| 1941 Lincoln Zephyr |
I bought this 1941Lincoln Zephyr for $3500. Photo 1 shows the car the day I bought it. I bought it from Margaret Chapman; she lived
in Long Beach, California. Her husband bought it new in 1941. Mr. Chapman was an attorney and Margaret was his secretary. She
would sit in the backseat and type as they traveled She told me that they traveled back east frequently along the original Route 66. The
car had been sitting in the garage since the mid 1960's and was in very good shape. Photo 2 is a view of the engine as it looked when I
bought the car. The car had been given an Earl Schieb $19.95 paint job in 1965.
I had the car towed to the Toyota facility in the Long Beach Harbor. I was working there at the time. Al Moore buffed it out for me.
You can see him hard at work in photo 3. I would go down on my lunch break to help him. After it was buffed out, I had the seats
reupholstered. The trim and bumpers were removed (photo 4) and were polished. Photo 5 shows the car once everything had been
rechromed and reinstalled. Photo 6 shows the engine after some detailing and cleaning. It had also been steam cleaned. It already
looked better as you can tell by comparing it to how it looked in photo 2.
On the Saturday I decided to finally drive it home, I had my friend Virgil give me a ride to Toyota. He followed me home and on the
way, the car started smoking really bad. There was nothing I could do but continue driving it home. I drove it home 23 miles with
smoke blowing from it. I was glad when I finally pulled up in the driveway.
Now that it was home I began to dismantle the engine (photo 7) to pull it out. This was much larger than a Volkswagen motor, so I
had to call in the heavy artillery to pull it out. In photos 8-10 you can see the cherry picker I used for the job. Here are the old
pistons (photo 11) after they were removed from the engine block. I used my 1965 Pontiac to take the engine to the machine shop.
You can see it being put into the trunk with the cherry picker in photos 12 and 13.
in Long Beach, California. Her husband bought it new in 1941. Mr. Chapman was an attorney and Margaret was his secretary. She
would sit in the backseat and type as they traveled She told me that they traveled back east frequently along the original Route 66. The
car had been sitting in the garage since the mid 1960's and was in very good shape. Photo 2 is a view of the engine as it looked when I
bought the car. The car had been given an Earl Schieb $19.95 paint job in 1965.
I had the car towed to the Toyota facility in the Long Beach Harbor. I was working there at the time. Al Moore buffed it out for me.
You can see him hard at work in photo 3. I would go down on my lunch break to help him. After it was buffed out, I had the seats
reupholstered. The trim and bumpers were removed (photo 4) and were polished. Photo 5 shows the car once everything had been
rechromed and reinstalled. Photo 6 shows the engine after some detailing and cleaning. It had also been steam cleaned. It already
looked better as you can tell by comparing it to how it looked in photo 2.
On the Saturday I decided to finally drive it home, I had my friend Virgil give me a ride to Toyota. He followed me home and on the
way, the car started smoking really bad. There was nothing I could do but continue driving it home. I drove it home 23 miles with
smoke blowing from it. I was glad when I finally pulled up in the driveway.
Now that it was home I began to dismantle the engine (photo 7) to pull it out. This was much larger than a Volkswagen motor, so I
had to call in the heavy artillery to pull it out. In photos 8-10 you can see the cherry picker I used for the job. Here are the old
pistons (photo 11) after they were removed from the engine block. I used my 1965 Pontiac to take the engine to the machine shop.
You can see it being put into the trunk with the cherry picker in photos 12 and 13.
Here are the new pistons (photo 14). In photo 15 I was just starting to put the engine back together. This was a new experience for me
as this was very different from a Volkswagen motor, but I was up for the challenge. Son Marc and daughter Michelle liked giving me a
hand. A new oil pan and exhaust manifold was installed (photo 18). Here is the engine mounted on the engine stand (photo 19).
I decided to drive the car to a Lincoln Zephyr club meeting. As I was driving it across the Blue Line tracks the left rear axle broke and
I was stuck on the track with the train fast approaching. People jumped out of their cars and helped me push it off the track just in
time. This happened on the day the Blue Line opened and I'll bet the driver of that car was sure surprised when he saw me sitting on
the track. I had to park it in an alley (photo 20) near the track until I could arrange for it to be towed home (photo 21). Here is the
broken axle (photo 22) and the rear end disassembled (photo 23). Photo 24 is of the rear end back together and ready for painting.
as this was very different from a Volkswagen motor, but I was up for the challenge. Son Marc and daughter Michelle liked giving me a
hand. A new oil pan and exhaust manifold was installed (photo 18). Here is the engine mounted on the engine stand (photo 19).
I decided to drive the car to a Lincoln Zephyr club meeting. As I was driving it across the Blue Line tracks the left rear axle broke and
I was stuck on the track with the train fast approaching. People jumped out of their cars and helped me push it off the track just in
time. This happened on the day the Blue Line opened and I'll bet the driver of that car was sure surprised when he saw me sitting on
the track. I had to park it in an alley (photo 20) near the track until I could arrange for it to be towed home (photo 21). Here is the
broken axle (photo 22) and the rear end disassembled (photo 23). Photo 24 is of the rear end back together and ready for painting.
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Photo 25 shows the rear end after it had been painted. Here are my two assistants, daughters Aimee and Michelle in picture 26. Here
is the new engine installed in the car (photo 27). Now it was time to have some fun with it. I took it to the Fabulous Ford Car Show at
Knott's Berry Farm (photo 29). The remaining photos show it in front of our house. I sold it in 1994 for $13,500. I decided it was time
to get back into Volkswagens so I used part of the money to buy the '67 and the rest went for new tools for the garage.
is the new engine installed in the car (photo 27). Now it was time to have some fun with it. I took it to the Fabulous Ford Car Show at
Knott's Berry Farm (photo 29). The remaining photos show it in front of our house. I sold it in 1994 for $13,500. I decided it was time
to get back into Volkswagens so I used part of the money to buy the '67 and the rest went for new tools for the garage.
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