Edsel Ford saw great things to come from the Ford Motor Company and worked diligently, often times against his father, Henry Ford, to steer the company in those aspirational directions. One such direction was the purchase of the Lincoln Motorcar Company from its founders, Henry Leland and his son, Wilfred, in 1922. Edsel felt strongly that Ford needed a luxury brand to compete with the likes of Cadillac, Packard, Pierce-Arrow and others, and Lincoln was floundering and on the brink of extinction. Turning Lincoln into a profitable division was ambitious, something Henry thought was perhaps too ambitious, but it was achieved in less than one year after being absorbed into the Ford family. Building onto the exclusivity of the brand, in 1938, Edsel assigned Eugene Gregorie with the task of designing a working prototype convertible that he could use during his trip to Florida in March 1939. As the story goes, Gregorie sketched it out in less than an hour, and that the car was built with some time to spare. Delivered to Florida, Edsel showed the car to many of his younger, wealthier friends, most of whom gave him deposits to receive one when production commenced. Edsel sent a telegram back to Dearborn alerting the company that he could easily sell 1,000 units, and production of the new Continental began. This 1948 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet is fitted with a 292 CI flathead V-12 engine and 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Finished in maroon with a newer, tan, power- operated convertible top, this Continental rolls on Firestone wide whitewall tires with steel wheels topped by the correct bright wheel covers and trim rings. The body is adorned with fender skirts, bumper guards, stone guards, hinge-mounted twin sideview mirrors and, of course, the famous Continental kit. The interior features seating and door panels upholstered in tan leather, power windows, an in-dash clock, a heater and a defroster.
