.

The front and rear treads were 60 inches.

Aesthetically, the new Lincoln disappointed many potential buyers. It

looked much like a pre-World War I Cadillac. What would you expect from a

mechanical genius, anyway? Styling was not particularly the conservative

H.M.'s forte. Leland's son-in-law was tasked to look into this problem.

Experienced as a millinery merchant, he lacked any coach design experience

and his efforts produced few results. He did, however, retain Brunn &

Company of Buffalo to restyle the Model L. Brunn subsequently designed

several fine Roadster and Phaeton bodies, but too late to stop many of the

negative comments. Designers like Ray Dietrich referred to early Model L

coaches as Noah's Arks. The new Murray body Lincolns were built to the

highest quality standards, and soon much of the criticism would fade.

Walter Murphy, a successful West Coast car dealer, would take a production

Model L Lincoln and chop five to six inches out of the roof line. This

gave his Lincoln coaches a much lower and more attractive silhouette. Even

back then, Californians were big on custom cars. The Murphy cars gained in

popularity, and the company soon moved into custom coachbuilding in a big

way. The J.B. Judkins Company and the Fleetwood Metal Body Company also

came up with custom coach designs for the early Lincoln Model L chassis.

The second problem with early Lincoln production is the corollary that

everything takes longer than you think it will. Leland's constant

insistence on quality slowed down production. "Build it right the first

time," Leland would often say. Henry disliked the Go-NoGo gauges which

were popular with machine builders of that time, and he preferred to have

parts measured with a micrometer. Manufacturing tolerances were held to

five thousandths of an inch on many parts. This made chief inspector

Archer's job more difficult, particularly in view of the fact that his

previous work experience had been as a choir director at the Presbyterian

Church.

The Lincoln factory was renowned for its upkeep. Leland even had a

statue of Abraham Lincoln placed in front of the administration building.

At the factory, the tools and machinery were kept spotlessly clean. A team

of forty painters constantly repainted the facility Lincoln Green. At

least once a week, maintenance crews with long-handled mops dusted the

rafters. Leland had imported a set of Johannsen gauge-blocks which were

stored in an air-conditioned room to maintain them at a constant

temperature year-round.

The Abraham Lincoln statue which Leland originally installed was of a

seated president. The local children liked to sit on the statue at Abe's

feet, so Abe's shoes were always shiny. This statue was replaced with a

standing Lincoln after the Ford takeover. A local joke was that Henry Ford

could not abide anyone sitting around at one of his plants. This standing

statue appeared in many early Lincoln advertisements, and was subsequently

donated to the Detroit Public Library, where it still stands.

The Model L engine and chassis assemblies were test-driven on the

factory's test track by Henry Marchand's group. The cars were tested by

driving them first in low, and then in second gear with the hand lever

brake applied. Next, they were driven in high gear at speeds from four

miles per hour to full throttle. The Model L was capable of cruising at

speeds in excess of 70 MPH without strain. These tests, plus continual

adjustment and tuning, constituted the break-in period for all new

Lincolns. Owners of new Lincolns were instructed to operate their cars

normally from the time they were picked up at the dealer's showroom. No

break-in period was required on the Lincoln, even though custom dictated it

on most automobiles. One of the things often overlooked when describing

the early Lincoln was its quiet operation. The car was built tight, and

massive enough to absorb considerable road pounding. Viewed from the top

or bottom, the frame formed a giant H. Early Leland Cadillacs were of the

L-frame construction type. Coincidental to being a Model L, the chassis

were constructed with L-frame members, held together with L-brackets, were

Leland built, were large and long, and went on Lincolns. Where in "L" they

got the name is anybody's guess.

NINETEEN-TWENTY

The year was 1920, and the first Lincoln production motorcar was

finally ready. It was completed on September 14th, and was delivered two

days later. By that time, over $4 million dollars had been expended on new

production machinery, almost $2 million of it for tooling alone.

Originally, eight different body styles were chosen for the Lincoln. These

were offered in the short 120, and the long 130 inch wheelbases. Lincoln

chassis and drivetrain units could be purchased individually for custom

building. Of these early Leland-built production models, 253 were

delivered as chassis assemblies.

The September 1920 issue of Motor Age devoted three pages to the

mechanical wonders of the new Lincoln. They cited features like the

Alemite lubrication fittings which replaced old-style grease-cups, and the

thermostatically controlled shutters which varied the air flow over the

radiator coils. Only one paragraph was devoted to Lincoln's styling. It

stated simply that, "The styling is characteristically straight-line."

Other journals were less kind, saying its styling was prewar (WWI) Cadillac

and not modern in appearance. (In retrospect, when cars of this period are

viewed as a group, the Lincoln seems neither ahead or behind its time in

style.) The new Lincoln was, without question, mechanically superior to

the current Cadillac models which Leland had earlier helped to design.

Of the eight original body styles, three were open body types and five

were closed body types. Unique among these was the four-passenger Coupe.

Its large rear fenders sloped forward gradually to meet the running boards

(following the same curve as the front fenders, only in reverse). Standard

options included an air pump (for inflating tires) which was driven by a

power takeoff from the transmission. The courtesy light (called a Tonneau

Lamp) was operated by a manual switch and a door-opening switch. The large

steering wheel folded to the side for easy entry. One might consider it a

luxury option, but for a large driver it was a virtual necessity.

Easy-to-access tool drawers were located below either end of the front

fenders. The air vent door covers and cowl-mounted clearance lights all

helped to create an overall posh appearance.

What made the Lincoln really stand out, though, was its ride and

performance. Henry Leland recorded his thoughts on this subject stateing,

"Let me sight my own experience. Our engineers and experimental drivers

had been telling us what an unusual car they had, but frankly I was a

little inclined to discount their enthusiasm. I had occasion to go to

Defiance, Ohio, some 125 miles from Detroit according to the blue book. I

thought, here would be a good opportunity to see for myself just what the

car was. There were five of us. The top was up. We were on a fine

stretch with no other vehicles or crossroads in sight, bowling along

serenely at about 40 miles per hour, so I judged. I am constitutionally

opposed to speeding, but my interest and curiosity, I suppose it was, got

the better of me. 'Step on it and let's see what she can do,' I said to

Harry the driver. 'She is doing her best now,' he answered. Doing her

best at 40? I was keenly disappointed. My hopes were fast fading when

Fred, who sat beside the driver, called back, 'Why she is hitting 76, Mr.

Leland,' he said laughingly. 'You know this isn't an airplane with a

Lincoln Liberty motor.' Perhaps I should have known better had I observed

how swiftly the scenery was passing. My hopes rose. There that car was

running just as sweetly and with as little fuss and vibration and with as

little apparent effort at 76 as it did at 30 and there was none you could

notice at 30. Periodic vibration, which is something that engineers have

tried for years to overcome, was at least absolutely unapparent to me at

any speed. There seemed to be an unusual harmonizing of the various

functions. The car was so steady it seemed to hold the road as if it were

in a groove. I might add in passing that this elimination of the vibration

period was not an accidental accomplishment. On the contrary, it was

achieved only after much research, experimentation, and money outlay.

Elimination of engine vibration, practically to the zero point, is without

question a great stride toward prolonging the life, not only of the engine

itself, but of the entire car. As I said before, I am opposed to speeding,

but when a car is made to possess the many other essentials to a real

performer, power, acceleration, and facile control, then speed is a natural

consequence. You might call it a by-product, the use of which is entirely

at the option of the driver. A little further on the trip, we came to

another stretch, it was pretty rough, several miles of what you might call

de-macadamized road. It was a stretch that ordinarily you would not want

to take faster than about 15 miles per hour, but at 41 we were not

uncomfortable. The situation was more like sailing in a yacht as compared

to a canoe on a choppy surface. There was a most agreeable absence of

side-sway and violent bouncing, no tendency to throw the passengers up and

about. From a standstill, the car seemed to get away with grace and ease,

but with the swiftness of a thrush, rather than the flutter of a

partridge. I believe I have ridden in or on almost every kind of

conveyance from the ox cart to the airplane. Even with all my fond hopes

and anticipations, never did I expect to ride in anything which comes so

near to what I imagined would be the sensation of flying through space

without mechanical means."

The first Model L Tourings would sell for $4,600. By the following

year, certain custom body styles would reach into the $7,000 price range.

This was at a time when Fords and Chevys were selling for under $1,000.

Early Lincoln ads stated only that, "Prices are based upon the highest

class of materials and workmanship, and upon scientific and economical

manufacturing methods made possible by tremendous preparation in labor

saving machinery, tools, and devices, plus knowing how to use them. While

these involved a vast initial expenditure of time and capital, they lend

themselves to minimum production cost in large volume. There will be a

legitimate margin of profit, no more."

The previous two years in the auto making business had set records, but

by 1920 even Pierce-Arrow and Cadillac were experiencing seriously

declining sales. Leland was organizing new dealerships against these

established car companies. The Lincoln dealerships were: Atlanta,

Lifsey-Smith on Peachtree Street; Boston, Puritan on Commonwealth Avenue;

Chicago, Allison-Rood on South Michigan; Cleveland, Fitzgerald on Prospect

Avenue; Dallas, Fosdick-Hawley on Main Street; Denver, Rouse-Stephens on

Thirteenth at Broadway and also in Colorado Springs; Des Moines, Consigny

on Walnut Street; Detroit, Lincoln Motors on Woodward at Palmer; Kansas

City, Weaver on Grand Avenue; Los Angeles, Walter M. Murphy on South Hope

and also in Pasadena; Minneapolis, Templeton on Hennepin; New York, Milton

Budlong on Fifty-seventh Street; Philadelphia, Sweeten on Broad;

Pittsburgh, McCurdy on Baum at Craig; San Franscico, Walter H. Murphy on

Van Ness and Jackson and also in Oakland; St. Louis, McNiece-Hill at Delmar

and Clarenden.

Originally there were fourteen groups in fifteen cities and the factory

sales branch in Detroit. Walt Murphy, a Cadillac dealer in California, had

spoken for two dealerships. These prospective dealers were summoned to the

Lincoln manufacturing facility where the actual negotiations for

dealerships took place. Each prospective dealer was required to put up a

substantial financial deposit and to prove that they either had or would

build adequate facilities for a Lincoln dealership. All of this was done

on good faith and their confidence in Leland's reputation for quality. As

Henry put it, "There would evolve an extraordinary motorcar, the kind the

world had long hoped for."

The fourteen original dealerships were selected from over four hundred

applicants. Additionally, some two hundred applications arrived later,

many with orders attached. There were over a hundred applicants from

foreign countries. Lincoln Motor Company claimed not to have solicited any

dealer, stating that the company had been sought instead. Leland tried to

select and franchise experienced and responsible businessmen. He was

looking for dealers who would cater to the more affluent buyer. The new

dealers were asked to obligate themselves to a $1 million order before they

even saw the Model L Lincoln. Many of the dealers had been in the

automobile business since its inception. They signed up and waited.

Twenty months later, they were summoned to Detroit to inspect and drive the

new Lincoln.

The new Model L Lincolns had matching serial numbers in three

locations. The serial number placard was located on the engine firewall,

under the right-hand hood. (This location can also be referred to as the

dashboard under the right cowl.) The second serial number was located on

top of the transmission bell housing, also referred to as clutch cover, and

may be read by removing the interior floor plate. The third number was

located on the left side of the engine block just below and between

cylinders one and two. Oddly enough, the chassis frame was not

serial-number stamped. Coachbuilders often installed a body style Type

number placard under the right front passenger seat. There was generally

a serial number on this placard, but it was the coach body serial number,

not a Lincoln chassis serial number. During the 1920s, Lincoln delivered

to various coachbuilders some fourteen hundred chassis assemblies (engine,

hood, drivetrain, and frame). Matching serial numbers on these drivetrain

assemblies was usually adhered to, but not always. Lincoln was known for

the interchangeability of its parts. This may have been a habit carried

over from Leland's days at Colt Arms. The old Colt revolvers had matching

serial numbers on cylinder, frame, and butt. Although these parts were

generally interchangeable.

Lincoln's 1920 model year production was 834 automobiles, Types 101

through 150, plus the 122 chassis. Some Lincoln purists claimed that the

September through December models were really 1921 models introduced early,

and they were actually the cars which had been promised for delivery since

early January. There is conjecture as to the exact number of cars produced

in that first production run. Some estimates are as low as 672, but if the

serial number is below 835 it should be considered as being produced in

1920. During the next calendar year, just over 2,100 Model L Lincolns were

produced. (The actual figure was probably 2,123.)

There are several reasons for the uncertainty in these early production

numbers. It depends on what you call a model year, i.e., introduction or

calendar. It also depends on whether you are working from the chassis

serial numbers or actual body number count. The Leland people admitted to

some bookkeeping errors. Quality inspection and rejection of various

subassemblies occasionally messed up the matched serial number system

causing some numbers to be skipped. A few cars were tested and

disassembled, and some company and family cars were not recorded.

NINETEEN-TWENTYONE

By early 1921, Lincoln assemblies were moving like a well-oiled

machine. The Lincoln engineers and dealers had an exceptionally fine

automobile in their hands, so they went looking for ways to get publicity.

In April, a Model L won the Los Angeles to Phoenix Road Race. That summer,

a seven-passenger Touring was entered in the Tour Around Lake Superior,

sponsored by the Good Roads Association. The most notorious of rugged road

races was the Los Angeles to Bishop, California Stagecoach Trail Run. The

standing records for stagecoach travel over this route was nine days, for

train fourteen hours thirty minutes, and for motorcar nine hours twenty

seven minutes. The route began at the Los Angeles dry river canyon

bridge. It proceeded out Tropicana Boulevard to Burbank and on to San

Fernando, climbing up through Mint Canyon Pass. Next, the route traveled

through Acton, Palmdale, and Lancaster, crossing the Mohave Flat to Cinco,

then on to Red Rock Canyon through Little Lake, One Pine, Independence and

Big Pine in the shadow of Mt. Whitney, passing Owen Lake and ending at

Bishop. The route was 285 miles long, climbed to four thousand feet, and

took the Lincoln over rocky trails through desert sand and gumbo mud. The

time for the new Lincoln Model L was six hours, forty minutes flat out.

The driver, W. W. Bramlette, wrote this account in May, 1921. "In

making the record, I used a standard Lincoln Touring car. I consider this

course, especially under the weather conditions as they were, the hardest

test of man and car that I have ever turned. The car did everything I

asked of it. The engine always had something in reserve. The chassis was

capable of standing any road shock I put on it, over bumps that compelled

the car to bounce from wheel to wheel, placing side loads on the running

gear. I have had a lot of road experience, and this car performs far

better than any other car I have ever driven." It sounded a little like

one of those old John Cameron Swayze watch commercials (takes a licking and

keeps on ticking).

Fine coach bodies were now available on the Lincoln, and that summer

prices were reduced slightly to attract more buyers. The Anderson Electric

Car Company and the Towson Body Company, which later became Murray, built

body Types 101 through 105 and the Type 107 on the short wheelbase

chassis. These body styles included the seven-passenger Touring, of which

most had folding tops, and a few had the permanent hardtop or California

Top. There was a massive three-passenger Roadster, a five-passenger

Phaeton, a four-passenger Coupe, and a five-passenger Sedan Brougham. On

the long wheelbase, there was the seven-passenger Limousine, a Town Car, a

a Berline, and a five-passenger Brougham. All of the latter had chauffeur

partitions (rear passenger compartment divider glass). There was also a

popular long wheelbase two-passenger Roadster with a single auxiliary jump

seat. Lang Body Company built one hundred of the two-passenger Brunn

designed Roadsters. The American Body Company built a popular

four-passenger Deluxe Phaeton by Brunn which had no trunk. The J.B.

Judkins Company built three different Types of Sedans and a Berline.

Murray and Lang introduced two new Lincoln custom bodies, the Sedan

Suburban and the Fleetwood Limousine.

Model style terminology was as confusing then as it is today. In

general, "Sport" meant that the top was canvas and it usually had

detachable windows called "sidecurtains," and "Touring" referred to a

four-door open body style. The term "Phaeton" applied to a deluxe body

Touring. "Roadster" was the term used for a two-door two-seater with

collapsible top. Coupe was often pronounced "Coupay."

Dual side-mounted spare tires inset into the front fenders were

optional, and included tire covers of canvas or leather. Many early Model

L Lincolns were produced with single rear-mounted spares. It was also

common to see dual rear-mounted spare tires. The sidemount option became

more popular in the late twenties. Standard factory color choices were

Cobalt blue, Brewster green, Thistle green, Marine blue, and Athenian

green. The interior for open cars was a buffed black leather. Purchasers

of a closed body style could select from several broadcloth options. The

standard equipment list consisted of tools, speedometer, transmission theft

lock, windshield cleanete, power tire pump, hydraulic shock absorbers,

combination tail stop and backup lamp, inspection lamp with cord, rearview

mirror(s), cowl ventilator, clock, cigar lighter, front bumper, rear fender

guards, and spare tire with cover.

After World War I, there had been general euphoria, a utopian image of

world society and a belief that the League of Nations would prevent future

wars. Women had cropped their hair and raised the hemline of their

skirts. Men had gotten rid of high collars and high-top shoes. Automobile

sales had reached an all-time high. But the post-war boom wound down

rapidly. Many who could afford fine cars had already purchased them, and

Lincoln was a little late arriving on the market to get a lion's share of

the post-war sales. The company's goal of making and selling three hundred

cars per month could not be achieved. The best month's production was in

April of 1921 when four hundred cars were produced. The real problem with

the company's goal was the limited number of buyers in the Lincoln's price

range.

Packard, Cadillac, Duesenberg, and Lincoln were all getting some stiff

competition from foreign coachbuilders. Customer desires were less

influenced by salesmanship and marketing than they are today, the

well-to-do demanded and got what they wanted. In Lincoln's favor was the

trend toward larger and more powerful cars. Several years, however, would

pass before America would export more luxury cars than it imported. Even

with Lincoln's sagging sales, they were selling more automobiles than

Peerless, Pierce-Arrow, Cunningham, Daniels, LaFayette, Locomobile,

McFarlan, and Winton combined.

In spite of Leland's reputation for manufacturing, a large number of

body parts and electrical supplies were purchased from independent

vendors. Problems with these vendors slowed production. There was a

strike at the Mullins plant in Ohio which supplied fenders. Lloyd Blunden

was commissioned to set up a new shop in Detroit to supply fenders, but

this took precious time. The development of American automobiles would now

be more gradual. The era of startling new innovations was over. It is

ironic that two of the greatest luxury car innovators, Fred Duesenberg and

Henry Leland, were never greatly rewarded for their efforts.

Fred T. Murphy, nephew of William H. Murphy, held a seat on Lincoln's

board of directors. He became the leader of a dissident group proposing

corporate dissolution of the Lincoln Motor Company. Leland insisted that

the company had turned the corner, and he went to New York in the fall to

obtain additional bank financing. Board members Henry Nash, Lincoln's

corporate treasurer, and Herman Kinnicutt who represented the

stock-offering firm, were opposing Leland.

The federal government entered the fray on November 4, 1921, their

timing could not have been worse. They claimed that the Lincoln Motor

Company had evaded payment of the War Profits tax. The tax bill was for

$4.5 million. It was a shot in the last good leg Lincoln had left.

Wilford Leland was convinced that this tax claim was instituted by Fred

Murphy's group to further drive the price of the stock downward. The

venture had never really shown a profit. Out of that year's production,

only 675 Lincoln motorcars had been sold and delivered. The beginning of

the end was in sight for H.M. and Wilford.

There was little doubt that, had the company been refinanced and

expenses cut, the Lincoln Motor Company could have survived. However, many

of the investors now felt that a redistribution of stock should be made.

This was not in the Lelands' best interest as it would cause him to further

lose control of the company. After November 21st, the firm operated in

receivership with a fight for control in progress.

Henry Ford had viewed Leland's Lincoln with some interest. Ford always

was one for a bargain, and Lincoln looked like a good buy. The entire

company could be bought for less than the car's engineering design cost.

Ford liked the idea of producing cars at both ends of the market spectrum.

Edsel Ford got on the Lincoln bandwagon in a big way because he always

appreciated fine automobiles. Without Ford, Lincoln Motor Company could

only have survived by one of two scenarios. First, if the Lelands had

obtained needed financing or, second, if the Murphy group had been able to

assume the company's debt. Thus, Ford was the only real player in the game

(no one else with enough money was even remotely interested). The nation

was in the grips of an economic recession that would culminate in the crash

of 1929. Ford and General Motors would weather the storm and prosper, but

Billy Durant and Henry Leland would not.

Leland's attorney, Harold Emmons, first approached Ford's chief

engineer, William B. Mayo, and asked him to try and interest Henry Ford in

the purchase or financial backing of the Lincoln Motor Company. Emmons

and Henry Ford met soon afterward in New York's Grand Central Station.

Henry said that he had thought about it, but was not interested. Emmons

put forward some good arguments for the idea, and Ford said that he would

think it over. Two meetings with the Lelands were held at Ford's personal

estate, Fair Lane. After the first, it is said that Clara Ford urged Henry

to, "Do something to help them." Edsel Ford, while playing a round of golf

at the Country Club with friends, reportedly boasted, "Dad makes the most

cars in the world, now I will make the best." It seems out of character

for Edsel to have said this, but if he did not he should have.

From this point on, in the Ford and Leland story, there are two

versions related. Both probably have some basis in truth. The first says

that Ford offered $11 million for the company, and that the Lelands could

stay on to manage the company. Ford would be the sole owner. The Lelands

reportedly turned down this offer because they wished to retain some

ownership, and still held out some hope that they might obtain further bank

financing. They returned to Lincoln and tried unsuccessfully to placate

the Fred Murphy constituency. The second version says that Henry Ford

backed off of the deal completely because he wished to own Lincoln

outright, but would keep the Lelands on. In short, Ford clearly could make

a better deal at the foreclosure sale.

All Fred Murphy's group had accomplished, as they lacked the money to

purchase the company, was drive it into the open arms of Henry Ford. An

appeal on the government tax claim was filed on December 19th, ten days

later the government reduced the bill to one-half million dollars or 12

percent of the original claim. On December 30th, Ford submitted a written

offer for $5 million with a deposit check attached. It was delivered by

Harold Emmons to Federal Judge Arthur J. Tuttle who reviewed the

proceedings on February 4, 1922. The Judge, however, set the sale price at

$8 million, and Ford accepted. Henry Leland remained as president,

actually more as general manager of Lincoln, Wilford Leland was retained

as first vice-president, and Edsel Ford was named second vice-president.

There was a holiday atmosphere at the Lincoln plant as Leland and Ford

shook hands during the ceremonial sale, and the Lelands appeared to have

prevailed. Production of motorcars resumed on February 6th. In all

fairness to Henry Ford, he did not have to retain the Lelands at all. The

Lincoln Motor Company had been purchased outright at foreclosure and was

now a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company.

NINETEEN-TWENTYTWO

In the first two months of 1922, approximately 150 automobiles were

assembled. These were the last of the Lincoln Motor Company cars. By mid

February, Leland was still in charge as manager, but the Ford

"bean-counters" had taken over production accounting. Some early Lincoln

experts have reported that Leland built 3,407 automobiles. Whether this

only includes the January and February production figures or is inclusive

through June, and whether it is based on serial number or actual body count

is not known. It makes little difference, however, since the early Ford

built Lincolns were virtually identical to the Leland Lincolns. The only

modification was to the badge on the radiator shell which was changed to

read "FORD-LINCOLN-DETROIT" instead of "LELAND-BUILT-LINCOLN." Cars with

serial number below 3,152 were probably all assembled by Lincoln Motor

Company and promised for delivery prior to February, 1922.

The Ford Company immediately reduced the Lincoln's selling price by

approximately $1,000. The large inventory of cars would now generate a

quick recovery of capital. There were 241 completed Lincolns on hand,

representing $1 million worth of inventory, plus a large inventory of

automobiles in varying stages of completion. Ford's people began taking

over the Lincoln plant operations. Quality and precision were not

compromised, but the way in which suppliers and personnel were dealt with

was changed. One has to assume that Henry Ford believed that the Lelands

would fit into the Ford Company structure. After all, Ford had saved

Leland's beloved Lincoln, and because of this did not Leland owe him

something for that.

Yet it weighed heavily on Henry Leland that his original shareholders

in Lincoln Motor Company received only two dollars per share on an original

investment price of fifty dollars per share. Additionally, Leland's orders

were often reversed by Ford's people. The final blow came when Wilford got

in an argument with Henry Ford, and Ford fired him on the spot. Henry

Leland resigned from the company he had founded on June 10, 1922. Edsel

Ford became president of the Lincoln Motor Company.

REQUIEM FOR A LELAND LINCOLN

The two Henrys had much in common, from a touch of genius to the

dislike of alcohol and tobacco. Leland was neither a poor or broken man.

He had amassed a considerable fortune from his General Motors stock and

from the profits of the Liberty aircraft engine company. It remained a

personal tribute to Henry Martyn Leland that his original Lincoln design

endured for a decade. Henry Ford, despite his brusque and independent

nature, nevertheless felt an obligation to the industry he now dominated.

He paid off many small vendors, often only getting a handwritten receipt

which he packed away in his infamous shoebox files. It is believed that he

paid out another $4 million, primarily to those with whom he still needed

to do business. Bringing the total purchase price for Lincoln to $12

million ($1 million more than he had originally offered Leland).

Lincoln was a good buy at twice the price. At the bankruptcy hearing,

it was stated that the company had a combined debt obligation of over $16

million. Henry Leland himself stated that the company was worth $50

million. The former LMC stockholders sued Ford for financial recovery in

March of 1924. The matter was in and out of court for seven tedious

years. By September of 1931, Henry Leland personally wrote to the 2,400

former stockholders that, "We have no further recourse under the law." On

March 26, 1932, the creator of the Cadillac and the Lincoln passed into

legendome.

The national economic picture darkened, both Ford and Lincoln were

losing money by the end of 1931. That New Year's Eve, Wilford Leland

crashed a party Ford Motor Company was giving at the Dearborn Laboratory.

"The Great Industrialist," Henry Ford was on the dance floor when Wilford

walked up to him and placed a subpoena in his hand. It dampened the spirit

of the party somewhat, but Henry dismissed it as a ruse. The lawsuit

sought payment of $168,000 on behalf of the Sweeten Automobile Company of

Philadelphia, a former Leland supplier. The specter of that old feud had

once again risen its head, but Henry Ford refused to appear in court and

the case was eventually dismissed.