Make: | Lincoln |
Model: | L |
Year: | 1929 |
Mileage: | 1200 |
VIN: | 60136 |
Vehicle Title: | Clean |
Item location: | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
Lincoln is an American luxury car manufacturer, operated under the Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland and acquired by Ford in 1922, Lincoln has been manufacturing vehicles intended for the upscale markets since the 1920s. Leland named the brand after his longtime hero Abraham Lincoln, for whom he had voted in the first presidential elections for which he was eligible
The company was founded in August 1917 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac (originally the Henry Ford Company). He left the Cadillac division of General Motors during World War I and formed the Lincoln Motor Company to build Liberty aircraft engines with his son Wilfred. After the war, the company's factories were retooled to manufacture luxury automobiles.
The company encountered severe financial troubles during the transition, coupled with body styling that wasn't comparable to other luxury makers, and after having produced only 150 cars in 1922, was forced into bankruptcy and sold for USD $8,000,000 to the Ford Motor Comany on February 4 1922, which went to pay off some of the creditors. The purchase of Lincoln was a personal triumph for Henry Ford, who had been forced out of his second (after Detroit Automobile Company) company by a group of investors led by Leland. Ford's company, renamed Cadillac in 1902 and purchased by rival General Motors in 1909, was Lincoln's chief competitor. Lincoln quickly became one of America's top selling luxury brands alongside Cadillac and Packard. Ford made no immediate change, either in the chassis or the V-8 L-head engine which was rated 36.4 SAE and produced 90 bhp at 2,800 rpm.
In 1923, several body styles were introduced, that included two- and three-window, four door sedans and a phaeton that accommodated four passengers. They also offered a two passenger roadster and a seven passenger touring sedan and limousine, which was sold for $5,200. A sedan, limo, cabriolet and town car were also offered by coachbuilders Fleetwood, and a second cabriolet was offered by coachbuilder Brunn. Prices for the vehicles built by these coachbuilders went for as much as $7,200, and despite the limited market appeal, Lincoln sales rose about 45 percent to produce 7,875 cars and the company was operating at a profit by the end of 1923.
This very nice original car has been in the current owners stable for over 30 years. The car sports many original features including the paint which is in excellent overall condition with only one area of buff through on the right rear fender. The interior was completely redone many years ago-reportedly by a gentleman who worked at the Lincoln factory in the period-so is correct in every manner. The car has seen sparing use, so the interior still presents as brand new. The brightwork is all in very good to excellent condition. This is what I would call a fine original car- a car that should definitely not be restored. It exhibits the care it has been given over the years and is a touchstone to the past and the manner in which these cars were produced. A fully restored car simply cannot do that. The car features Wire Wheels, Driving Lights, Visor, Bud Vases, and Rear Mounted Spare.
The car has been stored in a climate controlled museum like setting, and was recently recommissioned for the sale and runs very well.
These L Lincolns are truly fine cars, among the finest cars offered in the era; and this car represents a good opportunity to get into one very affordably.