Lincoln V-8 Trivia Question of the Week: 1. There are twenty-four states with cities or towns named Lincoln and one state has TWELVE! How many of the states can you name? Which one has the largest population? Which has the smallest? One is a state capital. Do you know which one? 2. What pop singer first took the song Hot Rod Lincoln to the charts? Was it A. Johnny Bond; B. Johnny Cash; C. Johnny Walker or D. Johnny Rocket? 3. A current television commercial for the awesome 2009 Lincoln MKS uses a song containing the lyrics, "This is ground control to Major Tom, you’ve really made the grade!" What was the title of the song and who made it a chart buster? Was the song title, A. Major Tom; B. Space Oddity; C. Ground Control to Major Tom or D. Space Odyssey? Was the artist, A. Sting; B. David Bowie; C. Elton John; D. Pink Floyd or E. The Moody Blues. 4. On December 31, 1955 this African-American was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white person, thus beginning the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. What was her name? 5. On December 31, 1955 this corporation became the first American company to break the $1 Billion dollar earnings level in a single year. Was it A., Sears Roebuck; B., General Electric; C. IBM or D., General Motors? 6. The president of the United States in 1955 was A., Theodore Roosevelt; B., Dwight D. Eisenhower, or C., Harry S. Truman. 7. On September 30, 1955, actor James Dean was killed when the car he was driving collided with another vehicle at a highway junction near Cholame, California. What make of car was Dean driving on that fateful day? 8. And finally, here’s one for all you golf trivia experts in the audience and especially for you, Dan Abeling. Name the professional golfer who gave up his dental practice in Memphis, Tennessee to enter professional golfing. He won the Masters Tournament which took place from April 7th to April 10th in 1955. Was it, A, Sam Sneed; B, Cary Middlecoff, C., Jack Nicklaus or D., Ben Hogan?
For answers to this week’s trivia questions, plus more images of the ‘55 Lincolns, visit the FIN MAN’s web site at http://www.thefinman.com.

Fin Man reader Dan Bogaty of Richmond Heights, Missouri writes, "The nicest car I ever owned was a 1955 Lincoln Capri, which I bought in 1964. I loved it and that love was marred only by the fact that I am not a mechanic and the car was a nightmare mechanically. But was it pretty! Sometimes I used to go out at night and just sit in it listening to the radio and watching that beautiful rocket ship like speedometer glow". Well Dan, this story is for you!
Dan was pretty much on the mark with his comments regarding the mid-fifties Lincoln in more ways than one. The 1955 Lincoln was one of those ‘good news, bad news, which do you want first’ stories. I can still remember my father Charlie, a mechanic (and admittedly a GM proponent) cursing Ford products of the period. Working in the service department at Han-De Super Service (his Mobilgas service station at the corner of Delmar and Hanley Roads in University City, Missouri) one of the oft heard phrases uttered by my dad was "Leave it to Ford to design something this hard to fix!"... followed by "um-um-um" muttered in disbelief and exasperation. So, from a former ‘55 Lincoln owner who loved his car, Dan’s statement that it was "a nightmare mechanically" would seem to back up my dad’s viewpoint on the topic of mid-fifties FoMoCo products. One more Fin Man memory, while we’re on the subject, was the time when my boyhood friend Alan DeFend’s father purchased a brand new 1957 Ford Fairlane. This car was so bad mechanically and electrically that it made lifelong Chevy men out of Alan and his father! I know... you’re saying, well this is just the FIN MAN’s opinion and a result of only a couple of examples. In answer to that, I suggest you pick up one of any number of volumes which cover the subject of mid-fifties Fords. The mechanical deficiencies of these beautiful cars are nearly always found in the contents of such books... and even the most loyal Ford lover will admit that the mid-fifties Fords were sub par when it came to reliability. That 1957 Fairlane that Alan’s dad purchased, was a totally redesigned car and the lines were very appealing. As a matter of fact, the car buying public was so enamoured with its style that, for the first time in many years, Ford outsold Chevrolet for the model year. One must conclude that the multitude of mechanical and electrical gremlins that plagued the 1957 Ford have to play a significant role in the fact that you see so many ‘57 Chevies at car shows today compared to Fords of the same year. If Ford really did have a ‘better idea’ in 1957, perhaps it would be the model year’s Ford, rather than Chevrolet, that garnered iconoclastic status in the world of automobile nostalgia, with everything from pocket knives to lunch boxes and a plethora of reproduction metal signs bearing its image.
The problems that plagued Ford products of this period were, for the most part, those of accessories, electrical circuits and fit and finish. Despite the aggregation of service issues that troubled Lincoln owners (and those who repaired them), the basic drive trains were not only dependable (with a few noted exceptions) but excelled in performance as well. While you may have never thought of Lincoln as a race car, the marque won first, second, third and fourth place in the 1952 Pan American Road Race held in Mexico. These wins, and many others which followed in rapid succession, made Lincoln a popular choice for race car drivers. And it was the reputation for speed that surely lead to the popular song of the period, Hot Rod Lincoln.
Oh yes... lest we forget the ‘good news’, I must say that the styling of the Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns of the day bordered on sensational. Just one look at the beautiful lines of the ‘55 Capri two door hardtop shown above and you have to admit one would be hard pressed to criticize any of the styling cues. Lincoln’s 1955 sales brochure called it ‘superb new beauty of line and form’.
Dan went on to comment that his favorite cars were the mid fifties Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns. Although body panels were carried from year to year, often in three year groups, front and rear bumpers, grills, taillights and side ‘sweepspear’ trim was changed from year to year, making ‘car spotting’ an easy and fun hobby. Despite that familiar and oft-expressed objection that "all cars look alike today", the models vary distinctly from one make to another. Just to name a few, consider the current crop of American luxury cruisers. The Chrysler 300, Cadillac DTS and Lincoln MKS look totally different from one another. (And all are beautiful cars I might add!) In fact, the individual models within the brands are distinctly styled, i.e. the Lincoln MKS, MKZ and Town Car. The rub comes in when you look at specific models from year to year. Most manufacturers today change models on a three to five year (sometimes more) rotation. And, within those model year series, virtually nothing is changed cosmetically. My 2002 Monte Carlo is a case in point. This style was introduced for the 2000 model year and remained unchanged through the 2005 model year. It is virtually impossible to tell them apart without looking at the vin numbers. In the case of Lincoln, the ‘55 model was the fourth refinement of a design which first appeared on the totally re-styled 1952 model. Except for trim changes, bumpers, grill, side trim, etc. the basic body style was the same from ‘52 to ‘55. (How ‘bout that Dan???)
But let’s let bygones be bygones when it come to all those pesky mechanical problems and concentrate on the 1955 Lincoln’s attributes. Lincoln was founded by Henry M. Leyland in 1917 and acquired by Ford Motor Company just five years later. Shortly after its inception, Lincoln claimed its niche as a luxury automobile intended for the upscale markets. The fact that Cadillac has consistently outsold Lincoln matters not to those loyal followers of the marque named after President Abe Lincoln. As a matter of fact, in the world of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus regulars, what difference did a few extra bucks for maintenance make on one hand, when put up against the privilege of owning a beautiful, luxurious car– one in which you were not likely to see yourself coming and going, on the other. I remember (but not as well as Dan) the stately-looking Lincolns which pulled into Han-De Service for a fill up, window wash and fluids check. Located near Clayton and Ladue, my dad’s Mobilgas service station was frequented by a loyal following of well-heeled clientel... doctors, lawyers, business owners and such, so luxury cars like the Lincoln were a fairly regular sight. My peak years of involvement with dad’s station was during my school years, just before and after the legal driving age of sixteen. Much of my pre-sixteen learning took place behind the wheel of (approving) customer’s cars as I was asked to bring them in from the parking area to the service bays. What a thrill it was for a kid of twelve to fifteen to be allowed that responsibility. By the way... I know you’re wondering– NO, I never wrecked a single one.
Lincoln’s line up for 1955 included just two series, the Custom and the Capri, which, but for some badging and sweepspear differences, were identical cars, sharing the same body panels, 123" wheelbase, 215.6" overall length, width and height and used the identical drive train including the 341 cubic inch V-8 (that’s 5.6 liters for the gen Xers in the audience) which churned out 225 horsepower and was topped by a Carter 4-barrel. Power transfer was accomplished via the new ‘Turbo-Drive’ automatic transmission, made by Lincoln. (In model years just prior to 1955, GM’s time-tested Hydra-matics were used.) In a page from the 1955 sales brochure, Lincoln proclaimed that its new tranny was the "newest, smoothest automatic in America"... claiming that it delivered "instant getaway, immediate response for passing and tremendous power reserves for all driving ranges". Combined with the all new ‘Super-Compression’ V-8 ("the most efficient ever designed by Lincoln engineers"), "America’s Finest Power Combination" (as Lincoln marketing gurus called it), promised to deliver "the greatest driving sensation you’ve ever experienced". I have a feeling new Lincoln buyers were not disappointed!
All Lincolns for ‘55 wore 8.00 x 15" tires except convertibles and cars equipped with air conditioning. These cars were shoed with 8.20 x 15 tubeless tires.
You weren’t likely to find many Lincolns at the new Chuck-A-Burger drive-in restaurant which opened at Page and Pennsylvania back in 1955. You might have better luck at Schneidhorsts Restaurant in Frontenac or the Green Parrot Inn in Kirkwood. Those lucky Lincoln buyers for 1955 had a palette of sixteen colors to choose from including, Starlight Gray; Chalet Blue Poly; Galway Green; Huntsman Red; Viceroy Brown; Summit Green; Palomino Buff; Cashmere Coral; Ernine White; Taos Turquoise; Chancellor Gray; Bahama Blue; Executive Black; Estate Green; Sunstone Yellow and Brunswick Blue. The beautiful Capri 2-door hardtop pictured above is dressed in Cashmere Coral over Ermine White and guess what? It just happens to be for sale. If you’re interested, visit the dealer at http://www.autogallerymuseum.com. Owner Lou Savaglio has this honey priced at ‘just’ $26,900.00 which seems to be right on the mark, as a recent copy of the Old Cars Price Guide, considered by many to be the ‘bible’ of old car prices, lists this vehicle at $31,000.00 for a number one car and $21,700 for a number two. As you can see by the 21 photos on Lou’s site, this car has been meticulously restored and maintained. If you’re looking to purchase a relatively rare car for cruising the Chuck-A-Burger Cruise Nights for the summer of 2009, maybe you should give this pretty Lincoln Capri coupe the once over. Visit my web site for more pics and a link to the Auto Gallery Museum.
Of all Lincolns sold in the 1955 model year, 93% had ‘Full-Control’ power steering, 94% had power brakes, 91% had ‘Deep-Comfort’ 4-way power seats, 82% had power windows, 98 percent had radios (AM only), 99% had heaters and 89% had tinted glass. Lincoln claimed in their sales brochures that their completely new air conditioner was a custom-built system developed exclusively for Lincoln and that with just one touch of your finger you could fill the car with fresher, cooler air, enabling you to "ride in exactly the climate you desired". Despite all the promotional hype, fewer than 20% of the 1955 Lincolns were equipped with air conditioning. Of course a/c was a pricey comfort option back in 1955 costing several hundred dollars in a time when a White Castle burger could be bought for a dime and a gallon of premium was running around forty cents. Another factor which played into the equation was the fact that even high income car buyers were still enamoured with the relatively new ‘hardtop’ body styles offered by nearly all makes since around 1950. This type of body style, nearly nonexistent in today’s market, was one in which no posts were present when all windows were rolled down. Since the vast majority of cars on the road in the mid-sixties were not equipped with a/c, open air motoring was a popular pastime. I can still remember riding in the back of my dad’s cars, as we returned home from a day in Staunton, Illinois where my great aunt Frieda had a small livestock farm or an evening at the Chain of Rocks Amusement Park. Riding up and down the natural roller coaster that was Highway 66 (now Dunn Road), I could be seen with my arm sticking out of the back, side window, tilting my cupped hand to catch the oncoming wind which, in turn, made my arm go up and down according to the pitch of my hand much like flaps on an airplane wing. From top of any hill to the bottom of the valley that followed, there was what seemed to be a ten degree difference in temperature. Every now and then I try going windows down, moon roof open in my Monte Carlo. It lasts for about two or three minutes until the buffeting wind and surrounding road noises spoils the enjoyment of the Eric Clapton CD I dropped into the factory CD player... one that has a surprisingly pleasing base response. I guess ‘hardtop’ motoring wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
My aunt Dorothy was probably set back by the Capri coupe’s lofty base sticker price of $3,910.00. (The Custom series in the same body style could be had for about $250.00 less.) When equipped with all options, the bottom line no doubt climbed to near the $5,000.00 mark if not slightly over it. That equates to around forty G’s PLUS in ‘08 dollars... about two grand LESS than a 2009 Lincoln MKS equipped with all the aforementioned ‘55 options plus far more in convenience, entertainment and safety! Regarding those mechanical and electrical problems that plagued the mid-fifties models? Thankfully, those are a thing of the past. (I’ve owned five Lincolns since the late seventies and all have given me excellent service– although I must admit, my ‘77 Town Car was a rust bucket unlike any I’ve owned.) By the way, regarding that choice of two models for 1955... for 2009, Lincoln is offering three automobiles, the MKS, MKZ and Town Car... a crossover (the MKX), the full size Navigator sport utility and the Mark LT– a pickup truck for cryin’ out loud. The majority of these models come in under $40,000.00 and are well equipped even at the base price. Aunt Dorothy never had a selection like that to choose from!

For the answers to this week’s trivia questions and other images of the 1955 Lincoln... visit the FIN MAN’s web site at http://thefinman.com. To e-mail him, click on this link: mailto:the_fin_man@msn.com.

The FIN MAN is available for your group’s special occasion and is currently booking dates for calendar year 2009. During his appearances, he presents an overview of the collector car hobby plus a detailed look at American cars from the fifties and sixties. His program includes a fascinating Power Point presentation with images of collectible automobiles and various associated nostalgia and Americana. Guests also have the opportunity to play "FINS for FUN," the video game he produced in 1987 which inspired his nickname, in which players compete to identify the year, make and model of cars from tightly cropped photos of fins and taillights. Those who score the highest win auto-related prizes donated by supporting Fin Man sponsors. Be sure to sign up for the program which is being presented at the secluded YMCA Trout Lodge in April and May of 2009. For more information, click on this link: http://groups.msn.com/the-fin-man/seminaragenda.msnw.

Bruce Kunz is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians, the St. Louis Chapter of the Buick Club of America and the Monte Carlo Owners Association of America. He welcomes your comments and suggestions. To e-mail him, click here > mailto:the_fin_man@msn.com.