Lincoln Zephyr (1939)

While the 1939 and 1940 Lincoln Zephyr looked much like the Ford designs of the same era, underneath they were significantly different. The Zepyr was the base model Lincoln and was to use a Flathead V8 like the Fords, but under the order of Henry Ford instead they had a VI2 engine developed from the V8 but with a 75-degree angle. Early models suffered from overheating, warped bores and oil sludge build-up due to inadequate crankcase ventilation, but this was solved and later engines also had hydraulic lifters for quieter, more reliable, running. The Zephyr was revolutionary in that it used unitary construction as opposed to a separate chassis, but aside from that, it was basic and dated with solid axles and transverse leaf springs. What was different was the Columbia two-speed rear axle which effectively doubled the gears to six forward speeds.

Lincoln Zephyr (1939) Specifications