Putting our Money Where our Mouths Are

Putting our Money Where our Mouths Are

By Jeff Shively
Originally published in the November/December 2023 Lincoln and Continental Comments magazine (Issue # 375)

Many of us lament that nothing is being done to get younger people interested in the old car hobby. “Young people don’t want to work with their hands,” we say. “Where do I find somebody to work on my old Lincoln?” we ask. In despair, we resign ourselves to the inevitability that our cars will someday become, at best, immobile museum pieces. What if there was something we could do to change all that?

LCOC member Gene Epstein recently used his charity, the Gene & Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund, to sponsor a scholarship program at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. To do this, he sold off part of his remarkable car collection, including an all-original 1969 Mercedes Benz Limousine that belonged to Elvis Presley and a 1972 Mercedes-Benz once owned by Roy Orbison.

While it is true that many of us don’t have our own personal philanthropic organization, we can still help. There is probably an auto mechanics program at a high school or community college near you. Because these aren’t “glamour” programs, you can bet your bottom dollar that they aren’t well-funded. Make an appointment to talk to the department head. Find out what the needs are, big or small. If you can help financially, do it. Even a small gift of $500 or $1,000 will go further than you think. If you are handy with a wrench, see if they need an instructor. As a former community college professor, I can tell you that you’ll get as much out of the experience as the students will. Do you have a shop in your area that does a great job for you? Odds are, they are short on good mechanics and can’t find them. Serve as an intermediary to see if the school can funnel students to that shop once they complete their training. What student wouldn’t want a job waiting for him when he graduates? These are but a few suggestions, but the possibilities are limitless.

Mr. Epstein still has a stable of wonderful cars, including the legendary “Rhapsody in Blue,” a gorgeous 1940 Lincoln-Zephyr Continental Cabriolet. You might have seen this remarkable first-year Continental at Hershey this year or gracing the cover of the September-October 2023 issue of The Way of the Zephyr. Regarding the sale of his celebrity-owned Mercedes-Benz limousines, Gene noted, “As much as I loved the cars, it didn’t change anyone’s life. But the proceeds have and will continue to make a difference.” That is a great attitude. Gene always closes his emails with a great quote: “Never worry that you are doing too much to help others. You are doing too little if you can do more.”

Jeff Shively, Lincoln and Continental Comments Editor, lives in Kokomo, Indiana.

Our members write…
Originally published in the January/February 2024 Lincoln and Continental Comments magazine (Issue # 376)

To the editor:

I read with interest Jeff Shively’s article in the November-December issue of the Lincoln and Continental Comments, “Putting our Money Where Our Mouths Are.” This concerned providing scholarships to students who are studying in the automobile field. Thank you, Gene and Marlene Epstein!

Most of you are aware of McPherson College, which has a four-year degree program in auto restoration. One of the other car clubs I belong to is The H.H. Franklin Club. To ensure our club’s future and encourage interest in collecting and maintaining air-cooled Franklins, the club has a scholarship program.

We invite students to our annual Franklin Trek gathering at no cost to them. We also fund scholarships for auto restoration courses and contribute to McPherson College. Many of our young members who attended the Trek now have Franklins of their own. The H.H. Franklin Club has a presence at The Gilmore, as does The Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum.

John Harris is the proud owner of a recently purchased 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Town Limousine and a 1941 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet.

The 1938 Lincoln Zephyr V-12

The 1938 Lincoln Zephyr V-12

Originally published in the 2nd Quarter 1994 edition of Continental Comments (Issue # 198).

WEBMASTER NOTE:  Only the pictures from the original article are posted here.

Memories of Dearborn and the First LCOC Meet – October 1954

Memories of Dearborn and the First LCOC Meet – October 1954

Photos provided by Neil Goeppinger
Originally published in the November/December 2023 Lincoln and Continental Comments magazine (Issue # 375)

In honor of the Lincoln & Continental Owners Club’s 70th anniversary, it is important to remember our roots. Neil Goeppinger sent a series of pictures that were made from slides shot by his father, Walter. The following collection of photographs taken at the very first LCOC national meet, held in October 1954 in Dearborn, Michigan. Enjoy!- Ed.

ABOVE:  The site of the show, Greenfield Village.  This appears to be the 1831-vintage Eagle Tavern.

ABOVE: In the early days of the LCOC, Lincoln Continentals were, at best, late-model used cars. Sometimes the interiors were modified to meet the needs of the current driver.

BELOW: The engines were upgraded too.

ABOVE:  Walt Goeppinger’s 1947 Continental was one of many great Lincolns in that long-ago parade in Dearborn.

BELOW: Modern engine swaps were not uncommon.

ABOVE: Linda Lipper’s Continental.  The car came from Boone, Iowa.

BELOW:  Who doesn’t love a parade?  And who wouldn’t love to see a parade of early Continentals?

A Father and Son Affair Restoring a 1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Pucci Edition

A Father and Son Affair Restoring a 1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Pucci Edition

By Sean Houck
Originally published in the November/December 2023 Lincoln and Continental Comments magazine (Issue # 375)

ABOVE: The apple of the author’s eye from a young age, perfectly restored. Photo courtesy of the author.

My love for Lincoln started when I was very young. When I was growing up, my dad owned a 1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Pucci Edition similar to my current one. The only difference is that the first car didn’t have a sunroof, which was one option that he always wanted on it. I looked for years, trying to find another one for him. Finally, in 2012, I found the Mark IV that I have now. When he bought it, I was 13 years old and instantly fell in love with the car. I’d wash it and help him work on it in our shop. In 2017, the engine failed. At the time, I was 18 and working in his shop and learning about cars from him. Knowing how much I loved this Lincoln, he told me that if I paid for the parts to rebuild the engine, it would be mine.

Of course, I took that deal, and together, we rebuilt the original engine from the bare block. I’ll never forget the feeling I had when we started it for the first time. Sharing that moment with my dad was priceless. Even though, mechanically, it was sound, the exterior began to show its age. Rust was evident under the edges of the vinyl top and around the trunk. The car was stored under cover in our shop for about three years as we tried to keep the rust from getting worse.

TOP: The brochure that was the fuel of many luxury car owners’ dreams in the 1970s.  Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

TOP RIGHT: The Designer Series Mark IVs for 1976.  The Pucci is on the left.  Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

TOP:  The passage of four decades had not been kind to the Mark IV, as seen by the condition of the vinyl top.

LEFT:  The extensive rear quarter work was completed and them primed.  The front fenders were off, revealing the massive 460 CID V-8.  The rot went very deep in the rear quarters of the Mark IV, necessitating serious metal working.   Photos courtesy of the author.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: With the body work completed and a fresh coat of paint, the only thing this Mark IV lacked was a new vinyl top. Time for the best part of any restoration…driving the fruits of your labor! Coat after coat of paint made this Lincoln look every bit as nice as it did when it sat in a showroom during America’s Bicentennial year. Photos courtesy of the author.

Now, I’m ready to start a new journey with the Philadelphia Region of the LCOC and the Continental Cruisers. This year, I received my first award for the top 40 in a show that registered 110 vehicles. This was completely surprising. I am not in this hobby for the awards but for the preservation and love of this beautiful rolling work of art, as well as the history and the knowledge that comes with being around other likeminded enthusiasts.

Sean Houck is an LCOC member from Baltimore, Maryland.

In the summer of 2019, my dad told me he’d help me restore the car. That’s another moment I’ll never forget. My biggest fear every time I’d look at my car was that he wouldn’t be around to see it when I could afford to have it restored. Working with my father to restore this Mark IV was a dream come true. After three years of searching for extremely rare parts and lots of hard work, the restoration was finally completed in October 2022. I’m truly blessed to have a car like this at age 24. Not only do I have a dad who gave me the car that he always wanted, but he helped restore it because he knows how much it means to me. As much as I enjoy going to shows with him, a small part of me would love to go back in time to when it all started. Back to being a kid riding with my dad, listening to his 8-track tapes. Back to seeing how happy he was when I showed him the car he always wanted, which then turned into the car I always wanted. This car taught me to enjoy not only the outcome but the journey.

Late ’70s Lincoln Pickups. Where Are They Now?

Late ’70s Lincoln Pickups. Where Are They Now?

By Mike Schultz

Originally published in the November/December 2000 issue of Continental Comments (Issue # 237).

Going through some old files, I came across the advertisements on the next two pages for two Lincoln pickup truck conversion companies that appeared in Hemmings Motor News in 1979. With increased interest in Lincoln SUVs and the expected debut of the Lincoln Blackwood pickup truck in the near future, I thought these might be of interest.

The Florida Motor Coach conversion of a Lincoln four-door Town Car into a pickup truck was advertised in the September, 1979 issue of Hemmings. This conversion company was located in North Tampa, Florida. The converted vehicle itself apparently does not have any special name applied to it, other than being called a “Lincoln Continental Pick-Up Truck.” From the drawing of the Town Car pickup truck conversion and the ad narrative, it can not be determined if the tail-gate is operable or fixed, although an apparent tail-gate opening handle appears in the drawing. Although there is no photograph of a completed pickup truck conversion of a Town Car from this company, the narrative in the advertisement indicates that at least one conversion “has been done”.

The “Coloma” pickup truck conversion, from the Caribou Motor Corporation, San Francisco, California, utilized a Lincoln Continental Mark V from the years 1977 through 1979. The advertisements for the Coloma conversion kits appeared in the September and November, 1979 issues of Hemmings. The Coloma conversion was actually just a conversion “kit” costing $2,395.00 that the customers could buy and then either install themselves or have “an experienced body man” spend about 50 hours” to make the conversion. There is no mention in the advertisement if the kit manufacturer also installed the conversion kits on customers’ Mark Vs. The photographs of two different colored Mark Vs in one of the Coloma advertisements indicate that at least two of the Coloma Mark V pickup truck conversions were completed, presumably by the kit manufacturer itself. The photograph of one of the Coloma conversion kits being installed shows that there is no tail-gate during the installation process, leading to my conclusion that the tail-gate, once installed, was probably operable, even though there is no obvious evidence of an outside tail-gate handle in the photograph of the completed Mark V Coloma conversion.

Also, there is no indication in either of the advertisements for the Coloma Mark V pickup or the Town Car pickup as to whether the conversions were or were not authorized by the Lincoln factory or if the factory warranties were effected in any way by the conversions. However, especially with the Coloma conversion kit, it can be assumed that the factory would not have made any representations or warranties, since the kits could be installed by the car owner himself.

It would be interesting to know more about both these Lincoln pickup truck conversion companies and their products; such as how many conversions or conversion kits were made or sold; are there any company records left; are there any unsold Coloma conversion kits still sitting in some old warehouse; how many of the completed conversions, themselves, are left, if any; and are any of the completed conversions owned by LCOC members or have any ever been shown by LCOC members and judged at national meets.

While numerous photographs of obvious one-off and home-done Lincoln pickup trucks have been shown in Continental Comments over the years, there is apparently not much known, or at least not published, about Lincoln pickup truck conversions and conversion companies, whether done with or without factory authorization. I’m sure there must have been other conversion companies that made Lincoln pickup trucks (or maybe even station wagons) besides just these two companies.

I invite other LCOC members to let us know about additional Lincoln pickup truck conversions and hope that any members who have them will consider entering them at LCOC National Meets in the future, even if just for show. The extra variety of custom Lincolns, whether pickup trucks, station wagons, convertibles, parade cars, limousines, hearses, or even hot rods, etc. is, in my opinion, always a welcome addition to the usual groups of Lincoln cars we see at every LCOC meet. I believe there is a welcome place at the LCOC table for not just the purists who painstakingly restore their Lincolns to exacting factory specifications (after all, I helped to write the LCOC’s Mark II Authenticity Manual), but also for those members who are just as interested in and dedicated to their custom Lincolns, of whatever type and vintage. In fact, I suggest that we should have an occasional issue of Continental Comments dedicated to Lincoln conversions, especially the factory authorized or dealer prepared conversions.

(The ads on the following two pages [below] are reprinted from 1979 issues of Hemmings Motor News.)

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