1939 Lincoln Zephyr convertible

Last summer, Marshall Miller’s 1939 Lincoln Zephyr four-door convertible was delivered to him midway through the Arthritis Foundation’s annual car show. This year, the car will be back at the show, ready for its formal debut.

 Miller, of Kansas City, added the Zephyr to his garage because of its elegant simplicity and a fluid shape that rivals that of some French cars of the period.

 Art deco automobiles have a smooth, flowing design that gives movement to the energy within. Miller’s Zephyr convertible is both rare and beautiful. Only 302 of were made. The Zephyr was unusual in its day because it had unibody construction, a 125-inch wheelbase and a 267-cubic-inch flathead V-12 engine that produced 110 horsepower. It also had hydraulic brakes, a centrally mounted gearshift lever and a dashboard dominated by a large, central speedometer surrounded by smaller gauges.

 According to Michael Lamm and Dave Holls in A Century of Automotive Style, the first Lincoln Zephyr was based on a design by John Tjaarda. It was refined by Eugene T. (Bob) Gregorie, director of design for Ford Motor Co. The book says the New York Museum of Modern Art called the Zephyr “the first successfully designed streamlined car in America.”

 Edsel Ford knew he needed a medium-priced model to keep Lincoln viable, and the Zephyr was it, according to the book. In 1938, according to Lamm and Holls, Gregorie designed a horizontal grille for the Zephyr to improve engine cooling, but the look was a hit and it exerted a major influence on mainstream auto design.

 Miller’s car isn’t just for gathering dust. He enjoys taking it for leisurely drives, and it is not unusual for him to be accompanied by his father Leon, with whom he shares an automotive passion.