The general public embracing a captivating murder mystery certainly isn’t anything new in pop culture, especially one that garnered as much attention from the media as the Dr. Sam Sheppard accusation, trial, conviction, re-trial, and exoneration received beginning in 1954. But what’s interesting here is the 1947 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet V12, as the current owner claims it belonged to the ill-fated neurosurgeon while he was on trial in 1955, the year the seller purchased it. Background aside, it seems like there’s a lot of potential for the car, and if you’ve been looking for a vintage Lincoln project this may be one worthy of your consideration. The convertible is located in Placerville, California, and can be seen here on Craigslist at a cost of $32,000, a price which has already been reduced by $10k, so the seller may be ready to make a deal.
We’d like to thank Barn Finds reader Mikey P. for the great tip on this one! So if you’re not familiar with the Dr. Sam Sheppard story, here’s a brief history. On the night of July 3, 1954, the good doctor and his pregnant wife Marilyn were entertaining neighbors in their Ohio home, but the following morning Sheppard said he was awakened by his wife screaming in another room and found the poor gal badly bludgeoned. Sam then claimed he was knocked unconscious by the intruder, and long story short he was put on trial himself for the murder and convicted, with one witness testifying that she had an affair with Sheppard and prosecutors claiming this was a motive for the slaughter. Things were apparently a media circus in the courtroom, and though he was found guilty and sentenced to life, Sam was ultimately granted a new trial 10 years later in which he was found not guilty and released after having already served ten years in prison.
Whether or not any of that is important in regard to the Continental’s value is arguable, but even if it doesn’t add anything to the vehicle’s worth it’s a great story that’s sure to start a conversation every time you’re at car shows. We don’t get any more information about the Cabriolet from the time of acquisition in 1955 up until the mid-eighties, at which time the seller says the car was disassembled and professionally repainted piece by piece in its original color of Kelley Blue. The car was then reassembled after the paint was applied, then in the 90s, all the chrome pieces were removed and re-chromed, although these parts were never reinstalled.
Nothing is specifically mentioned about the interior, but from what we can see in the photos it appears that the seats and door panels are still intact and looking to be in reasonably decent shape. However, most of the dashboard is apart, although other photos show some of the car’s gauges plus a plethora of other parts sitting on shelves inside the garage. The seller says the car is about 95% complete in its reassembly, and hopefully, 100% of the parts required to put it all back together are all still present.
There’s a V12 under the hood, and the sale even includes another spare V12, transmission, and rear end. There’s no word on whether or not the engine in the car or the spare turns over, and nothing else at all is stated about the rest of the drivetrain or the condition of the underside. With the amount of time sitting, I’m sensing this one is going to take a fair amount of effort to get back on the road, but maybe with all those parts and extra engine somebody with a good set of mechanical skills can probably get this one going again. What do you think?
Wonder if Dorothy Killgallen ever road in it?
I love the Baby Jane Hudson vibe. A neighbor also reported that they had seen the suspicious couple walking the neighborhood, but the police withheld that evidence during the first trial, to ensure that Sheppard was convicted. The second trial led to his release from prison, but his professional reputation was destroyed. He supported himself with amateur boxing matches. His son worked for his release, and had full confidence in his innocense.
As did I – he was our family physician and my mother was convinced of his innocence.
My wife’s family lived in that neighborhood until 1966.
He was in Bay Village and we lived in the suburb next to it Rocky River on west side of Cleveland. As many who say he was innocent you have as many who say guilty.
Nice Lincoln in desirable form with the major expense of chrome being done, but the time left to finish is cost prohibitive because of value.
I lived near the Shepard’s house and he had been in our house once when my dad set up a rally. I believe they both had a 140 XK. My dad didn’t like him and was a real MD. There was something about his doing ” brain surgery” as an osteopath. His ” hospital” is now space for lake houses.
I assure you, osteopaths are as real doctors as any MD (all respect to your father). I speak from experience being an osteopath myself.
They weren’t in the past and I want an MD after the name of anyone treating me.
While it’s nice that the car has been repainted to get 32K for it I would recommend the seller put it back together and get it running. From what the photos show this one is missing a great deal of parts. That has the potential to hinder a total restoration. Too many nice cars for that price to take a chance on one missing a lot of hard to find parts that may or not be available to finish this one. I don’t care who used to own it!
Agreed, a review of auctions on BaT shows complete drivable cars for less. Never gave these cars a look until my uncle bought one
Where is the evidence of the connection of the car to the doctor? Did I miss something? And, how did the car end up in Placerville? (P-ville is my part time address.)
He was the inspiration for The Fugitive.
And also brought his attorney, F. Lee Bailey, to enduring prominence.
The Craigslist Ad lists the transmission as “Automatic”! Has the original manual 3 speed been replaced?
AFAIK, with the exception of the ill-fated 1942 Liquamatic which was quickly recalled and vanished, Lincoln, Mercury and Ford did not offer an automatic transmission until 1949 (Hydramatic bought from GM).
A ‘41 Lincoln cabriolet is one of my dream cars. Although the post war look similar, the front end looks like precognition to the ‘73 and later chrome plated railroad tie front bumpers.
It does look nice, but I’m too old to start messing around with yet another project.
Good luck with your sale.
came to see the bent12 (not all had). Got surprised by the beauty of the vert. Very nice. Provnance was never something I looked at ($ jack? not worth it) cept on ephemera.
Uncle played hockey w/F. Lee, has that 2nd name as his 1st. His stick
sits in BIL’s sister’s home (basement) @ Medfield, MA
Sorry guys but I’ve never understood the “appeal” of these cars even after seeing one up close, sitting in it and watching the smooth V-12 run. Clunky, disjointed styling, Henry’s Model A suspension, and a V-12 with noted unreliability because it was based on the poorly engineered flathead V-8. GLWT.
Was the Cadillac V12 as unreliable as Ford’s? How about their V16. And, what was the nature of the unreliability?