Classic Car Club of America Museum adds 'The Grey Ghost' 1941 Lincoln Continental to its stable

Tom Brace, CCCA Museum board member, supervises John “Ziggy” Zwinger, member of the North Star Region of the LCOC, backing The Grey Ghost down the Oberg’s driveway and to the trailer down the street. Courtesy of Mitchell Carlson

On April third, the Classic Car Club of America Museum accepted their most recent donation: “The Grey Ghost”, a 1941 Lincoln Continental cabriolet owned by the late Harvey Oberg and his widow Faye Oberg. The car was collected at the Oberg residence in the Twin Cities metropolitan area by the museum’s dedicated carrier and by the CCCA Museum being represented by its board member Tom Brace to facilitate the transaction, being assisted by Lincoln & Continental Owner’s Club - North Star Region members John “Ziggy” Zwinger and B. Mitchell Carlson.

The Oberg Continental is well-known within not just the CCCA, as it wears award badge number 3 (the lowest numbered example know to still exist), but also in the Lincoln & Continental Owner’s Club, the Lincoln Zephyr Owner’s Club, and the Early Ford V8 Club for the numerous awards the car has garnered since it was authentically restored in 1986. The original owner was New York financier Albert M. Barnes, delivered to Ford’s Edgewater, NJ facility, which was near his Spruce Hill Farm estate in Mendham, NJ. Barnes special ordered the car in his personal signature paint color, being one of only 21 1941 Continentals with special order paint – and the only one in that Jersey Grey (hence the nickname it picked up of The Grey Ghost). Harvey purchased the car from the second owner in 1983, then having it painstakingly restored to how it was delivered when new over the course of three years.

Once hooked up to the winch by the carrier MJC Specialty, John “Ziggy” Zwinger guides it into the enclosed trailer. Courtesy of Mitchell Carlson

While the car was well known in club concours circles, it was more notable in that the car was driven throughout the country to every single event yet still won major awards. The Oberg’s even came up with a button they would give to other club members who would also drive to an event that states “Trailers are for horses, drive your Classic”, depicting The Grey Ghost pulling a horse trailer. Even with the fifty-six thousand miles and change that the car has racked up since it was restored, it’s still resplendent, showing the dedication the Oberg’s had to maintaining the car to show standards while driving it.

An odd view of a car that was prided as never being trailer to a show. Next stop: Hickory Corners, Michigan. Courtesy of Mitchell Carlson

Initial plans by the museum is to highlight the car’s history within the CCCA, since it attained award badge number 3 when the car was at the very first CCCA Grand Classic at Washington Crossing Park, NJ on July 12, 1953.

The CCCA Museum is part of the Gilmore Museum complex at Hickory Corners, near Kalamazoo, MI. https://cccamuseum.org/

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1941 Lincoln Continental Classic Car Club of America Museum Grey Ghost Harvey Oberg

B. Mitchell CarlsonAuthor

B. Mitchell Carlson