1902 Henry M. Leland establishes the Cadillac Automobile Company 1909 Cadillac purchased by General Motors 1914 Cadillac introduces V-8, sells 13,000 in first year 1917 Leland establishes Lincoln Motor Company, immediately receives contract to build V-12 Liberty aviation engines 1917 Lincoln produces first automobile, the V-8 powered luxury Model L 1922 Lincoln sells only 150 cars 1922 Ford Motor Company acquires Lincoln 1923 Lincoln sales rise 45% 1930 Lincoln phases out L series; introduces K-Series powered by 384 cubic inch 60° V-8 producing 125 hp 1931 Cadillac introduces V-12 road car for $800 less than V-8 Lincoln 1932 Ford introduces 221 cubic inch 90° Flathead V-8 producing 65 hp 1932 Lincoln introduces 447.9 cubic inch 65° L-head V-12 producing 150 hp ; K-Series product line split into KA-Series and KB-Series 1933 Lincoln introduces 381.7 cubic inch 67° L-head V-12 producing 125 hp to replace 384 cubic inch 60° V-8; all Lincolns now V-12 powered. 1934 Lincoln uprates the smaller of its two V-12's from 381.7 cubic inches to 414 cubic inches, making the same 150 hp as the older, heavier, and more expensive 447.9 cubic inch V-12; Lincoln fits the engine to both KA and KB models 1935 Lincoln product lines rationalised to a single Model K 1936 Model K limousine is Lincoln's best-seller 1936 Upon introduction the Lincoln-Zephyr range of lower-priced, midsized luxury cars is powered by the new 110 hp Lincoln-Zephyr H Series V-12, a 267 cubic inch 75° engine based on the Flathead Ford V-8 1948 Lincoln-Zephyr V-12s are phased out, replaced with the InVincible 8, an iteration of the Flathead Ford V-8, across the Lincoln product line
448
In 1932 Lincoln offered for the first time a 447.9 cubic inch L-head V-12 with a seven-main bearing crankshaft and 150 hp. The K-Series was previously available only with a developed version of the 60° V-8 which first saw duty in the 1920 Lincoln L-Series. The expanded engine offering split the K-Series into KA- and KB-Series.
382
In 1933 Lincoln introduced a smaller V-12 to replace the ageing V-8 in the KA-Series. Its 67° architecture was a significant departure, with four main bearings, offset blocks, and side-by-side connecting rods rather than fork-and-blade. It produced the same 125 hp specific output as the outgoing V-8 despite a somewhat smaller displacement of 381.7 cubic inches.
414
The KA's 381.7 cubic inch V12 was enlarged for 1934 to replace the 1932-design 448. This new engine displaced 414 cu. in. and produced 150 hp. All Lincolns in 1934 were powered by this new 414 V12, and the distinction between models was dropped, with all 1935 Lincolns being simply branded "Model K". The 414 would last through the end of the Model K's production just before World War II.
