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The 1931 Lincoln Willoughby Razor Edge Brougham is a spectacular unrestored original car! It was shown at Pebble Beach 2011 in the Preservation Class, Pre-War. It was originally owned by Mr. Edward Connelly of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and then his Chauffer, who received the car in Mr. Connelly’s will. By 1962 it was sold to Mr. John W. Houlihan of Michigan. In 1968, it went to Mr. Harold Fairchild of Indiana. In 1988, Mr. Jim Griffin, a noted authority on 1931 Lincolns, purchased the car. He sold it in 1996 to the 6th owner, who sold it to us in 2011. It then went on to the current owner, who has continued the careful conservation of the car , and who offers it now.
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Here it is as currently displayed at the Petersen auto museum, revealing the subtle colors – the body and hood are very dark Brewster green, and the fenders and trim are black. This car is one of only 15 produced, and it is likely that it’s the only one left in existence. It is Car and Motor # 67734 Body # 12-7265, type # 216. When new, it was the most Expensive car in the Lincoln Line-up, at $7,400.
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Think about this – it is welcome at the very pinnacle of the Classic Car hobby – displayed at the most prestigious concours, and showcased in the most prestigious museums! And, this car could be located in your own garage!
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This shot reveals the brilliance of the Willoughby design – although it’s formal, the surface development is very lively, there’s not a straight line on the body! Each line of the top has an arc, the rear door molding line kicks forward at the bottom, and The moldings give the viewer a rich, full look.
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Handsome!
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Formal and Beautiful !
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There it is at the end of the day at Pebble 2011 , showing the 70 Mile Pebble Beach Tour completion ribbon. ’31 was a pivotal year for Lincoln, with a tremendous group of Changes and improvements over the final “L” model. Those changes included a dual throat downdraft carburetor, which opened up the engine from 90 HP in 1930 to 120 Horsepower in 1931. The wheelbase was lengthened to 145 inches, which gave excellent proportions for the custom bodybuilders. The headlights grew to the giant orbs you see here, and the horns were both city – a regular horn, seen on the passenger side, and country, an OOGA horn on the driver’s side. The horns, and the special horn button still work great by the way! Another great new feature of the ’31 was the mechanical fuel pump, replacing the vacuum tank of the “L”
Here we are on the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, navigating through the hordes of spectators!
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The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance !
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Beautiful original steering wheel, and excellent original dashboard.
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Wow! Unbelievable! This interior is 100% original, and it’s in spectacular condition! look at some of the details, like the inlaid German Silver in the woodwork, the original Cigar lighter with red bakelight knob, and tubular cigar ashtrays!
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Absolutely incredibly nice! The pearl inlay button on the forward section of the armrest is the Chauffer Buzzer – both sides still work!
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And, here’s the original microphone, which is on a retractor. Believe it or not, this still works, too! The retractor keeps it tucked back behind that semi-circular tab next to the seat cushion.
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Dual Opera seats, with what can only be termed a liquor cabinet in the center! Another great thing about this car – there is not a single water stain on this interior – this car must have been garaged it’s entire life.
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Another great feature – a mounted clock above the sun shades.
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Here’s the divider window crank, which has put a little nick in the lab robe rail
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Here’s the combination dome light and interior vent. Note the light works!
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Incredible!
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The top lug of the sidemount is a wheel lock. One key operates the ignition and every lock on this car! Everything fits perfectly – each door lines up beautifully, and shuts with a magical, deep sounding double click.
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All of the green paint on the body is original. The fenders and other black sections of the body and wheels have been recently repainted, since there were many sections of the black paint that had deteriorated beyond useability. Conservation and preservation go hand in hand .
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Nice original dashboard.
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Look at that bevelled glass, and the lovely original guage faces! All of the gauges work except the gas gauge.
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Here is the 120 Horsepower V-8 Engine, with original black finish. It runs well, with great oil pressure and cool operating temperatures. It made the 70 Mile Pebble beach tour with flying colors, as well as some 30 and 40 mile pre-concours test runs. However, it does make an upper cylinder noise, which I diagnose as either a worn piston pin or piston slap. Apparently, it has been making this noise for a long time, because former owners mentioned it. So – great for local touring, but probably not for a big Caravan.
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Note the original – and very rare – factory air cleaner, and nickel plated spark plug wire guides
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The windshield hinges out, with a variable setting controlled by a handle on the top of the windshield.
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If you saw the car at Pebble, you know that the original front seat leather had completely let go back in 2011. Now, the leather has been correctly and beautifully redone.
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Extremely formal rear window
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Whitewalls reflected in the polished surface of the floor. a Spectacular, rare, and dare I say famous car!