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1938 Lincoln Coddington a.k.a. ‘The French Connection’ Headed To Auction

Heading to the annual Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona in January is this one-of-a-kind retro-modern machine: the 1938 “Lincoln Coddington.”

In actual fact, the Lincoln Coddington is titled as a 2015 special construction, and looks most approximately like a 1937 Delahaye. Perhaps it’s this resemblance that informs the car’s nickname: “The French Connection.”

The 1938 Lincoln Coddington was the last custom build of legendary hot rodder Boyd Coddington before he passed, using an Art Morrison chassis with a hand-formed, aluminum and steel body by coachbuilder Marcel. An all-aluminum, HEMI-headed V12 from BPM sits up front, displacing an absolutely monstrous 12.8 liters, and the transmission is a custom-built 3-speed Turbo 400 unit, meaning it has General Motors roots. It rides on a coilover suspension, with a custom 9-inch Ford rear end.

So, perhaps calling the 1938 Lincoln Coddington a Lincoln is a tad disingenuous, but it’s a fine bit of custom automotive work nonetheless. Barrett-Jackson’s own website asserts that no fewer than 2 cows and 15 ostriches were skinned to wrap the interior, and the overall effect of the car is unlike anything that can be found outside of the most wild, all-out hot rod builds.

The 1938 Lincoln Coddington “French Connection” will go up for auction in Scotsdale, Arizona at Barrett-Jackson’s annual event there.

Aaron Brzozowski is a writer and motoring enthusiast from Detroit with an affinity for '80s German steel. He is not active on the Twitter these days, but you may send him a courier pigeon.

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