Vehicle Description
One of the most striking designs of the immediate post-war era, the
Lincoln H-Series set styling trends that we still see echoing
today. This 1948 66H Sedan is an elegant personal car that's had an
easy life, with a great repaint and unbelievably only 29,535 actual
miles on the clock.
The flowing lines, penned by Bob Gregorie in the late 1930s, turned
out to be one of the finest shapes to come out of Dearborn. Edsel
Ford can probably get the credit for inventing the personal luxury
car when he had a custom Continental made for himself in 1938, and
it was such a hit that they put it into immediate production the
next year. Even in 1948, the look was dynamic and fresh and this
Lincoln Maroon sedan has the right look. It was repainted many
years ago, but after years of being babied, it still looks
wonderful. Is it perfect? No. But it does have a wonderful shine,
reflection, and a soft glow to the paint that is impossible to
replicate in the spray booth; it needs to be earned, and in that
regard, this car excels. Fit and finish are quite good, and it's
doubly-critical that all four suicide doors fit right due to the
pushbutton door latches, which spring open with just a touch. Lots
of chrome and stainless accents dress it up, especially those
amazing front and rear bumpers and that intricate grille, but it's
worth noting how restrained its use truly is, letting the shape
mostly speak for itself.
The beautiful purple cloth interior is a very comfortable and
spacious place to enjoy motoring. Luxurious yet sporting, like a
high-class hotel in the mountains, it's the epitome of 1940s
luxury. Apparently, it's the original upholstery inside, and as you
can see, it's holding up rather well with only minor signs of use
here and there, although some of the support in the front bench is
beginning to soften. Lovely gauges with ornate faces and metallic
finishes highlight the fact that the Lincoln was all about style.
The big steering wheel looks and feels substantial while the big
round gauges are the speedometer and the clock, and the AM radio is
centered on the dash. The back seat is roomy enough for three, but
ideally meant for two, and legroom is considerable. There's also a
good-sized trunk including the jack, all-original and roomy enough
for pretty much all travel needs.
Yes, there are twelve cylinders under the hood. Supremely smooth,
the flathead 292 V12 obviously owes a lot to the famous Ford
flathead V8. With a single 2-barrel carburetor, it won't win any
drag races at 135 horsepower, but thanks to the 3-speed manual
overdrive and a torque curve as flat as Kansas, it's a wonderful
cruiser that will loaf along at modern highway speeds without
getting tired. The transmission shifts easily with the "fingertip
control" of the column-mounted shifter and the 4-wheel hydraulic
drum brakes are more than adequate for the car's performance. The
chassis appears to be almost entirely original and well-maintained,
once again affirming our belief that original cars just feel
different, and we mean that in the best possible way. Steel wheels
with hubcaps and trim rings are fitted with correct L78-15 wide
whites for a period-perfect look.
An incredible find with low miles and tons of originality, this
elegant sedan is a very affordable way into a very high-end part of
the hobby and you'll never get tired of the gasps when people see
12 cylinders living under the hood. Call today!
