Vehicle Description
Attractive older body-on restoration in great colors. Smooth and
torquey 337 cubic inch flathead V8. HydraMatic automatic
transmission. Power windows and top. Beautiful interior. A often
overlooked Lincoln convertible that represents a lot of car for the
money!The Cosmopolitan was Lincoln's first all-new car following
the war. The 12-cylinder Continental and Zephyr were dead, leaving
room for a full-sized luxury car with fresh styling and updated
performance. The clean-sheet design is highly modern, with smoothly
integrated hood and front fenders, sweeping body lines, and skirted
rear wheels, making the Cosmopolitan look long and low. There are
some who deride the swept-back headlights, but they work better
today than they did in the '40s and the car has an elegant,
sporting look that was surely the intention. Finished in glossy
black, this is the epitome of top-of-the-line motoring in the
post-war '40s. Benefitting from a body-on restoration perhaps 15
years ago, this very straight and very shiny Lincoln carries a lot
of presence in the showroom. Panel fit is quite good, with big
doors that swing shut easily and that massive clamshell hood closes
with just gentle pressure instead of a major slam. There's plenty
of chrome, make no mistake, but it's tasteful and not excessive in
any way, and we love the eyebrows over the front fenders. Big block
letters on the front bumper proudly spell out 'LINCOLN' while
delicate script emblems everywhere else let everyone know this is
something special. And perhaps in the ultimate nod to
understatement, those jeweled round taillights are the perfect
finishing touch.The beautiful red leather interior is a brilliant
contrast to the black bodywork, creating one of the most desirable
combinations imaginable. The upholstery was restored with the rest
of the car some years ago, but it's holding up quite well with only
minor signs of use and age. The hides remain supple, the carpets
haven't faded from excessive sun exposure, and the door panels are
excellent. Perhaps the only part showing its age is the steering
wheel, which appears to be original and has some minor cracking.
Two round dials hold the primary gauges, all of which are working,
with a rectangular clock in the center (sadly, not working).
Secondary controls are arrayed in a long row of well-marked
switches under the center of the dash. And even in 1949, a heater
was optional, so the controls for the heater are installed below
those switches. The original AM radio is in place but is
unfortunately not operational, and you'll note that this car
carries the optional HydraMatic automatic transmission (yes,
Lincoln bought automatic transmissions from GM). The power windows
are hydraulically actuated and work properly, albeit slowly, as
does the power convertible top, which is finished in black canvas
for a sleek look. The trunk is large enough for travel and includes
a full-sized spare tire assembly.The wheezy, underpowered V12 was
gone, replaced by a larger V8?a 337 cubic inch version of Ford's
venerable flathead. With a 2-barrel carburetor on top, it's a
reasonable performer with great torque to get all two tons of
Lincoln rolling without much effort. It's also impeccably smooth,
as you'd expect, with a nice V8 burble from the single tailpipe out
back. It's finished in corporate turquoise engine enamel and
factory-style decals have been installed throughout the engine bay
for an authentic look. The aforementioned GM HydraMatic 4-speed
automatic transmission works as advertised, although it's a little
abrupt going into reverse, which is common with these early
automatic units. But with the automatic's great torque
multiplication off-the-line, the Cosmo doesn't need steep gears and
instead uses 3.31s out back, making it a wonderful highway cruiser
that's comfortable at today's speeds. The body has never been off
the frame, but you can see that the original floors are in
excellent shape and there's plenty of evidence of conscientious
maintenance over the years. Tube shocks improve the ride, steering
is reasonable, and the 4-wheel drum brakes are impressively
powerful and certainly adequate for a car of this size. It starts
easily, idles nicely, and generally behaves like a luxury car
should. It even looks right sitting on those 8.20-15 Firestone wide
whites.Documentation includes a factory service manual.These are
not common cars and we can't remember the last time we've seen a
black one (they all seem to be yellow). Strikingly handsome, we're
also pleased with just how well it works on the road. There's good
power on tap and the HydraMatic automatic is a great traveling
partner. It isn't a perfect car, but given the price, we think it
represents a lot of prestige and luxury for not a lot of cash. Call
today!Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or
professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to
purchase.
