1946 Lincoln Series 66H

Lincoln models for 1946 included the 'Continental' and the 'Lincoln,' the latter also referred to as the 'Lincoln-Zephyr,' the 'Series H,' and the 'Series 66H.' In the pre-war era, it had been known as the Zephyr, but the name was no longer used after 1942, and the cars were dubbed Lincolns.

The Lincoln-Zephyr
Lincoln introduced the Zephyr on November 2, 1935, as a 1936 model and it would remain in production through 1942. Conceived by Edsel B. Ford and designed by Eugene Turenne Gregorie, it was given the name 'zephyr' referencing the Greek word zephyrus, or the god of the west wind (additionally, it shared its name with the 1934 Burlington Zephyr diesel high-speed express train). Its elegant and graceful design was as though it was formed by the wind, with numerous streamlined and aerodynamic features, including integrated fenders, a prow-like front grille, and a low-raked windscreen. Throughout the industry, streamlined designs had become more prevalent, perhaps none more-so than Chrysler's Airflow and the Pierce Silver Arrow concept car. The Zephyr, however, had a lower coefficient of drag than the Airflow.

Production of the Zephyr continued until February 10, 1942, when all American car production was halted by the Government as the country entered World War II.

Mechanical Specification
The front-mounted V-12 engine shared its basic design elements with the Ford V-8 rather than the larger engines from Lincoln's Model K series. The 267 cubic-inch flat-head unit produced 110 horsepower at 3,900 RPM and was paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Lincoln had relied exclusively on V-12 engines since 1933. Improvements to the engine for 1938 added the use of hydraulic lifters. Wheelbase sizes ranged from 122 to 125 inches, and its length from 202.5 to 210 inches. The solid beam front and live rear axle were suspended by transverse leaf springs. Stopping power was via four-wheel drum brakes (hydraulic brakes were added for 1939, as well as improvements to the electrical charging system).

Initially offered only as a four-door sedan and a two-door 'coupe-sedan', the line expanded for 1937 with a full town limousine and a six-passenger coupe. The following year, a convertible sedan and convertible coupe joined the lineup.

Styling revisions bestowed upon the Zephyr for 1939 included lower body skirting that completely enclosed the running boards, along with updates to the sheet metal, front grille, and a raised hood line. The dashboard was designed to be asymmetrical with gloveboxes on each end, accommodating both left- and right-hand drive configuration (international sales), and had a centrally mounted combination speedometer/instrument cluster which included gauges for fuel, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and charging.

Purpose
The Zephyr filled the void between the Ford passenger cars and the luxurious Lincoln automobiles, allowing the company to compete head-to-head with Chrysler's Airflow, Buick's Century, and Packard's 120. The mid-size Zephyr was promoted as 'affordable luxury.'

Post World War II
The 1942 Zephyr returned for 1946, 1947 and 1948 as the company worked on all-new models for 1949. Simply called Lincoln, it bore few changes.

Mildly revised 1942 models resumed production towards the close of 1945, and mirroring the pricier Continental, the '66H' wore an egg-create grille and large front bumper. Distinguishable features included the 'Lincoln' nameplates on the sides of the hood (the Continentals had 'Lincoln Continental' nameplates), pseudo-side step plates (Continentals did not have step plates), and chrome trim running from the front of the hood to the rear of the car. The push-button Continental-style door openers bestowed upon the 1942 models were continued into the post-WWII era. Conventional door handles replaced the push-button handles in 1947.

Both the Continental and Series 66H rested on a 125-inch wheelbase platform and had an overall length of 216 inches. The L-head V-12 engine had a cast iron block, a 305 cubic-inch displacement size, 7.2:1 compression, a Chandler-Grove two-barrel carburetor, four main bearings, and produced 130 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission was standard equipment and overdrive was optional.

The Series 66H was priced at $2,315 for the club coupe, $2,335 for the sedan, and $2,885 for the convertible. A total of 16,645 examples were produced.

The Continental was priced at $4,475 for the convertible and $4,400 for the club coupe, with 201 of the convertible and 265 of the club coupe.

Styling of the 1946 to 1948 Lincolns were mostly unchanged. The first all-new postwar Lincolns arrived on April 22, 1948. These new vehicles continued the 'streamlined' theme with recessed headlights and a two-piece windshield (the top-of-the-line Cosmopolitan that replaced the Continental had a one-piece windshield).

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2024