Following Ford’s purchase of the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922, Henry Ford’s only son Edsel was placed at the helm of the luxury concern. Backed by the Ford Motor Company’s considerable engineering resources and Edsel’s aesthetic sensibilities, Lincolns became everything Fords were not: big, powerful, technologically advanced, and expensive. In stark contrast to Henry’s one-size-fits-all approach to transportation, they were highly customizable, with a roster of coachbuilders providing a variety of attractive body styles. Much to the chagrin of rebuffed Lincoln founder Henry Leland, Ford’s oversight had turned around the fledgling luxury brand’s flagging fortunes, with flourishing sales of the Model L paving the way for the Model K of 1931.

In its final year of production, 1930, the original Model L received only minor updates, including the adoption of a worm-and-roller steering system for more precise control.

The seven-passenger sport touring offered here was one of 79 delivered in this attractive style, number 177, and shipped to its destination on 26 March 1930, per its build record held by the Benson Ford Research Center, a copy of which is included in the history file. It was acquired by a European collector from a seller in Wales in 2013 and remained overseas until its recent return to the country of its birth. The restoration is well-mellowed, with a good patina to the maroon and black finishes on the body, and a comfortably broken-in black leather interior—perhaps even the original—which is complete with a second windshield and wind wings for rear seat passengers.

With appropriate mechanical recommissioning, this could be a very enjoyable, pleasurable tourer for its new owner, offering the Model L’s excellent engineering and drivability in combination with enough room for family and friends. It has much charm!