Hmmm, this is a bit of a mystery. The 1946 Lincoln Continental was an Indy pace car, with a young Henry Ford II at the wheel—long before he dreamed of taking Ferrari down. The model was hand-built from 1939 to 1942, then came back after the war with minor changes in ’46, the year of this car. But it should have a 130-horsepower side-valve V-12 under the hood, instead of what appears to be a V-8. It’s here on eBay in Loganville, Georgia, with modest bidding. There’s no reserve on the auction.
This convertible is a mix of good and bad news. First, the good. A Concours 1946 Continental coupe is worth almost $50,000, and this one’s a rare ragtop worth even more. One just like it sold for $76,203 at Bonhams Monte Carlo sale in 2010. There were only 201 of them built in ’46, and when new they cost a heady $4,400.
The owner is a 30-year body man, and he says, “This is a very solid car: fenders, doors, quarters, trunk lid, floor pans, and trunk pans are solid.” And the photos bear that out. Even the top isn’t terrible and retains its rear window. Is that a big hole I’m seeing, though?
But…“The car needs restoring. Interior and paint needs to be restored. Looks good in pics but paint is bad.” That’s borne out by the photos, too. The interior is messy but not horrible—it’s supposed to be leather and whipcord or custom cloth. It could be the original leather, but if so it’s going to need total replacement. I think I see a clutch pedal, so probably the three-speed manual. The right rear tire is flat, and there’s missing trim.
The car isn’t running, but the engine came unstuck and is now reported to be turning freely. The owner also says that “everything on engine is very original.” Hmmm again. I would submit that a 1946 Lincoln Continental with a non-original flathead V-8 is still a very nice car, but it’s not going to score the big Concours money.
The car is intriguing, just good enough—and potentially valuable enough—to justify further investigation. If the bidding remains low, there would be room to put some money into it–with rewarding results. I would say the owner has some ‘splaining to do, just like Ricky Ricardo.
LOL! That is some carburetor !
That is a L head engine not side valve. Side valve which is what most old Minneapolis Moline tractors where has the valves perpendicular to the cylinder bore. Which an L head the valves are parallel to the bore like this is. Many people call these side valve but that is incorrect.
An L head and side valve are the same. This is a sidevalve engine by every definition of the word. The SIDEWAYS valve engine that MM used was it own design and also called a sidevalve.
Yes, how would you mount valves parallel to the head in a valve-in-block motor? You’re correct, L-head and side valve is different name for the same thing.
To paraphrase Paul Simon “Still classy after all these years”!
Well, there has been a re-power at some point, as the two barrel teapot carburetor didn’t come out until 1952, and the rear distributor suggests it is a 239 H-block engine.
Not quite. Whoever exchanged the engine installed a LHead Lincoln 337 cubic inch flathead, characterized by the distributor in the aft portion of the engine. This is not a 239 ford engine.
The 337 V8 used in 49-51 Lincolns and Ford heavy trucks was the only Ford flathead with the distributor at the rear.
Looks like What Ever Happened to Baby Jane’s car, only hers was a 1947.
…or Philip Marlowe’s car, in The Long Goodbye, only his was a 1948.
Had a 47 years ago. Mine hydraulic windows that were very temperamental.
A lot of those cars had the V12 troublesome engine removed and a flathead put in due to expense. The V12 was complicated and had a lot of issues. Very common years ago.
Although not used on this one, Caddy and Olds V8s were a common replacement for the original V12, back in the 50s.
last lincoln v-12 i looked at had 2 distributers. i decided against that headache. this convertible is beautiful, for cripes sake it is 78 years old! wash it, detail it and make it a parade car. is that a mercury side draft carb?
wonder if he would take my left cohone in trade?
There is something odd about that motor. It’s a Ford v8 but I never saw one with a rear distributor. That IS a Lincoln motor. It’s rare 337 cube flathead used in the 1948 to 1951 Lincolns and big Ford trucks. Not sure how it got into a 1946 but it’s a Lincoln motor. Nothing in common with the typical Ford flatly. Very though to get parts.
Looks like a 1949 to 1951 Lincoln V-8. I believe they used this carburetor. Seems like the ’49 Mercury used a similar one.
I have an identical ’48 Cabriolet in the garage. Gets a lot of grief at the car shows due to the 350 SBC and Turbo 350 someone swapped in years ago, so I stopped opening the hood and started winning multiple trophies. This one probably has the most logical motor outside of a V-12 you could retrofit it with- much better choice than a Ford flattie. ’46-48 Continentals are one of the only postwar “Classics”, designated that way in the early ’50s, so they tended to be saved. Around 400 made in ’48, I’ll bet over 200 still exist. Not many models of any old car that are still around at a rate of 50%.
I believe the Chrysler 46 – 48 Town and Country convertible is now recognized as a full classic
More than one of these beautiful cars had the V12 removed and replaced by a Mercury V8.I helped do a couple of these in the 1950’s,The V12 did not run hot enough and the rings would stick and then the blue smoke was in abundance.I always thought the V12 was a V8 60 with 4 more cylinders.
The REAL Lincoln V12 was the KB of about 450 cubic inches. This car deserved better than the engine it came with.
My ’48 came with a mid-50’s Oldsmobile V-8. SOP for that time. The 12 cyl engines were troublesome.
Too bad seller didn’t air up the tire, if only to show interest in making the best possible presentation.
That “big hole” appears to be an attempt to put in a sun roof. For reasons that defy explanation.
Kenn,
Convertible tops for most US cars have a main center section, and 2 side sections sewn together, leaving 2 seams front to rear. The center piece on this car has probably rotted at the sewn seams and fell in, or more likely blew off during it’s removal from the garage it was in, to it’s current location.
I had a similar situation with a 1953 Packard Convertible, top was probably 30 years old but looked great, no holes. Put the car on the back of my transport truck, and while I was bringing it back to my shop, the center part suddenly blew off, all the way back to the rear window area.
Restomod it with an injected 460 FE, update the suspension & interior and all the modern conveniences & have a blast cruising the highways ,
The 460 will certainly get it away from the curb.Are there any kits available to upgrade the brakes to disc?That is a problem with old cars.None of them had a really good brake and the heavy ones were the worst.Few were ever equalized so straight line stops were seldom from high speed.
I worked on a lot of Ford fatties over the years. They all had a lot of short falls in their original form. The V12 was certainly no exception. However like the V8, with a few modern updates, they can be made very reliable. Nothing money can’t buy.
I would NEVER buy a hunk of mammoth steel like this. Or a Cadillac for that matter! Even if it DOES have a Phlathead engine.
One of the car publications in the early 60’s declared this Lincoln “Queen of the classics. Great car.
My father had a 46 Lincoln Continental convertible that he bought in the early eighties. The car came with a story that it had belonged to John Wayne at 1 time. He then bought a 4 door version to pirate the V12 engine for his convertible. He then started some restoration and the car sat apart for a decade. He sold it still apart. One of the potential buyers then sent him a letter stating that he had won the car from John Wayne in a poker game in 1954. The new buyer hot rodded it with Mustang parts. Car belonged in a museum.
Currently at $6800, 23 bids, no reserve.
There was one of these in white in the movie “Mommy Dearest.”
Beatuful car. Always wanted one. A salesman at a Ford dealership that I worked at in the early 90s had one of these. I think he restomodded it.
This car is not in bad shape and should be restored IMO
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_specs-337bigV8.htm
That’s a good read. Thanks
I have the v12 that gos in that car
To me, this is the stuff nightmares are made of. I wake up and think “Oh god, what did I buy!”…lol!