'65 Continental WIP

[Harold]

In the interest of going green and recycling (okay, I'm just jumping on the bandwagon) and adding more detail to my Lincoln, I sacrificed one of my older builds for the chassis and several other components. Starting with the Lincoln chassis, I cut away the back section and the boxed- in area around the springs, and added the corresponding section from an AMT '62 T-Bird. I then cut away the front section of the Lincoln chassis and replaced it with the front section from the T-Bird. The photo will explain it better.

After I got everything the way I wanted, I removed the driveshaft and tunnel from the middle (Lincoln) section. It will be best to do it like this, to ensure that things will line up.

Moving on to the engine, I removed the trans and front cover after gluing the block halves together. This is the MEL (Mercury- Edsel- Lincoln) 430, and though it's bigger than the FE, some parts were interchangeable. I used the front cover and water pump from the AMT '65 Ford, along with the oil pan. The hole in the block was filled. The transmission is the option Lincoln Hy-Drive from the Revell '64 Thunderbolt. What was a pleasant surprise is that it lines up perfectly with the T-Bird trans mount.

The mockup shows that the wheelbase is perfect (nailed it on the first try- yee- ha!). The were some issues with the fit of the interior shell with the rear deck, so I separated the rear parcel shelf from the interior and grafted it to the body. I removed the engine bay from the T-Bird body, and according to my research, it's actually correct for this application. It fits on the chassis, so there's no messy bodywork grafting it in. I kinda like the Prowler wheels on it- they just might stay.

I was able to use the belt and accessory drives from the 'Bird as well, only having to replace the generator with an alternator. More to follow.

Edited June 25, 2008 by Harold

[Guest Gramps-xrds]

Man you're doing a lot of good work there. It should be great when you get it done. I like it so far.

[Raul_Perez]

Harold,

This reminds me of all the work that I did fitting an '06 Z06 chassis, engine and drivetrain into my '57 Chevy pickup!

Are you going to make any body mods?

[evilone]

thats going to be cool then maybe at a show we can see each otheres licolns in person just maybe

[Harold]

I'm actually further along with the chassis than these pics indicate. I have everything molded in place and primed, and I've converted the T-Bird's gas tank into the trunk floor and scratchbuilt a new fuel tank. In '64, the Lincoln gas tank was ahead of the trunk floor and behind the rear diff. I found out this is why the fuel filler is on the left quarter (it was behind the license plate for '61-'63; the stock T-Bird tank would be correct for those applications). The red on the engine compartment is the color the car will be- it's Dupli-Color Bright Cherry Red Pearl from their Import colors line. The only body mods will be just accurizing the rear deck and (maybe) omitting the hood ornament- Elwood Engel's original concept is, for me, too hard to try and improve upon.

[rollinoldskoo]

thats a lot of work and that car deserves it.... the kit chassis doesn't do it for that cool of a car

[Harold]

Thanks, guys. I got the engine done last night- well, almost- I need to grind down the top of the carb so the air cleaner will clear the hood. I'll be able to use the T-Bird heater and AC hoses, as well as all the other underhood bits. I plan on having the chassis and engine compartment together as a unit by the time the checkers fly at Talledega on Sunday. There's a real interesting story behind this generation of Lincoln. The Ford Production studio headed by George Oros was having trouble coming up with an acceptable theme for the '61 T-Bird. As they were working on a three year lead time, this would have been mid- 1958. Elwood Engel, who, along with Oros, was in charge of design under George Walker, requested an opportunity to create a proposal in competition with the Ford studio. Using the same dimensions as the Ford studio was working with, Engel and his hand-picked team created two clays- one formal, the other more radical looking. At the product planning session where the more formal proposal and the T-Bird from the Ford studio, Henry II chose the Ford design. At the same time, Ford President in charge of N. American operations, Robert McNamara (who would later become Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations) was ready to kill off the Lincoln due to poor sales and quality. He finally relented and agreed to one more styling cycle, using Engel's rejected T-Bird design if it could be made into a four door without making it much larger. The wheelbase was stretched 10" to123" (to become 126" in '64). The reason for the suicide doors? On the seating buck provided by styling, no on could get out of the back seat without getting their feet hung up on the doors, due to their width. The reverse opening doors solved the problem.

Edited April 24, 2008 by Harold

[Ron Hamilton]

Harold,

I like the work you're doing with the Lincoln. The finished car should be outstanding. I bought a case of the '62 T-Birds cheap, and I intend to do a few projects using that kit as a basis myself. I'm considering a 1961 Continental Sedan, a '60 T-Bird Convertible, or a '65 T-Bird Convertible (resurrection) using that chassis, and using the 430, and Lincoln Transmission for the Lincoln, or '60 T-Bird, or a FE Motor for the '65. At the present time, I am finishing up a couple of projects I hope to have done by the M.A.M.A. Mid Atlantic NNL in a couple of weeks.

[Harold]

Well, I didn't quite get the engine compartment finished, but we're getting close. The main points are I'll need to modify the shock tower braces, as they were located further out from center than the T-Bird. Also, the battery is re-oriented 90 degrees, as is the expansion tank. Also, the air cleaner wasn't even close to prototypical, so I made one using the air cleaners from the Monogram '58 T-Bird, the AMT Edsel and some Evergreen strip.

The center was removed from the T-Bird (black) air cleaner, and the Edsel piece was trimmed to fit. I then added the twelve ribs to the T- Bird unit and after priming and sanding my work, added the center (Edsel) section. I painted it Polly S Steam Power Black (same as the rest of the engine) and sprayed it with Testors Metallizer Sealer.

Here you can see the difference between the the new air cleaner and the kit piece.

Before I installed the engine, I had taken some pics of it and they were, as you can see, well, really blurry. I vowed to take some more before I installed the engine in the chassis, but got so involved I didn't think about it until later, so, excuse the blur (and the kit air cleaner)

Finally, here's the chassis so far. I just need to blend all the exhaust bits in place, install the gas tank, and do a few paint touch ups.

Edited April 28, 2008 by Harold

[evilone]

that is cool bro now i have to get off my A#$ and do mine LOL

[Darrell Gwinn]

Lookin good

[Harold]

Latest update: I finally finished the chassis- running gear, exhaust, gas tank and drive shaft over the weekend. Finally, after three tries, it now has a hood hinge that works (sometimes, the easiest tasks can become hurdles) and I'm now getting the body ready for paint. I'll have some pics up in the next few days.

[Harold]

Well, the fourth time is apparently the charm with the hood hinge. It now lines up with the underhood bracing. I cut the tubing at 1 5/16, slid the rod in and bent the ends at 90 degree angles. This added another 1/8 to the width (making it 1 7/16). Holding this assembly tight against a piece of 7/32 aluminum tubing and bending the rod ends gave me the arc I needed to clear the catwalk area. I then marked the center of the core support and went 23/32 in either direction and cut slots with a carbide cutting wheel in my Dremel (I now have to repair the previous slots). After installing the hinge with epoxy, I slid two 1/4" pices of tubing over the ends and epoxied the hood to them. I can now slide the hood off for now and attach it during final assembly.The body is primed and almost ready for paint. The scripts and trunk emblem are foiled, and all that needs to be done now is to finesse the hood (there's a small sink on the passenger side leading edge).

Finally, the chassis pic as promised

[Guest zebm1]

Hmmmm looks like a Connie I just sold on eBay...1 of four...a 61, 62, 63 and a 64,,,,2 coupes, 2 convertibles.....

[Harold]

I've been plugging away at this for the past month- odd, because this is probably one of the few projects I've done that hasn't been sidelined by other stuff. Anyway, the paint is on and I've just about completed the foiling- I just need to do the door handles and wheel arch moldings and she'll be ready for the clearcoat. The paint is Dupli-Color Red Cherry Pearl, a Nissan color in their Import Colors line.

The engine compartment is almost finished- I just need to add the oil cap and do a few paint touchups. The MEL 430 really fills up the engine bay.

Now I have to turn my attention to the interior. I hope to have this one done within the next fortnight.

[Harold]

Okay, so I lied- it's been more than two weeks, but I will have it done this weekend. I set it aside for a week because I was getting frustrated with the foil (for a car with minimal trim, it sure as hell has a lot of minimal trim). I started clearcoating last week. Three coats, a day of curing, polishing, three more coats, well, this process went on for three days. The dashboard was a real sticking point- I can usually shoot white over the dash and wash in some thinned black watercolor to bring up the instrument details- not this time. The engraving is a bit too shallow. I wound up strippiong the paint off twice. I finally foiled the whole thing and blackwashed with Steam Power black mixed with water (gotta love acrylics). I then buffed the paint off the raised areas and flowed some Tamiya clear across the top half and into the smaller gauge bezels (yes, the gauge faces were white). I inserted a piece of aluminum tubing into the hole for the steering column, and used the T-Bird column, which gave me a shift lever and signal stalk. I also used the pedals from the T-Bird dash.

For the grille, I hogged out the molded- in lights with an X-Acto (I hate molded-in lights) and from behind I epoxied in the center caps from the Revell '05 Impala cop car for reflectors. The lenses are from the AMT '50 Ford, and then I threw a wash on the grille. I was really pleased with the result, and decided to hold it up to the body to preview how it would look. Aaaaack! The hinge I added was not lettin it fit flush with the body. Hmmmmmm. After determining where to nothch the grille from behind, and sweating profusely from dread, I proceeded to grind away at the back with a small drum sander chucked into my Dremel, all the while thinking, "I hope I don't screw up". Success. It now clears the hinge and will fit where it's supposed to.

Finally, it shall be done.

Edited June 25, 2008 by Harold