The term “vintage” refers to vehicles built froClassic is reserved for the “Golden Era” of the Automobile, when Coachbuilding was at it’s peak, with chassis built by one company and the owners would have the bodies built by another company.
C1-01
1930 Cadillac 452 Murphy Convertible Sedan
John D. Groendyke, Enid, Oklahoma
The development of the mighty V-16 Cadillac 452 was well underway by 1929, amidst one of America’s darkest times, the company went ahead and launched the automobile that cemented Cadillac in the luxury car
arena for good. Designer Franklin Hershey was famed for his work on Duesenberg Model J bodies and for his association with Walter Murphy Co. This 452 (chassis 79094) was built for Charles S. Howard Jr., eldest son of
the West Coast Buick distributor and owner of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit. It is the only known V-16 custom car by Murphy based on a design by Franklin Hershey.
C1-01
1930-31 Cord L-29 Brooks Stevens Custom Speedster
Brian Cunat, McHenry, Illinois
ln 1929 E. L. Cord, having acquired the Auburn Automobile Company, decided to launch a car under his own name, and the Cord L-29 was born. For this eponymous debut, Cord rotated the straight-8 Lycoming
engine through 180 degrees, thus creating the first-ever front-wheel-drive production car. Cord built 5,010 L-29s. This example (chassis 2923452) was purchased circa 1937 by famed early auto enthusiast D. Cameron Peck, who
engaged newly hatched industrial designer Brooks Stevens to modify the original convertible coupe into a special speedster, work that was completed in 193S. This Cord was lost to history for a time but reemerged in the 19S0s.
C1-03
1931 Pierce-Arrow 42 Convertible Coupe
Robert Morris, Naples, Florida
Few Pierce-Arrow convertible coupes were built in 1931; with the Depression well underway, production was down to just 4,522 in total. This example belonged to Terry “Machine Gun” Druggan, a Chicago mobster. It is said
Druggan drove the convertible through the streets of Chicago recruiting drivers for illicit beer delivery during prohibition, and before his arrest he hid the car in his mother’s barn for safekeeping. This Model 42 (chassis
2525124) sports special wheels, a favored accessory, and is equipped with the largest Pierce-Arrow engine of its time: the straight-S, 366-cubic-inch engine that marked the company’s departure from its 6-cylinder tradition.
C1-04
1933 Pierce-Arrow 1236 LeBaron Convertible Coupe
John Allen, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Some of the finest Pierce-Arrow motorcars were built amidst the Depression and remain an enduring illustration of American excellence in even the most challenging periods. Renowned for quality and luxury, Pierce-Arrow debuted its Model 1236 at the New York Auto Show in January 1933. Powered by a mighty 462-cubic-inch V12 engine, the car came with power brakes, a rarity for the early 1930s. The Art Deco exterior of the convertible coupe
showcased swooping fenders and iconic mascot, plus the factory option of stylish wire wheels.
C1-05
1934 Pierce-Arrow 840A Convertible Coupe
Bob Jacobsen, Los Altos, California
By 1934, Pierce-Arrow was producing only 1,740 cars over 18 models. This 840A Convertible Coupe is one of just six known to exist. When compared to prior Pierce-Arrow designs of the early 1930s, this 1934 example (chassis 2080333) shows the clear evolution of design, with dramatically raked radiator and shrouded fenders. Its 8-cylinder engine develops 140 horsepower from 385 cubic inches. The car was built on a 139-inch wheelbase and weighs 5,200 pounds. It cost $3,250 new- seven times that of a Ford. Avant-garde features include power brakes, automatic starring system, and hydraulic valve lifters a Pierce innovation in 1933. Production fell drastically in ensuing years; the final few examples were built in 1938 as
the company was liquidated.
C1-06
1935 Auburn 851 Speedster
Herman-Bosman Brandt, Paarl, South Africa
The Auburn 851 Speedster was designed by Gordon Buehrig as a successor to the Auburn V12 Speedster. E. L. Cord, founder of the Cord Corporation, envisaged a super sporty version of a comparatively affordable mid-priced
automobile, retailing at $2,245. The new speedster employed the 127-inch Auburn chassis, married to the 279.2-cubic-inch Lycoming engine with supercharger, raising horsepower from 115 to 150 and boasting a top speed of over 100 mph. Belgian coach builder D’leteren purchased the 1935 New York Auto Show example right off the stand. This speedster (serial 33218E; frame 2218) is one of 500 built, first owned by James Craft, a West Virginia mass-transit entrepreneur. Ninety years later, it has been fully restored to its original specification.
C1 American Classic Open
