1946 Lincoln Zephyr 66H

Description

One of the most striking designs of the immediate post-war era, the Lincoln H-Series set styling trends that we still see echoing today. This 1948 66H Sedan is an elegant personal car that's had an easy life, with a great repaint and unbelievably only 29,535 actual miles on the clock.

The flowing lines, penned by Bob Gregorie in the late 1930s, turned out to be one of the finest shapes to come out of Dearborn. Edsel Ford can probably get the credit for inventing the personal luxury car when he had a custom Continental made for himself in 1938, and it was such a hit that they put it into immediate production the next year. Even in 1948, the look was dynamic and fresh and this Lincoln Maroon sedan has the right look. It was repainted many years ago, but after years of being babied, it still looks wonderful. Is it perfect? No. But it does have a wonderful shine, reflection, and a soft glow to the paint that is impossible to replicate in the spray booth; it needs to be earned, and in that regard, this car excels. Fit and finish are quite good, and it's doubly-critical that all four suicide doors fit right due to the pushbutton door latches, which spring open with just a touch. Lots of chrome and stainless accents dress it up, especially those amazing front and rear bumpers and that intricate grille, but it's worth noting how restrained its use truly is, letting the shape mostly speak for itself.

The beautiful purple cloth interior is a very comfortable and spacious place to enjoy motoring. Luxurious yet sporting, like a high-class hotel in the mountains, it's the epitome of 1940s luxury. Apparently, it's the original upholstery inside, and as you can see, it's holding up rather well with only minor signs of use here and there, although some of the support in the front bench is beginning to soften. Lovely gauges with ornate faces and metallic finishes highlight the fact that the Lincoln was all about style. The big steering wheel looks and feels substantial while the big round gauges are the speedometer and the clock, and the AM radio is centered on the dash. The back seat is roomy enough for three, but ideally meant for two, and legroom is considerable. There's also a good-sized trunk including the jack, all-original and roomy enough for pretty much all travel needs.

Yes, there are twelve cylinders under the hood. Supremely smooth, the flathead 292 V12 obviously owes a lot to the famous Ford flathead V8. With a single 2-barrel carburetor, it won't win any drag races at 135 horsepower, but thanks to the 3-speed manual overdrive and a torque curve as flat as Kansas, it's a wonderful cruiser that will loaf along at modern highway speeds without getting tired. The transmission shifts easily with the "fingertip control" of the column-mounted shifter and the 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes are more than adequate for the car's performance. The chassis appears to be almost entirely original and well-maintained, once again affirming our belief that original cars just feel different, and we mean that in the best possible way. Steel wheels with hubcaps and trim rings are fitted with correct L78-15 wide whites for a period-perfect look.

An incredible find with low miles and tons of originality, this elegant sedan is a very affordable way into a very high-end part of the hobby and you'll never get tired of the gasps when people see 12 cylinders living under the hood. Call today!