Mosky’s Musings: CCCA Classics — 1947 Cadillac 62 & the 1948 Lincoln Continental
At My Classic Garage it’s not only what you would could or should have in your collection but more importantly, it’s about the drive. After all that was the intended use of that hunk of metal, fabric, and rubber hopefully parked undercover and nearby.
Few entities encourage your vehicle’s use better than car clubs.
They provide technical support, fellowship, and varieties of unique, curated activities which are best accessed in a collector vehicle.
Our featured cars are among the few post war American convertibles eligible for the Classic Car Club of America.
The club devotes itself to “distinctive” cars produced between 1915 and 1948. Their vehicle roster includes 120 separate brands and even more individual models. Membership approximates 4000.
The club and its 29 regions host multiple events which vary from week long tours which may end with members’ vehicles parked on the lawns at some of the nation’s most prestigious concours to day tours highlighting local sites and collections.
The 1947 Cadillac 62 and the 1948 Lincoln Continental are among the last of their marques to be “CCCA eligible.” Both are continuations of pre-war models and both represent the final iteration of their design. (Lincoln would not resume Continental production until 1956; Cadillac’s 1948 model was a dramatic departure introducing fins, a shorter wheelbase, more side chrome and a simpler grille; its famed OHV V-8 would debut in 1949.) Relatively high production numbers and their origins in American factories have ensured parts availability and kept prices low as compared to more exotic classics like Duesenberg, Rolls-Royce, coachbuilt Packards, and Pierce-Arrows.
Very good examples of closed model immediate post-war Cadillacs and Lincolns can be purchased in the twenty to forty thousand dollar range. Driver and sometimes better quality convertibles can be bought for forty to sixty thousand dollars. Cadillacs tend to cost more than similarly outfitted Lincolns.
The Lincoln Continental was conceived by Edsel Ford and its design executed by Bob Gregorie. It was offered from 1939–42. Production resumed post war and between 1946 and 1948, 1391 Cabriolets (452 for the 1948 model year) were sold to the public. All 1948 models had a three-speed manual transmission and a 125 hp 292 ci L-head V-12 powerplant. Length was 220 inches; wheelbase 125 inches.
AACA Hornet’s Nest Region Executive Director, Mel Carson, tours frequently in his 1948 Lincoln. “It’s made lots of trips to Hershey”. He finds the car a bit of trouble to drive out of a tight parking space; once under way, “it rides like a sports car.” Though the Lincoln is equipped with overdrive, Mr. Carson avoids interstates. “They might go fast but they don’t stop fast”
The Lincoln V-12’s had lubrication and crankcase breathing problems. Most presently functioning cars have had their crank case ventilation improved with breathers from fifties Fords and have had higher pressure oil pumps placed. Aluminum pistons, modern steel rings, and valves resistant to ethanol are other important adjuncts. Mr. Carson has had no problems with his six-volt system. “It starts easily”. The standard bakelite covered dual coils do fail and many replace them with paired singles.
“Chrome it”, a frequent suggestion in the fifties had earlier application. To compete with Cadillac’s handsome grill, Lincoln introduced a massive complex chrome grille in 1942. It became more complex from 1946–48. The multi sectioned lower grille bears more scrutiny because of its tendency toward pitting and damage from minor collisions and bumper jacking. Replacement or repair and replating of the lower grill as well as the bumpers can be costly.
By mid-century, Cadillac had achieved the reputation: “the Standard of the World”. The tag line came with the 1908 award of the British Dewar Trophy. Henry Leland had disassembled, three Models Ks, jumbled the parts, reassembled the Cadillacs, and facilitated successful 500 mile test runs of all three cars. Though “standard” could have implied interchangeable parts or a level of quality achieved, Cadillac delivered enough innovation to deserve the appellation. Fixed roofs, electric starters, and synchromesh were all Cadillac developments. The famed GM four-speed Hydra-Matic was first offered by Oldsmobile in 1940 and Cadillac in 1941. Later Hudson, Kaiser, Lincoln and Rolls-Royce would either purchase or produce the transmission under license.
The demand for Cadillacs was huge. In 1947 Cadillac produced 61,926 cars. There were orders for 96,000 more.
6,755 Cadillac Series 62 Convertibles were produced for the 1947 model year. All came with Cadillac’s final version of the flathead, a 150 hp 346 ci V-8. It travelled from zero to sixty in the 18 second range and was slightly quicker than the Lincoln. It too was 220 inches long and rode on an 129 inch wheelbase.
Steve Benson had his Cadillac engine rebuilt to original specs. He claims plenty of power and finds it tracks well at its “sweet spot, 65 mph.” Comparing it to his 1948 Lincoln, he feels his Cadillac requires a bit more effort at low speeds. Also like many he finds the long pause going from the Hydra-Matic’s very low first gear to its much higher second a bit disconcerting.
He has rerouted and insulated a fuel line which previously ran close and parallel to the exhaust. Many owners of the Cadillac 62 have experienced a phenomenon similar to vapor lock when starting a warm recently used engine.
Most Cadillacs give otherwise trouble-free drivetrain performance. When considering one for purchase, inspect the chrome; there’s a lot of it in vulnerable spots. Cadillac’s “Hydro-Lectric” window lifts fail frequently and bear scrutiny as well.
Mr. Benson feels he cannot offer a fair comparison of powerplants. None other than Andy Granatelli, purveyor of Fordillacs, replaced his 1948 Lincoln’s V-12 with an OHV V-8 Cadillac!
Consider joining and supporting a car club and happy motoring.
Have you owned either car? Which do you prefer? Any personal experiences? We value your comments.
Many thanks to Walt Herip of Herip Associates, the CCCA, The Museum of
Automobile History, and Mark Hyman of Hyman, Ltd. All helped with the
illustration of this article.
View all Cadillacs for sale on My Classic Garage.
View all Lincolns for sale on My Classic Garage.
To receive stories in your inbox every week, sign up for our weekly newsletterhere.
Check out the more than 8,000 car listings on My Classic Garage.
Click here for information on financing for classic cars from Woodside Credit.
Click here for information on collector car insurance from TDC Risk Management.
Click here for information on transporting classic cars from Plycar.
