1948 Lincoln Continental Convertible
by John Telfer
Title
1948 Lincoln Continental Convertible
Artist
John Telfer
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
FAA WATERCOLOR MARK DOES NOT APPEAR ON FINAL SALES
While attending a weekly Classic Car show in August 2013 I was walking around the parking lot in Franklin Square, New York where the show was being held and photographing various cars. All of a sudden this large gorgeous looking Lincoln Continental pulled into the parking lot and everyone just stopped and looked at it. The owner carefully pulled into an open spot and the next thing the car was surrounded by people at the show. This classic 1948 Lincoln Continental Convertible looked like it at just rolled off the assembly line at the plant. Once everyone started to walk away I quickly knelt down and captured this beauty with its beautiful cream paint job, front and side view, oversize rectangular front fender and a rear fender that covered more then half of the rear tire, the car had fantastic looking white wall tires that looked brand new and a double horizontal grill with the bottom piece very long, with the top down this was the ideal car to be cruising around in on a beautiful summer night. For more information on the 1948 Lincoln Continental Convertible please feel free to read the information below and also visit other Classic Cars in my Classic Car Portfolio;
The first Lincoln Continental was developed as Edsel Ford's one-off personal vehicle,[2] though it is believed he planned all along to put the model into production if successful. In 1938, he commissioned a custom design from the chief stylist, Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie, ready for Edsel's March 1939 vacation. The design, allegedly sketched out in an hour by Gregorie working from the Lincoln-Zephyr blueprints and making changes, was an elegant convertible with a long hood covering the Lincoln V12 and long front fenders, and a short trunk with what became the Continental series' trademark, the externally mounted, covered spare tire. They had front and rear transverse leaf springs and hydraulic drum brakes.
1948 convertible with view of "Continental" spare tire mount
The result could be considered a channeled and sectioned Zephyr, with all traces of the running-boards removed. The decrease in height meant that the hood was much closer to fender-level, and the trim was minimal. When compared to other American cars of the period, it seemed long and low, with sleek "clean" lines. The first model Continental is often rated as one of the most beautiful automobile designs from the pre-world war II era.
The customized one-off prototype was duly produced, on time, and Edsel had the vehicle delivered to Florida for his spring vacation. Interest from well-off friends was high, and Edsel sent a telegram back that he could sell a thousand of them. Lincoln craftsmen immediately began production on the Continental "Cabriolet" convertible, and even a rare few hardtop models. They were extensively hand-built; the two dozen 1939 models and 400 1940-built examples even had hand-hammered body panels, since dies for machine-pressing were not constructed until 1941. The limited number of 1939 models produced are commonly referred to as '1940 Continentals'.
The 1939, 1940, and 1941 models were essentially the same design, with only slight modifications from year to year. For the 1942 model year, which was cut short by the beginning of direct American involvement in World War II, all Lincoln models were given squared up fenders, and a revised grill. The result was a boxier, somewhat heavier look in keeping with then-current design trends, but perhaps less graceful in retrospect.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor US civilian-use automobile production was suspended, to be restarted in 1945-1946. Ford's Lincoln division would continue to produce the Continental for model years 1946 to 1948. Like all other post-war Lincolns it received updated trim, including a new grill, to refresh the design. Walnut interior trim was added in 1947.[5] The 1939�1948 Continental is recognized as a "Full Classic" by the Classic Car Club of America, one of the last-built cars to be so recognized. To date, the 1948 lincolns were the last V-12 engined cars to be produced and sold by a major U.S. automaker.
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September 1st, 2013
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