Need help from 1930-1940s car buffs

[ct4438]

Can anyone help me in identifying the make and possibly the model of the car in this photo? The gentleman in the photo is my grandfather. I'm hoping that there's enough identifying features visible for someone to help me figure this out.

Thanks!

[lilpup]

It's a Lincoln, for starters. Continental or Club Coupe, I believe.

[ct4438]

That would make sense.....I only remember them driving Lincolns, but my memory only goes back to the mid-70s. I found some images online of the 1942 Lincoln Continental, looks about right. Thanks for the help!

[shovelhead]

1946 to 1948 Continental. But the hood chrome side spears throws me too. None of the photos I found show that molding on the sides. I also looked at some photos of 42's with no success either. And 49 was the new body style, more rounded. Either an example of early customization, or the other possibility is that this was a pre-production car or a very early production car that the molding was later eliminated.
And unfortunately the years 1945 through 1956, Michigan only required one license plate.

[lilpup]

The trim stripe on the hood makes me think Club Coupe. But definitely not 1942. This car would be 1946-1948.

[ct4438]

Well, I'm definitely not an expert....but on the later models, the hood doesn't look to come up as high above the headlights as in the picture of my grandfather. The hoods don't appear as tall in the later 40s models as the one in the picture.

[shovelhead]

1942, the lower grille has a slope forward and no fog lamps in the lower outer corners. 46 through 48 the lower grille is vertical, and has fog lamps in the lower outer corners. And the 42 grille is definitely different than the 46 to 48 style.

[lilpup]

That grille style didn't start until 1946 and was discontinued after 1948.

[Redleg81]

I'm with shovelhead's latest: 1942........ I agree with what he said about the lower grill, plus I viewed a couple images of them [[bing images) with the hood trim that perplexed the shovel man.

[lilpup]

easy reference page for year-to-year comparison

[56packman]

It is without a question a 1946 model. That year is unique in the thick chrome nameplate on the side of the hood under the thin stainless molding. It can't be a 1942 model, those had very fine grille bars. I have driven four of these Lincoln Continentals, and with the exception of one that had a 1953 Cadillac engine, they are universally one of the worst dogs I have ever driven. All weight, no horsepower.
Two that I drove were restored perfectly, and were in top mechanical condition-they just couldn't get out of their own way. That V-12 engine was prohibitive to rebuild until the value of the cars rose in the 1970s. Many were equipped with Hydra-matic transmissions that Ford/Lincoln bought from GM--those cars were ideal candidates for a 49-up Cadillac OHV V-8 when the Lincoln V-12 took a dump, the Caddy V-8 was taken from a wreck and installed in the Lincoln. All of the sudden you had an automobile.

[ct4438]

Lilpup. Thanks for the reference page....that is fantastic!

OK. I'm enjoying hearing the reasons for the 1946, etc. So, let me ask this:

I'm looking at the photo from Lilpup's reference page of the Lincoln Zephyr sedan from 1946. The hood height looks right and so do all the other points that I've heard, the foglights, etc.

Is this the same car?

[lilpup]

If it had four doors it would be the sedan. If it had only two doors it would be the Club Coupe.

[ct4438]

Wish I had another photo with a better angle of the doors, but for now I'm content knowing it's a Lincoln Zephyr. My grandfather worked for Ford [[retired from there too) so I only remember them driving Ford products....specifically Lincolns. I have another photo from the same day of my grandmother in front of the car [[guess they traded the camera) so I assume it was a new purchase at the time.