1940 Lincoln Zephyr V-12 V12 Convertible in Black on My Car Story with Lou Costabile 

The Lincolns of then seem so basic compared to what we see today, but they have an elegance that will never be matched again. It is so refreshing to see an example that has not been chopped, channeled, sectioned, stretched and lowered. Retaining all of its original glory. Thank you for sharing Lou and thank you Claude for preserving this beauty. Take care.

Beautiful Lincoln Zephyr!! Edsel Ford & Claude's dream car, for sure!!

Wow, what a great car and another great "My Car" story! The interior is just fantastic with all the gold. Thanks, Lou!

STUNNING! ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! Perhaps the most beautiful work of art ever produced by an automaker (my opinion) AND it's the more rare convertible. Very lucky owner. GREAT VIDEO LOU.

Gorgeous Lincoln ! Always loved the styling on these Zephyrs ! Thanks Lou and Claude .

This automobile is rolling art!!! Just take in the front for example, the smooth curves of the fenders and that wonderful grill!!! It looks as if it is cutting through the wind like a knife through butter!!! The headlights with the integrated turn signals were really ahead of the times for sure, and one of the first to not have running boards make this one truly forward thinking!!! True American luxury with that V12 and that interior, lots of unique details and such a wonderful automobile!!! Thanks for another great one Lou!!!

Great pre-war sample of luxury on wheels.Thanks Lou for your presentation.

Thank you Lou and Claude! Fascinating history. Hope I look that good at 81 years old!

A truly beautiful car , looks lovely from every angle .

I'm glad he sees it that way " It's one of the most beautiful American car ever made" , it kind of motivates you to appreciate.

Gorgeous car, you can see the relationship between this Zephyr Continental and the 1956 Continental Mark II.

A hefty part of the Zephyr identity was that V-12 engine. The reason for the "continental" spare was that continental designation. By putting the spare on the rear bumper the trunk had more room for luggage on those long distance trips. It served another purpose as well, punctures were much more common then so there was no digging or unloading in case of flats or blowouts. Beautiful car Lou, another of my personal favorites.

BREATHTAKING work of ART.🤘❤️🤘

Absolutely fantastic automobile. All the details that you pointed out are phenomenal. Thanks Lou for bring this vehicle on your channel. Pass my compliments to Claude. Excellent segment!

ah, yes, back to the days of old...and classics! nice lou! thanx!

Redid a top on one of those about 8 years ago, they are swell automobiles.

Lou ,what a story and a History Lesson thanks so much 🙏🏼 What a Classic Wow 😯

Enjoyed listening to Claude's history of Ford. Incredible beautiful car! Thanks Lou!

Lou, What a car!! A styling masterpiece inside and out. Agree completely with Claude: Edsel was a genius. Famously under-appreciated by his Dad. I could listen to Claude all day; the history is fascinating. Thanks, Buddy

What a beautiful car! I’ve seen this car in film noir movies.

Awesome one Lou !!!! ThanX !

So beautiful and it's a convertible thank you Lou. I think that's a two barrel Zenith Carburetor that came with

Beautiful! I love the art-deco era in all designs. The restoration details are spot on. Right down to the cloth insulation for the electrical cables.

During the Second World War, most American car manufacturers had stopped producing véhicules, for the pure soul purpose of building more airplanes, as well as Bombers, inside the Detroit factories. But this 1940 V-12 Lincoln Zéphyr is strikingly and remarkably a true Masterpiece, in the state of the art and in its own kind. Despite the fact that he died at such a young age, Edsel Ford was nevertheless a true innovative car designer who was way ahead of his time. Hi praise for this Edsel Ford’s dream car. Thank you and God bless you, Lou! Johnny, Montréal, Canada 👍🙏😁

A stunning black Beauty! Thank-you Claude for your excellent car & thanks Lou for your exceptional video presentation!

Back in 1959 my cousin purchased a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr in south Beloit, IL. for $250.00 It was a opera coupe 100% original with rear jump seats [extremely rare] the car was shiny black with the standard V-12 engine and a Columbia rear end, also a floor shift . The car was in near perfect cond. inside and out. It did burn oil that was a common problem with the V-12s....... I was there !

Great car. V12, fantastic interior, and that horn. Looks like a winner 4sure!

One cool hood ornament! Claude is a cool guy too! Thanks Lou!

I TOTALLY Need Those Horns on my tiny car! No one (on the road) takes my car's weak "meep-meep" seriously enough. Its embarrassing. Wow! Raising the hood on this Lincoln reveals a beautiful monster! Nothing embarrassing about this car at all!! The design and lines of this ride is an absolute work of art. Even without the gold - this Zephyr IS gold! If you get my meaning. I'm not giving this car any Wows (aside from the one) because frankly - this historic car is in a class of its own. Massive Thumbs Up!!!

You are a cruel, sadistic man Lou Constable. Reveling in the eternal wailing of other men who long to touch, much less be able to ride in, and perhaps even to dare dream of owning just one of these rare, exquisite works of automotive art. And you casually present them before us without mercy. I'm weak with envy. 😲

Thanks for posting, Lou. I'm not usually into Fords, but the interior of this car is something else.

What a great Car Story. Claude certainly is knowledgeable about this piece of automotive history. You are quite right, for the era, it looks almost European. Certainly not like other American cars of the late 1930s. Thanks for documenting this classic for us.

Wow, just wow. Outstanding presentation, Lou. And the perfect car owner for such a piece of american automotive history. I'm sure it's out of print but copies can be found of the biography on the Ford family, from Henry's beginning up to Henry II turning the company over to board leadership. The book is titled "Ford: The Men and the Machine" by Robert Lacey and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in automotive history. The relationship between Henry and Edsel was strained, such a continual clash that I still cannot fathom how Edsel Ford brought this car to life. It is believed that constant battle between Dad and Son caused the premature death of Edsel. In those years, Henry's confidant and right hand man was not Edsel, it was Harry Bennett (a tough guy goon who used intimidation and violence on the workforce, especially those connected to the UAW), head of the "Ford Service Department". It was because of Bennett' growing influence with Henry, that the grandson was called back in to take back the Ford Motor Company. When I look at this wonderful car, all of those details upon details, you see the work of Edsel Ford and his team....

What what a neat unit and such a great owner and historian. I loved his story on the Lincoln Zephyr and the story on Edsel Ford. What a very neat and informative video this was Lou. I sure enjoyed seeing this outstanding unit. I love Lincoln's of any year and Make. They were always my car to have as well. I have owned a few Lincoln's and they are just awesome units. This sure has a design of it's own like the owner said. Just a joy to watch and listen to Lou. Thanks for sharing as always Lou!

Last vestiges of the Art Deco design era on that dash board. A true golden oldie 😏

That car is great condition and learned a few things like Ford with a V12 and difference between a Lincoln and zephyr

Curvaceous golden dashboard & cute steering wheel. Edsel & Henry Ford 2 story . All so nostalgic.

That car sounds and looks amazing, excellent video thanks guys.

It's really neat to see this car! I had read years ago that most of these V12s had succumbed to overheating issues. Glad this 1 has survived!

Man that thing is crazy looking. Hotrod from factory. If Batman was realistic and set in the 1940’s he’d drive this.

Magnificent car! Just incredible looking car.

I can just see Bugs Bunny taking the place of the front right wheel! Nice car, what a dream!

Great car great owner great presentation. This is part of what an amazing America great such a contest present day news.

I want to move to where your car is and live in your car, it is so pretty and makes such a classic statement. Love the front of the grill - real boss!

glad to see it driven

Hi, Lou! No doubt about it! This car is one of the great masterpieces in all of autodom, and it's really beautiful how Edsel Ford's vision became Claude's reality and found its way into his driveway. BTW, Lincoln brought back the Zephyr name in 2006, on the car that became the MKZ the very next year. I remember going to the 2007 auto show in Boston and asking the folks at the Lincoln-Mercury display about the sudden name change. Well, it seems that while this was an iconic name in Lincoln's past, a lot more people by then had a clearer memory of the Mercury Zephyr, which was the Ford Fairmont's twin. Although that was a decent car in its own right, it was also, needless to say, a much less prestigious car than those legendary Lincolns. Many thanks to you and Claude for sharing this great car story with us!

The new body shape of the 1940 Zephyr Continental was the result of a collaboration between Edsel Ford and E.T. Gregorie. The hood was lower and fenders were lengthened. The revised rear treatment having an externally mounted spare was nothing new in itself. Rear spares appeared before on many cars (including Fords). The Continental moniker came to being because Edsel told Gregorie he wanted a car with a continental (ie. European) look. Only 350 cabriolets were built that year. A coupe was introduced late in the year by grafting a steel hard top onto the cabrio body. Only 54 were produced. The V-12 appeared with the all new 1936 Lincoln Zephyr. The '40 model had a displacement of 292 cubic inches, sported aluminum heads and produced 120 hp. A three-on-the-tree shifter was first introduced that year. The Continental resumed production in 1946. Edsel had died of stomach cancer in 1943. Henry died in 1947. The Continental Mk I died in 1949 along with the V-12.

Got to like Lou's attention to details picking out the shape of the side and review mirrors,_ And can't help but notice the gold Zephyr interior trim _ Those are some nice looking gauges, simple clean easy to read design _ What a ride - i wonder how many of those are still around now? _ Outstanding taste and one special vehicle, in-particular, thnx Mr. Claude and L.C. of coarse. . :>)

I read somewhere William Clay Ford Sr. had only 2 pictures in his office. A picture of his dad's ( Edsel's ) Continental and his Continental, the one he was in charge of ( 1956 and '57.)

Hi Lou, the car DOES have dual exhaust if you look at the rear of the Bumper when you had the owner start it up.😆However, I did notice the single carburetor for sure. Hard to believe since it is a V-12! Never saw one of these cars in person throughout my life & I’m 64 years old now. Nice job as always Lou, stay Cool out there & be safe. That cars horn was Awesome, just like you said a Train Horn. Perfect Sound for someone “texting” while driving!😜✌️💚👍

Beauty.

GREETINGS. From Venezuela, .

This is a first year Lincoln Continental, not a regular Zephyr. This car is lower, has a longer hood, has a different rear end treatment, has a lower profile windshield, different taillights, and a different dashboard.

Hi Lou, how are you doing? Thank you for another great video! This car looks like a European car. Certainly not like other American cars of that time. It reminds me the Mercedes of 1945.

That car is absolutely sublime!

Thank you, Claude & Lou: great short overview,& History…….interestingly the ZEPHYR SHOULD BE driven, etc. Looks like some fascinating automotive Work,& Building ( e.g. the Dipstick. v12, Interior)…..

That rear end is a work of art, probably Ford Motor Company's best. The reason as to why it looks European is because it sits unusually low for an American car of that vintage, almost as if it was of Unibody construction. That interior is unplugged Art Deco. That gold-plating against gloss black is phenominal. You could get almost the same effect, through copper-plating. Had I have seen this video as a teenager, you have placed your bets on me trying my hardest to go find one of these, back then when a garage find could still have been affordable

It was motor trend car of the year for 1940, and I believe in the 70s Ravel made a 148 scale model kit of this car

Now that’s class!

Kind of scary looking but fun to drive!

Felicitaciones Lou Y felicita al señor dueño del Mejor auto de 1940! Asi fue mi primer auto. Pero de techo duro ....Hace casi 50 años Si le compre a un amigo el Lincoln Zephir ,Ya no tenia el motor V12 tenia Un V8 59ab 90Hp... Tuve ese lincoln 6 años ...Lo cambie pòr un Ford Country wagon de 1954...

HolyCrap, rare car! Make it Kustom just unearthed a Zephyr he's going to hot rod!

The 40-41 Zephyr's were stunningly beautiful. I won't say Ford ruined it in 42, but the front end looked like it would be more at home on a truck.

Fantastic car!

wow is right LOU WHAT A REALLY BEAUTIFUL CAR MADE MIJ MORNING JUST WATCHING YOUR VIDEO. ESP NOW WITH SOO LITTLE TO DO ANY MORE LOOKING FOPRWARED TO MORE

On my list maybe one day

It's a beautiful car

Every inch of style the cats meow.

Wonderful car and presentation as usual Lou. Just one correction. Edsel Ford died in 1943, not 1941.

Awesome! 👍👍

great car

This is a Continental, not a regular Zephyr. Yes, for that year only, it was badged as the Lincoln Zephyr Continental, but it was advertised and sold as the Lincoln Continental. The regular Zephyr convertible was taller, had a taller windshield, a shorter hood, a different tail, and a chrome belt molding. And it was much cheaper too. The Continental was very expensive and of very limited production.

There’s a guy who loves his car. When the good Lord calls him home, they should bury him in his Zepher. Thx Lou.

1940 Lincoln is the only American car that is totally redesigned and new body shell.

Back when people appreciated a good looking engine. Note the plug wires routed through conduits to make the presentation look cleaner.

Very nice 😀

Hey Lou. After research this video has the wrong title! It´s a 1940 Lincoln CONTINENTAL Convertible. The Lincoln ZEPHYR Convertible didn´t have a square trunk and the spare tire at the back. The hood from a Zephyr is shorter and the trunk is a fastback line!

This car is so unique compared to not only the 1940s automobiles but to every other era. Did you notice that the doors open straight out, so there is almost full room to enter the car? I wonder what the specs were for the V-12 engine. How much horsepower did it produce and so on? I wish I had horns on my car like that to blast the idiots who drive 85 in a 60 mph zone! In our state, cops are almost non-existent.

Well I just learned the difference of a Zephier and a Continental and I'm 71.

I collect aircooled volkswagen and Porsche, but this is a go-go.

RIP Claude 😢

We could go back to bench front seats again today....and just put the zube box gearchanger on the dash...bring back bench seats!....was Lincoln part of the LTD.......( luxury transport division)

This beauty is a 1940 model and it has an automatic transmission, my mom's car is a 2019 model but 5-speed manual transmission. 😂 I think American cars are automatic transmission's king!

Edsel Ford died in 1943 not 1941. Henry Ford the II was not brought in till 1945 when the women in the family demanded Henry Sr. step down and let his grandson run the business that was in dire straits due to his mismanagement of the company. The women being Clara Ford and Edsel's wife Eleanor threatening to sell off Ford stock, something Henry could not stand anyone but the family having ownership. Edsel originally designed the car for his personal use, when his friends and business associates saw it they all wanted one so Edsel put it into production. Beautiful automobile.

The rear wing looks as if a Lambretta 1962 ,LI 125 side panel was bolted on But why was the Ford Edsel a failure....hey Lou is there a Ford Edsel out there.? Eisenhower could have inspected the troops in this...youd think Edsel was trying to out caddy Caddilac with this one..i wonder what a 1940 Caddilac was like? Better?

I was really curious at to what the two wheel like dials were at the top center of the dash. Also some more questions about the specifics of the motor function. I guess what piques my curiosity is different than your's. Was the interior leather? Was the convertible top power? Did it have a radio? What about a heater? Did they ever have power windows?

The heads are aluminum-alloy.

Hi. "I'm Baby Jane Hudson, perhaps you have heard of me"?. 😊

Did they have green plastic on the battery in 1940? Looking at it from the UK it looks American... The nose cone is very American.....the bodywork behind it maybe looks a bit Gregory Peck...Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday...after an altercation with a Lambretta. Which reminds me I don't think I've seen a Lamborghini on this show... The Lincoln would I think look nice with a regal red duck hood...its a pity we didn't see the hood in enclosed position.

Can this car be used for car shows?? And how many miles does this car have

V. 12. ? BRAKES. ? NOT POWER? LEAN HEAVY ON BRAKES SUPER CAR. LOU. U. CAN. REALLY FIND 'EM & GIVE US A THRILL

Dodge ram truck came out with a v12 back in the 90s,but I don't think it was very good

I didn't realize that Mr. E Ford died in 1941.

🆗️

Only thing better if you were both in a little period clothing.. Thanks Lou..