1939 Lincoln Zephyr Convertible Coupe - Model H76 🇺🇸

Lincoln Motor Company was always in the business of  producing large, powerful, luxury cars even after its purchase by Ford Motor Company in 1920. Lincoln was never a volume producer, in fact, they generally lagged behind the other luxury manufacturers such as Cadillac and Packard, by a wide margin. By 1933, with the Great Depression choking off sales of new cars and the luxury car business in dire condition Lincoln needed to make changes to stay in business despite being part of Ford.

Edsel Ford wanted to enter the mid-priced car market and he turned to long-time Ford supplier Briggs Manufacturing company and its head designer John Tjaada to propose a product. The resultant car ultimately became the Lincoln Zephyr that debuted in 1936.

The new car required a new engine, something above the traditional Ford V8 and below the expensive V12 of the top of the line K-series cars. The answer from the Ford engineering department was to take the Ford flathead V8 and add four cylinders. This new design used as many parts as possible from the V8, keeping production cost low.

The Zephyr managed to increase Lincoln sales and broaden the brand's appeal but it never reached the volumes of similar cars offered by Cadillac and Packard.

The Zephyr got updated styling in 1938 with a new front end featuring a lower wider grille, headlights integrated lower in the fenders, the fenders themselves were longer and more flowing. The interior also got a major refresh with the metal surrounds on the front seat removed, a new “banjo” style steering wheel, a rearranged dashboard and most uniquely a gear shift lever that protruded from the dashboard.

The basic styling of 1938 was carried over to 1939 with a revised grille, hood sides and bumpers. The running boards would be tucked under the lower body panels. The centrally located instrument panel remained but the instrumentation changed. Most importantly, hydraulic brakes would finally become the norm.