1936 zephyr land yacht

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The Wild 19136 Zephyr Land-Yacht - Streamlined Design by Brooks Stevens

• Thread starter t-head
• Start date Jul 9, 2014
• Views 5,071
• Jul 9, 2014

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Amazing 1936 Zephyr Land Yacht

Vintage car lovers, unite! There’s this 1941 For Western Flyer that is up for grabs online! It is an original Western Flyer that was originally designed by none other than Clifford Brooks Stevens. However, this specific model was redesigned, restored, and personalized by Howdy Ledbetter.

If you are a vintage car collector, it’s impossible not to know Brooks Stevens. He lived from 1911 to 1995 and was considered one of the most notable and popular industrial designers of his generation. He was one of the founders of Designers Society of America and formed his own company in 1934 in Milwaukee.

Stevens is known for designing the Zephyr Land Yacht for the famous Bill Plankinton. The latter absolutely loved his tractor and trailer, which he demanded to be beautiful and, at the same time, comfortable. The brilliant industrial designer made the tractor and trailer complete with kitchen facilities, shower and radio equipment.

Eventually, when folks from the Western Printing Company saw Plankinton’s Land Yacht, he ordered Stevens to design a mobile showroom for his business. For this, Stevens designed what is now known as the “Western Clipper.” Imagine this mobile showroom, complete with a parking facility under 20 feet!

Brooks Stevens, since then, has been known for creating different designs of the original clipper. He even made one for Johnson’s Wax which was used during the 1940 New York World Fair. This clipper was complete with huge spaces for bunks. Shower bath and kitchen inside were equipped with running water. It has been called “Housecar” since then.

Among the other vehicles which he designed that proved his brilliance and excellence were the Skytop Hiawatha trains in 1948, the Oscar Mayer ‘Wienermobile.’ All of these are recorded and well-documented in different American museums. If you are a vintage car lover, you can find some posts online selling different Stevens designs. You might want to read first on his other creations through vintage car blogs or by visiting car museums across the globe.

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Ford Leaps Into the Future: The 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr

As much as anything, the bold styling and advanced design of the 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr demonstrate this: The driving force behind the car was no doubt Edsel Ford and not his increasingly conservative father, Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford. But then, Edsel always enjoyed a relatively free hand with the management of the Lincoln Motor Company, which Ford had acquired from Henry and Wilfred Leland in 1922.

By the mid ’30s, the luxury car market was changing and the grand Lincoln K/KB series was falling behind the times. Edsel could see that in order to survive, Lincoln needed a more modern and affordable model that appealed to a broader range of pocketbooks, and on November 2, 1935, the Lincoln-Zephyr was formally introduced. Note the hyphen in the name, indicating that this new model was presented as a sort of companion brand to the classic coachbuilt Lincoln. The Zephyr was a Lincoln, it was to be noted, but it was something more, too. .

The basis for the new Zephyr was actually provided by a major Ford vendor, the Briggs Manufacturing Company of Detroit, supplier of auto bodies and stampings. Under contract for Briggs, Dutch engineer John Tjaarda  (later known as John Tjaarda van Sterkenburg) had designed a stunning prototype auto that was eventually shown in the Ford exhibit at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, more properly known as the Century of Progress International Exposition,(above).

While it certainly was sensational with its rear-engine layout and dramatic styling, the Briggs-Tjaarda prototype was far too radical in its original form to become a production Lincoln, and Tjaarda himself was reluctant to change it. For the exterior makeover, Edsel turned to his personal designer, E.T. “Bob” Gregorie. Years later, Gregorie would recall that he didn’t much care for the outlandish looks of the original Tjaarda creation, and he wasn’t totally impressed with his own revised version, either, which featured a yacht-like pointed prow. But Edsel was delighted with the result, telling Gregorie that it was much as he had envisioned the car when he handed Gregorie the assignment. On the strength of this design and others, Gregorie became the Ford Motor Company’s first formal styling chief.

Advanced Lincoln-Zephyr features included unitized body and frame construction, but it was a somewhat different form of unit construction than we know today. There was a separate ladder frame, more or less, but it was welded rather than bolted to the body, which employed advanced all-metal construction (above) and a steel roof. However, the ultra-conservative suspension front and rear was Ford’s cross-spring-and-wishbone layout that dated all the way back to the 1909 Model T. It was a backdated feature in 1936, when all the General Motors car lines offered independent front suspension. The brakes were Ford’s four-wheel mechanical setup as well. “The safety of steel from pedal to wheel,” as the Ford slogan went.

The engine (above) was also a mix of old and new. A 267 cubic-inch V12 rated at 110 hp, it was essentially a 12-cylinder version of the venerable Ford flathead V8. And it inherited some of the V8’s troubles as well, including a tendency to overheat. But over the years the V12 was continually developed and improved, and it was a pretty respectable engine when it was finally discontinued in 1948.

Priced at around $1300, compared to the hefty $4300 starting price of the senior Lincolns, the Zephyr hit its target, competing head-on with Buick, LaSalle, and the similarly styled Chrysler Airflow. Lincoln-Zephyr sold more than 13,000 units the first year, where the big coachbuilt Lincolns had typically sold in the hundreds—an unsustainable volume. For 1941 the old K series was dropped and the new senior model, the Custom, was a stretched version of the Zephyr. (See a dealer film of the 1941 Lincoln line here .)

The Zephyr, of course, also provided the basis for the Edsel Ford/Bob Gregorie design masterpiece, the 1939-40 Continental. Meanwhile, the Zephyr itself was continually facelifted and updated through the years, and while the Zephyr name was dropped when civilian passenger car manufacturing was halted in February of 1942, the basic platform remained in production through 1948. It’s fair to say the Lincoln-Zephyr preserved the Lincoln brand.

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There is an error in this article. Ford did not have an exhibit at the 1933 Chicago Century of Progress exposition. Ford participated in the second year of the Chicago Exposition with the Albert Kahn designed Rotunda building.

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The Zephyr Land-Yacht, a Streamlined Design by Brooks Stevens

July 9, 2014

• Scale model of the “Zephyr Land-Yacht,” the  Milwaukee Art Museum

Clifford Brooks Stevens was one of the most talented and prolific industrial designers of the 20th century. He and his staff designed about 3,000 products including a number of vehicle designs that went on to become a success in the marketplace. You can read his biography at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Stevens opened his first office in 1935, and one of his early commissions was for the  Zephyr Land-Yacht , which   he designed for William Woods Plankinton, Jr. At the time, Plankinton was a free-lance photographer for the  New York Journal American  and was a part of the high-society social scene in New York City. The photos above and just below are courtesy of the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Plankinton, whose family ran a very successful packing company that his great-grandfather started, wanted to pursue cross-country travel in style. His goal was to have a tractor-trailer combination of superior design and personal comfort that included the following: The tractor would serve as the living quarters for the driver and the valet; the trailer would sleep nine comfortably, and include a shower bath, kitchen facilities and the latest in radio equipment.

On November 9, 1936, Stevens filed a patent for the tractor and the trailer that were both assigned to Plankinton. The chassis the tractor was based on was an International Truck cab-over-engine unit with a six-cylinder engine. The total combined length of both was within the 35-foot state and federal limitations at the time. About a year after it was first finished, the engine was swapped for a heavy-duty Ford flathead V-8 unit. The original two-speed rear axle was retained which allowed for a 75 m.p.h. cruising speed with the new engine.

It attracted attention from the moment it was finished which then quickly lead to another commission. As Stevens told it: While on a test run with the rig and the crew in 1936, a stop was made at a friends residence for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in the trailer. As the valet was serving the gathering, there was a knock at the door from an executive from the Western Printing Company wanting to inquire about having its own vehicle designed. A meeting was arranged which led to his next commission, the design of the Western Clippers , but that is a story for a later date.

Good photos of the rig and details of its construction are hard to come by some 75-years after it was first built. We have also been unable to find out what happened to this unique creation after its useful days were over. If anyone can point us to more information about it, please let us know.

Since this was posted we have been in contact with the owner of the tractor which has survived and is in reasonably good unrestored condition. The trailer was not as fortunate, and was left outside for a number of years where it deteriorated and was eventually dismantled by one of Plankington’s workers.

13 responses to “ The Zephyr Land-Yacht, a Streamlined Design by Brooks Stevens ”

That is quite an example of mid-’30s streamlining and decorative design. I’d be interested to see interior views, and to learn if the tractor and trailer included any type of air conditioning (cooling) for those cross country trips.

The tractor reminds me of the Stout Scarab.

After a great deal of searching I have not been able to find much more than what is presented here. Hopefully our resourceful will be able to lead us to more photos and information.

Packard introduced air condition to their automobiles in 1940, Cadillac followed in 1941. Hope this might help

Comfort must have had a different meaning back then. We have a 29 foot 5th wheel which combined with our truck is a bit longer than the Plankinton rig. I cannot imagine nine people sleeping comfortably in it

It’s at the Peterson Museum in LA. (Or at least it was)

Thanks, but that is a similar vehicle and trailer. The Zephyr tractor unit we are told is in the mid-west.

I believe the tractor is in Hales Corners, WI. I saw it several years ago. The owner also owned two Scrabs.

Since this was posted we have been in contact with the owner of the tractor which has survived and is in reasonably good unrestored condition.

The trailer was not as fortunate, was left outside for a number of years and deteriorated and was eventually dismantled by one of Plankington’s workers.

I saw this Zephyr in the late 1970s the owner was a customer / friend of my father. The owner kept this & other cars in a coach house in downtown Milwaukee just north of Wisconsin Ave near city hall. The owner lived on Lenox Ave near the airport. I believe he still lives there , his name is Paul Brownell. He may still have it!

Henry, Thanks for the response about the Zepher Tractor. It has survived but is now in different hands in the Milwaukee area.

I am writing an article on the Brooks Stevens land yacht for the Milwaukee Art Museum Docent Digest Any chance anyone could put me in contact with the owner?

If no one has answered I can help.

There is a limited amount of motion picture film of the tractor and the outside of the trailer at The Milwaukee County Historical Society in the Plankinton film collection.

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1936 Zephyr Land Yacht designed by Brooks Stevens. Previously: VW Samba camper - photo Safari outfitter camping setup - photo COE semi converted to camper - photo Vintage motorcycle sidecar camper - photos Corvette camper - photo Nash camper - photo

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Amazing 1936 Zephyr Land Yacht

Vintage car lovers, unite! There’s this 1941 For Western Flyer that is up for grabs online! It is an original Western Flyer that was originally designed by none other than Clifford Brooks Stevens. However, this specific model was redesigned, restored, and personalized by Howdy Ledbetter.

If you are a vintage car collector, it’s impossible not to know Brooks Stevens. He lived from 1911 to 1995 and was considered one of the most notable and popular industrial designers of his generation. He was one of the founders of Designers Society of America and formed his own company in 1934 in Milwaukee.

Stevens is known for designing the Zephyr Land Yacht for the famous Bill Plankinton. The latter absolutely loved his tractor and trailer, which he demanded to be beautiful and, at the same time, comfortable. The brilliant industrial designer made the tractor and trailer complete with kitchen facilities, shower and radio equipment.

Eventually, when folks from the Western Printing Company saw Plankinton’s Land Yacht, he ordered Stevens to design a mobile showroom for his business. For this, Stevens designed what is now known as the “Western Clipper.” Imagine this mobile showroom, complete with a parking facility under 20 feet!

Brooks Stevens, since then, has been known for creating different designs of the original clipper. He even made one for Johnson’s Wax which was used during the 1940 New York World Fair. This clipper was complete with huge spaces for bunks. Shower bath and kitchen inside were equipped with running water. It has been called “Housecar” since then.

Among the other vehicles which he designed that proved his brilliance and excellence were the Skytop Hiawatha trains in 1948, the Oscar Mayer ‘Wienermobile.’ All of these are recorded and well-documented in different American museums. If you are a vintage car lover, you can find some posts online selling different Stevens designs. You might want to read first on his other creations through vintage car blogs or by visiting car museums across the globe.

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