Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum Update

Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum Update

The Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum ended the year on a high note, the donation of two automobiles to the museum’s growing group of classic Lincolns. Of equal significance, three separate groups from the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company visited the museum.

The Dr. L. Dale Shaeffer family donated Dr. Shaeffer’s 1941 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet, which he had owned for more than sixty years. Dr. Shaeffer was the second president of the Lincoln Continental Owners Club (LCOC). His widow and children attended the 2016 Lincoln Homecoming for the ceremonies.

Randy Fehr of Iowa formally donated his 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertible, which had previously been on loan. During Mr. Fehr’s ownership, the car benefited from a complete restoration to as original condition.

Other key events that took place during 2016:

The completed restoration of a 1926-‘27 Lincoln L chassis was donated by Arnold Schmidt. The chassis was restored by Paul Van Stratton and his team of volunteers. Major funding came from the Nau family, in memory of longtime Lincoln enthusiast Gerry Nau. Several LOC members donated parts.

A 1946 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet was loaned by David Bunch of Florida. This is a one-off car customized by Lincoln’s design department. Unique features include a custom color, wheel covers painted body color, Haartz cloth top, and a chromed spare tire carrier.

The loan of a newly-restored 1940 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet by Lincoln Motor Car Foundation Chairman Emeritus Jack Eby, who led the LMCF for many years and continues to serve as head of the museum’s endowment campaign.

Of equal significance, three separate groups from the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company visited the museum. Among the executives visiting were teams from the Lincoln marketing department, Lincoln product planning department, and Lincoln design department. Among the executives visiting the museum were Moray Callkum, Vice President, Design Ford Motor Company; David Woodhouse, Lincoln Design Director, John Emmert, Group Marketing Manager, Lincoln; and Scott Tobin, Director, Lincoln Product Development.

An ongoing LMCF capital campaign drive continues to build an endowment fund that ensures the continued operation of the museum for years to come. Matching funds have been pledged by Jerry Capizzi and Chris Dunn.

Looking ahead, the 2017 Homecoming will take place August 9-13. (A “premeet” event will be held in Dearborn, Michigan, August 6-9.) A host of activities has been planned.

While the 2017 Homecoming will be hosted by the Lincoln Owners Club, it will be attended by all four Lincoln clubs—the Lincoln and Continental Owners Club, Lincoln-Zephyr Owners Club, the Road Race Lincoln Register and the LOC. The theme will be the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Lincoln Motor Company to build Liberty Motors for the war effort. (The company was reincorporated in 1920 to build motor cars.)

Details on the 2017 Homecoming are available on the LMCF website.

On the Lincoln Highway

On the Lincoln Highway

The Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum in Dayton, Ohio Mid-America Meet, June 15-19 kicked off the year 2016 in spectacular fashion. There were fifty-eight cars registered for judging and another twenty-one for exhibition. What I liked most about this meet was the sheer variety of years, and models, with some really rare ones.

There were two Lincoln Cosmopolitans, a 1949 Lincoln, three 1954 Capris, two 1956 Premiere convertibles, a 1956 and 1957 coupe, several 1958-60 era cars, more sixties era cars than you could shake an Edsel at, and more early Lincoln Continentals than we have seen in years. To top it off, the Elliston Bell winner was Tony Russo’s 1927 Lincoln L Coupe. The great diversity of Lincolns was paradise for photographer John Walcek.

There were so many tours you could hardly join them all. I especially liked the Packard Museum Tour which is featured on pages 43-44 of this issue. When Tim Wilson and his group in the Southern Ohio Region put on a National Meet, it is hard to top. You will be reading about feature cars from this Ohio Mid-America Meet in Comments for some time to come.

The Western National Meet in Westminster, Colorado, September 7-10, was as spectacular as its Rocky Mountain setting. This was the first National Meet held in the Denver area since 1992. It was sponsored by the reorganized Rocky Mountain Region with fifty-two cars entered along with an equal number of cars at another show in the adjacent parking area of the Westin Hotel, our meet headquarters.

The Thursday tour to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park was followed Friday with a tour of the Clive Cussler Museum. The winners of the Elliston Bell Trophy on Saturday evening were John Burge and Mike Steiner up from California with their 1974 Continental Mark IV.

Not to be confused with these two LCOC national events was the Second Annual Lincoln Homecoming at the The Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum inHickory Corners, Michigan, August 10- 14. This event was sponsored by the Road Race Lincoln Register, one of the four Lincoln clubs who helped build the museum. It drew nearly one hundred cars.

The last meet of the year was the Eastern National Meet held in Bartlett, New Hampshire, October 13-16, which is covered “colorfully” in this issue.

In 2017, there will be one National LCOC Meet, the Fourth Lincoln Homecoming at Hickory Corners, Michigan, August 9-13. Details can be found on Page 10 of this issue.

Tony Russo’s 1927 Lincoln L Judkins Coupe, 2016 Bell winner in Ohio.

The Talbourdets with their 1966 Lincoln Continental at the 2016 ENM in New Hampshire.

A record turnout of Mark IIs at the 2016 WNM in Colorado.