The story of the Lincoln Motor Car Company begins with Henry M. Leland, who, with his son, Wilfred, founded the company shortly after World War One. Leland designed a new chassis, highlighted by a new 60 degree V-8 with its characteristic fork and blade connecting rods. The first Lincoln was produced in September 1920, but by late 1921 the company was in financial difficulties.

The company was plagued by three problems: delays getting to the marketplace, legal problems with the U. S. government over alleged war profit taxes and the conservative design of the early Lincoln bodies. Before everything could be resolved, the company found itself in receivership in early 1922 and the company was purchased by Henry Ford for approximately $8 million. Although they hoped to remain with the new company, the Lelands were gone within a few months. Edsel Ford became head of the Lincoln Motor Car Company.

Under Edsel's patronage, the Lincoln motor car became everything the Lelands had hoped for. Beautifully-styled bodies from nearly every American coachbuilder now complemented the magnificently-engineered Lincoln chassis. Sales increased significantly. In 1925, the Gorham-designed greyhound appeared for the first time. The Model L, as it was known, would remain in production for several more years before a major change took place.

In 1931, the venerable Model L gave way to the gracefully-designed Model K, which featured an updated, more powerful version of the Leland-inspired V-8 and--to the great satisfaction of coachbuilders--a longer (145-inch) wheelbase. In truth, the newly-designed chassis, with its numerous new mechanical features, had been engineered for an even more spectacular Lincoln engine.

A year later--1932--the legendary Model KB with its massive V-12 powerplant was introduced. It was arguably the most magnificent of all the classic Lincoln engines. Concurrent with the KB, Lincoln also offered a smaller V-12 engine in a shorter wheelbase chassis, the Model KA. Unfortunately, the KB was introduced just as the Great Depression was unfolding.

The KB and KA models were in production approximately two years before Lincoln moved to a new engine, a smaller, but equally powerful V-12 engine. That engine and chassis, known as the Model K, remained in production with various improvements until the last of the classic Lincolns was built in early 1940.

As the Depression deepened, sales of luxury cars declined. Custom body firms were closing their doors. President Roosevelt used a Lincoln K--the famous "Sunshine Special." Refinements continued, but in 1939-40 only 120 Lincoln K's were produced--and these were spread over 21 different body styles!

The medium-price Lincoln-Zephyr--the first successful aerodynamically-designed car, had been introduced in 1936. The stunning Lincoln Continental followed in 1939. In 1940, the last "big Lincoln" was produced. Times had changed. As Edsel Ford said shortly thereafter, "We didn't stop making luxury cars, people simply stopped buying them." Sadly, Edsel Ford, Lincoln's guiding light, died in 1943 at 49.