Too Cool For School With John Fleming’s 1939 Lincoln Zephyr

fleming_leadart

Navigating the paths laid down at the Goodguys 18th PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, we were treated to a beauty with masterful craftsmanship. This one in particular is a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr, which is total kustom from top to bottom.

Owned by John and Diana Fleming from Asher, Oklahoma, the couple’s ’39 Zephyr grabs attention where ever it goes. Fully customized, the Fleming’s Zephyr is one artistic masterpiece that stands the test of time. Let’s dive into the build and the initial idea behind it all.

Finding A Gem

Fleming discovered the Zephyr on eBay all dismantled in a garage in rural Florida. Sucked in by the rust heap’s untapped potential, Fleming went for it as he had only seen two Lincoln Zephyr’s previously. His extensive love of history and passion for classic cars persuaded him to take his trailer and haul the heap back to his home in Oklahoma.

IMG_6288

The Zephyr’s ambitious logo has withstood the test of time, looking great even by today’s font standards.

After gathering the Zephyr and its loose components, Fleming called up his buddies to come help fabricate, paint, and massage out all of the car’s dents and imperfections. “Everything is hand-built to absolute perfection on the Zephyr,” he said. “It was stripped all the way down to the frame, where it spent four years being restored.”

The inner fenders were custom fabricated, along with the firewall, and a fully custom exhaust system. The running boards were also customized to complement the inside boards. The Zephyr’s pie-shaped hood is a design we don’t see any often these days, which really makes this kustom stand out. The frenched headlights and shaved door handles give the Zephyr added flair and style that makes for a pure attention grabber.

IMG_6277

The custom running boards and bubbly fenders create a stance to the Zephyr that is simply perfect.

Finer details include a raked windshield, which was slicked back three inches, then coupled with a custom made convertible top to fit the body. Drenched in a custom deep purple paint, that Fleming explained was achieved by blending a dark cherry color from a Hyundai paint catalog as a base coat, and a slick topcoat of black to seal it off.

With everything complete, Fleming brought his finished Zephyr to its first classic car show in January of 2014, at the 65th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand Nationals Roadster Show in Pomona, California. Placed in the Radical Custom Rod Convertible 1935-1948 class, the Zephyr ended up taking home the third place trophy in its first time out.

IMG_6299

The frenched headlights make for nice visual continuity up front on the Zephyr.

Yearning to see its potential elsewhere, Fleming brought his custom to the Goodguys All-American Get-Together in March of 2014. His inspired vision, hard work, and attention to detail landed him and his Zephyr as one of the top 5 finalists for Custom Car of the Year.

His car didn’t win the award in the end, but it was a pleasure for him to see it place as high as it did, earning him bragging rights for making it to the center lawn for spectators to drool over.

Having low miles since the car’s completion, Fleming’s Zephyr is a standout no matter what angle you look at it. It’s swooping curves and styling uphold its ‘30s design aesthetics, all the while keeping it relevant with modern modifications under the hood as well as inside.

Make No Mistake

With all of the obvious class on the outside, it is difficult to imagine what is on the inside. The Zephyr is also intimidating once the hood is popped open. To everyone’s surprise, the custom has a 5.4-liter supercharged Ford Lightning mill that churns out 390hp, fully rebuilt and mated to a Ford 4R70W automatic transmission. The engine even features bright Tangelo-colored valve covers, which were chosen by his wife Diana.

IMG_6309

The rebuilt Ford Lightning motor shimmering in all its glory.

The Zephyr has a Total Cost Involved front end suspension to keep handling precise and a Currie 9-inch Ford rearend that helps put power to the pavement. All placed on a custom-built frame, Fleming’s Zephyr also has a four-wheel disc brake kit hidden behind the vintage style wheels and whitewall tires.

The attention to detail is immeasurable on Fleming's glorious Zephyr.

The interior is nothing short of spectacular. The Tangelo paint found on the valve covers under the hood is all the more apparent inside the Zephyr. The black, orange, and chrome interior make for a great set of complimentary colors that translate well and is pleasing to the observer.

The Tangelo lowback seats and door panels work well with the simple three spoke steering wheel, that even has tangelo leather wrapped around the outer diameter. A Dan’s Hot Rod instrument cluster is mounted in the center of the dash, with the tachometer tucked sneakily beneath it.

IMG_6307

The interior is loud in all the right ways, mixing luxury and sport aesthetics seamlessly.

Being classy and vibrant at the same time, we can appreciate the Fleming’s Zephyr and all it has to offer. Custom from front to back, we commend the car’s unique craftsmanship. Upholding all its original badging, this Zephyr’s transformation is one for the ages, which has in turned given birth to a timeless classic.

The ’30s may be well behind us, but this Zephyr proves it can stand the test of time along with the early Ford flatties. It may have taken four years to build, but the meticulous detail is unmistakable and shows at any angle you view this car. Fleming’s creation carries all the luxurious prestige it originally held, along with the aggressiveness and power of a street rod, all wrapped into a single package.

It isn’t everyday that you see a custom built on a scale of this magnitude, which makes it original and deserving of all its praise at the car shows the Zephyr has travelled to. The crown jewel to this Zephyr is a rags-to-riches story that deserves to be told. From a rust bucket in the tall grass, to showroom fame, Fleming’s determination proved the key to this Lincoln’s glistening resurrection back to grace.

What do you think of Fleming’s curvaceous custom? Would you have done it any different?

IMG_6803

Photo gallery

VIEW FULL GALLERY >

About the author

nicaguon

Nic Aguon is a graduate from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism and mass communications and holds a passion for sleek and unique automobiles. Serving as a Staff Writer for multiple publications at Power Automedia, Nic pledges to bring readers clean and concise storytelling that hits the nail right on the head. A jack of all trades, his interests range from imports to American muscle, hot rods, and Kustoms.
Read My Articles

Hot Rods and Muscle Cars in your inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Street Muscle, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

We'll send you the most interesting Street Muscle articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


fordmuscle
Classic Ford Performance
dragzine
Drag Racing
chevyhardcore
Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • fordmuscle Classic Ford Performance
  • dragzine Drag Racing
  • chevyhardcore Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading