1939 Lincoln-Zephyr ‘Scrape’

As the first custom show car to sit completely flat on the ground with its hydraulics dropped, the 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr ‘Scrape’ has become an icon of the custom car world. The product of a near five year collaboration between Hot Rod Magazine editor Terry Cook and custom coach builder Ramsey Mosher, Scrape is a masterful contemporary interpretation of Streamline Moderne and combines design elements of the archetypal Lincoln-Zephyr with modern aesthetics into one truly stunning ride.

 

`Scrape`, as the car is named, is the child of Terry Cook, a former Hot Rod magazine editor who dreamed about it for years before actually paying for a custom Lincoln-Zephyr out of his wildest dreams.

This 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr ‘Scrape’ finished in black, put some airbags and safety features on it and diamond step plates on the outside rocker panels. Now the car looks somewhat tame when compared to the original, but much more lovable in its classic beauty.

The dominant feature of the heavily customised body is a 1941 Zephyr nose which has been grafted onto the 1939 Zephyr rear. It also features frenched 1939 Ford headlights, widened arches, a custom rear window opening, and a heavily chopped roof. Under the groundbreaking body, Scrape features modern mechanicals including a 1978 Chevrolet frame and running gear and is powered by a small block Chevrolet 350 cubic-inch engine backed by a three-speed automatic transmission.

The interior is black-and-white leather and Naugahyde, tucked and rolled by Bobby Sapp of Milford, Delaware. The seats are split-bench six-way power units from a Cadillac, and a streamlined engine cover completely conceals the Chevy powerplant.

The original dashboard has been subtly modified. The big Art Deco Zephyr binnacle has been rebuilt for 12-volts, and the banjo steering wheel has been fitted with a smaller rim that matches the original shape and feel. The tilt-telescoping steering column was sourced from a 1985 Cadillac, and a small television monitor under the steering column serves as a rear-view mirror focused on the fast lane behind.

After its public debut in 1998, Scrape became an international phenomenon. It was the feature attraction of more than twenty premier car shows in the United States and Canada, including the Concours at Meadowbrook, the Louis Vuitton Classic in Manhattan, and SEMA and was also featured on the cover of the November 1998 issue of Street Rodder magazine. Scrape’s pioneering streamlined design and stance proved so popular that Mattel created a sold-out run of 1/18-scale Hot Wheels toys commemorating the car. This uncommon honor further cemented Scrape’s status as arguably the most influential show car of the period.

 

Now, “Scrape” will seek a new home, and probably garner a greater sale price than the paltry $55,000 price it brought just a few years ago.