Now, if you are that kind of car head who would drool over classic beauties, then Paul Teutul Jr.’s very own customized 1939 Lincoln Zephyr shall blow even the most creative imagination. This isn’t just some Lincoln Zephyr but a labor of love, made by many interesting sets into meticulous inconsistency for bringing to life a historically significant car with unique customization. So, buckle up as we dive into what brought this beauty together.
Now, when it comes to anything along the lines of custom builds, Paul Teutul Jr. definitely does not need an introduction, especially considering that most of his work, through reality television and using the show “American Chopper,” has been the impetus for many an eyeball-scorching custom. Very few people are aware of the fact that he is a huge classic car enthusiast, mostly hailing from the Art Deco era of the 1930s. Paul explains, “When it comes to personal stuff and collectibles, I am a big history guy. I just love automotive history, and I love automobiles, especially the Art Deco style of the 1930s.”
This 1939 Lincoln Zephyr was represented by a collaborative effort equal to our work: Paul Choi of American Collectors Insurance. From day one, Paul had somewhat in mind what he wanted. “I’ve been immersed in this whole Zephyr world of buying and selling them,” he related. This particular Zephyr was to be his last, and he’d been envisioning what could be done with it for quite some time.
The right car at that particular time was paramount. Another creation from this threesome, Edsel Ford, John Tjaarda, and Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie—was the Lincoln Zephyr. It made its debut in 1935, in one of the most awesomely streamlined forms of its time, packing a 110 hp V-12 engine, derived from Ford’s flathead V-8. This radical Art Deco styling was not an immediate hit with Ford executives, but this design kept the Lincoln brand in business during hard times. Paul took more or less an odd approach to this project.
Though most custom builders hand-build a car from start to finish, not so with Paul. In fact, he farmed most of the work to various specialists. “I find my approach to building a car is not one of a car builder,” he explains. “I’m there for the whole process. I’m hands-on working through it sometimes changing the creative as it goes and tweaking things.” It gave him the savvy to use people for those specialized skills involved while still being able to exert his creative control. First off was metalwork, handled by Speakeasy Motors in Wallkill, New York.
Nodding to those Delays from the mid-1930s, Paul envisioned long, sweeping lines that would tie-in front and back; this would require conversion to suicide doors and provide the windows only a slight “eyebrow,” sleeving the appearance of a chopped-top roof-lowering. “It about gave us a chop without having to chop the roof because you don’t have to chop the roof on that car,” Paul explains. As the metalwork got underway, Paul saw to it that the car was also treated to a thoroughly modern RideTech Air Ride Suspension system binned in its place. From there, it was off to Brain Bucket Specialty Paint in Clintondale, New York, where the body work was completed and the car received a paint job in a color that seemed almost black but was actually a gorgeous shade developed by Mercedes called Dunkelblau.
Under the hood, the Zephyr left the factory with a flathead V-8, but Paul had preconditioned a freshly rebuilt flathead V-12 with triple carbs ready for installation. Not only was this much closer to specifications for the car, but it also greatly increased historic authenticity to the vehicle.
Given that the coming-out party for the car was the 2023 Fall Carlisle show, and time was tight. Covid presented some delays in the pandemic; otherwise, the project forged ahead. The final hurdle was the interior. The plan from day one was to have a bright-red interior, but thanks to the keen eye of Paul’s wife, Rachael, that scheme was sent to push in favor of blue carpet and Cognac leather. “It just made more sense,” Paul confesses.
Custom touches didn’t end there. Jason Pohl, an old accomplice from Paul’s OCC days, machined some Art Deco-inspired trays and a set of PJD logos for the doors, adding a smidge of Paulisms into it all. Even ACI’s own branding found a place, tastefully done in some deftly machined logos incorporating brushed copper inserts.
In fact, that final reassembly really was a race against the clock, with parts arriving daily up to the day before the unveiling. The Zephyr finally bowed at Carlisle and Crown jewel; the crowd’s reaction could not have been better for Paul and ACI. “It had successfully achieved the former mission of educating and building the community of collector cars with fairly good reception from all and also increased the appreciation for classic cars after car lovers.
In short, Paul Teutul Jr.’s 1939 Lincoln Zephyr is history under memorization, evidence of what can magically go right when skill meets imagination, and a work of art. Well, this custom build was more than just a blueprint expressing Paul Teutul Jr.’s eve for cars done in the Art Deco style it created a new benchmark within the world of classic car customization. Any time you get to really look closely at this worthy machine, do so. You will not be disappointed.
