1942 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet Walkaround

The most distinctive classic first-generation Lincoln Continentals were the 1942 models.

That's because Lincolns were heavily facelifted for that model year, getting boxy fenders, a wider hood and a new grille design which Continentals shared.  World War 2 intervened for the USA with the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Car production was curtailed before March 1942 and not restarted until after Japan's surrender in 1945.  Postwar Lincolns and Continentals retained nearly all the 1942 styling features.  Except the grille.  1946-48 models had one with an egg-crate bar pattern.  Result: 1942 Continentals were few in number and featured a grille design not found on any others.

For some background on Lincolm Continentals, the Wikipedia entry is here (scroll down for information about the first, 1940-1948, generation.

I recently compared some 1942 models in my post "Lincoln's Rare 1942 Convertibles: Basic and Continental."  And in an early post, I wrote about "Lincoln's 1942 Facelift."  Today's post examines 1942 Lincoln Continantal design in more detail.

Images below are a composite of the same car (serial number H133783) auctioned by Mecum three different times.

Gallery

For context, a 1940 Continental Cabriolet, BaT Auctions photo.

The '42 facelift drastically changed the aesthetic "feeling" of the car from graceful to aggressive.  Continental-specific details largely disappear when viewed from this perspective: might as well be considered a new design.

"Suitcase" fenders follow General Motors' 1938-41 lead.  Side-view styling is thematically-consistent and attractive -- courtesy of the tastes of Edsel Ford and styling director Bob Gregorie.

The trunk and separate spare tire are carried over from previous Continental styling.

Tail lights were moved from the main body to the fenders.

The boxy original trunk design blends well with the new "suitcase" fender scheme: consistency.

Original low level chrome trim is retained.

The above-the-bumper bulge theme was used on '42 Mercurys too.

Grille design is logical, given the "bulge" just mentioned.  Nicer than the 1946-48 version, in my opinion.  Note the fashionable "whiskers" flanking/extending the lower grille element.  Headlight assemblies are massive and a bit odd-looking.  They do keep auxiliary lights from otherwise cluttering other parts of the frontal design.

Symmetrical design, the clock balancing the speedometer.  The central element is the radio/speaker.

Frontal overhead view.  Wider hood than before.  Wide fender tops: no catwalk connection.

Continental details are concentrated here.  Rear fenders are distinct from the main body, unlike at the front.