The first Lincoln Continental was born in 1939 from a commission by Edsel Ford to Eugene T. Gregorie to create a sophisticated, personalized car based on the Lincoln Zephyr. Gregorie's quick sketch resulted in a sleek design with a long hood and a signature rear-mounted spare tire, a style that embodied European elegance. Edsel absolutely had to have the prototype before he went down to vacation in Florida BECAUSE he wanted to show it off to all his rich friends.. After Edsel Ford and his friend