1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe

By Jay Hirsch

The Lincoln Zephyr was Edsel Ford’s answer to the 1934–36 Chrysler and Desoto Streamlined Air Flows. While the Chrysler Corporation cars were met with lukewarm response by the car-buying public, which resulted in low sales numbers, the 1936 Zephyr was a sensation at the 1936 New York Auto Show.

The Zephyr had a streamlined-tear-drop-shape, unitary-monocoque construction, a small V-12 engine for smoothness, and was the first Ford product to have an all-steel roof. Until then most cars had a vinyl-like fabric stretched over chicken wire and wood slats for the roof. This gave the cars a “semi-town-car-look,” but from the lack of engineering, not from the design studio. The technology involved for stamping out a sold metal roof was just beginning in the mid-1930s. The Zephyr also had headlights mounted flush into the front fenders.  All cars at this time, with the exception of the Air Flows had the headlights in a separate unit mounted on top of the fender

The fact that rear visibility was almost non-existent, given the dramatic shape of the rear of the car was not a factor in the selling of the Zephyr. You drove forward most of the time, and this was the 1930s, when there were no super-malls or the vast number of cars on the road to contend with as today.

As smooth as the Zephyr appeared on the outside it still retained some outdated engineering elements from Ford underneath. There were solid beam axles with transverse springs front and rear and cable-activated mechanical brakes, when the majority of cars had the new and much safer and more reliable hydraulic braking system. It was not until 1939 that Ford finally went with hydraulically-operated brakes, as the three-passenger coupe seen here is equipped with.

The first Lincoln Zephyrs were available as a two-door or four-door sedan. The three-window, three-passenger coupe was introduced in 1937, followed by a convertible coupe and sedan in 1938, and a club coupe starting in 1940. The club coupe had a rear seat, and a higher roof line than the rakish, sexier three-passenger coupe. The coupe was produced from 1937–1942 and the convertible sedan only in 1938 and 1939.

A V-12 267 cid/4.4 liter engine powered the 1936–1939 Zephyrs. This gave the car a top speed of 90 mph while sipping 20 mpg in gas. The Zephyr’s small V-12 engine was developed from Ford’s Flathead V-8 and was unrelated to the previous Lincoln V-12 engines. The side-valve engine was compact and whisper quiet, especially compared to the tall L-head Lincoln V-12, allowing for a low hood. But its V-8 roots would prove troubling, with bearing and crankshaft problems common.  

In 1938 Hydraulic lifters were added to the V-12. The 1940 and 1941 cars used an enlarged 292-inch (4.8 liter) engine, while 1942 and early 1946 models used a 306-inch (5.0 liter). Late 1946 to 1948 Lincolns reverted back to the 292-inch (4.8 liter).   The boring out of the engine to 306 cid made for an overall weaker-constructed-engine.

The original 267-cid engine developed 110 hp and gave the car a top speed of 90 miles per hour. The body was monocoque construction and very rigid, but surprisingly light for its size. The first model had a weight of 3,350 lb 

The first Zephyrs rode on 17-inch tires.  In 1939 the cars came with the new, lower 7.00 x 16 inch tire and in 1941 were offered with the even newer, lower and slightly wider 15-inch tire. It was not uncommon for cars prior to 1936 to ride on 18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels and tires. So much for the new 21st century 18- to 22-inch wheels.

The Zephyr was not only popular with the public but with Easel Ford. Edsel was so “over-the -top” in love with the design, that in 1938 he took this one-step further with the prototype Continental that he had designed for himself.  This was a handcrafted body made from the original Zephyr.  The Continental made its debut in 1939 and is another story. The name “Lincoln” was added to Continental in 1941.

The Lincoln Zephyr seen here is a rare car, not so much for its age but its condition — that being original. The Zephyr, as with Fords of 1934–1940, proved extremely popular with hot rodders and custom people from the late 1940s and 1950s and again today. So much so that relatively few survived into the 1960s unscathed. Given the inherent problems of the small V-12 and the cost to rebuild one, it was much easier and less costly to install a newer overhead valve Cadillac V-8 engine in the early 1950s or a Chevy small bloc V-8 in the 1960s. It was not uncommon for 1948 Lincolns, be they Zephyrs or Continentals, to have had a Cadillac OHV 331 cid V-8 engine installed in 1951 or 1952.

This three-passenger coupe survived mainly because it was owned by a farmer.

He had a large apple orchard in south New Jersey, which to this day is still an agricultural area. Since he lived and worked on his own farm, he was not in need of a car for daily transportation. His Ford pick-up filled that need. But he did need a car to transport his wife and himself to Sunday dinner in town. In the 1930s Sunday dinner referred more to noontime or early afternoon event rather than a dinner a 6 p.m. or later. If he and his wife were to go somewhere with the children, that is what the newly-Ford-created woody wagon was for. The term  “estate wagon” meant just that in the late 1930s!

Sometime in the mid-1950s the car ceased to be driven and was stored in a very well built barn. It was dry and even had heat. Once or twice a year the car was taken out for some exercise.

The current owner, Dave Barclay, whose family has a farm in the area, “got wind”  that the farm and the Zephyr may be for sale. This was 1992. The owner had died two years earlier, and his children had decided to sell the farm and all related objects.

Since they were very friendly with Dave and his family, they asked Dave if they would be interested in buying the farm.   Dave replied, “Only if the Zephyr is included.” They all laughed, as the cost of the Zephyr was a few bushels of apples compared to the 1,000-acre farm.

In 1993 Dave repainted the car, as the dark blue paint was faded. He also rebuilt the motor as a winter project. The interior was well preserved due to a custom of the time: mothballs were placed under the seats when the car was parked in the garage. This is not as uncommon as one might suspect. The interior on the Lincoln is wool broadcloth. It was common practice in the 1920s into the 1950s (and even today) to store winter or woolen clothing with mothballs. The same was done on cars in the 1920s and 1930s with interiors of wool on the seats and door panels. The use of synthetic fabrics in the 1950s did away with this practice

When going for a ride on a warm summer evening the Zephyr cruises effortlessly and silently at 50, 60 or 70 mph. As for the ride, it’s like a 1939 Ford pick up.  On modern highways and paved streets the Lincoln is smooth and silky quiet, but the suspension, which was outdated in 1939, is basically a truck suspension on a passenger car. Any dip or slight irregularity in the road surface and you know you are in a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr and not a new Lincoln Zephyr.

As for the name Zephyr, in the 1930s there was a new streamlined locomotive express train. It was aerodynamically designed, was diesel powered, and brought an end to the steam-engined train. It was the Burlington Zephyr.

In its first year, 1936, 15,000 Zephyrs were sold, accounting for 80 percent of Lincoln’s total sales.  (AP)