1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan

1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan: Moby Dick's Swan Song

The 1951 Cosmopolitan was a big car. It weighed 4,300 pounds and was 220 inches long. (That's only 9 inches shorter than the barge-like 1958 Lincolns.) The '51 Cosmo rode on a 125-inch wheelbase. When equipped with rear fender skirts and painted a dark gray color, it really did look like a big whale.

The Cosmopolitan wasn't a cheap car; it cost over $3,400 in 1951. The '51 model featured a new grille and a full length chrome side spear to emphasize its length. It was powered by a 154 horsepower, 337 cubic-inch flathead V8.

The entry-level 1951 Lincoln was Mercury derived and was smaller and lighter. It was the sweepstakes winner of the Mobilgas Economy Run with a 25.4 miles per gallon average.

The '51 Lincoln was not a great sales success; the public was tired of the body style and the flathead engine was no match for the Cadillac overhead-valve V8 or the Chrysler hemi-head V8 introduced in 1951. Total Lincoln sales for 1951 were 32,574 units compared with 110,340 units for its arch rival Cadillac.

It was time for a change at Lincoln; the brand would get an all-new body and new overhead-valve V8 engine for 1952. (2/29/16)

Remember When: 1951

In 1951, the Korean War dominated the news. In April, President Truman stunned the nation by firing General Douglas MacArthur. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty of spying (passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union). The husband and wife were given the death penalty and executed in New York's electric chair at Sing-Sing Prison in 1953.

The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, limiting the number of terms a president may serve, was ratified.

New fads included Tupperware house parties and group psychotherapy. The comic strip Dennis the Menace debuted, as did TV program 'I Love Lucy'. The first tests for color television pictures were broadcast from Empire State Building in 1951. In the first broadcast of Edward R. Murrow's 'See It Now' series, Murrow showed the split-screen image of the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges and tells viewers it is the first time to see the Atlantic and Pacific oceans simultaneously.

Charles F. Blair, Jr. made the first solo flight across North Pole. UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer), the first business computer to handle both numeric and alphabetic data, was introduced.

The first nuclear power plant was built by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

Deaths included Will Kellogg (of corn flakes fame), auto designer Ferdinand Porsche, comedienne Fanny Brice, news magnate William Randolph Hurst and pianist Eddie Duchin.

Top songs included Tony Bennett's 'Because of You', Nat King Cole's 'Too Young', Rosemary Clooney's 'Come On-A My House' Les Paul and Mary Ford's 'How High The Moon' and Patti Page's 'The Tennessee Waltz'.

Top movies included 'A Streetcar Named Desire', 'The Day The Earth Stood Still', 'Alice In Wonderland', 'The African Queen' and 'An American In Paris'.

In the World Series, the N.Y. Yankees beat the N.Y. Giants: 4 to 2. And legendary Yankee Joe DiMaggio retired.

More AutoSketch car drawings can be found here.

Other Pages Of Interest

Disclaimer

The facts presented in this blog are based on my best guesses and my substantially faulty geezer memory. The opinions expressed herein are strictly those of the author and are protected by the U.S. Constitution. Probably.

Spelling, punctuation and syntax errors are cheerfully repaired when I find them; grudgingly fixed when you do.

If I have slandered any brands of automobiles, either expressly or inadvertently, they're most likely crap cars and deserve it. Automobile manufacturers should be aware that they always have the option of trying to change my mind by providing me with vehicles to test drive.

If I have slandered any people or corporations in this blog, either expressly or inadvertently, they should buy me strong drinks (and an expensive meal) and try to prove to me that they're not the jerks I've portrayed them to be. If you're buying, I'm willing to listen.

Don't be shy - try a bribe. It might help.

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