One of the best-known hot rods in the world is about to cross the auction block. Nicknamed Scrape, this 1939 Lincoln Zephyr has been on the cover of countless enthusiast magazines, it’s been displayed at dozens of auto shows around the nation, and it’s even been turned into a Hot Wheels car.
Scrape was born as a wild, improbable idea in the mind of Terry Cook, one of Hot Rod Magazine‘s former editors. He made so many modifications to the Zephyr that the build took no less than four years to complete.
Notably, he got creative and combined different body panels from various years of the Zephyr’s production run to create the exact car he dreamed up — one that Lincoln never built. He also chopped the top, and made the fenders much wider to give his creation that low-slung look hot-rodders drool over. The interior was completely redone, too. The new look makes us want to hit the highway with our favorite roadtrip songs.
As you might have guessed, the name Scrape alludes to the custom Zephyr’s ground clearance — or lack thereof. It can nonetheless drive over speed bumps without leaving a long (and expensive) trail of paint because the steel suspension was replaced by a fully-adjustable hydraulic system.
We’re sure the Zephyr’s 4.4-liter V12 engine was downright impressive when Franklin Roosevelt was in the White House, but it was outdated and underpowered in the 1990s, when Scrape was built. It looks like Zephyr’s engine bay is now home to a more modern V8, though up-to-date technical specifications haven’t been released.
Scrape has changed hands several times over the past two decades. The current owner gave it a sinister, murdered-out look by painting it deep black, tinting the headlights, and installing steel wheels with stock-looking metal hubcaps. We think it looks much better now than it did when it was purple, but to each his own. If you want to get to know our taste, check out our picks for best sports cars.
If this classic hot rod sounds like your dream ride, you’re in luck. It’s scheduled to cross the auction block in Santa Monica, California, on June 24. We hope you’ve already started saving up, because it’s expected to sell for anywhere between $300,000 and $400,000, which is roughly the price of a new Lamborghini. If that’s too much, rest assured the Hot Wheels version is markedly more affordable.
