CHAPTER FIVE

 

THE CLASSIC SERIES

    "K" Is For King

         Of The Road

 

    Why the new Lincoln model moved up the alphabet instead of down, leads

to interesting conjecture.  Obviously, the L in Model L stood for Leland,

but for the new luxury Ford, the alphabet was ascended to the letter K. 

The real reason was simple, Edsel Ford decided to call it the Model K. 

There were, however, several logical reasons for this choice.  First, the

Model L designation had not been determined by discent as had many other

automobile models.  The Ford automobile and Leland's Cadillac began with

Model A, but there were no A, B, C Lincolns.  The most popular speculation

about this centers around the fact that the new Lincoln was named for the

early Model K Ford which Henry had produced in 1905.  Only a handful were

ever built and sold.  This large Touring was in the line that preceded the

1908 Model T.  Those early models bore almost no resemblance to the famed

Model T Ford, the Tin Lizzie of later years.  In these early years, Henry

Ford had shown little interest in pursuing the large car market and had

focused on developing a car for the masses.

    The new Model K was promoted as a Ford Lincoln and no longer a Leland

Lincoln.  In the early days of large chassis automobiles, the frames

required more bracing than the smaller cars and thus a K-member was added

to provide extra support.  This factor might or might not have had some

bearing on the choice of the model's name.  The English language K is truer

to the verbal sound made for the words car, carriage, and coach than is the

C sound.  Indeed, it is a guttural Germanic sound which connotates power

and force, as in the words king and kaiser.  So if nothing else, it sounded

good.  (The reasoning behind Chrysler's return to the term "K Cars" in the

seventies had nothing to do with series either.  The body bridges used for

mock-up, buck, and layouts are sized by letter.  Thus, when a modern car is

referred to as a "J Car" or "K Car," this indicates the approximate body

size.)

                             NINETEEN-THIRTYONE

    The 1931 Model K Lincoln was a classic example of this era's transition

in automotive design.  It retained the massive antique appearance of the

Model L while incorporating smoother, more modern body lines.  It was the

last Lincoln to use the trade-style, open-center-oval, two-piece bumper. 

It was also the last flat front radiator shell and grille.  The large,

flat, tubular veins in the grille were carried over from the Model L, and

were thermostatically controlled to open and close as before.  The cowl

vents were stamped metal louvers.  This style of louver would be used one

more time on the 1933 Model K cowls, and then phased out for good.

    The 1931 Lincoln was a hybrid.  One might equate it to a Ford that was

midway between the design of a Model A and Model B.  One of the reasons for

the chassis redesign was that coachbuilders had for some years complained

about the Model L chassis being on a 136 inch wheelbase.  It was too short

for some of the more extensive limousine coach bodies.  The new Model K

Lincoln, introduced in late 1930, had a 145 inch wheelbase.  This new

chassis was obviously designed with flexibility in wheelbase and engine

compartment size in mind.  The competition now offered V-12 and V-16

engines and Lincoln was planning to follow suit.  The V-8 engine for the

new Model K underwent some major redesigns.  In fact, many of its parts

were not interchangeable with the V-8 engines used in the Model L.  The

design, however, was still generally based on the old, smooth-running

Leland engine.  It remained a sixty degree V with a 3.5 inch bore and a 5.0

inch stroke.  When Frank Johnson returned to Lincoln from Cadillac in 1927,

many improvements were made to the Lincoln LV-8.  The new KV-8 engine,

redesigned by Johnson, was about the maximum extent to which this engine

could evolve.  The fact that the basic LV-8 design had survived eleven

years of automotive development speaks highly of the engine's advanced

concepts.  Lincoln LV-8 and KV-8 engines have electrical and other systems

that are more akin to GM engines of this era than to the Ford and Zephyr

power plants.

    Lincoln had enjoyed a reputation for high performance from its

inception.  Even the words of a popular country western song lamented,

"Son, your gonna' drive me to drinkin' if you don't quit racin' that hot

rod Lincoln."  The new Model K engine was rated as 120 horsepower at 2800

RPM (some specs say 2900 RPM) or 39.2 rated horsepower.  This was an

increase of 30 horsepower over the Model L.  Engine displacement remained

unchanged at 384.8 cubic inches with a compression ratio of 4.95 to 1.  The

standards of quality and care to which the LV-8 and the new KV-8 engines

were built remained the highest in the industry.  For example, the cam

shaft was subjected to no less than two hundred tests during

manufacturing.  Starting with a 37-pound bar of special alloy steel, the

cam weighed only ten pounds when completed.  Fifty-four mechanical

operations were followed by fifty inspections.  A hole was drilled the full

length of the shaft and then the adjoining oil ports were drilled. 

Processes included hardening, grinding, and polishing.  Every cam and every

bearing was tested for hardness.  Parts were sometimes tested with several

different tools to the same specifications, and the tools themselves were

tested for accuracy.

    The new KV-8 cylinder block was cast-iron.  The intake manifold was

greatly improved over the LV-8.  The redesigned intake manifold went into

the engine block and not through the head as on the LV-8.  A dual throat,

downdraft Stromberg carburetor was installed.  Although common today, it

was considered very innovative at the time.  The DD3 Stromberg had two 1.5

inch venturi with two fixed jets and a seasonally adjustable jet built into

the accelerator pump.  The throttle incorporated a hydraulic return check

action to prevent stalling when the engine returned idle.  This was

important due to the new freewheeling drivetrain mechanism.  A wet-oil-bath

air cleaner replaced the old style turbine type.  An intake silencer was

installed, as was a new smoother-flow exhaust manifold system.  These

innovations made the Model K engine very quiet, as a luxury car should be. 

Fuel pressure was maintained by a new mechanical AC fuel pump which

replaced the vacuum gravity feed system.  Many small engine parts were

chrome plated.  The engine itself was painted a silver gray.  Internally

and externally, all cast aluminum parts were polished.  The Electro-Fog

generator had been discontinued earlier.  This was the last year for the

Kellogg tire pump accessory.  The starter and new independently belt-driven

generator were now Auto-Lite instead of Delco.

    The Model K engine to transmission coupling uses a double disc dry

clutch.  The transmission was synchromesh in second and third with the

lower gear ratios changed only slightly.  The freewheeling mechanism,

mounted behind the transmission, was operated via a pushbutton on the

gearshift lever.  When engaged, the freewheeling allowed the engine to idle

and the car to coast when the accelerator was released, and permited

shifting from second to third without depressing the clutch.  Motor

Magazine rated the new KV-8 powered Lincoln as superior to its

predecessor.  They reported that the acceleration to 25 miles per hour was

12 percent better, and to 60 miles per hour even better yet.  Their road

test also reported that the large Lincoln would coast (free wheel) almost a

mile on level terrain from 50 miles per hour.

    Lincoln and many of the luxury car manufacturers seemed to lag behind

public demand.  The interest in large motorcars had peaked in the late

1920s, but Lincoln was still increasing horsepower and extending its

wheelbase.  The public's requirements in personal transportation were

moving in the opposite direction.  True, those who could afford the comfort

of a Lincoln were certainly not going to give up this luxury.  However,

many traditional large car buyers were purchasing Buicks and the like for

about half the cost.  The new Fords and Plymouths were now reasonably

dependable transportation.  Lincoln would downsize slightly in a few years,

but for Lincoln it was "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead."  The

Lincoln Model K attacked the Depression head on.

    The new Lincoln chassis used a massive channel section structure that

was 9.5 inches deep.  It had a double drop with six heavy cross members

called "cruciform bracing."  The central K-structure was a principle that

would be used on Lincoln chassis for the next three decades.  The wheelbase

was extended nine inches.  The hood and the overall profile of the car was

lowered.  Its large classic, chrome radiator shell came slightly to a

point.  The bowl-shaped headlamps mounted on the fender crossbar with a

fluted oval Cloisonne emblem in red in the center.  Cowl lamps were

standard equipment.  Bumpers were stronger.  The dual trumpet horns were

externally mounted below the headlamps on the cross bar.  It could be

sounded high or low depending upon the direction in which the horn button

was depressed, and was known as a "Town and Country" horn.  The walnut

steering wheel was replaced with a new 19 inch hollow steel wheel with four

spokes.  Better steering was provided by a new Gemmer worm and roller

bearing gear box.  Houdaille double-acting hydraulic shocks became standard

equipment.  The old rod and pivot brake system was replaced by a new Bendix

Duo-Servo brakes.  Front brakes were operated by cables and the rear by

rods.  The high carbon steel drums were ribbed for better cooling.  The

separate rear wheel parking brake mechanism was eliminated.  The wider,

lower balloon tires used 19 inch wheels.  The last Model L had used 20 inch

wheels.  The tire size was 32x6.75 (by the old method of outside diameter

dimensioning) or optional 32x7.00.  The move to 19 inch wheels and later to

18 inch wheels greatly improved the looks and ride of the Model K.  These

cars were being driven less and less on rutted dirt roads, so a high center

was less important.  The new Lincoln was very stable and comfortable.  The

Model K was road tested by Autocar in May of 1931 which rated it as

impressive and advanced.  In fact, the article declared, "the Model K is so

outstanding in performance as to be well within the category of a sports

car."

    In reconstructing production figures for the early Model K, the totals

are as unclear as they were for the Model L.  However, somewhere between

3,311 and 3,592 Model K Lincolns were manufactured in calendar year 1931. 

In all, 3,466 were shipped to Lincoln dealers in the United States.  A new

Model K Lincoln sold for between $4,500 and $5,500 with some special coach

body styles selling for $2,000 higher.  For 1931, the Series 201 body

styles were Types 202 thru 221.  Special orders included sixty-one bare

chassis, twenty-one RHD chassis and twenty-six Special chassis.  In

addition, Rollston ordered three each of the 150 inch and 155 inch

wheelbase chassis.  Contract coachbuilders this year included Brunn,

Dietrich, Derham, Judkins, LeBaron, and Willoughby.  Body styles included

Dual-Cowl and Sport Phaetons, Tourings, Town Sedans (two-window and

three-window), Coupes (two-passenger and five-passenger), Limousines, and

Cabriolets.  A chassis without coach body weighed thirty-five hundred

pounds, and the average completed Lincoln weighed about five thousand

pounds.  A custom Derham Phaeton weighed six thousand pounds.

    One of the most beautiful Lincolns ever produced was this year's

two-passenger Convertible.  It was designed along the lines of a Dietrich

and Judkins Roadsters, but was a one-off custom built by Murphy.  Its

rising cowl and low profile windshield set it apart from other body

styles.  Famed cartoonist Rube Goldberg purchased a new Model K Lincoln,

stating that he was most impressed with the car's long, powerful-looking

hood and cowl.  When Walter Chrysler heard this, he promptly extended the

hood of the Chrysler Custom Imperial, due out the following year.

    Many of the coachbuilders continued to list in their catalogues the

body styles previously sold on the Model L, but only a few were ever

built.  One of these was the Locke Model K Type 191, a stylish Sport

Roadster.  Factory built body styles were Types 202 thru 207.  An

extensively photographed body style was the Dual-Cowl Phaeton Type 202A

with rear-front doors and large curved wind wings.  This car is most often

held up as a typical example of the Lincoln's Model K styling.  Even though

Roadsters and Phaetons received most of the publicity, sedans and coupes

always outsold the sport body styles by more than five to one.  The

coachbuilders had a field day with the new long chassis, turning out no

less than 265 individual custom designs.

    The new longer Model K chassis had a lower center of gravity and gave

passengers a feeling of riding in an even larger machine.  Although

Cadillac had almost doubled its horsepower and gone to a 148 inch

wheelbase, the new Lincoln held its own in the luxury car market.  Cadillac

was outselling Lincoln two to one but, for the model year 1931, Lincoln

sales were off only slightly over the preceding year.  Lincoln design

engineers were hard at work meeting the challenge of the Cadillac and

Packard initiated multi-cylinder race.

    N.W. Ayer & Son, Inc., publicity managers for Lincoln at the time,

touted the new Model K as "Low slung and rakish, expected to be a popular

sight around country clubs and fashionable beach and mountain resorts this

coming summer."  The Lincoln marketing slogan was, "As nearly perfect a

motorcar as it is possible to produce."  Advertising illustrations were pen

and ink line drawings of various Lincoln coach styles in rustic or scenic

settings.  Some had pastel overprints.  A typical lead in one of these ads

read, "When Wheels are Wings."  The 1931 factory brochure was entitled The

New Lincoln.  It displayed twenty standard and custom body styles, had

forty pages and measured 14x10 inches.  The art work was printed in color

with a black background.  An eight-page version was printed with only four

styles represented.  The Salon Catalogue had twenty pages and featured

twelve different body styles.  The first edition had a Murphy Sport Phaeton

illustration and the second edition was identical except that the Phaeton

was replaced by the Locke Sport Roadster.

    In 1930, Ford Motor Company profits had exceeded $40 million.  When

1931 ended, the Company had lost over $50 million.  Lincoln division losses

were $4,615,464 for the year.  It may not be fair to blame all of these

losses on poor sales figures.  Development costs were up.  The new KV-12

engine was just being completed, and the Lincoln chassis had been

especially redesigned the preceding year to hold the larger engine.  The

Ford line was introducing a new V-8 engine and the new Model B body style.

                             NINETEEN-THIRTYTWO

    The year 1932, was to be the year of the Classic Lincoln, with a

capital K.  There was a dramatic change in the Lincoln model lineup this

year.  Models were divided into KA and KB.  The Model KA continued to use

the V-8 engine on a 136 inch wheelbase chassis.  The Model KB used the new

V-12 engine on a 145 inch wheelbase chassis.  Both models shared major

upgrades in styling.  Louvers on the engine cowl were replaced with vent

door panels, five on each side with a matching cabin vent door on most body

styles.  The new cowl doors were controlled by their own thermostat,

independent of the original thermostatically controlled radiator vanes. 

Eighteen inch welded steel wire wheels with matching chrome hubcaps and a

chrome radiator shell were standard.  The hubcaps bore the fluted Lincoln

oval emblem.  The two-piece bumper with the traditional open oval gave way

to a straight, ribbed one-piece bumper.  The cowl lights were relocated to

the top of the front fenders.

    Often the Model KA is thought of incorrectly as the continuation of the

1931 Model K because it offered the same V-8 engine.  Its downsized

chassis, lower price, and limited choice of interior options, however,

introduced it into a new market strata.  The improved Leland V-8 engine was

now rated as 125 brake horsepower at 2900 RPM or 43.2 rated horsepower,

primarily due to an increased compression ratio of 5.23 to 1.  The second

gear in the transmission was upgraded to a helical gear.  This, it was

claimed, made the Lincoln run as quietly in second gear as in third.  The

freewheeling unit, mounted behind the transmission, was retained.  The

Model KA used size 7.00x18 tires.

    There were nine factory standard (Murray-built) bodies offered, plus

the standard bare chassis and the RHD chassis.  The factory offerings were

the two-passenger and four-passenger Coupes, Town and Victoria Sedans, a

Phaeton, two Roadsters and two variations on the Sedan Limousine.  The

Model KA Lincoln Series 501 body Types were numbered 502 through 510.  The

Model KA radiator shell was a carry-over from last year's Model K.  Thus, a

dual marketing approach was begun, similar to the practice followed on

Fords throughout the 1930s.  The grille work was comprised of long,

vertical tubes.  The Model KA Lincoln emblem differed only in color from

the Model KB emblem.  These oval emblems were mounted on the headlight bar

and on the hubcaps.  The Model KA interior appointments were rather plain. 

Prices started at a low $2,900, an obvious response to slow economic

conditions and stiff competition.

    These Model KA Lincolns would be the last Leland based V-8 engines ever

built.  This engine design was completing a twelve-year production run. 

Cadillac and Packard had now developed smoother running eight-cylinder

engines.  Engineer Peter Heldt, in 1915, had theorized that a sixty degree

V-8 engine with an uneven firing order would run more smoothly than those

in production at the time.  Leland had proved this theory and Ford had

perfected the design with quality and excellence, but the LV-8 engine

always had a mild secondary imbalance.  The unique fork-and-blade

connecting rods did, however, offset this problem to a great extent.  The

roller-type valve lifter concept had been used on aircraft engines before

being adapted to the LV-8.  All of these engine refinements were

implemented to overcome early, crude manufacturing techniques.  (To produce

a two-plane crank, the shaft has to be forged in a flat plane, and while

the metal is hot, the two throws must be bent exactly into place.  All of

this is a tricky process even with today's modern equipment.)

    By May 9, 1931, Ford engineers Jack Wharam and Fred Wilborn, under the

supervision of Frank Johnson, had tested the first Lincoln KV-12 engine. 

They had been working on the new engine for over a year.  Six days after

the static run, it was installed in a test car.  The new Lincoln KV-12

engine was introduced to the luxury car buying public in November of 1931. 

It was called the "Lincoln Twelve Model KB" for the 1932 market promotion. 

In his biography Frank Johnson related how decisions were often made at

Ford, "Edsel and Henry Ford would walk through the shops with men hard at

work.  They occasionally stopped to sit down, prop their feet up and talk

over something.  Edsel generally had a good idea of what he planned for the

Lincoln and, of course, Henry was more preoccupied with the Ford product

line."  At any rate, the decision was made to go with two series of

Lincolns for the model year 1932.

    The new Model KB was on the longer 145 inch wheelbase, and powered by

the newly designed massive V-12 engine.  Weighing in at over a half ton

(1,070 pounds), the engine had a displacement of 447.9 cubic inches.  It

developed 150 brake horsepower at 3400 RPM, which translated into a 50.7

license horsepower rating or 292 foot pounds of torque.  The cylinders were

cast at a sixty-five degree V angle.  The material chosen for the engine

block was a close grained gray iron alloy.  This iron alloy contained 15

percent steel, 1 percent nickel and a .5 percent of chromium.  The 3.25

inch bore was held to a machine tolerance of .0005 of an inch.  The stroke

was 4.5 inches.  The polished and balanced crankshaft weighed ninety-one

pounds when completed.  There were seven bronze babbitt main bearings and

eight cam bearings.  The four-ring aluminum pistons were matched to within

.25 ounces per set.  The combustion chamber had 1.875 inch diameter offset

valves.

    In many ways, the new KBV-12 was an enlarged and updated LV-8.  It

still used the fork-and-blade rod design.  The compression ratio matched

the current KAV-8 engine at 5.25 to 1.  Stated in Ford terms, this is 103

PSI.  The "Lincoln Twelve" was superior to those engines being used on

current model Duesenbergs and other luxury cars.  The KBV-12 engine was

supported at three points by large rubberized motor mounts, and equipped

with torsional vibration dampers at the front of the engine.  The exhaust

manifolds went forward, then under the engine for quietness and with less

heat transmittal into the driver compartment.  The Model KB was equipped

with a 28-gallon fuel tank.  The crankcase held 12-quarts of oil as

compared to the V-8 engine's 10-quarts.  The cooling system on both engines

had a 34-quart capacity.  Both of the Lincoln Model K engines used dual

ignition systems.  The 135-amp 6-volt battery was relocated to the engine

compartment.  There were, however, a few drawbacks to the new KBV-12

engine's design.  For example, due to the placement of the valve lifters,

the manifold had to be removed in order to adjust the valves. 

Additionally, manufacturing and cost problems were caused by the shear

physical size of the engine.  The multitude of steps in its manufacture and

testing made these engines costly to produce.  (Large displacement engines

require greater gas-air velocities through the venturis, ports, and valves

to assure good throttle response under a high-torque, low-speed condition. 

Big valves and large carburetors only help at high speeds.)

    The brake system was vacuum assisted as well as being adjustable from

the steering column for summer and winter driving.  The Bragg-Keisrath

vacuum brake unit had been especially designed and produced for the

Lincoln.  Standard tire size on the Model KB was 7.50x18.  The 145 inch

wheelbase had a turning radius of approximately 26 feet.  The

semi-elliptical suspension springs were 42 inches long in the front, and 62

inches in the rear.  The average body's overall length was 214 inches. 

Rear axle ratios were 4.23 to 1 standard with optional 4.58 or 4.90.  An

average Lincoln, when completed, weighed between 5,600 and 5,900 pounds.

    The radiator shell on the Model KB was more massive than the one on the

Model KA.  Its crown was rounded and the grille came more to a forward

point.  In overall styling, however, the Models KB and KA were very

similar.  Two large trumpet horns faced forward under the headlights.  The

Model KB used the same thermostatically controlled cowl doors and radiator

louver vane arrangement as the Model KA.  The two piece V-type windshield

was used for the first time on some of this year's body styles.  The grille

bar mounted oval Lincoln emblems background was blue on the Model KB and

red on the Model KA.

    The body styles offered for the new Model KB were Types 231 through

250.  The Model KB body serial numbers started approximately where the

previous year's Model K had left off.  There were no Lincoln body Type

numbers 222 through 230.  Murphy of California had been building fine

custom bodied Lincolns for several years and was now recognized as an

official factory coachbuilder for the Type 232 Dual-Cowl Sport Phaetons. 

There were 2,132 Model KA and 1,515 Model KB produced in 1932.

    The "Red Journals" are hardbound hand-posted ledgers which were

maintained from the very beginning of the Model L.  They are now in the

custody of the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village Archives in Dearborn,

Michigan.  They show that Model KA and KB Lincolns were not always shipped

with matching serial numbers.  When a given power plant did not perform to

certain road test standards, it was recycled or scraped.  For example,

Model KB serial number 1630 had engine case 1469, and Model KA serial

number 72004 had case 49607.  Lincoln Model KB serial number 1014 had its

engine replaced with serial number 1633, Model KB serial number 1325 was

replaced with 1636, and so on.  The last Model KB with the large V-12

engine was completed in late June of 1932, and was shipped in early July. 

Partially completed Model KB chassis were quickly modified to begin the

1933 model production.

    For the model year introduction at New York's Commodore Hotel, the

Lincoln brochure had not promoted the new Lincoln as a Model KB.  Instead,

the brochure was entitled Lincoln Twelve Cylinder Motor Cars.  The model

lineup was officially described by the Lincoln Motor Company, a Division of

Ford Motor Company, in their tan and gold catalogue for 1932.  It stated,

"There is a brilliance, comfort, and luxury with twenty-five body types

ranging from $4,300.  This motor car establishes more than ever the

preeminence of the Lincoln name."  The Type 234A two-window and the Type

234 three-window Town Sedan versions had sweeping, flowing lines with

V-windwhields, long hoods, and low bodies.  The five-passenger Coupe Type

236 offered wide doors for ease of rear-seat entry and individually

adjustable front seats.  The five-passenger Sedan Type 235 had a center

rear-seat armrest and two fold-out opera seats.  The Type 237

seven-passenger Limousine's rear passenger compartment, with partition

glass, had hideaway rear auxiliary seats and a robe rail.  A reading lamp

was provided for the chauffeur's compartment.  All of these body styles

used rear-mounted spare tires.  A rear-front door arrangements soon became

a Lincoln tradition.  The body Type number 231 identified a chassis only.

    For the more sporting, there was the Sport Phaeton four-passenger Type

232 with a rear-seat compartment inlaid with pewter.  It offered upholstery

of hand-buffed leather, and was available in brown or black.  The tonneau

cowl on the Sport Phaeton was optional.  The door windows form a large

quarter circle mating the front and rear windshields, as in the earlier

Type 202.  These body styles were originally offered by the factory, and

subsequently contracted out to Murphy.  Only forty-three were built, but

the Sport Phaeton remains one of the finest examples of classic Model KB

body styling.  The seven-passenger Sport Touring was "designed for long

distance touring.  A large family with luggage could travel comfortably in

it."  Seven-passenger seating meant two in the front, two in the rear

auxiliary seats, and three in the rear seat.  As with the Phaeton and the

Sport Touring, most Model KB body styles featured dual sidemounted spares. 

Thus, a large travel trunk could be mounted on the rear bumper rack.

    LeBaron's Convertible Roadster with coach bar top irons was a sleek,

streamlined design for its time.  The manual folding top mechanism operated

easily, folding away to a very low profile so as not to obstruct the rear

view.  A small curb side door accessed the large trunk for easy stowing of

items such as golf clubs.  This Type 248 Roadster was listed as a

two-passenger or four-passenger body style.  Actually, the second two seats

were the rumble seat (or dicky).  This body style was a continuation of the

previous year's very popular Type 214.  The Convertible Victoria Type 247

by Waterhouse was a five-passenger Continental style coupe.  Its large

rear-mounted metal chest (trunk) was finished in the body color.  With its

low profile top design, "it converts quickly from a dashing open Phaeton

into a snugly enclosed Victoria."  This popular Victoria design was the

first Lincoln factory-recognized Waterhouse custom body.  The Roadster Type

249 by Murphy had a completely concealed top which hid away under a hinged

lid.  "It combines streamlined appearance with the protection of an

enclosed coupe and a low center of gravity."

    Dietrich produced three Salon offerings for the Model KB.  The

Convertible Sedan Type 241 five-passenger "combines the luxurious comfort

of a closed body and the flashing grace of an open Touring.  It can be

transformed into a chauffeur-driven formal car with closed rear compartment

or used as a dashing family sedan."  The windshield was of the V-type, set

at a rakish angle parallel to the lines of the front door.  The top on this

Convertible Sedan could be folded completely below its belt line.  The

center posts between the windows were detachable.  The Sport Berline Type

240 was a formal closed body design of the non-convertible style which had

a padded roof simulating a convertible top.  Its windows were encased in

frames which dropped out of sight, and covered by automatic lids.  The

Sport Berline's interior trim was severely tailored.  The rear passenger

area had moldings of rare wood, built-in toilet cases, and a smoking set. 

The rear seat back folded forward for access to the rear deck compartment. 

Both of these Dietrich sedans had front opening doors (suicide doors) in

the front.  The Dietrich Coupe offering also had front opening doors.  The

four-passenger Coupe Type 242A and the two-passenger Coupe Type 242B had

graceful airflow lines with V-type windshields.  The front pillars were

cast of manganese bronze, small sections of great strength which allowed

minimal restriction to forward viewing.  These body styles were offered

with a rear luggage compartment or rumble seat.  This basic Dietrich coupe

design was carried over into the l933 Chrysler coupes.

    The Judkins Coupe Type 244 was said to be, "a distinctly personal car

for the owner-driver."  The inclined single-piece windshield afforded

freedom from rear window headlight glare.  This coupe was especially boxy

for a Dietrich design.  A rumble seat was optional.  The other major

Judkins Salon offering for the Model KB was the Berline, which was

available in two and three-window sedans.  These body styles, unlike the

coupes, featured the V-type windshield.  The two-window Berline Type 243A

was, "an ingeniously designed motorcar that can be owner-driven or used as

a formal limousine."  The sedan featured the new "coach sill" lines which

continued the high beltline styling, giving the appearance of added

length.  The Judkins three-window Berline Type 243B was, "a highly

desirable motorcar due to its metropolitan smartness."  Both sedans had

padded roofs, and the two-window body style had added decorative coach

bars.  Door arrangement was front-front.  The interior glass partition

could be cranked up or down, and the interiors offered novel extras such as

a hand mirror, a notebook holder, a wireless (radio), cigar lighter, map

pockets, bookshelves, center armrest, and auxiliary seating.

    Brunn and Willoughby each had two offerings for the new Lincoln Twelve

Cylinder Salon.  The all-weather Brougham Type 239 by Brunn, "a finely

developed line of motorcars worthy of their high tradition."  This Brougham

could be converted into an open drive by lowering the front windows and

folding the canopy top out of sight behind a panel in the roof above the

partition window.  The all-weather Cabriolet Type 238 by Brunn, featured

"simplicity of line, dignity, and exclusivity," marking it as a formal Town

Car.  Its rear quarter leather top could be lowered and the front

compartment converted into an open drive.

    The Limousine Type 245 by Willoughby was, "in keeping with the

formality of its function.  Its elegant equipage being dignified and

conservative."  Curved coach sill, slanted windshield, and sweeping lines

created an impression of long, low luxury "an impression reinforced by the

wide, deeply cushioned, seven-passenger interior."  The Panel Brougham Type

246 by Willoughby was a four-passenger coach.  "Elegant and correct," its

sweeping downward-curving sill was a distinguishing characteristic

reminiscent of carriage days.  The door arrangement was front-front, and

the open drive Panel Brougham's was rear-front.

    There were eighteen Type 231 chassis, three specials, ten RHD, and one

150 inch Model KB chassis shipped in 1932.  The latter was probably a

Silver Knightstown Hearse.  The April 13, 1932 issue of Business Week

reported, "The 1932 auto battle will be fought on a price basis."  The May

25th issues also carried an article entitled, "The 1931 automobile year was

better than expected."  Indeed, the luxury car market had peaked in the

late 1920s.  Fifty percent of the Big Iron on the road was now over five

years old.

    The headlines on most Lincoln display ads read "The Lincoln 12" with a

scroll border.  Simple pen and ink drawings of a single body style remained

the vogue.  Six major factory brochures were offered for 1932.  The

two-color Model KA catalogue was sixteen pages long, and featured seven

body styles, its second edition added a Roadster to the lineup.  A smaller

Model KA catalogue was twelve pages.  The Model KB had three catalogues:  a

gray hardcover edition with forty-eight pages, and illustrations of

twenty-one standard and custom body styles; a blue hardcover Salon

catalogue was thirty-eight pages long showing sixteen custom designs; and a

black and white version showing four popular body styles.  A manufacturing

brochure describing many of the techniques used in building the Lincoln was

also printed this year.  It was very similar to the one printed three years

before for the Model L.  Several pamphlets described various options and

features.

    Autocar and Motor magazines reported that the new Lincoln KB Twelve had

been road tested at the Brookland track in England.  This banked oval track

was similar to the old brickyard race track at the Indianapolis Speedway in

that it was rough and demanding.  The magazines reported that the Model KB

cruised easily, almost hands off around the course.  Top speed was recorded

at 95.74 miles per hour.  Best lap speed was 89 miles per hour.  Low gear

was found to top out at 31 MPH, and second gear at 51 MPH.  The zero to

sixty test was accomplished in 26 seconds flat.  One of the reports went on

to comment that the suspension and vacuum boosted mechanical brakes were

totally adequate for the heavy Lincoln KB.

    The Soviet government reportedly ordered four hundred Model KA

Lincolns, for use by tourists and foreign dignitaries.  It was, however,

reported that Stalin himself preferred Packards.  Whether these units were

included in the Type 505 and/or 507 production figures for this year is not

clear.  The Model KB is considered by many collectors to be the most truly

classic motorcar of all the Lincolns.  For the total two-year run, there

were 2,132 KAV-8, and 1,515 KBV-12 door-cowled models produced.  The lower

priced KAV-8 had proved the more popular model.  Ford engineers were

already hard at work designing a new V-12 engine for the Model KA.  It was

the end of an era, and the Leland V-8 passed into the annals of automotive

history.  Ironically, Henry Martyn Leland died on March 26th of this year. 

He was age eighty-nine.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYTHREE

    In 1933, the development of the Model KA and KB was the result of two

familiar market forces.  The Model KA had been developed as a result of

economic pressures, and the Model KB as a result of pressure being brought

to bear by the competition.  Ford engineers developed an all new 381.7

cubic inch V-12 engine for the 136 inch wheelbase Model KA.  The Model KB

remained on the longer 145 inch wheelbase, and retained the 447.9 cubic

inch V-12 engine.  The oval Lincoln cloisonne emblems continued to identify

the Model KA with red, and the Model KB with blue backgrounds.  (This large

and small concept is not unlike the marketing lineup used with the 1980s

Lincolns, i.e., Town Car and Continental.)  The new Model KA met the

competition head on.  Lincoln now had a V-12 model on the market at $400

less than the Cadillac V-12, and $700 less than the Packard V-12.

    The Model KA and KB Lincolns both had V-12 engines, but Cadillac was

now offering a V-16 engine.  Ford engineers may have considered a V-16

engine on the drawing board, but there is no indication that such an engine

was ever seriously looked at for production.  The logical extension of the

V-8 engine would be a V-16 engine instead of a V-12, but it never evolved. 

The Leland V-8 had been too massive for extended cylinder development.  The

KBV-12 would be the last Lincoln engine to use the fork-and-blade design,

which permitted one rod to straddle the opposite crank throw when using an

opposed rather than a staggered firing order.  The new KAV-12 used

techniques pioneered on the small Ford V-8.  This made the engine much

lighter in weight, and less expensive to manufacture.  It had a 381.7 cubic

inch (6.2 liter) displacement, and developed 125 brake horsepower at 3400

RPM.  The new design was a 67 degree V with a 3.0 inch bore and a 4.5 inch

stroke.  Valves were smaller than the earlier V-8 and V-12 engines.  The

cast-iron blocks were bored with the cylinders offset.  There were only

four main bearings compared to the seven on the big Twelve, a main bearing

between every other crankshaft journal instead of between every one.  The

engine was thus shortened to about the same length as the KV-8 which it

replaced.  The double-sided rod bearing used with fork-and-blade were no

longer required.  Ford did not go to the poured babbitt rod bearings which

were now being used by most engine manufacturers.  Instead, they used an

advanced concept of replaceable insert bearings.  Designer Johnson kept

much of the rest of the engine old-fashioned and conservative.  The timing

chain still operated the accessories, the crankcase and cylinder block

remained separate pieces.  Auburn, Packard, and Pierce had abandoned these

design concepts several years ago.  Cylinder heads on the new KAV-12 were

cast-iron and detachable.  Intake ports were smaller.  The engine used a

Stromberg EE22 dual 1.25 inch barrel, downdraft carburetor.  The new small

KAV-12 engine almost equalled the torque of the big Twelve at low RPM, but

did lack the top end capability of the Model KB engine.

    Edsel Ford had instructed the sixty-one-year-old Frank Johnson that,

"When you have some ideas that you think are good, call me (Edsel).  I will

come down and we will discuss them."  The first order of priority, Johnson

knew, was to phase out the Leland engines.  This had now been accomplished

on the Model KA.  Layoffs at Ford had left Lincoln with only two engineers,

Wharam and Willborn.  They went to work on a more powerful 65 degree KBV-12

engine with the objective of modernizing and downsizing it.  Other engine

experiments were conducted on improvements like oil coolers, aluminum

heads, oxide pistons, and copper plated steel bearings.

    Henry Crecelius, who joined Ford in 1926, had just supervised the

completion of Lincoln's own new coach works facility.  Edsel had hired

Crecelius from Brewster & Company saying that, "His (Crecelius')

conservative taste in coach designs parallels my own."  Herman Brunn and

Ralph Roberts, however, felt that Crecelius was overly conservative. 

Sometimes, when trying to sell a marginal design to Edsel Ford, these

designers would trim or paint their proposed automobile design in gray

(Edsel's favorite color).   There was a wide choice of colors for 1933. 

Bodies and fenders were finished with fifty-nine quarts of paint.  The

traditional paint scheme of colored bodies on black fenders had been

discontinued, and two-tone paint schemes were available.  Standard color

choices included Rhodenite Tan, Sunstone Brown, Paris Gray, Ascot Maroon,

Jade Mint, and Birmingham Green.

    G. Henry Stetson, manufacturer of the famous Western style hat, had

purchased a 1932 Berline Sedan by Judkins.  In 1933, he ordered a matching

Model KB Coupe.  Both Lincolns were two-tone brown, light and dark.  Even

the chrome radiator shell was painted to match the body.  Stetson lived on

a sprawling Spanish estate near Salmar in California's San Fernando

Valley.  His Rancho El Sombrero covered much of what is now Griffith Park. 

The cars were purchased through the Coberly Lincoln dealership on Vine

Street in Hollywood.  In those days, poor Mexican farmers still roamed the

streets of what are now shopping centers and subdivisions.  Stetson, like

many Lincoln owners, enjoyed the finer things of life but did not want to

flaunt his wealth.  This was the reason for painting the grille shell, and

the choice of a rather drab paint scheme of Rosewood and Thorn.  Brown also

showed the dirt of the ranch roads a little less.  The interior of

Stetson's Model KB was tan English wool broadcloth with wool pile

carpeting.  The instrument panel was wood grain, and the fascia was

polished stainless steel.  The gear shift and brake lever as well as the

steering wheel column were chromed, which was standard on the Model KB for

this year.  The car measured 18 feet 2 inches in length.  (It was privately

owned in California today, and was in excellent original condition.)

    A Lincoln Model KA Type 513A Convertible Roadster was restored by a New

Hampshire collector.  Finished in Ascot Maroon with black belt line and

silver pinstriping, the car had coach irons on the light canvas top with

matching sidemount covers.  Luggage rack and dicky with steps were

installed.  (According to an article in Cars & Parts, which featured this

luxury sport Lincoln a few years ago, the car sold for $85 in 1940   It was

now a show car and most of its driving was restricted to short on and off

trailer trips.)

    At first, the luxury car manufacturers hoped that the auto market would

turn around.  Response varied from manufacturer to manufacturer.  Cadillac,

for example, dropped its open-bodied Tourings.  The company soon introduced

the lower-priced LaSalle, and the Fleetwood was reduced in size.  Packard,

on the other hand, retained its expensive lineup continuing the Eight,

Super Eight, and Twelve for two more years.  The Dietrich V-type windshield

Sport and the LeBaron Phaeton are examples of fine coach body Lincolns that

fell by the wayside during this period.  In fact, Pierce-Arrow at Buffalo

never restocked their 1931 custom body Tourings after the supply ran out. 

Afterwards, Packard stayed mostly with formal sedans and limousines from

that time on, offering only one soft-top body style.  Even Lincoln scraped

the large Model KB the following year.  The Franklin automobile company had

already gone into receivership, and by May, the Marmon company declared

insolvency.  Stutz would cease automobile production in about a year. 

Chrysler was selling the luxury Imperial only by special order, mostly to

political personalities.  Auburn and Cord downsized leaving the Duesenberg

floundering.  Those coachbuilders who remained in business cut back, and

laid off talented workers and designers.  The age of custom body automotive

artistry was at an end, and time would show that the 1920s had been its

apex.

    By the end of the year, successful coachbuilders like Holbrook, Locke,

Merrimac, Waterhouse, and Weymann-American had all closed their doors. 

LeBaron was doing mostly design consulting work.  Derham and a few others

offered budget Town Cars on Ford and Plymouth chassis.  Some took on

automobile dealerships.  Brunn, Judkins, and Willoughby managed to keep

going on Lincoln's business.  The new buzzword was "alteration custom" body

work (a concept that remains with us today).  Since the lines of most major

automobiles were plain vanilla, many small coach shops sprang up to install

leather padded roofs, vanities, custom seating, and Cabriolet tops.

    The coachbuilder's relationships with the manufacturers had been

established early in the automotive era.  For example, coachbuilder Angus

Woodbridge was Henry Leland's son-in-law.  In 1922, after Ford's takeover

of Lincoln, sales manager R.C. Getsinger had continued the policy of using

custom coach houses, so that even though Lincoln now had in-house coach

facilities, the custom catalogue body styles were still available to

prospective buyers.  Eventually, Herman Brunn was hired by Ford at a salary

of fifty thousand dollars a year to coordinate the entire Lincoln custom

body line.

    A typical Model K body was hammered from one-sixteenth inch aluminum to

fit over a complex framework consisting of no less than 250 wooden parts. 

The wood itself was yellow birch and white ash.  Parts were cut to shape,

not formed by steam heat, so they retained their shape with age.  The

fittings that held the wood were forged bronze, which were more durable

than the white cast metal used by lesser quality coachbuilders.  There were

over sixty cast aluminum braces within the body's framework.  Some two

thousand screws were hand-installed during fitting of the coach body and

interior trim.  Lincoln used only solid, hand-finished mahogany trim in the

interiors.  The Pierce-Arrow, Packard, and Cadillac Eights used stamped

metal parts with artificial wood grain finish.  Lincoln advertisements

read, "The tap of a coin will reveal its hollow construction and a scratch

will show that it is imitation."

    A typical completed Model KB coach was six feet tall, five feet wide,

and eighteen feet long.  Lincoln ads suggested, "The rich conservativeness

of the Lincoln body design does not become antiquated.  The Lincoln lines

remain as richly distinctive with the passing of years as those of a

colonial mansion, a fine piece of Sheffield silver, or well built

furniture."  Workers at the Warren Avenue plant in Detroit worked to the

highest standards of their trade.  A good day's production at Lincoln was

about fifty cars.  This did not change until the introduction of the

Zephyr.

    Exact production figures for the 1933 Model K are clouded.  Reports set

the range from a low of 1,707 to a high of 2,210.  It is possible that the

Russian order of four hundred automobiles was still being filled during

1933.  Henry Ford was the quintessential American capitalist, yet he had

been well received by the Russian government, either for what he did or

what he could help Russia do.  Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company

established a manufacturing facility in Russia in 1926.  The major early

output of this factory was trucks (some of which are operating in that

country today).  The Lincoln standard Sedans which Russia ordered were

produced by Murray, and were shipped by overseas freighter to Europe.

    The Model KA body styles were Types 511 through 520, most of which were

designed and produced by Murray.  Several of these models had a distinct

LeBaron-Dietrich design influence.  The body styles for the Model KB were

Types 251 through 267, plus assorted custom builts like the Types 2197 and

1308.  No new Lincoln coachbuilders would be authorized from this year on. 

The new Lincolns had smoother, but more austere lines.  Both models sported

a new, larger, chrome radiator shell and wire mesh grille which covered the

thermostatically controlled vertical radiator louvers.  The radiator itself

was more pointed, and it sloped rearward at the top in a snow plow effect. 

The front of the fenders curved inward and met just under the radiator. 

The headlights were mounted between the radiator shell and fender, the

badge bar was omitted, and the center emblem was displaced.  The fluted

oval Lincoln emblem was now mounted neatly on the chrome radiator shell

crown, about three inches below the filler cap.  The red and blue (KA and

KB) background color scheme for the cloisonne emblem was continued.  The

horns were moved inside and concealed behind the grille.  (The "badge bar"

was actually a top front fender brace used on most automobiles since 1910. 

In addition to stabilizing the fender, it provided for the mounting of

headlamps, horns, and decorative badges.)  Oddly, the cowl vents reverted

to stamped-out slotted louvers.  This was, however, their last year to be

used on any Lincoln.

    The Gorham chrome greyhound remained as the Lincoln radiator filler cap

ornament, and would do so until the end of Model K production. The one

piece dual-rib front bumper now had a slight dip in the center.  Early in

the year, a few body styles slipped through with the old straight front

bumpers.  The rear-deck luggage rack was restyled.  The only major body

change was the conversion to valanced fenders.  This style of fenders

follow the curve of the tire to create a more modern looking boxed-in wheel

well.  Most luxury car competitors had converted to this style of fender

the year before.  Lincoln switched to the valanced fender in mid-February,

after the model year introduction.  An offer to retrofit all of the cars

delivered without them was made through Lincoln dealerships.  Any owner

desiring to change over would be provided the new-style fenders.  A letter

to dealers, however, implied that such requests should be kept to a

minimum.  The valanced fender style was also referred to as "skirted."  (A

few years later, the term "fender skirt" took on a different meaning,

suggesting the full covering of a wheel well.)

    A double drop was still built into the frame for a lower center of

gravity.  The gas tank capacity was reduced slightly from 28 gallons to 26

gallons.  Standard tire sizes were 18x7.00 for the Model KA, and 18x7.50

for the Model KB.  Most accessories were common to all body types, for

example the Waltham speedometer and the Trico vacuum-operated windshield

wipers.  Other standard equipment included the Auto-Lite starter and

generator, dual Auto-Lite CE-400K coils, K-S Telegage gas gauge, and AC

Type I vacuum fuel pump.  The KAV-12 crankcase had a ten quart capacity of

oil while the KBV-12 held twelve quarts.  The electrical system was

negative ground, unlike the Ford and Zephyr.  The new Model K instrument

panel cluster was composed of three circular groups, and the speedometer

indicated up to 110 MPH.  Freewheeling was optional this year, and the

control lever for it was relocated to the instrument panel.

    The often-told story that the first White House Lincoln was a 1924

LeBaron Touring cannot be substantiated.  More likely, it was a Ford

company car provided for President Cal Coolidge's use.  The 1923 Lincoln

Touring photographed with British Prime Minister Lloyd George displayed a

Virginia license plate.  The first documentable Lincoln at the White House

was a 1933 Model KA five-passenger Phaeton purchased by the Secret

Service.  President Franklin Roosevelt, on several occasions, switched from

the White House Packard or Pierce to the less showy Model KA Lincoln when

riding in parades.

    The economic recession was worldwide, overseas shipments were down

considerably.  Only four RHD Model KA and three Model KB were exported in

1923.  Seventeen Specials, including one 155 inch wheelbase were

delivered.  The odd numbered Type 2197 was a Dietrich two-passenger Coupe

similar in style to last year's Type 242.  Eight of these were built. 

Judkins also offered an out of sequence type number, the Type 1308

seven-passenger Sedan Limousine.  It is not certain if any of these were

built.

    Ads for 1933 were simple line drawings featuring a particular body

style.  Ad copy read, "More than you could ever expect, even of the

Lincoln.  This new Lincoln 12-136 with full equipment from $2,700 at

Detroit."  The new Lincoln Twelves were on the 145 inch wheelbase, and were

the most luxurious Lincolns ever built.  They were priced at $4,200 FOB

Detroit.  Like the design of the Model KB, the quality of the Lincoln

brochures reached an all-time high.  The Model KA color brochure featured

ten body styles and had twenty-eight pages.  The Model KB, also in color,

featured twenty body styles on forty-eight pages.  Both came in matching

printed envelopes.  A hardbound custom catalogue featured twelve custom

body styles.  A second set of smaller sixteen-page brochures was also

printed.  The Model KA brochure showed ten body styles while the Model KB

contained nine.  The only brochure to illustrate the valanced front fender

was a color folder printed on stiff paper featuring the Model KB Phaeton

with the new fenders.

    The Model KB coach work and finishing was the finest yet, making these

Lincolns possibly the most traditionally classic and elegant of all.  The

automotive writers used phrases like, "Cathedral  hush ride... for town or

touring... something out of the ordinary... and tremendous performance." 

But, the economy left this beautiful motorcar and its unqualified luxury

waiting at the altar.  These classics passed into the pages of automotive

history with very low production numbers, which is one reason why they are

scarce and expensive today.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYFOUR

    In 1934, Lincoln offered only one engine for Models KA and KB.  Both

were now referred to as the Model K, there were no exterior differences

between the two, and for all practical purposes the two model concept had

been abandoned.  The new Model K Lincolns had full skirted wheel well

fenders, and smaller cone-shaped headlamps.  Radiator shells were painted

to match the body color.  Parking lights remained atop the front fenders,

but were smaller and more pointed at the rear.  The side-mounted spares

were enclosed in a full metal case.  The engine cowl vents once again

returned to the thermostatically controlled doors that had first been

introduced in 1932.  These vent doors, sometimes referred to as hood

shutters, were screened inside and the mechanical mechanism had been

improved for better operation.  The sloping or torpedo trunk line

introduced on the sedan body styles matched the sweep of the rear fender. 

The Series 521 was on the 136 inch wheelbase, and the Series 271 on the 145

inch wheelbase.

    The upgraded KAV-12 engine, now used on both models, had a bore of

3.125 inches and a stroke of 3.50 inches, resulting in a 414 cubic inch

displacement engine (6.8 liters or 6784 CC).  This displacement was midway

between last year's two V-12 powerplants.  The new improved 67 degree KV-12

engine performed better, ran more smoothly, and developed the same 150

brake horsepower (46.8 rated HP) as the heavier KBV-12.  Rating RPM was

3800 (some specs state 3400 RPM) giving the Model K a top speed of 96 MPH. 

The new engine turned in much better fuel economy figures.  Special engine

features include aluminum cylinder heads, and a water pump-driven oil

cooler to regulate engine temperature.  Oil coolers were being extensively

used on aircraft engines of the era, but this cooler differed in that the

oil lines were water cooled.  The engine's compression ratio was 6.28 to

1.  This was relatively high for the grades of gasoline available, but a

new 70-octane ethyl gasoline was introduced about this time.

    The new KV-12 engine used replaceable copper-lead rod bearings on all

but one of the four main bearings.  The number four main bearing needed to

be stronger because it takes a major portion of the engine thrust.  The new

bearings were more resistant to overheating and thus less susceptible to

burnout.  The older Babbit metals have a melting point of approximately 300

degrees Fahrenheit while the new copper-lead types could withstand 750

degrees.  (Babbit bearings were used in most automotive engines from their

early inception.  The process of making soft bearings had been developed by

Isaac Babbit, a goldsmith, in 1853.)  Normal engines create temperatures

very close to the 300 degree mark when overheating.  The changeover to the

new bearing metals greatly increased the burnout safety margin. It also

allowed a reduction from seven to five main bearings on the new KV-12

engines.  Allison (the aircraft engine division of GM) had developed the

steel strip bearing for Liberty aircraft engines.  By the early 1930s, many

automobile engines were incorporating its use.  Within three years, Ford

and Lincoln would combine the properties of the steel strip and copper-lead

bearings to produce the first high-load-withstanding engine bearings.

    The new KV-12 engine was 4.5 inches shorter and one inch narrower than

the old KBV-12.  A shroud was installed behind the radiator and filled the

air gap on the longer KB chassis.  Freewheeling was optional on the short

wheelbase (KA), but standard on the long wheelbase (KB).  This standardized

the use of drive shafts.  The same drive shaft could be used on the 145

wheelbase with a freewheeling gear box as on the 136 wheelbase without.  A

shorter old-style drive shaft was used on the KA chassis when the

freewheeling option was installed.  An extra cross tube was added to the

145 inch wheelbase chassis for extra support.  The two-shoe expanding

brakes were modified to anchor at a single pivot pin.  This modification

and the vacuum boost system were needed for adequate high-speed braking.  A

shock damper was mounted forward of the left front spring.  The steering

linkage was increased in length which provided more leverage.  The new

single-plate clutch required less pedal pressure.  Engine accessories for

this year's Lincoln were the Stromberg EE-22 carburetor, the Auto-Lite

distributor IMG-4002A, and dual CE-4001L coils.  Other accessories were a

speedometer by Waltham, a temperature gauge by King-Seeley, and a wiper

motor by Trico.  The Exide-type X-21L 6-volt battery was standard.  The

fuel system used a Type I, AC vacuum pump.  The starter and generator were

built by Auto-Lite, and the starter drive was made by Bendix.  Original

equipment spark plugs were No. 7 Champions.  The engine cooling system

capacity was 32 quarts, the crankcase held 10 quarts of oil, and the gas

tank had a 26 gallon capacity.

    One might argue that the new KV-12 engine was cheaper to produce since

the block was now poured like a Ford V-8 in a single cast process.  True,

it was less massive, but many improvements like valve seat inserts and heat

exchangers tended to keep the costs high.  The production of one engine

instead of two was certainly advantageous, but at these low production

volumes the cost savings were negligible.  The new engine was simply

lighter and more efficient.

    Some Model K enthusiasts contend that the 1934 Lincoln was actually not

two models, but rather a single model with optional wheelbases.  This may

have been Lincoln's advertising plan and management's intent.  However,

poor sales in 1933 had left a large inventory of Model KA and KB chassis. 

So even though both were now Model K Lincolns using the same engine

configuration, there were two distinctly different chassis.  Two factors

seem to confirm this:  first, the gap between the KB radiator and the new

KV-12 engine; and second, the 136 inch chassis serial numbers were KA1501

thru KA3176, and the 145 inch chassis were KB3001 thru KB3744.  This was

corrected in 1935 when the serial numbers began rather arbitrarily with

K3501.

    The three large instrument clusters on the panel remained unchanged,

but the dial faces were new.  Interior appointments were slightly better on

the long wheelbase model (KB).  The Lincoln front doors did not have wing

vent windows.  However, the previous year General Motors had introduced

their "No-Draft" vent window, so the Lincoln door windows were modified to

move slightly rearward (vent position) before rolling down.  The deluxe

interiors had a combination dome light and air vent.  The asymmetric

headlamps permitted the driver, via a switch, to tilt the left headlight

separately for night courtesy passing.  The vacuum booster for the brakes

could be adjusted from a dash mounted control.  Dual top-mounted windshield

wipers were standard.  Very few V-type windshield body styles such as the

Judkins Limousine were built.

    The Murray custom bodies, the lowest-cost coach bodies in the line,

were dropped this year.  The Lincoln factory custom coach facility was now

building a greater percentage of the standard bodies produced.  In fact,

only Brunn, Dietrich, Judkins, Willoughby, and LeBaron remained as

"authorized" Lincoln coachbuilders.  Of course, one could still order a

bare chassis and have it custom built anywhere.  Only twelve Series 271 and

one Series 541 were so ordered.  There were seven Special coaches built at

the Lincoln facility, all were short wheelbase (KA).  Ten RHD chassis were

exported, five of each of the wheelbases.  Most of the new coach body

styles had less interior head clearance, which lowered the overall profile

and greatly improved the looks of the sedans.  Dual sidemounts were

optional, but most Model K Lincolns came equipped with them as they greatly

enhanced the looks of the car.  A single rear-mounted spare was standard

equipment.

     Literature and brochures for the Model K were fewer in 1934.  The

standard catalogue was twenty color pages and illustrated eleven body

styles.  The custom body brochure was eight pages and had nine full-color

plates of various body styles.  It was printed in both glossy and matte

finish versions, the latter being somewhat scarce as a collector's item.  A

forty-eight page booklet on how the Lincoln was built, "The Story of

Lincoln's Inevitable Leadership," was published.  The style of ads which

ran in popular magazines was changed shortly after new model introduction. 

Ads at model introduction hyped a $3,200 starting price, but quickly

departed from the low-price theme of the previous year, moving toward

opulence.  Pen and ink drawings of various coach body profiles were shown

parked in minimal but classically scenic settings.  The backgrounds often

had a Roman or Greek architectural flavor.  These renderings appeared in

black and white as well as in pastel colors.

    Body styles included the Lincoln coach works Touring Type 273, Sedan

and Limousine Types 277A & B on the short wheelbase (KA), the two-window

and three-window Sedan Types 543 & 544, and a Coupe Type 545 on the long

wheelbase (KB).  Brunn offered two styles of Cabriolet the Type 278A & B,

also a Brougham Type 279, and a five-passenger Convertible Coupe Type 280

on the short wheelbase chassis.  Brunn built a Convertible Victoria Type

547 on the long wheelbase chassis.  Dietrich's entries were a Roadster Type

280, and a Convertible Sedan Type 281.  LeBaron's designs were the Roadster

Type 542 with dicky, a Convertible Sedan Phaeton Type 546, and a Coupe Type

548.  Judkins built the Berline Types 283A & B in two-window and

three-window versions.  Willoughby built only a seven-passenger Limousine

Type 285, but it was the single best seller of the contract coachbuilts for

this year.  The Lincoln custom catalogue advised that Roadster and Touring

styles were special order items.  At least one Henney Motor Coach

conversion was built this year in Freeport, Illinois.  Henney had became

famous for their custom Packard coachbuilts.

    The large luxury Lincolns, it is said, were more at home on Grosse

Point or a Newport Estate than in Miami Beach or Hollywood.  However, Fred

Waring, Bing Crosby, and W.C. Fields all purchased new Lincolns in 1934. 

Fields and Crosby both selected LeBaron Type 267 Convertible Roadsters. 

The successful luxury car marques were faced with one of three choices in

the dwindling market:  they could be carried by a large company's economy

line, i.e., Ford, GM, and Chrysler; they could produce a toned-down,

cheaper version and ride along on their good name to impress purchasers,

i.e., Packard and Cord; or they could go out of business, i.e., Franklin,

Marmon, and Stutz.  This year saw the introduction of the DeSoto Airflow. 

Art Deco was in, and Classic Renaissance was out.  The Briggs Zephyr was

off the drawing board, and rumors were flying about a new "Baby Lincoln." 

Lincoln and Packard would hold onto their classic sweep fender line one

more year, but the end of the large traditional luxury car was in sight.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYFIVE

    The year 1935 ended the classic Model K Lincoln's sweep styling.  It

was the last year for top-mounted windshield wipers.  The body was moved

forward on the chassis.  The torpedo trunk line, along with the lower

windshield and headlamps, moved the focal point forward so that the Model K

appeared to be in motion while sitting still.  This was a marked departure

from the heretofore familiar "beast at rest" impression.  The Series 541

was on the 136 inch wheelbase chassis, and the Series 301 was on the 145

inch wheelbase.  The 500 Series body Type numbering would end with this

year's production.  Serial numbers were K3501 through K4919, and did not

denote wheelbase length.  The body was moved nine inches forward on the

short chassis, and four-and-a-half inches forward on the long chassis.  The

result was to move the rear seat passengers forward off the rear axle,

providing a more comfortable ride.  This also permitted a lower center of

gravity, and improved the Lincoln's handling qualities.  Modified front

springs softened the Lincoln's ride.  Roadability was further enhanced by

the installation of an anti-sway torsion shaft stabilizer.

    The radiator cap, upon which the Gorham greyhound perched, was

eliminated.  The hood ornament was mounted on a chrome base.  The radiator

filler cap was relocated to under the hood.  The grille face consisted of a

chrome honeycomb mesh with a center vertical bar and a chrome bar border. 

A new Lincoln logo appeared for the first time this year on the upper

right-hand grille.  It was about three inches round and read LINCOLN V-12

with a blue background for the long and red for the short wheelbase.  It

became the accepted emblem for all of the later series Model K Lincolns. 

The cone headlamps and the radiator shell were painted to match the body

color.  Headlights used the Hall prefocused lamp.  These smaller headlight

shells were often referred to as "bullet-style" in contrasts to drum, cone,

and bell styles.  The cowl doors (hood shutters) were slightly larger and

mechanically improved.  Front fenders were larger, and bumpers smaller. 

Two bumper guards were mounted front and rear.

    Safety glass was standard in all windows.  The front windshield cranked

out at the bottom on most models.  The instrument panel was completely

redesigned with two large dual clusters located directly in front of the

driver.  Radios were the single most popular option after heaters which

were not standard on models of this era.  This decade introduced many new

developments in mobile radio receivers, particularly in DX (long distance

reception).  Space was now provided for a radio in the center with a newly

restyled instrument panel.

    A larger and deeper glove box was installed on the passenger side.  The

flat portion of the panel was accented by four horizontal chrome strips. 

The optional clock was mounted at the center of the left (engine group)

cluster.  Upholstery selections were plush, and had the overstuffed

appearance popular on period furniture.  The steering column and hardware

were highly polished steel on most interiors.  The anti-theft steering

wheel lock continued to be standard equipment on all Ford built

automobiles.  The Model K gearshift was floor-mounted, and would remain so

until the end of its production in 1939.  Late in 1935, however, the

emergency brake handle was relocated from the floor to under the dash.

    The engine received a newly designed camshaft, which improved its

performance, but primarily quieted the running.  A cartridge-type oil

filter was installed.  The manual spark control mechanism was removed. 

Automatic vacuum advance had proved very efficient.  Needle bearings were

installed on the clutch lever helping it to operate more smoothly.  A

complete new exhaust system was installed.  Lincoln designs had been

plagued with exhaust system complaints since the early Model L days, and

these modifications were directed at heat dissipation and noise reduction. 

The KV-12 continued to be rated at 150 brake horsepower, now officially at

3800 RPM.  The 46.8 rated horsepower at the higher RPM figure was actually

too conservative.  Improvements to the transmission were the addition of a

rear support used mainly to stabilize the drive train.  Helical gears in

second, and high allowed them to synchronize and thus shift without a

cling.  The wheel size was reduced one inch from 18 to 17.  The tire size

was 7.50x17 for both wheelbases.  The front and rear treads continued to be

60 inches through to the end of the Model K production.

    Indicators from the year were now proving out.  Lincoln was losing

money and market share trying to produce a more economical Model K.  The

cheaper body styles were dropped, and new beginning prices were $1,000

higher than at model introduction the year before.  Indications that

marketing was moving in this direction had been perceived in the previous

year's change in advertising approach, and ads were continued along the

same motif.  It was clear that the introduction of the Briggs-Tjaarda

Zephyr would cause Edsel Ford and others to conclude that the big car must

now make it, or fail, at the high end of the market.  Unlike cheaper cars,

these luxury automobiles were not traded-off every two or three years.  As

in Europe, these coachbuilt models might remain in a family for a decade or

more.  Both new demand and replacement demand for them was dwindling.

    Fewer models were offered in 1935.  Only Brunn, LeBaron (now Briggs),

Judkins, and Willoughby remained as Lincoln coachbuilders.  Raymond

Dietrich, whose two 1934 designs had only sold twenty-five each, also threw

in the towel.  His company was absorbed by Murray, but even they were no

longer producing Lincoln bodies.  LeBaron produced a Convertible Roadster

Type 542, and a Convertible Sedan Phaeton Type 546 on the short wheelbase. 

The Convertible Sedan was also available as a Type 307 on the long

wheelbase.  By far the largest number of coach bodies were built by the

Lincoln factory, specifically the two-window and three-window Sedan Types

543 and 544.  A Coupe Type 545 was also built on the short wheelbase.  The

factory builts on the long wheelbase were the seven-passenger Sedan and

Limousine Types 303A & B.  Fifteen seven-passenger Tourings Type 302 were

built.  Brunn offered four body styles, Judkins three, and Willoughby two. 

There were twenty-three RHD units shipped, fifteen special order

coachbuilts, and nine bare chassis delivered.  One of the latter was used

for a custom coach body by James Cunningham Son & Company of Rochester, New

York.  Yet, another was custom-converted into a Silver Knightstown by that

Indiana body company.

    Lincoln produced only 1,411 units all year, an all-time production

low.  Because of Lincoln's narrow upper end market appeal, literature was

sparse.  The forty-page color catalogue displayed seventeen body styles. 

Interior illustrations were rendered in a misty, artistic gray.  In the

second edition, the print quality was improved slightly.  Two 5x6 feature

catalogues were also published.

    Sad but true, it was the beginning of the end for the big Lincoln. 

Lincoln had produced more V-12 luxury automobiles than all other V-12

builders in the world.  Backed by the Ford dynasty, the classic Lincoln

motorcar could have continued until today, but alas they were practical

men.

                             NINETEEN-THIRTYSIX

    In the year 1936, "streamline" was the new buzzword.  The influence of

the Trifon, Sterkenburg, and Delahaye was apparent in automotive designs. 

The Model K was no exception.  The Series 320 introduced a radical new

fender design on the prestige Lincoln.  They were known as "pontoon"

fenders.  The headlamps were placed still lower between the cowl and

fender, in an area sometimes referred to as the "catwalk."  The radiator

grille shell continued to be painted the same color as the body.  It was

rounded even more than before.  The hard-mounted Greyhound could be

correctly referred to as a hood ornament instead of a radiator cap

ornament.  The grille mesh was coarser, with more pronounced horizontal

bars.  The windshield sloped backwards seven more degrees, reclining at 27

degrees.  All body styles used the swept-back rear deck.  Fold-up rear

luggage racks were installed on most body styles.  Closed and convertible

body styles had low windshield lines and flat top profiles.  This, combined

with the large teardrop fenders, gave the Series 320 Lincolns a unique and

almost cartoon-like appearance.

    Windshield wipers were moved to the bottom of the windshield, and were

driven by single linked motor rather than top-mounted dual motors.  The

fluted steel wheels with large hub caps also helped modernize the

appearance of the Model K.  Metal cased dual sidemounted spares, although

considered optional, were installed on most cars delivered.  One would be

hard-pressed to find a promotional photograph of a 1936 Lincoln without

them.  The emergency brake handle was located under the left side of the

dash in the now familiar location.  Two-door and four-door sedans had an

enclosed rear trunk, accessed through the rear seat.  It was referred to as

a "locking package compartment."  The Brougham and other body styles

offered a spacious tool compartment under the front seat.  As in the past,

interiors in the seven-passenger body styles had auxiliary rear seats. 

Some of these seats folded away into the back of the front seat.  Heater,

clock, and radio were optional.

    Engineering changes for the year were few, but evolutionarily

functional.  It has been said that early Lincoln engineers would not so

much as move a rivet without a good reason.  In the transmission gear box,

the first gear was changed to a helical gear like second and high. 

Freewheeling was discontinued altogether.  Shackles were installed at both

ends of the front springs.  A radius rod was used to align the front end. 

The steering gear ratio was increased which eased steering the heavy car,

but made it less responsive.  The number of engine motor mounts were

reduced from five to four.  This allowed the KV-12 to absorb torque better,

and was the direct result of having discontinued freewheeling.  Full

floating axial rearend ratios were 4.23 to 1 standard, 4.58 to 1 and 4.90

to 1 optional.  Engine serial numbers had stopped at K4919 last year, and

were now K5501 through K7014.  It was becoming an accepted practice to skip

blocks of serial numbers when beginning each year's new Series Lincoln. 

This was probably the result of the Model, Series, and wheelbase confusion

of the previous four years.

    The influence of streamlining had affected everything from washing

machines to locomotives.  It is true that a boxy car probably has greater

wind resistance than an airflow design.  However, the average speeds at

which automobiles of this era performed rendered the benefit negligible. 

The coefficient of drag (air resistance) is cubed, not squared as many

believe.  Thus, an airplane or automobile at 120 MPH has triple the drag of

a vehicle at 60 MPH.  At higher speeds, these older engines developed

considerably more horsepower due to the high RPM.  This largely offset any

economies of low drag.  Thus, most streamlining was more for aesthetics

than for functionality.  It is doubtful that any of the streamlined

automobile designs produced in the 1930s were ever subjected to serious

wind tunnel tests.

    Magazine advertising continued along last year's theme.  It was

tasteful and simple, some of the prettiest watercolors ever produced for

automotive ads.  The color catalogue was forty pages and featured eighteen

body styles.  There were several different Series folders printed for

mailers.  Most of Lincoln's advertising centered around the introduction of

the new Zephyr, but the Model K as a result received increased attention

also.  A three-folder grouping featured drawings by well-known

illustrators.

    The Series numbers began with 320 in 1936 (the 1935 Model K had ended

with Type 311).  Type 321 was a 145 inch wheelbase bare chassis, and Type

322 denoted the 136 inch wheelbase bare chassis.  As had become common

practice, the factory coach works produced the high volume sellers, mostly

Sedans and Coupes.  It is hard to know whether the phasing out of the

contract coachbuilders was a cause or an effect of the dwindling Lincoln

production figures.  In retrospect, one might conclude that having a dozen

or so coach shops pushing your product line could only help sales. 

Factory-built short wheelbase body styles for the year were the Coupe Type

326, two-window and three-window Sedan Types 324A & B.  The long wheelbase

styles were the Sedan and Limousine Types 327A & B, also a Touring Type

323.  Only a handful of these Tourings were built each year.  They now had

large crank-up wing windows for front and rear windshields, with side

curtains that snapped in between.  These Touring body styles weighed

approximately 5,276 pounds.  They looked much like the now-infamous German

staff car with canvas and top bows folded rearward.

    The coachbuilt offerings were the non-collapsible and semi-collapsible

Brunn Cabriolets Types 329A & B.  These and the seven-passenger Brougham

were built on the long wheelbase.  On the short wheelbase, Brunn designed a

beautiful five-passenger Convertible Victoria.  Its popularity was not

reflected in sales, however, only ten units were ever built and delivered. 

It was one of the higher priced body styles selling for $5,500.  LeBaron,

Judkins, and Willoughby offered the same body styles as the previous year. 

Type numbers for the Series 320 Lincolns ranged from 321 through 341. 

There were fifteen factory custom orders and nineteen RHD chassis shipped. 

Total production was 1,514 automobiles.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYSEVEN

    For 1937, the Model K was further modernized with the introduction of

the Series 350.  Except for a few unusual offerings like the Brunn Touring

Cabriolet, the Model K Lincolns were beginning to look like a luxury Hudson

Teraplane.  The roof bulged up emulating the lines of the front fenders,

and the rear deck sloped in scheme with the lines of the rear fenders.  The

new top was all-metal.  The most immediately noticeable features were the

headlights, which mounted in the fenders like those of the Zephyr.  Dual

filament headlight bulbs were used for the first time.  The two-piece

windshield came to a point at the molded peak of the forward roof line. 

The grille motif was the same as last year's, but the mesh pattern was

slightly different.  The round Lincoln logo was about three inches round,

and mounted on the upper right-hand grille mesh.  All body styles had a

pronounced body mold line, which swept from cowl to trunk.  The

runningboard was enclosed by the doors coming nearly to the top of the

step.  The trunk opened from the rear, concealing a standard spare tire. 

Dual side-mounted spares were still optional, without them the new body

styles looked pretty much mid-market.  Something was needed to dress up

these cars, so whitewall tires became standard equipment.  The interiors

offered were rich broadcloths and curly maple garnished moldings.  Rear

seat cigar lighters were added to the options list.  Model prices were

increased slightly, and production figures continued to decline.

    The major mechanical improvement was the installation of hydraulic

valve lifters in the KV-12 engine.  This made the engine run more quietly,

but necessitated changing the oil regularly.  In the period prior to HD

grades of oil, the lifters would otherwise sludge up and stick.  An engine

oil filter had become standard equipment a couple of years earlier.  The

engine was moved further forward on the chassis, the motor mounts were

modified accordingly.  These engines had never been known for their top-end

performance, even though the speedometer dial now read to 110 MPH.  The

Lincoln's large, heavy body dictated a need for good low-speed response. 

In the days of no automatic transmissions, driving around town required

less gear changes with good low-end power.

    The 1937 Model K can be correctly referred to as Series 350.  They were

offered in short 136 inch wheelbases and long 145 inch wheelbases in most

body styles.  The body Type numbers as well as the Serial numbers (K7501

through K8490) were intermixed between the two chassis lengths.  The Series

300 Model K had began with the 1935 long wheelbase bodies which were Types

301 through 311.  Both chassis lengths used the Series 300 Type numbers the

following year which were 321 through 341.  This year's Series 350 body

Types were 351 thru 375.  The 1937 Type number set would conclude the

Series 300 Model K Lincolns.

    Willoughby managed to obtain orders to build four Panel Broughams Type

373, which sold for $7,050.  The Brougham had a high, squared roof,

compartment and a chauffeur's compartment.  The custom four-passenger

Judkins Coupe used an unusual sweep on the rear passenger windows,

extensively modifying the mold line.  Durham made several coupes which they

named Town Victoria.  The prominent feature of this Victoria was its curved

door lines.  The Lincoln factory coach works produced its usual lineup of

Sedans.  Brunn offered five body types, LeBaron four, Judkins three, and

Willoughby three.  Because of the very few ordered (eleven total), the

factory contracted Willoughby to build the Coupe Type 356 and Touring Type

353.  Total production for the model year was 990 units.

    The U.S. Secret Service purchased a Model K Type 302.  President

Franklin D. Roosevelt was photographed riding in this Lincoln during a

motorcade, on the occasion of his visit to the Los Angeles Coliseum.  The

1933 White House Pierce-Arrow V-12 followed the Lincoln in the motorcade. 

The Secret Service also purchased a Type 363A LeBaron Convertible Sedan

with partition, serial number 8238.

    There was no change in the style of display advertising which ran in

popular publications.  Literature was the traditional full-color catalogue,

forty-four pages showing nineteen body styles.  A series of smaller folders

was also printed.  The kind and quality of materials used in building the

Lincoln were heavily advertised, for example, 60 square feet of sheet

aluminum, 161 pounds of cast aluminum, 321 feet of high grade lumber, 59

quarts of paint, and so forth.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYEIGHT

    Actually, 1938 was the last year of Lincoln Model K production.  The

Series 400 numbers which began this year continued unchanged through to the

end of Model K production.  They were Types 401 through 425.  Type numbers

401 and 402 were reserved for long and short wheelbase bare chassis, but

none were so delivered.  Early Series 400 cars still had last year's

grilles.  After these were used up, the grilles originally meant for this

Series were installed.  The new grille had fewer horizontal bars, eighteen

instead of thirty.  The thermostatically controlled cowl doors were

discontinued.  Horizontal veined cowl shutters were fixed in place. 

Stainless steel moldings extended the full length of the body.  Chrome door

handles were replaced with stainless steel so as to better match the body

molding.  Larger trunks were the trend.  Many sedan body types added rear

bulges, a styling trait popular with other makes of the period.

    These later KV-12 engines were much better performing than their

predecessors of a year or two earlier.  This was the result of slightly

modifying the cam when the hydraulic valve lifters had been installed. 

Specification sheets continued, however, to rate these engines as 150

horsepower at 3800 RPM.  The transmission became fully synchromatic or

synchromesh via some minor modifications.  It was now almost impossible to

clash the gears when shifting the large Lincoln.  The number of ribs on the

brake drums were increased for better brake cooling which helped prevent

high-speed fade due to brake overheating.

    An interesting custom Model K was built by LeBaron at the request of

the Knox Lincoln Dealership of Buffalo, New York.  The back end and top

were standard LeBaron Sedan Convertible, but the front fender headlights

were fully faired-in (probably due to the Zephyr's influence), not pop-eyed

like the current production models.  The grille and catwalk looked very

much like the LaSalle's.  The stretch to the front fenders and hood

resembled what would later become known as the "Continental look."  This

custom Lincoln was featured in an early issue of Special Interest Autos. 

The 1937 Michigan license plate on the car bore manufacture number 30,

probably LeBaron-Briggs as Ford's number was 22.  A later photograph shows

the car with the owner's 1938 New York license plate, and a chrome nose

plate with aeroplane hood ornament had been added.

    Judkins offered a two-window Sedan Berline.  Its rear passenger

compartment was very posh and private.  The Sedan's doors all opened

forward (front-front).  The Lincoln factory coach works produced the Sedan

Types 402A & B, also the Limousine Types 407A & B.  For the Sedan body

style Type 404, the "A" meant two-window and the "B" meant three-window. 

However, for the Type 407 the "A" meant without partition, the "B" meant

with partition.  Brunn built four body styles, a Convertible Victoria Type

408, two Tourings Types 425A & B, and a Brougham Type 411.  The Touring

Cabriolet had a front-front door arrangement, and was not particularly

impressive in styling.  It and the Willoughby Brougham were the two

highest-priced body styles, just over $7,000.  Judkins and Willoughby

offered three each, and LeBaron offered four body styles.  As no bare

chassis were shipped, one-off customs by non-authorized coach shops were

nonexistent.  No RHD chassis were shipped this year, due in part to the war

clouds hanging over Europe.

    Magazine advertising was of the same motif as the previous several

years.  Except for an original design proposal and the art work of the

custom coach houses, these ads were the best of all the color drawings of

Lincoln body styles.  This year's ads were more scenic, with detailed

renderings appearing in the art work.  The color catalogue was mostly an

updated version of the past year's.  It was also issued in a special

hardbound version.

    The interior appointments of these cars were super plush.  New

selections in upholstery were offered on the standard factory body styles. 

A rheostat mounted on the instrument panel now operated the Lincoln's

interior lighting.  The serial numbers were K9001 through K9450.  Prices on

the average Model K were increased $350.  This was the year the archer

(Pierce-Arrow) quilled his arrows.  The big Lincoln had out lasted them

all, but the large luxury car market itself seemed no longer to exist.

                            NINETEEN-THIRTYNINE

    The 1939 Model K Series 400 would become known as the '39-'40 models

because sales had declined so far that not all of the big Lincolns were

sold until well into 1940.  One factor affecting sales was that Lincoln

introduced its own competition for the Model K.  The Series H Types 32 and

36 (forerunners to the Zephyr Custom Types 31 and 32) were offered as a

luxury limousine replacement for the Model K.  The new Zephyr Continental

Cabriolet, it was hoped, would also appeal to the Model K sport style

purchaser.  Edsel Ford is reported to have said, "We did not stop making

luxury cars, people just stopped buying them."  If he did not say it, he

should have.  A popular myth associated with the end of the Model K

production was that the blue cloisonne Lincoln emblem, mounted at the upper

right of the grille mesh was produced this year in black to mourn the

passing of the Model K.

    As to production figures, the exact numbers were lost in the rush to

Zephyr production.  By serial number arithmetic, there would have been 223

units produced.  By custom body count, the number would have been 133

units.  By various other accountings, there were 120 total units produced,

or 120 units each year for a total of 240 units.  The Series 400 Type

numbers were identical to the 1938 body Type numbers.  Only one each of

seven different type numbers were produced of the thirty-three body styles

offered (rare ones-of-a-kind indeed).  The only two styles produced in any

quantity were the factory built seven-passenger Sedan and Limousine Types

407A & B.

    A couple of minor mechanical changes were incorporated near the end of

production.  The pressed steel wheels were reinforced.  There had been

several incidents of the steel wheels bending during high-speed turns.  No

wonder, due to the five thousand-plus pounds of automobile.  On the

backside of the rim, steel spokes were welded into place.  There was also a

modification to the Stromberg carburetor.  The engine maintenance manual

does not record the part number of the modified carburetor, but no matter

as they were interchangeable with the standard EE-22 model.  Tire size on

the Model K remained 7.50x17 even though the Series H had adapted the 16

inch wheel.

    The most famous Model K of all was a 160 inch wheelbase Convertible

Limousine by Brunn.  Its overall length was 258 inches.  Officially called

a parade car, it was shipped to the Ford Alexandria branch on September 29,

and delivered to the White House on December 1, 1939.  This Brunn Limo was

leased to the government for a minimal fee, thus beginning the

identification of Lincolns as America's Cars of State.  A story on this

Lincoln was featured in Old Cars Weekly, and is also described in the book

Presidents on Wheels.  The Secret Service called it "Ol' 99" for its

license plate number, but the world knew it by its nickname, the "Sunshine

Special."  In his younger years, President Roosevelt had been an avid

yachtsman and enjoyed the open air. This Brunn convertible was his car of

choice during fair weather.

    The Sunshine Special was returned to the Ford Rouge plant for

modifications in 1942, and was extensively overhauled.  Armor plate and

extra-thick safety glass were installed.  The car weighed 9,300 pounds

after modification.  It was refitted with the current (26H) Series H

grille, headlights, and Art Deco ball and spire hood ornament.  The

blackwall tires were the bullet-resistant self-sealing type.  The car

traveled many miles by rail, and was flown to Yalta and Casablanca. 

President Harry Truman used the car until 1950.  It presently resides at

the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

    There was a 1941 Model K on the drawing board which was, of course,

never produced.  The drawings of a Sedan resembled a Model H Type 32

Limousine with long hood and Continental style fenders.  Its wheelbase

dimensions were proposed to be 145 inches.  The greyhound on the hood

ornament was crouched low, and resembled a stalking panther.  The factory

bays used to produce the custom built Model K were soon filled with custom

Zephyr Cabriolets which would become known as Continentals, and the 1941

Model K never came to be.

    The last factory-produced literature on the Model K, printed in May,

1939, was a brochure illustrating a green seven-passenger Sedan.  The

regular Lincoln Catalogue was the same as last year's with the date

changed.  One additional two-color folder was printed.  There were a few

early magazine ads for the model introduction which were identical to those

of the previous year.  By spring, however, all pictorial ads were

discontinued.  The ads that did run were of the best quality matte

background, tan on gray, bordered in silver.  A small frontal silhouette of

the Model K in black with a white greyhound was the last of the Model K

Lincoln ads to ever run.  One of these final ads said it all, "Here is a

motorcar so distinguished for comfort, safety, and dignity that it belongs

with your finest possessions.  It will be your pride long after far places,

not yet visited, have become familiar."