Fire it UP!! 🔥 V12 Flathead Engine Ignition and Start! Lincoln Zephyr V-12 Series Will It Run? 

My dad was working in the shipyards, in Baltimore, as a welder on the Liberty ships. He had a Lincoln Zephyr and would drive it between Baltimore and his home in West Virginia when he had the time. He told me it was the fastest and best running car he ever owned.

When my Dad got back from Korea in 1952, he bought a much-used 1941 Lincoln Zephyr "for a song" as he put it. He told me that fixing it up to run right was a nightmare, but he did get it running well, and fixed up everything else that was wrong. My Mother was a pretty good driver, having driven a "two-tonne lorry" around London during the Blitz, so Dad let her take it to the grocery store one day, and she got the only speeding ticket she ever got with that car! The CHP caught her going 91 mph in that thing, and she told me years later that Lincoln was so quiet that she didn't know she was going that fast. Anyway, this video reminded me of a memory from the past. Thank you for that and good luck with that engine.

Those engines run so smoothly, no vibration, great job. I am 82, a retired mechanic that appreciates the old great engines.

All I can think of is "Son, you're gonna drive to drinkin if you don't stop driving that hot rod Lincoln"

I was born and raised in the gasoline and diesel mechanical field, at my 71 years of age for the first time I got to hear the roar of that V12 engine, that sounds like a dream, so smooth , perfect idling, no vibration and at that age of that engine make the new technology green of envy, to each and everyone that one way or another made it possible to bring it to us, to share that outstanding and impressive work of art my most expressive thanks for letting us enjoy, from the endless summer paradise Puerto Rico Jesus Torres.

15:44 is when all the magic happens. Well done guys.

All V12 engines sound really good and although this particular 75 degree engine was not the best when it came to reliability, it had a flat torque curve that made it a top-end favorite for it's day. This one was the bank robbers choice for outrunning the cops with those Ford V8's.

What a beautiful sounding engine. Nothing sounds better than a Flathead, whether its a 6, 8, or 12. Good for you man.

I had a great uncle who has both of his dad's V12s. They were complete cars that they cut the rear of the car off, leaving the bell housing and transmission, and mounted water pumps to the drive shaft, in place of where the rear ends used to be, to irrigate his crops here in NE Texas. About 20 years ago he busted one of them off for me to hear again as I had heard them both run back in the early 60's. Very cool old engines.

What a beautiful piece of history. I absolutely love the flat-head engine and the way it sounds and looks

The "diver helmet" distributor was used on Ford V type engines from 1932 to 1941. Ford changed to a "crab" distributor after WW2, but not sure if Lincoln did. Those "diver helmet" distributors were reliable, but had to be removed for maintenance. They only go on one way with a slot index, so there is no timing issue.

Many memories of my dad rebuilding an engine exactly like that in 1954. Thanks for the video. I’am young again.

Just discovered this video while looking for something else. It was fascinating seeing and hearing such a beautiful piece of history. When he started it up it sounded beautiful. Most modern V12's scream at you when you rev them but this just rumbled, growled then snarled like it meant business!

It's always great to see videos on THESE engines. It's doubtful I'll ever get to see/hear one in person. THIS video showed details that I'd never seen before. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this, and posting it.👍

I´m so glad I stumbled on this. My grandfather in Finland had a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr from new all through the war years when it was run on producer gas until 1951 when it was traded for a Mercedes 170S. I have heard so many stories of this car, it is fantastic to get to hear the v12 run.

I really appreciate hearing those old engines run, there is just something calming in it.

It is important to remember that the Lincoln Zephyr V-12s had the cylinder banks spaced at 75 degrees and not the usual 60 degrees. As a result, the ignition firing pulses were 75 -45-75-45 and so on . . . . not the 60-60-60-60 of the usual V-12 engine. Somewhat similar was the Liberty V-12 aircraft engine with its' cylinder banks spaced at 45 degrees. The 75 degree cylinder bank spacing definitely affected the design and engineering of that ingenious ignition system. Very, very cool indeed . . . .

Remarkable. It's like the flathead V8's ignition system. Setting up and adjusting the points are a real task. I've only tuned them. A real joy when everything is finally correct and it's driving with out complications.

Brought tears to my eyes when it started up. Just hear it run was so sweeeeet!!! I remembered my 47 Ford convertible rescued off a junkyard and how it sounded with the rebuilt Mercury engine from Sears back in August of 1957 I have seen it 4 times over the past 30 years. When I saw it in my work parking lot in 91 it had been Completely Restored . The top was down and I wqs able to reach in and feel the body damage still inside the rear quarter panel from when they pulled the body out of the yard in 57. Outside was OK but inside the UID was still there. LOL Ive seen it 3 more since but Im disabled and my wife wouldnt follow it to the car show. so I could actually talk to the owner. Im sure he would like to have the original paperwork I still have and know about its history - art least back to '57. Thanks for letting me reminisce. Flatheads FOREVER!!!!! Charley Ryans (REAL - V12) Hot Rod Lincoln (not commander cody's puny V8 version). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-e58NJU5B3v8.html . LOL

I worked on an engine at least superficially similar to that back in the early 80's. It was on a 1934 Seagrave fire truck. V-12 Dual Distributers two spark plugs per cylinder, two coils, two single barrel carbs. Running new spark plug wires through those tubes was a royal pain. LOL forgot one fun part, it had the hand crank for the front of the engine to start it.

WOW!! She sounds amazing!! Great job resurrecting her!

Wow! what a GREAT RARE find. I love it. What a great work of automotive art. Did not know such a creature still existed but i have heard of the V-16

Worked at a hotrod shop that had 2 of those Zephyr V12s collecting dust in a corner, right next to a Lightning supercharged 5.4 in a crate, that hadn't moved in years.

I can remember seeing a Lincoln Zephyr Coupe at a car show, likely 40 years ago. It had a V12 and can remember the owner turning the idle way down. With 12 cylinders it kept running when a V8 would have died. Cool motor considering when it came out. Cool video thanks for posting it.

I helped my great uncle get his 1940's Lincoln town car convertible running right before he sold it in 1996. He had it stored in a heated garage and only had to rebuild the carb and he had the starter redone. Fired it up and drove it down the road for a couple of miles. That car was smooth and quiet.

I love the sound of the old flat head engines. Very cool!

I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH A DOCTORS SON & HIS SISTER...THEY GAVE ME A RIDE IN A V12 LINCOLN 2 DR COUPE' IT RAN SO SMOOTH...TORQUE WAS VERY SMOOTH & QUIET...OPEN W NO TOP...FUN MEMORABLE RIDE...LODI, CALIF...1966!!!!

My father in law had one of these in 1950. Bought another one in 2000 with the intention of restoration. Unfortunately the 2008 housing market crash ended that dream and he was forced to sell it to keep the lights on. Always liked the sound of it. It was super smooth in its power delivery.

How cool! He put his hand over the carb to act as a choke if he needed to do that...also notice that the last thing he said was "it could be flooded" but obviously it was not, and although his hand was there on the carb he did not need to "choke it."

My sister had a '41 Zephyr with this engine in it. It got about eight MPG but who cared, gas was $.25 a gallon. Great video, brought back some great memories.

I own a 1987 v12 jaguar. It sounds more like a bid 6 cylinder than a v12, even with an open exhaust. Please keep these videos coming. Australia.

I may only be 34 but I absolutely love and am fascinated by these engines. Had abandoned properties by my old farmhouse and that’s what started my love and interest in these old buggers.

What a rumble! As a former Cadillac owner in Sweden, the rumble of its V8 went straight to my heart. This one rumbled almost nicer!

A few notes on this video... This engine was set up on the fly to quickly learn if it was a "runner" or not, so the set up is far from what you would want for long term testing. There are some leaks and a kinked water hose that would NOT be okay for any kind of lengthy run. I said 1 barrel when i meant to say 2 barrel. Also, the spark plugs should be tightened down properly to ensure good spark ground and compression. The exhaust manifolds aren't really connected. If you want to see a start-up of a properly set up V12 Flathead, check this out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Pk_Dsx5FhSw.html

Surprisingly quiet for open manifolds! Love that sound!

We had a number of postwar zephyr's and continentals and was always surprised with just how easily they would start and run. My brother just sold the last of the parts just 2 years ago after almost 20 years.

Lincoln cars were widely used in Brazil, as taxi. It was one of my late father's favorites, he was an unconditional fan of lincolns sedans, mainly because he worked with taxis, but also for walking with the family, because we were eleven brothers, etc. maneco - Porto Alegre-RS - Brasil.

Only saw and heard one V12 Lincoln engine in person. I was at a car show/swap meet and someone was selling a 1940 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe restored with a V12. He started it up and can recall the sound it made. Even remember him showing us how he could turn the idle way down and it still ran. Some around said comments that they'd dump that V12 and make a street rod out of it. I recall saying a car that nice should never be chopped up into a street rod. If I recall the asking price on the car was well under $10k, but that was in the early 80's. I always wanted to find an original/restored 40 Ford Coupe, flathead and all, but never found one of those either. I think it's great that some cars should stay stock and not be butchered up. Cool V12 video!

The high volume oil pump on those is a must. I seem to recall that the zephyr V-12's had oil starvation issues.

I love seeing these old flathead get love. I've worked on BMW V12s but not one of these.

i'm 76 yrs. very cool. i 1st learned about the zephyr from 1940s green hornet. kato claimed his performance tuning made it "good for 200". lol back when usa was a manufacturing powerhouse. sigh! thanks for the video. very interesting.

What a beautiful sounding engine, great job keep her on the road.

This sounds awesome without exhaust pipes can't wait to hear it in the car be looking forward to that!!

Looks very trustworthy and well made!

Well that sounds like an engine, and so quite without exhaust. That should be in a old pickup truck, what a lovely sound. Thanks.

I love these engines. All about the smoothness...

Sounds so sweet, never knew there was a flat head V12, Thanks for sharing

Back in the early 60's there was an older guy that that owned a Zephyer with the 3 speed overdrive that lived up the road from me. Not sure of the year but it was a deep blue and he kept it polished and buffed. A couple of times I was hitchhiking home from baseball practice he picked me up. He loved to walk on it and cruised at 90. It was a sweet ride and I loved it. He was a great guy and even took me all the way home. He passed away a few years after I graduated and was working out of the area and I didn't hear about it for a few months. Missed his funeral and I was really sorry about that. I don't know what happened to the car.

That continuous-fin radiator is a work of art!

Compression washers on plugs were very common in the 60's and earlier. We could reuse them a number of times.

I had a restored 48 Lincoln convertible which I sold a couple of years ago to a fellow in Norway. The motor was so quiet you could not hear it at idle. When going through the gears, It gave me the impression that it sounded like twin 6 cylinder motors running syncronously.

I've seen a couple of them at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI. It's amazing how small they are.

It's just incredible how a small single carburetor feeds 12 cylinders,it runs and revs beautifully,what a masterpiece,love it 👌

Barry. That was brilliant 🤩. You are star🤩. What a lovely sound and a real good look over the motor parts. 👍👍. Thanks for showing and best wishes from jolly old England. 🤓Pete 😎

Very cool. There'a just one thing I noticed. The fuel filter is on the suction side of the pump. Those aren't suction filters. Probably nothing will ever happen, but it is possible the pump could suck the guts out of the filter.

That sure looks like a two barrel carburetor, not a one barrel. Thank you for showing this. I haven't seen one of these running since I was a teenager.

That has to be one of the best sounding engines I’ve ever heard!

My Dad put a Lincoln V12 into a 1940 Ford at the Garage he ran from our house in Hominy, Oklahoma in 1956 or 57. My first ride in a hotrod, I was 10yrs. old. lol

I was in Sturgies,south dakota,And a guy with a lincoln V-12 in his motorcycle stopped right in front of me,it sounded real sweet too,OH ,ITS ON THE INTERNET NOW...

Dude thanks sounds fantastic considering it's 90 years old it's really sounded good man you

I could listen to that music all day!

Sounds great even without pipes! Darlington, South Carolina

He did such a good job, that thing looks ready to drop in

Now that is a sweet running engine!

The Stromberg 97 is a two barrel carb.

Wow. That was beautiful. I'm in love! Can you imagine that thing in a go-kart? Wow!

What a thing of beauty, and that exhaust note,oh yes!

I love this. I'd be thrilled to get ahold of one of these just to have it. I'd also love a 337 CID flathead V8.

That motor has a distinctive sound. I love it.

I rebuilt one of those old flat head Lincoln engines.,was in a high reach, good well built for the time .

Truly an engineering masterpiece thank you for sharing.

At the Monroe (WA) Swap Meet a few years back, I saw a 4-deuce (4 Strombergs) Edmunds manifold for one of these. It was 400 bucks at the time. I wish I could have bought it. That's a rare bird. 4 carbs would only be needed for a serious race engine, two would be ideal for a street rod.

Very cool. Thanks for the run

Beautiful Sound!!! Well Done

I've got one of these 12 cyls and its tranny. I rebuilt both and now I'm planning on putting it in a 40 Ford coupe. It purrs like a kitten and the trans shift very smoothly. I just have to modify the firewall and make mounts for it. But I think it will be a hoot in that old Ford Coupe. I don't care about a hot rod but, I think will be a great cruiser and road tripper. It's going it in about a month as soon as I get the body work done.

It’s amazing how modern looking Lincoln ignition parts look now. I mean that spark timing and coil system looks like it could have been designed in the 90s! And it was designed and built in the 1930s…

That engine would be sweet in a Chris Craft cruiser. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Jacksonville Florida 🌞

Wow. I didn’t even know this engine existed. Ive only ever heard of Ford’s Flathead V8. Imagine seeing a Rat Rod with this bad boy, that would be badass.

Seems to run fine! Supercool engine. Much more interesting than the new stuff.

She sounds good. Thanks for sharing.

Even for a flat head V-12, it's so quiet. Granted, it came out of what would have been a luxury car, so a loud raucous exhaust note wouldn't have been the objective. Although with a pair of two inch mufflers, it would still be able to sneak around pretty easily

Wow what a Beautiful piece of machinery

I knew a man who had a 1948 V-12. He said it was a gigantic ... massive three hundred and twelve cubic engine, then we both chuckled. His was a retired United States Diplomatic vehicle he bought at auction while he was in the military.

V12!! Sounding nice!

What a beautiful state of art Machine

Did you see the starter roll on that first startup? Might be loose. What a great old engine! Thanks for sharing.

Sounds lovely, almost like the Scania straight 8 from the 50s

Great old Lincoln V12!😁🤟

Very nice. My dad bought a new 1937 Zephyr, it was my parents Honeymoon Car. My mom said it wasn’t very reliable. I think those V12s tended to overheat a lot. There were 4 long cast in exhaust tubes running through the block, carrying the heat from 8 cylinders.

There was one of these in the town I grew up in. I don't think that it was driven daily but I did see it around a lot.

I saw one of these engines in '49 or '80 Ford F1 pickup. It looked like it belonged in there!

What an interesting engine. Thanks for sharing with us

That Flathead ever sound nice 👍 great job guys

The Calif firm made newly manufactured hi comp heads while the Illinois firm simplyreworked stock Lincoln heads. Ther was I remember one ofvthecearly cam regrind e s which made a 3/4 race cam for the V 12's and V10'S

Really nice job, runs great

I have a 46 club coupe with the V12 ..really smooth running engine..mine has now started smoking pretty good so it's time for a rebuild ..that should be interesting

I LOVE the sound that flatheads make.

I have the older V12 with the single distributor in my 1933 KA - quite the beast.

A great sounding and smooth running engine! I must correct you on one thing, though. That is 2-barrel carburetor - not a single barrel. Look at the body below the air horn. It clearly shows two passages into the engine.

Lovely sound this engine makes.