Lincoln 385 Flathead V8

[JAKEFORD]

Does anyone have any information on a 1932 Lincoln 385 V8. I believe it was a 60 degree design.

[texas webb]

I know Lincoln had their V12 engine but that's a mighty big V8.

[Midnightcaper]

Do u mean a 337 ?

[Midnightcaper]

I believe the 385 was a y block that replaced the 337 flathead. I may be wrong because that happened in like the early 50's.

[51 MERC-CT]

Don't know anything but you can spot the 60° design.

[Bulligen]

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I had a 29 Lincoln with the V8, It ran Great! I still wish I had it, that was 20 years ago, I still have an extra head hanging on my wall!

[V8COOPMAN]

The Model KA V8 was of a 60 degree design, and boasted 384.8 cu. in., for 1932 and '33. Had a Stromberg, and rated at 120 H.P. DD

[Flathead]

Fork and blade connecting rods with no offset to the cylinder banks?

[Midnightcaper]

very cool I've never seen one

[1952henry]

Originally Posted by Midnightcaper

very cool I've never seen one

Can't be many around any more.

[V8 Bob]

Originally Posted by texas webb

I know Lincoln had their V12 engine but that's a mighty big V8.

Lincolns had a 448" in '32, then the 382" in'33, and finally the 414" in '34 through '40 in the big "K"s, all V12s.

[texas webb]

Would love to see one of them!

[V12Bill]

Lincolns had the Leland V 8 from 1920 to 1932.. In '32 they came out with 2 different V 12. The 337 cid engine of 1947 (truck) to 1951(car) had no relationship with the Leland V 8

[JWL]

I have seen the engines and for all the world they looked like the aircraft engines of Rolls Royce or Allison design. 60 degree and very slick. Certainly NOT something like what would be expected in 1933. I wish I had taken pictures but was on a different mission and too stupid.
JWL

[KiWinUS]

There is a 32 Lincoln roadster in a museum about an hour away from me , it it one of my favorite cars of all time ! The engine in it looks so awesome!!! From memory the cylinders bolt to the Aluminum crank case .
Cheers
Tony

[Ol' Ron]

I wonder what the firming order was, with a 60 degree block?

[Bulligen]

I still have my 29 Lincoln Owners manual! Yes it does have an aluminum Crankcase. It has a glass sight gauge like on an old oil tank to measure the amount of oil. All the engine fasteners are nickel plated. They had primer cups on each cylinder.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

I wonder what the firming order was, with a 60 degree block?

Doesn't really matter what the firing order was. Without some arrangement like offset crankshaft journal throws for individual PAIRS of rods like Buick did on some V6s years ago, it's definitely gonna be an "odd-fire" affair. DD

[KiWinUS]

I guess its a 30 not a 32 .... still awesome..

[KiWinUS]

I know its a Chevrolet but this car sits next to the Lincoln , it is unrestored low mileage & still has the cardboard wrapped around the rear passenger foot test !
some real nice cars ..

[DavidG]

For the record, the engine in question was first used in the 1931 Model K when the wheelbase was increased from 136" to 145". It was used again with minor changes in the 1932 Model KA with a 136" wheelbase chassis as a lower price alternative to the 1932 Model KB, an all-new V-12 engine in the 145" wheelbase chassis. The '32 KB 12 was carried over for the '33 model 145" chassis and an all-new smaller V-12 engine was used in the '33 136" wheelbase chassis. An enlarged version of this new V-12 was used in place of the KB 12 for the longer chassis starting with the 1934 model year (and the "B" was dropped from the model designation) along with a continuation of the smaller V-12 for the shorter chassis.

As these were seriously heavy cars (my '31 phaeton has an aluminum body, but still tips the scales at around 5,000 pounds), the horsepower ratings don't mean all that much as what counted was the amount of torque they produced. These engines are very long legged and the cars are surprising capable both in terms of acceleration and top speed. They were the favorites of many major police departments during prohibition, which is somewhat surprising given that you could buy ten new '32 standard phaetons for the price of one '32 KB phaeton and yet given the way they were put together, no doubt they were a financial loss to Ford. To cite one small example, the mechanical clock weighs about ten pounds as a result of it containing a small electric motor to wind up the main spring when it wound down. They are a joy to drive, except to parallel park.

The photos below are of a '31K dual cowl phaeton and an authentically-restored '31K engine compartment (both the cast iron heads and the aluminum crankcase were originally polished).