1934 Lincoln KB V-12 Convertible Sedan Designed by Raymond Dietrich

Enlarged to 414 cubic inches from the KA engine of the year prior, it rode a cruciform double-drop chassis frame, with the two models distinguished largely by their wheelbases: 136 inches for the KA and 145 for the KB.

The other major difference was in available body styles. The KB, as the “ultimate” Lincoln, could be had as a chassis for custom coachwork, but many coachworks took advantage of the “semi-custom” offerings that were produced for Lincoln by the East Coast’s finest custom coachbuilders and catalogued by the factory. Finished to the specifications of each individual customer order, these bodies offered an unbeatable combination of custom quality, style, and individuality, at a price somewhat lower than a “full custom” body.

Among the most attractive “semi-customs” of 1934 was style number 281, a convertible sedan designed by Raymond Dietrich and built by his imprint of Briggs Manufacturing. A distinctive vee’d windshield and convertible top offered open motoring with a speedboat-like flair, and, even with the top raised, a surprising amount of headroom was available, making a comfortable enclosed limousine for all-weather use.

With the major revamp of the Ford brand that took place in 1932, Lincoln received a similar redesign. Lincoln also received a powerful V-12 engine, and the new model was offered in long and short wheelbases. The short was dubbed the KA and the long the KB.

The new Lincolns for 1932 showed refined styling that significantly updated the aging L model. The fresh look incorporated a Ford-style radiator shell. The car rode on more modern 18″ wire spoke wheels and was offered in, as was customary for Lincoln, an extensive catalogue of body styles including many expensive custom styles. Lincoln’s custom offering was very impressive, including catalogued styles from most top custom body makers including LeBaron, Dietrich, Willoughby, Waterhouse and Brunn.

The KB chassis would earn legendary status in period and today is a highly desirable senior CCCA classic. Praised for its excellent driving qualities, with exceptionally light and predictable steering and fine power-boosted brakes, the KB has become quite popular with seasoned classic era enthusiasts with an appetite for touring.

For 1933, Lincoln added a slightly smaller twelve to replace an aging 8-cylinder unit which had been offered on some KA chassis. A new-for-1933 front end styling updated the look of the car considerably, while stylistically Lincoln did take one step backwards by reverting to a louvered hood. This mistake was corrected when proper hood louvers returned in 1934, where the overall design got back on track. The styling was refined and the new models had a polished modern look, helped by a move to body-coloured radiator shells and smaller headlamps for added sophistication. A new larger version of the 1933 KA engine was now adopted for the KB model; this more modern engine, though slightly smaller than the original KB V-12, was rated at identical horsepower.