120 hp, 292 cu. in. L-head V-12 engine, three-speed manual transmission, front and rear transverse leaf springs, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 125"

- One of only 400 Continental convertibles in 1941

- Restored in 1980s; Classic Car Club of America winner in 1986

- Black with original top and original red leather interior

The 1940 Lincoln Continental is considered one of the iconic American automobile designs from the 1930s. Its spare, well-proportioned form was almost devoid of brightwork and was much admired in Europe as well. Not until the crisp “Kennedy” Lincolns of 1961 would any American design be so well regarded overseas.

As is well known, the original Continental was the dream of Edsel Ford, who had the prototype adapted from a Lincoln Zephyr. The Continental went into production with very few changes in 1940 and featured the first use of foam rubber in the seats and aluminum cylinder heads. The year 1941 saw fewer vertical bars in the grille, push-button door handles, an electrically operated power top instead of a hydraulic one and self-canceling turn signals.

The car on offer was carefully restored in the 1980s to retain as much originality as possible and was a CCCA winner in 1986. Though well repainted in its original black, it still retains its original red leather interior and cream top. The trunk was restored, but the car’s interior has a pleasant patina, and it features an AM radio. The 292-cubic inch engine is said to run well, and the three-speed transmission shifts smoothly.

First-generation Lincoln Continentals continue to be well-regarded for their restrained elegance, and they enjoy Full Classic status. There were only 750 built in all: 350 in 1940 and 400 in 1941, before the 1942 redesign. Early cars will always attract admiring attention at car shows—proof, perhaps, that good taste is timeless.