Without hard evidence of Babe Ruth's ownership, the extra $300,000 paid for this car represents a giant leap of faith
The Continental is acknowledged as the crowning achievement of Edsel Ford and the head of his design department at Ford, Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie. Like many great accomplishments, it was the creation of a gifted designer in a single, brilliant moment of insight.
In 1938, Edsel expressed an interest in a "special convertible coupe that was long, low and rakish." Gregorie hit on the idea of using the Zephyr chassis for Edsel's "special convertible" and in less than an hour sketched out the outline for the two-door, four-seat body over the outline of a Zephyr sedan. The design quickly gained Edsel's enthusiastic approval, and work rushed ahead to complete the one-off in time for his vacation at his home in Hobe Sound, Florida.
Based on the 1939 Zephyr, the prototype was completed in less than six months and was the hit of the season when it appeared in Florida. Edsel phoned Gregorie and stated, "I've driven this car around Palm Beach, and I could sell a thousand of them right away."
The story of this Lincoln-Zephyr Continental Cabriolet relates that it was given to Babe Ruth in 1940 by NY Yankees president Joe McCarthy. The two had a contentious relationship during Ruth's years in New York. The car arrived in Canada during World War II owned by a New York sportswriter. He claimed that Ruth had been given several cars as gifts and had given the Continental to him.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Years Produced: | 1940 |
| Number Produced: | 404 |
| Original List Price: | $2,840 |
| Distributor Caps: | $450 |
| Chassis Number Location: | Right side of cowl |
| Engine Number Location: | Left side of crankcase between cylinders 1 and 2 |
| Club Info: | Lincoln and Continental Owners Club |
| Website: | http://www.lcoc.org |
| Investment Grade: | B- |
This 1940 Lincoln-Zephyr Continental cabriolet sold for $407,000 at RM’s Dingman auction in June 2006.
The Continental cabriolet was introduced in October of 1939 as the top of the Lincoln-Zephyr line. With a price tag of $2,840, only a few high-end Cadillac and Packard models were more expensive.
The Continentals were virtually hand-made with modified Lincoln-Zephyr parts and-as restorers today quickly realize-a great deal of lead paddle work. The hood was seven inches longer than the standard Zephyr and the body three inches lower. It was powered by the legendary (but not universally loved) V12 Zephyr power plant, which generated 120 hp. The first production Continental was sold to actor Jackie Cooper, and 403 more were sold during the model year.
The 1940 Continental that was part of the Dingman collection is well known, having been in the hands of several Canadian collectors, as well as being displayed at the Cars of the Stars Museum in Niagara Falls and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. When it was acquired by Michael Dingman in 2001, it was an older restoration. He had it restored again to a high standard.
The stated ownership by Babe Ruth is rather curious. The auction catalog states: “As is so often the case with cars of the period, there is no documentary evidence of Ruth’s ownership.” Additional information includes that a previous owner found a ticket to the 1940 Dutchess County Fair horse show in Rhinebeck, New York, under the carpet, whatever that means. There are a number of articles that discuss the Lincoln-Zephyr Continental Cabriolet as having been presented to Babe in 1940, but hard evidence is lacking.
RM spokesman Mike Fairbairn says no documents accompany the Babe Ruth car to prove the provenance, but its history lends credence to the story that it originally belonged to the Bambino. “There wasn’t anything tangible like a bill of sale, but it was in a museum in Niagara Falls for a long period in the 1950s when it wasn’t that old, and it passes the credibility test. Nobody kept records then as they do now; people can make up their own mind. And if it isn’t the best one around, I can’t tell you where to find a better one.”
In any case, Babe Ruth did not end his Yankee career on a high note. Illness had an adverse effect on his performance and his salary of $75,000-highest in baseball-was gradually reduced to $25,000. He frequently expressed his desire to manage, but the feeling was that if he could not manage himself-he had a notorious appetite for alcohol and women-how could he manage others? In 1935, he retired from the Yankees and played for the Boston Braves with the hope of managing.
That was not to be, and when he was again rebuffed by the Yankees, he became the third base coach for the Dodgers, with designs on taking over as the “skipper.” Leo Durocher won the job, and a disgruntled Ruth slipped into retirement, passing away in 1948 at the age of 52.
Anything that Babe Ruth touched has tremendous collector value. The contract that sent him from the Red Sox to the Yankees recently sold at auction for close to a million dollars, and one of his early bats recently went for over $100,000. There is no doubt that a 1940 Continental was presented to him, and you can make a reasonable case that he did not own it for long due to his displeasure with the Yankee organization. The question is, was this car the one, and is it worth the price paid?
A well-restored 1940 Lincoln Continental can bring $100,000 if presented to the right audience, and the right audience was present at this auction. Is the Babe Ruth provenance worth another $300,000? No doubt it is, if documented. But here there is a giant leap of faith, with thin threads of evidence.
There is an old adage that states, “If you say something often enough it must be true,” and for the sake of the new owner, I truly hope that is so.