Hot Rod Lincoln

Engine tech, for those engines, products, and technologies of yesteryear.

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Kevin Johnson
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Hot Rod Lincoln

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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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FWIW, Ryan grew up in Polson, Montana and moved to Spokane in 1943. I've been fortunate enough to see the car several times over the years. The Hot Rod Lincoln is a time capsule of techniques and what was good enough back in the day. It's slow and crude by later standards, but the song tells a story perfectly in its place in its time.

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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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My old friend, Clester Doyle, worked as a mechanic in Holdenville, Hughes County, Oklahoma (just looked him up in the 1930 census). He told me they would strip Model A Fords down to the frame and lead the local constabulary on chases through the countryside.

He said their workshop was near the end of a long grade outside town. The grade generated a lot of brake jobs for them. :lol:
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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Kevin Johnson wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:32 pm My old friend, Clester Doyle, worked as a mechanic in Holdenville, Hughes County, Oklahoma (just looked him up in the 1930 census). He told me they would strip Model A Fords down to the frame and lead the local constabulary on chases through the countryside.
Back in Alabama, those were known as cuddowns (cut-downs) Because the A-bone gas tank was integral with the cowl and there were support struts from the cowl to the radiator, those two pieces, plus the front seats were all that were OEM. I had one fabricated sides and rear similar to a Jeepster. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of that one.

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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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I built my own Hot Rod Lincoln as my first car shortly after I got married. It was an 8 yr old '52 Lincoln Capri hardtop and was abandoned at a little college gas station I traded at. It had blown two engines and after getting the second repair estimate, the disgusted owner parked it with the title on the seat and walked away. Thanks to reading hot rod magazines, I knew the '52 had a GM Hydromatic 'cause Ford didn't yet have an auto tranny strong enough for the torque of the 'big' 317 inch OHV Lincoln V-8. The gas station just wanted it gone. All it needed was tires, a battery and an engine. Geez- what could go wrong? I paid $20 for it and towed it to my grandma's house (she didn't drive).

I went to my favorite wrecking yard with borrowed money and bought a running '56 Oldsmobile engine. I'd guessed correctly- the Olds (luckily) bolted right up to the Lincoln's Hydro! Only real problem was, the whole Lincoln was 6 Volt while the Olds used 12V for the starter. I found a local shop that reconditioned batteries and had them build me a 3-post battery. The center post was 6v for everything else while the starter ran off 12v. Worked just fine for 5 years- even took trouble free trips out of state to the Indy 500 with the thing. Power steering, seats & windows, air & leather upholstery was heady stuff for two young, broke, married, full time college students- I had no job & a baby on the way. It was a sled but looked great and drove really nice once I 'fixed' it. And it was fast & roomy- my new wife loved it!
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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I didn’t know the Lincoln 317’s were prone to coming apart. Dang two in a row?
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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MichaelThompson wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:04 pm I didn’t know the Lincoln 317’s were prone to coming apart. Dang two in a row?
I thought so, too. After all they did win the 1000 mile, Mexican Road Race, I think at least twice.
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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frnkeore wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 1:32 pm
MichaelThompson wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:04 pm I didn’t know the Lincoln 317’s were prone to coming apart. Dang two in a row?
I thought so, too. After all they did win the 1000 mile, Mexican Road Race, I think at least twice.
The Lincoln Y-block was used in Ford trucks, so not inherently weak.

IIRC, both the Lincoln and the smaller later Ford version had restricted oil supply to the rocker arms. Back in the bad old non-detergent oil days, if the paraffin-based Pennsylvania oils, i.e. Quaker State was used only for short trips and not changed frequently, sludging resulted in engine failures. Trucks and race cars which got hot enough to burn off condensation, used detergent oil and frequent changes had no such problems.
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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I have always liked the Linc Y block, although at anything under 368 ci, it is way to heavy.

I was a mechanic, from '62 - '70 and I never overhauled one or put a overhead oiler on one. I did put them on many Ford Y blocks and 215/223 6 cyl. Maybe that shows their better reliability? I don't know but, I do know, that in about '64, the was a '56 Ford, in the Signal Hill area of Long Beach CA, that took on all comers with his 368 and beat most of them. In those days, in SoCal, there where a lot of very hot street racers, too.

I did have the honor of doing a tune up on a 57 MK II and get to drive it. I've never forgotten that :)

So it's safe to say, that I'm a fan of the 368, especially with it's direct link to the FE Both Y blocks with 4.63 bore centers. I don't know if the cam is in the way but, with it's 10.94 deck ht, you could get a 5" stoke, out of that block. We are talking 601 ci, with a modern block.
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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The guy who currently owns the two lane blacktop chevy owns the hotrod lincoln. I saw it at a private viewing of his collection, it was fascinating to see the front end graft...
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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Pics were from i think 2015.. 2016.. i dont remember
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Re: Hot Rod Lincoln

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I was obsessed with the commander cody version growing up haha
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