Ken Lingenfelter Named To National Corvette Museum Board
Read the full story on Backfire News
Ken Lingenfelter, who's made a name for himself tuning Corvettes and other GM products, was recently added to the board for the National Corvette Museum. It's a big addition to what's already a huge draw for enthusiasts and even non-car people as people flock to the museum to learn more about America's sports car.According to an official press release, Lingenfelter has joined the Museum's Board of Directors as an At-Large Member. The man bought Lingenfelter Performance Engineering in 2008. His distant cousin John Lingenfelter founded the company. With Ken at the helm, the brand has continued to help owners push the performance envelope with their cars.
He bought his first Corvette in 1977 and was bitten with the performance bug. Since then, the man has acquired many more, plus muscle cars and some exotic rides. The museum has even put several of his 'Vettes on display throughout the years, most notably his 1954 Chevy Corvette EX-87 Duntov Mule, a pivotal piece of history for the sports car.
Lingenfelter has deep roots with GM, thanks in part to his father being an executive with the auto giant. But he himself was a manager at the Fisher Body Assembly Plant back in the day.
'Corvette has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I am honored to join the National Corvette Museum Board,' said Ken Lingenfelter. 'The Museum is a vital institution that preserves Corvette's incredible history while inspiring future generations of enthusiasts. I look forward to working alongside this dedicated team to help drive the Museum into an exciting future.'
The National Corvette Museum is going through a number of changes right now, so having Lingenfelter's support will be invaluable. Not only is the building being expanded with several new areas to augment visitors' experiences, a Corvette Hall of Fame is slated to open later this year.
Image via National Corvette Museum
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Our editors had caught a whiff of the svelte new Euro-firm Cadillac Seville, and, even though it wasn't tested, we predicted it would be the new King of Both Hills. How have the original contenders for the crown stood the test of time? To answer the question, Sandy Edelstein and Scott King bought one of each, both built with the rare vinyl-top delete options, and let us take them for a spin. The cars are in exceptional condition, and each has a unique character. The Cadillac's sharp-edged design is by far the most interesting to new-millennium eyes, while the Continental Mark III—especially in steel-topped guise—harks faithfully to the fabulous Mark II. Both cars accelerate effortlessly, with little audible report from the engine room. Neither offers even a modicum of steering feel or feedback, but the Cadillac responds to its helm more quickly and directly, and its brakes seem less vague and remote. The Eldorado's suspension filters out less of the road's rumbles and bumps, leaving a slightly crusty ride quality. By contrast, the Lincoln approximates a wheeled isolation tank as closely as any 1969 car ever did. It wafts over road imperfections without squeaking or rattling, though this may say more about its low mileage (34,000 to the Eldo's 86,000) than about its original assembly quality. The view down each car's immense hood certainly puts one in an imperial frame of mind. The Cadillac's bow is dominated by a coffin-shaped central bulge; the Mark's is bordered by chrome-topped fences. The Eldorado's minimalist interior furnishings, though dressed up with real wood accents, can't compare with the Lincoln's classy neo-Duesenberg cabin. After a day spent swapping back and forth between the cars, the descent from the high desert above Palm Springs in the Mark III with the A/C cranked and Old Blue-Eyes crooning through the ($245.30) StereoSonic AM/8-Track five-speaker Hi-Fi validated our original decision, so we hereby re-crown the Lincoln Continental Mark III, King of the (1969-1970) Hill. Would the edgy Eldorado have been crowned king with a V-12 or V-16 snuggled under that mile-long hood? Sure seems likely, and it almost happened. One idea was to marry two small-block V-8s to form a 530-cube V-16. This concept received little development, but GM engineering staff progressed through several generations of development and durability testing of a 500-cubic-inch 90-degree SOHC 24-valve V-12 with 30-degree offset crankshaft pins. Few details have ever been released about this so-called 'V-future' engine that was intended to proliferate throughout the Cadillac range, starting with the Eldorado. Early versions of the aluminum-block engine had iron cylinder liners, but later iterations employed an innovative die-casting of high-silicon aluminum intended to run without sleeves. On second thought, maybe it's just as well that this technology was tested on the Vega. 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III: The IV-Door The Mark III was a runaway sales success, outselling the original Continental and Mark II combined before the end of 1968 and besting Eldorado sales by 20 percent. Might Lincoln have moved even more metal with a four-door? Maybe. An early prototype of a reskinned Thunderbird was shot down, but another true Mark III four-door is rumored to have been built, possibly for Henry Ford II. Little is known about that car, but word of its existence may have leaked out to Martin-Marietta boss Grover Hermann—he contacted Ford to request a four-door Mark of his own. Ford farmed the work out to Lehmann-Peterson and Moloney Coachworks, who charged $13,325 to stretch the body and frame 7.3 inches and custom-fit suicide doors, adding over 700 pounds. Current owner Phil G.D. Schaefer reports that the body remains as tight and quiet as a coupe's. Ask the Guys who Own Them Mortgage broker Sandy Edelstein and automotive product specialist Scott King collect coupes large (1958 Caddy) and small (Honda N600), none of which has a vinyl top. Why we like them: 'We both grew up around Cadillacs, and the cutting edge style of the first-gen front-drive Eldorado really imprinted on us. The Lincoln was irresistibly gorgeous, and with the ultra-rare steel top it seemed the perfect match for our Eldorado.' Why they're collectible: Each was the flagship, not only of its marque, but of its parent corporation. The Eldorado pushed the technological and styling envelopes, the Continental Mark III aimed to reprise the opulence and build quality of the 1956-1957 Mark II. Restoring/Maintaining: Production volumes were relatively high, and most parts are readily available from multiple sources. Beware: Rust attacks the rockers, trunk floor, and around the bottom of vinyl tops; check for filler in cars that have been repainted. Expect to pay: (Eldorado) Concours ready: $15,000; solid driver $7500; tired runner: $2500; (Continental Mark III) Concours ready: $15,750; solid driver $7500; tired runner: $4000 Join the Clubs: Cadillac & LaSalle club ( Lincoln & Continental Owners Club ( Our Take Then: So who is the King of the Hill? As long as there are Eldorado and Mark III owners around, cigar sales will continue to go up and no one will ever agree. The Eldorado has a lot of seemingly more advanced technical conveniences, but from a strictly plush, posh, luxury standpoint, the Mark III has the intimacy a car like this should offer.—Bill Sanders, MotorTrend , July 1970 Now: The Lincoln Continental and Cadillac Eldorado were built in a golden age before emissions and safety regs strangled engines and ham-strung car designers, yet after air-conditioning and disc brakes were popularized. So in many ways, no future car can hope to ever achieve the style and panache of these Kings of the Hill.
