Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 97 ¤
1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe Chassis no. H117132 Engine no. RL301
Sold for US$19,040 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 97¤
From the Minden Automotive Museum
1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe
Chassis no. H117132
Engine no. RL301
Chassis no. H117132
Engine no. RL301
292ci 75° L-Head V-12 Engine
Two-Barrel Holley Downdraft Carburetor
120bhp at 3,500rpm
Three-Speed Manual Transmission
Live Axles with Transverse Leaf Springs
Four-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
* CCCA Full Classic designed by E.T. "Bob" Gregorie for Edsel Ford
* One of only 850 Continental Coupes produced for 1941
* Hand-built around the 292-cubic-inch L-head V-12
* Visually maintained, largely original driver with period-correct equipment
THE CAR OFFERED
The Continental story begins not with a production decision but with a private commission. In the spring of 1938, newly returned from a European sojourn that had sharpened his taste for Continental automotive design, Edsel Ford directed Ford Motor Company chief stylist E.T. "Bob" Gregorie to draft him a personal convertible for use at his winter home in Hobe Sound, Florida. The resulting car took the Lincoln-Zephyr as its basis but stood three inches lower, with a hood lengthened by seven, a trademark external spare at the rear, and a clean, severe flank that owed much to European tastes. Edsel drove it south for his March 1939 vacation and was met with inquiries from more than 250 would-be buyers — enough to persuade the Lincoln division to sanction a limited production run for 1940.
For 1940 the new model was offered as an addition to the Zephyr line, with 54 cabriolets and 350 coupes built. A year later, it stood on its own as the Lincoln Continental: just 400 cabriolets and 850 coupes were constructed for 1941, each essentially hand-built around the 292-cubic-inch L-head V-12 producing 120 horsepower. The Continental drew praise from design-minded owners almost immediately — architect Frank Lloyd Wright famously bought two — and in 1946 the Museum of Modern Art chose it for inclusion in a landmark exhibition of eight automobiles recognized as exemplars of modern industrial design. The first-generation Continental holds CCCA Full Classic status today.
This 1941 Coupe is presented in green over brown leather and catalogued as a visually maintained, largely original driver condition. Acquired as a memento for Ted Bacon as his father drove one in period this Continental was a long time and frequently enjoyed fixture in the Minden Automotive Museum. Many original still-present fixtures include hubcaps, trim rings, wide whitewalls, rear fender skirts, a factory radio, and turn signals. The old repaint shows micro blistering and edge chipping along the doors, while the original upholstery is intact. Gauges are clear and the dash knobs largely sound, though the turn-signal knob is missing. The engine compartment is original and untouched — dusty but neat. A better car than the paint gets credit for, and at its estimate a genuinely accessible entry to the CCCA Full Classic ranks.
Saleroom notices
Please note, the chassis no. is 16H57400.
Additional information
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| ¤ | No Reserve |
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