Driving one of Ford’s “thoroughly continental” cars

by Sam Barer

During the 100-years of Ford celebration, it is very easy to forget that most of the company’s best cars were not developed on Henry’s watch. Heck, many of Ford’s best creations never even wore the famed Blue Oval.

One such model is the famed Lincoln Continental. Back in 1938 Henry Ford’s son Edsel approached his styling team to create a one-off “thoroughly continental” luxury car to serve as personal transport while on winter holiday in Florida. The result was a long European-styled convertible, complete with a rear-mounted spare tire built on a Lincoln Zephyr platform. To power the car, engineers used the Zephyr’s 292 cubic inch L-head 12-cylinder engine, essentially a flathead-V8-and-a-half. When Edsel arrived for the first time at his Palm Beach country club in his unique car, friends demanded the car be put into production.

The production Lincoln Continental debuted in 1940 at $2,850. Available in coupe and “Cabriolet Convertible” bodies, the model became the choice of people of influence, such as movie star Rita Hayworth and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The 1942 model launched with horizontal chrome grillwork and bored engine, but production was quickly halted for World War II. It wouldn’t be until 1946 that the Continental would return, sporting an even bolder front grill. Largely unchanged through its final 1948 model year, the Continental was considered to be the last great pre-war designed classic. The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art even chose it as one of eight all-time best automotive works of art.

You would think that with only 5324 Continentals built 1940-1948, I would have to go to great lengths to find one to profile in Sound Classics. Actually, I needed only to drive 32 miles to the Mason Lake home of my in-laws, Gary and Merrisue Steinman, owners of a magnificent 1948 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet Convertible.

With its large front overhang and rear-mounted continental kit, the Lincoln simply dwarfs most modern sedans and SUVs. Its curvaceous blue-painted body, tan top and acres of chrome ensure that despite length and girth, it remains elegant at any speed. Inside fine maroon leather and chrome dominate. Passengers sit high and face a dashboard that is one part art deco, another part 1950s jukebox. The convertible top, like the windows, is power operated, but it’s not quite warm enough yet today to drop it – pity because the soft-top creates blind spots as large as a retired Congressman’s pension check.

Starting the car requires the driver to insert the key into a dash-mounted knob, turn and pull the knob, then pull the choke and throttle knobs. Finally, a thumb-press of an unmarked button causes the six-volt starter to slowly crank until the engine eventually springs to life.

Pulling the three-on-the-tree towards me and down selects the non-synchro first gear. Clutch pickup is smooth. Shifting to second is a slow push away and up, and third a quicker tug down. The 125hp twelve-cylinder engine does its best to move the 4100-pound behemoth, but often runs out of steam. In 1942 the already overheating-prone mill was bored for more power, but in 1946 Lincoln reverted to original displacement. I try a short hill in third gear, but downshift back into second before cresting. On flat surfaces though, third gear with overdrive engaged allows for lazy 65mph cruising.

Though lacking in power, the Continental offers surprising handling. Unassisted steering means this is not the car you send your sixteen-year-old out in to learn parallel parking, but the large wheel is perfectly weighted for managing Highway 3’s switchbacks. Archaic dual solid axles somehow work admirably to control body roll. Somehow it handles better than many postwar designs, and this car’s upgrade to radial tires just ups the ante. Tiny drum brakes need plenty of distance to work and fade quickly. Not a sports car, but it is still extremely fun to drive.

Due to their desirability since new, the bulk of original Continentals survived, albeit many with value-killing V8 transplants. Even as the drop-dead-gorgeous $10,000 1955 Continental MK II debuted (not branded Lincoln, rather an independent Ford-owned marque,) the market for used first-generation Continentals was hot. The Continental’s “car to arrive in” image outlasted the styling-challenged 1959-1960 MKIII Continentals, as well as its replacements, the iconic suicide-door sedan and convertible 1961-1969 Continentals.

While Continentals finally lost desirability and glamour during the later part of the century, the original series remain solidly collectable with values topping $75,000 for pristine convertibles. They also remain the choice of influential collectors, businesspeople, and even in-laws.

Sam Barer writes for Apex, an Olympia, WA based freelance writing company. To submit a car for a future “Sound Classics” story, email soundclassics@apexstrategy.com

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