Lincoln L-head V12 Engine

The Lincoln L-head V12 engine is a flathead V12 engine produced in two distinct versions and three displacements between 1932 and 1940 by the Ford Motor Company for its Lincoln autombiles. Introduced as a 65° L-head V12 of displacement, it was joined the following year by a smaller, distinctly engineered 67° L-head V12. The newer engine was upsized to in 1934, and replaced both engines, leaving Lincoln with a sole large displacement V12 going forward.

None of these engines should be confused with the much smaller, much less powerful Lincoln-Zephyr V12, a 267 cubic inch (4.4 L) 75° engine based on the Flathead Ford V8.

Lincoln V12 Timeline

Unrelated prior engines

1902 Henry M. Leland establishes the Cadillac Automobile Company

1909 Cadillac purchased by General Motors

1914 Cadillac introduces V8, sells 13,000 in first year

1917 Leland establishes Lincoln Motor Company, immediately receives contract to build V12 Liberty aviation engines

1917 Lincoln produces first automobile, the V8 powered luxury Model L

1922 Lincoln sells only 150 cars

1922 Ford Motor Company acquires Lincoln

1923 Lincoln sales rise 45%

1930 Lincoln phases out L series; introduces K-Series powered by 60° flathead Fork and Blade L-head V8 producing

1931 Cadillac introduces V12 road car for $800 less than V8 Lincoln

1932 Ford introduces 221 cubic inch (3.6 L) 90° Flathead V8 producing 65 hp


L-head V12 Introduced

1932 Lincoln introduces its first L-head V12, a 65° V L-head V12 producing ; K-Series product line split into KA-Series (V8 powered) and KB-Series (V12 powered)

1933 Lincoln introduces L-head V12 producing to replace its 385 cubic inch (6.3 L) 60° V8; all Lincolns are V12 powered.

1934 Lincoln upsizes its V12 to L-head V12, making the same as the older, heavier, and more expensive V12; Lincoln drops both previous V12s and fits the new engine to both KA (now denoting short wheelbase) and KB (long-wheelbase) models

1935 Lincoln product lines rationalised to a single Model K

1936 Model K limousine is Lincoln's best-seller


Unrelated Lincoln-Zephyr V12

1936 Upon introduction the Lincoln-Zephyr range of lower-priced, midsized luxury cars is powered by the new 110 hp Lincoln-Zephyr H Series V12, a 267 cubic inch (4.4 L) 75° engine based on the Flathead Ford V8

1948 Lincoln-Zephyr V12s are phased out, replaced with the InVincible 8, an iteration of the Flathead Ford V8, across the Lincoln product line

Variants

448

In 1932 Lincoln offered for the first time a L-head V12 with a seven-main bearing crankshaft producing . The K-Series was previously available only with a developed version (bored out to 385 cubic inches (6.3 L) in 1928 and uprated to 125 hp for 1932) of the 60° V8 which first saw duty in the 1920 Lincoln L-Series. The expanded engine offering split the K-Series into KA- (powered by the 60° V8) and KB-Series (powered by the 65° V12).

382

In 1933 Lincoln introduced a smaller 67° , L-head V12 to replace the three year old KA-Series V8. Its architecture was a significant departure from the 1932 V12, with a different V-angle, four main bearings, offset blocks, and side-by-side connecting rods rather than fork-and-blade. It produced the same power as the KA V8 despite its somewhat slightly displacement.

414

The KA's V12 was enlarged to for 1934 to replace the 1932-design . Over smaller, it produces the same .

All Lincolns in 1934 (both KA and KB models) were powered by this new 414 V12, and the distinction between models was dropped, with all 1935 Lincolns being simply branded "Model K". The 414 would last through the end of the Model K's production just before World War II.

References

* {{cite book, title=100 Years of Ford, author=David L. Lewis, isbn=0-7853-7988-6, publisher=Publications International, year=2005, pages=82–

See also

* List of Ford engines

L-head V12
V12 engines