1886
Benz
"1886
Benz. Karl
Benz didn't invent the gasoline engine, but he did usher in the
automotive era with his 1886 design of the first vehicle propelled by
gasoline fuel. Benz's four stroke engine had a maximum power output of
2/3 horsepower at 250-300 rpm. Although considered powerful at the
time, it was not strong enough to move a heavy vehicle. So in 1885,86
Benz built a light three wheeled carriage, wich reached a speed of 9
miles anhour the first time it was tested on public highways in
Mannheim, Germany,on July 3, 1886. Lightness wasn't the car's only
feature. Benz combined a Ruhmkorff
trembler coil, spark plugs, and a
battery to build a better ignition system. His spark plug, in fact,
became the basis of future spark plug technology..." $20
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1896
Ford Quadricycle
"1896 QUADRICYCLE. After more
than two years of experimentation, Henry Ford completed his first
gasoline powered automobile. Called a Quadricycle because it ran on
four bicycle wheels, Ford finished the machine in the spring of 1896.
To his dismay, the vehicle would not fit through the door of his brick
workshop behind his Detroit home. However, with the removal of the door
frame and a few bricks, Ford extracted his machine for testing. After
driving it some 1,000 miles and modifying the cooling system, water
tank, wheels, single seat and frame, he sold the car for $200.
Eight
years later he bought it back for $65....." $20
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1901
Packard
"1901 PACKARD. The Packard brothers of Warren, Ohio, bought a Winton in
1898 and decided they could build a better one. The result was a one
cylinder 12 hp vehicle that was indeed a better car. Under the slogan,
Ask the man who owns one, the excellent reputation enjoyed by Packard
automobiles remained until the company went out of business in 1958.
This model was the first American production automobile with a steering
wheel and the first in the world with automatic spark advance. This
vehicle is believed to be the fourth oldest Packard in existence..." $20
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1906
Krieger Brasier
Electric Landaulet
"1906
Krieger Brasier Electric Landaulet.
The electric car presentd another alternative to the internal
combustion engine. The 1906 Krieger Brasier Electric Landaulet was
powered by storage batteries emitting 68 volts to individual motors
over each front wheel. The auto was manufactured by the Campagnie
Parisienne des Voitures Electriques Krieger (1897-1909) of Paris, a
company which refused to submit to automobile designs, preferring the
designs of more elegant horse-drawn carriages and coaches. A 1906
Krieger was donated to the Crawford Auto Museum and is one of two in
existence - and the only one in this country ... " I recently
received an email from someone saying the car in the print is a
Krieger; the Krieger Brasier was the hybrid. Again, please
note the words in the description were written at the time these prints
were produced - they are not my words. $18
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1893
Duryea Bros Wagon "The
Contraption Works. On
Thanksgiving Day in 1895, Charles and Frank Duryea won what was
doubtlessly the first auto race in the United States. Competing against
four other vehicles over a 56 mile course in Chicago (and in six inches
of snow), their two year old 2 cylinger, gas powered, chain driven
'motor wagon' gave them the $2,000 first place prize. The vehicle
averaged 7.5 miles per hour, but owing ot breakdowns it took the
Duryeas nearly 10.5 hours to complete the 56 miles (obviously, the
other contestants suffered breakdowns, too). Did they know what they
had accomplished? Charles Duryea later wrote: 'We had proven the motor
wagon to be superior to the horse...we had opened a new era...we had
set forth a new type of vehicle...Long live the motor wagon!' This
victory earned for the 1893 Duryea the reputation as 'the first
practical American working car.' ..." $22
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1902
Ford 999 Race Car "1902
999 RACER. In 1902 Henry Ford built his 999
racer, naming it after a locomotive that set a long-standing speed
record at the turn of the century. Famous early driver Barney Oldfield
won his first race in the 999, and lowered the one mile speed record on
five different occasions with it. The 999 contained one of the largest
4 cylinder engines ever built; however, it had no transmission and the
clutch was simply wooden blocks which expanded against the inside rim
of the flywheel. In 1904, Henry Ford set out to beat Barneys record He
drove the 999 on the ice of Lake St. Clair near Detroit at a top speed
of 91.4 mph completing the mile in 39 2/5 seconds for a new record..."
$22
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1902
Olds "First
Production Line. The Olds Motor Works was the first auto company to
mass produce its product using standard parts. The company boasted in
its literature that its 1902, 800 lb. Runabout was offered in one style
and one finish. The machine's one cylinder engine provided four
horsepower, could achieve speeds of 20 mph, and the company said the
car would average about 25 miles per gallon running on common stove
gasoline - a cost of about 3/8 cents per mile (meaning that fuel was
less than a dime a gallon in those days). It was a two passenger
vehicle, but a detachable dos-a-dos (back to back) seat was offered as
an option for a mere $25. Another option was a $35 parcel carrier for
light package delivery (apparently popular with merchants). The $650
price tag for the standard wood wheeled 1902 Oldsmobile included a
lamp, tools, odometer and an all weather top (with storage case that
fit in the dash) ..." $24
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1908
Christie
"1908
Christie. After experiencing frequent blowouts during a 400 mile trip,
John Walter Christie sought a way to reduce tire wear and other
maintenance costs through simpler design. That search led to front
wheel drive. Christie reasoned that he could lighten a car and give it
better balance by applying power to the front, rather than rear,
wheels. Front wheel drive helped Christie post a respectable 42.2
second mile and to win a 50 mile race at Ormond Beach, Florida, in
1905. After spectators praised the car, Christie opened the Christie
Direct Action Motor Car Company. To enhance sales, he entered the
Vanderbilt Cup Race of 1907. His new model was powered by a 19,891 cc
V-4 - the largest engine ever to compete in a Grand Prix.
Unfortunately, the car was insufficiently tested and broke down on its
fifth lap. Christie did well in several dirt track races that summer
until he was injured in an accident. His efforts, however, attracted no
new investors, and the Christie Direct Action Motor Car Company slid
into receivership in 1908. Using 'direct drive' once again, Christie
built his last car in 1909. He posted a 57 second mile - a track record
- at Grossse Pointe, Michigan, but received no orders. George Robertson
drove the car for a 30.39 second mile before the engine failed. Thus
ended Christie's racing career, but not his contributions to automotive
progress..."
$20
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1909
Rolls Royce "1909
ROLLS ROYCE. Ross Royce has long had the reputation for producing some
of the best cars in the world. One of those contributing to that
reputation was the 1909 Silver Ghost,so called because of its smooth
and quiet ride. This automobile is an earlier version of the Ghost with
a four speed gearbox including an overdrive to permit a cruising speed
of over 60 mph. However, the overdrive created an unpleasant whine, and
the company abandoned it in favor of an ordinary three speed gearbox in
1910. The Ghost was so well received that the company embarked on a one
model policy which it did not reverse until 1922..." $22
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1908
Chadwick "1908 Chadwick.
Lee S. Chadwick believed the way to demonstrate the worth of a quality
car was to race it against others in stock form. His problem in 1907
was how to turn an elegant six cylinder chain drive luxury car into a
racer. The answer: a centrifugal blower, better known as a
supercharger. Chadwick and an engineering associate, J.T. Nichols,
found that a single stage blower could increase the engine's output.
Believing 'if a little is good, more is better, ' they built a three
stage blower that turned 22,500 rpm at a crankshaft speed of 2500 rpm.
With an engine so supercharged, Willie Haupt set the fastest time at
the Giant's Despair hill climb on May 30, 1908. Haupt went on to score
victories in sprints events at Worcester, Cleveland and Norristown.
After Haupt lost the Vanderbilt Cup Race because of sabotage, Chadwick
publicly revealed the details of his stock based racer. He announced
that he had built replicas warranted to attain 100 miles an hour, one
of which won the 200 mile Founder's Day Cup Race in Philadelphia in
1910..."
$24
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1906
Old 16
"1906
'Old
16'.
The 1906 Locomobile was an impressive machine by any standard, but
especially for its period. The first American racer to triumph against
the legendary European models in international competition, the vehicle
was cited by the press as proof of Yankee pluck, wisdom and technical
genius. A great hulk o f simplicity, Old 16 featured a massive four
cylinder, 16 liter engine, a frame consisting of two heavy duty rails
and four cross members, and just enough bodywork to cover the chassis.
The immense 110 inch wheelbase, accented by thick, wooden rimmed
wheels, characterized the brute force of this racer, which weighed only
2204 pounds. The engine was capable of powering the car to 108 mph but
responded with fierce explosions whenever the husky vehicle climbed
long hills. George Robertson drove Old 16 to victory in the 1908
Vanderbilt Cup. Extensive tire blowouts and thrown wheels had prevented
Old 16 from placing in the Vanderbilt Cup two years earlier, but
Robertson paced the American team to victory in 1908 in the grueling
258 mile race..." $24
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1911
Benz Race
Car "1911
BLITZEN BENZ. From 1909 to 1912 Barney Oldfield and Bob Burman set 23
US and world records in the famous Blitzen Benz racers. The first
Blitzen Benz, driven by Barney Oldfield, broke a four year old record
for the mile in 1910, making the car the premier attraction of a
worldwide tour. Oldfield sold the car in 1910 and Bob Burman became its
driver. He had another Blitzen Benz made in 1911 with an additional 100
hp in the engine. This car pushed the worlds record to 141.73 mph for
the mile, and set kilometer and two mile records at Daytona Beach,
Florida in 1911. That mile record was not broken until 1924..." $24
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1912
Cadillac "1912
Cadillac. 'The car that has no crank' was Cadillac's description of the
company's 1912 model. That car was the first to be equipped with an
electric self-starter. The Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company,
Charles F. Kettering's shop in Ohio, made the first starter for a
Cadillac engine in 1910 by building a series motor into a flywheel.
However, the one to one torque was not enough to turn over the
crankshaft under certain temperatures. Kettering finally abandoned the
flywheel starter in favor of the motor starter. A license agreement
with Clyde J. Coleman provided a two gear ration - one gear to allow
the motor to crank the car an another to allow the motor to work as a
generator after the engine was running. by 1916 nearly 98 percent of
American cars in production featured electric starters. In France 'Le
Delco', the acronym for Kettering's company, became the name for any
battery ignition..." $25
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1907
Thomas Race
Car "1907
THOMAS. This 1907 Thomas won the famous New York to Paris Around the
World rac ein 1908. Only slight body and fender modifications were made
on the runabout to accommodate extra equipment. The Thomas traveled
some 22,000 miles in 170 days (about 8500 miles by ship) to win the
race. It was one of few participants that followed the official route.
When acquired by Harrah's Automobile Collection in 1964, the car was
carefully restored with the help of George Schuster, driver of the
Thomas and the only crew member to go the entire distance. The Thomas
New York to Paris racer is displayed as it appeared upon arrival in
Paris, July 30, 1908..." $22
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1911
Reeves OctoAuto "1911
Reeves Octoauto...Theodore Roosevelt had
become a national hero as the leader of the Rough Riders in the
Spanish-American War and as an outstanding president for two
terms...Milton O. Reeves of the Reeves Pulley Company finally hmade his
mark. Though Reeves designed several unparalleled automobiles, he
didn't attain fame with any but the 1911 Reeves Octoauto. The eight
wheeled curiosity attracted wide interest. Reeves modified a standard
four door Overland, adding an extra axle at both ends. The forwrd pair
of rear wheels were the driving wheels. While the steering geared the
front pair of wheels to turn at a slightly greater angle than the
second pair, the four rear wheels turned in the opposite direction,
creating a pivot effect. But the advantages of reduced tire wear and
"ease of ride" didn't warrant a $3200 price tag - $2000 more than the
Overland - in the minds of car buyers..."
$18
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1912
Ford Model T "A Car for
Everybody. The Ford Motor Company was
formed in 1903 and by 1912 there were over 100,000 Fords on the road,
80,000 of which were Model Ts. The company expected it would
manufacture one third of hte estimated 225,000 cars that would be built
in 1912. That's why Henry Ford has been acclaimed as the man who 'gave
the ar to the masses.' That car, of course, was the Model T. The 4
cylinder, 20 horsepoower Model T's one chassis was available as a
Commercial Roadster, Fore-door Touring Car (who can say why four was
spelled that way?), Torpedo Runabout, Fore-door Town Car, and as a
Delivery Car. Prices ranged from $590 for the Roadster to $900 for the
Town Car. Here, Mr. Ford is at the left with Thomas Edison, Harvey
Firestone (in car) and John Burroughs, a well-known writer and
naturalist of that time and friend of the industrialists ..."
$22
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"1912
Sandusky 1.5 Ton Stake. As the automobile developed, the need for cargo
carrying vehicles became clear. To meet this need the first trucks were
designed, basically by attaching a flatbed cart to a modified car. One
of the early refinements to trucks was the introduction of a removable
engine by the Sandusky Auto Parts and Motor Company of Sandusky, Ohio,
in 1912. This 1912 Sandusky is a 1.5 ton stake truck. Its 4 cylinder
engine, transmission, radiator and fuel tank were assembled as a unit
that could be removed quickly from the truck to facilitate repairs.
This Sandusky was a gift to the Crawford Auto Museum by Henry Austin
Clark, Jr. of Cleveland and is possibly the only one in existence..."
$20
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1913
Peugeot Race "1913-14
Peugeot
Grand Prix. Not originally designed as a Grand Prix entrant, the 1913
Peugeot was the first racer to use a double overhead camshaft engine,
setting a racing trend which has endured to the present. The engine,
one of the few ever designed by racing drivers, reflected tremendous
engineering logic. The barrel crankcase, insertion of the crankshaft
from the rear, use of four valves per cylinder, and the pent roof
combustion chamber combined to form the nucleus of a design which
substantially elevated the state of the art. Its dry sump lubrication
system ws one of the first designs to eliminate a gavity feed oil
reservoir. The elfin, three liter model was built for the 1913 Coup de
l'Auto and, after capturing the checkered flag there, entered the 1914
Indianapolis classic. Arthur Duray piloted it to a second place finish
with an average speed of 80.89 mph. As a private entry, it was painted
off white with black striping but has since been repainted in the
original French blue with white striping and Indianapolis trim..." $24
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1914
Peerless "1914
PEERLESS MODEL 60 SIX 7 PASSENGER TOURING. Peerless - All that the name
implies - was a slogan and a claim the Peerless Motor Car Corporation
could easily fulfill. Until its demise in 1932, the company was among
the premier manufacturers of quality and luxury automobiles. This 1914
Peerless Model 60 Six, a seven passenger touring car, was the largst
Peerless model ever produced, powered by the largest engine offered in
an American passenger car. Of hte 58 Model 60 Six cars produced in
1914, the Crawford Auto Museum car is the only known existing model. It
was one of 50 antique autos that participated in the Spirit of '76
Transcontinental Reliability Tour, a 3200 mile tour form Seattle to
Philadelphia commemorating the nation's bicentennial. The 1914 Peerless
was one of 46 participants that completed the tour..." $20
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"1913
ALCO SIX BERLINE LIMOUSINE. In 1906
the world's largest manufacturer of railway engines, the American
Locomotive Company, entered the automobile industry. The company's
early autos, called American Berliets, were produced under a license
from Automobiles M. Berliet in France. The license was dropped in 1909
and the subsequent autos were named Alco. By keeping the production
limited, emphasis was placed on trouble-free performance, comfort and
beautifully styled bodies. Despite the quality of hte auto, the last
Alco appeared in 1913. This 1913 Alco Six is the sole remaining closed
model. Only seven open Alcos are known to exist..."
$22
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1916
Simplex "1916
Simplex
(Crane Model)...American inventor and pioneer industrialist Thomas
Edison had developed such inventions as the phonograph, a practical
incandescent light and electrical system, and a moving picture camera,
which would eventually change life and leisure around the
world...Holbrook coach builders of New York designed the Simplex 'land
yacht' to appeal to local boating enthusiasts. All Simplexes were
custom-made. No doubt this model ranked among the most unconventional.
Teak wood gunwales, a vertical vee windshield, ship style air ducts, a
propeller to carry spare tires and brass ornamentation completed the
nautical motif. The Crane Motor Company engineered the highly advanced
and expensive Simplex chassis for limited production. While a Ford
produced 20 horsepower, the Crane model Simplex featured a six cylinder
engine producing 110 horsepower. However, the Ford sold for $440 when
the Simplex carried a $10,000 price tag..." $24
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"1921 Duesenberg. Four
American Duesenbergs
entered the 1921 French Grand Prix. The 183 cubic inch engine used
three valves per cylinder and was driven by a single overhead camshaft.
Also unique was the introduction of four wheel hydraulic brakes,
modified from the Model A, permitting the racers to drive significantly
deeper into the course's many turns. The 1921 LeMans racecourse was
treacherous: 10.7 miles of sand covered stone beds. Tire blowouts and
punctured tanks and radiators plagued almost every car, but racer Jimmy
Murphy guided his No. 12 Duesenberg over the punishing course to clinch
the first victory in a European Grand Prix for an American car..."
$24
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1921
Heine-Velox "1921
Heine-Velox. In 1921
hydraulic brakes were not new, but only a few cars had them on all four
wheels. The 1921 Heine-Velox was one of those cars. Four-wheel
hydraulic brakes dramatically reduced stopping distances. At 20 miles
an hour, two wheel brakes need 37 feet to stop while four wheel brakes
needed only 8.5 feet. The Heine-Velox Company was the first customer of
the Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Company, but only a few of the cars were
ever built. Malcolm Lockheed had experimented with hydraulic brakes as
early as 1903. He and his brother Alan founded the Lockheed Aircraft
Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara, California, in 1916. In 1918 he
installed his first experimental brakes on a Paige Roadster. Unlike
manual brakes, Lockheed's hydraulic brakes needed no adjustments to
achieve equal pressure. Later in 1921, the Duesenberg Company became
the first major manufacturer to offer four wheel hydraulic brakes as
standard equipment. By April 1 of that year, four wheel hydraulic
brakes could be purchased for most automobiles as optional equipment
for about $250..." $22
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1916
Mack Truck "Moving Goods.
Until the Mack brothers came along,
trucks were generally assembled from surplus or obsolete automobile
parts. The Mack brothers pioneered the design and production of
custom-built, heavy-duty trucks using components they manufactured.
Their vehicles soon achieved a reputation for ruggedness and it was a
Mack built truck that became the first 'million miler.' The 1916 Mack
AC, a chain-driven, solid-tired brute powered by a 4-cylinder engine,
was nicknamed the 'Bulldog' by British and American soldiers of World
War I. The company still retains the bulldog as a corporate symbol. At
the turn of the century most intercity freight was hauled by the
railroads, but by the end of World War I the trucking industry was a
fledgling competitor. ..." $20
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1922
Rickenbacker "1922 Rickenbacker. The
reputation of the 1922
Rickenbacker, which featured a carburetor air cleaner, was surpassed
only by that of its builder. Initially, Eddie Rickenbacker earned a
reputation as a champion race car driver. After the United States
entered World War I, he became known as an ace fighter pilot. When he
camehome in 1919, Rickenbacker found that America still had little
interest in aviation. So in that year he founded his own company and
used hsi racing and flying experience to make the 1922 Rickenbacker
worthy of its name. In addition to the air cleaner, that first model
had four wheel brakes, a double flywheel to eliminate crankshaft whip,
cradle spring suspension (which lowered the center of gravity, balloon
tires and a positive system of oil filtration. The car bore the famous
'Hat in the Ring' insignia of the 94th Squadron, which Rickenbacker had
commanded. But as soon as Rickenbacker threw his hat into the ring,
competitors took shots at it. They claimed that the Rickenbacker's four
wheel brakes were unnecessary and unsafe. Rickenbacker's sales dropped,
and the company folded in 1928. Rickenbacker was more successful in the
aviation business. He bought Eastern Air Lines in the late 1930s and
turned the shaky company into a profitable business. He even paid
creditors the $250,000 owed by his defunct motor company..."
$22
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1924
Rumpler "1924
Rumpler
Tropfen-Auto...Humorist and social critc Will Rogers had begun his
career as a cowboy and risen to world fame as an author, lecturer, and
star of vaudeville, motion pictures and radio...The Rumpler
Tropfen-Auto, designed to resemble a water droplet, introduced a new
application of aerodynamics to the automotive industry. Designer Edmund
Rumpler followed the drop (tropfen) form to develop a car with superior
gas mileage, performance, handling, comfort and visibility. He used the
swing live axle, which he'd patented in 1915, for the rear. Rumpler's
concepts were later included in Benz and Porsche racing designs..."
$22
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1925
Wasp "1925
Wasp...Film actor
Charlie Chaplin combined pathos and comedy to gain international fame
with his little tramp character - the elegant ragamuffin in a derby
hat, baggy pants, oversized shoes, and tightly fitting coat, who
sported a toothbrush mustache and carried a bamboo cane...Automotive
designer Karl H. Martin's Wasp caused quite a stir. Though too late to
register his car at the National Auto Show in the Grand Palace or the
Hotel Astor, Martin still displayed the Wasp. He placed it alone,
directly in front of the elevators in the lobby of the Hotel Commodore.
With its Rickshaw Phaeton body, Victorian top, severly pointed bicycle
type fenders. 90 degree windshield and white ash running boards, the
Wasp startled many debarking hotel patrons. Considered one of the most
original designs ever, the Wasp was comprised of interchangeable parts
for easier repair and greater durability . The flashy machine caught
actor Douglas Fairbanks' eye. He bought the first Wasp built,
reportedly as a wedding present for actress Mary Pickford..."$22
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1924
Hispano Suiza "1924
Hispano Suiza, Body by
Nieuport. Nieuport created this speedster for the French wine magnate
and racer Andre Dubonnet, who drove it in the famous Italian road race,
the Targa Florio. The automobile's body is built solely of wood with
joints held together by hundreds of copper rivets......"
$22
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1926
Chandler 1926
Chandler "1926
CHANDLER. Although its cars were handsome, popular and moderately
priced, the Chandler Motor Car Company remained in business only 17
years. This 1926 Chandler Comrade Roadster had a six cylinder, 55 hp
Pikes Peak motor, with a three louvered radiator, spare tire and wheel
combination and a special golf club door. It is the first model with
synchromesh transmission. When restored by the Crawford Auto Aviation
Museum, a complete set of tolls was discovered in the cars kick panels.
To make the restoration complete, Mrs. Fred Chandler, Jr., donated her
husbands golf clubs, which now rest comfortably beneath the rumble
seat..."
$22
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1927
Bugatti Type
35B "1927
Bugatti
Type 35B. Coming from an artistic family and once characterized as the
Michelangelo of metal, Ettore Bugatti became renowned as one of
automobile's most gifted designers. His most successful racing cars
were the Type 35s, which won more than 1850 races - a record for the
time. The lightweight, simple design of the 35 freed the driver from
the slow pickup and unwieldy handling that was typical of cars of that
time. The axles, made of hollowed steel, supported featherweight
aluminum wheels. The engine blocks were hand-scraped, charactersitic of
Bugatti craftsmanship and resembled works of fine sculpture rather than
components of a supercharged 2.3 liter racing engine. The Type 35 used
cable brakes, not known for their reliability or efficiency. When asked
why, the racing master replied: 'My cars are meant to go, not to stop.'
..." $24
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1927
Lincoln w/ Wicker Basket
"1927 Lincoln. Body by Judkins. Judkins began building horsedrawn
carriages in Merrimac, Massachusetts; however, by 1910 the last
carriage rolled out of the Judkins factory and all efforts were
concentrated on the automobile business. This 1927 Lincoln takes an
interesting approach to styling by paying tribute to Judkins'
heritages. It is designed to remind one of the romance of the early
carriage trade, the road house and the period of elegance and
craftsmanship. A one of a kind Lincoln with a rear wicker basket...."$24
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1926
Stutz "1926
Stutz. By the early and mid 1920s, passenger cars were moving fast
enough to cause injuries in collisions. Many motorists who might
otherwise have emerged from an accident unharmed were cut by jagged
pieces of windshield glass. Stutz Motor Car Company engineers solved
the problem by imbedding wires transversely, at 2.5 inch intervals,
into the glass as it was being made. This 'safety glass' was used not
only in the windshield, but also in every window of the 1926 model. The
1926 Stutz had other features as well: a frame and spring arrangement
eliminated side sway; the worm gear drive lowered the center of gravity
and increased stability; and four wheel brakes increased the braking
surface. Stutz's safety theme helped pull the company out of the red
and into the black..." $22
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1927
Bugatti Royale "1927 Bugatti
Royale. Body by Henri Binder. With a
170" wheelbase, it was the longest production chassis ever built. The
Bugatti was powered by an 8 cylinder, 778 cubi inch engine which
boasted 300 hp and had a top speed of 125 mph. Because of this pwer and
luxury, the Royale originally carried a $42,000 price tag. Seven
Royales were built, each with diferent coach work. The model presented
here is the Coupe Napoleon built by Henri Binder of Paris. Though this
model was built in 1927, it was not sold until the 1960s when Fritz
Schlumph, the world's greatest Bugatti collector, purchased the Bugatti
factory's remaining inventory...."
$30
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1928
Rolls Royce Phantom "1928
ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM I DUAL COWL PHAETON.
Classic cars, distinguished for their fine design, engineering and
superior workmanship, include this 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Dual Cowl
Phaeton. It is one of a body style, originally built by the famous
Barker coachbuilders. In 1963 Irving F. Jensen, Jr., of Sioux City,
Iowa, purchased the Phantom I, completely restored it, and donated it
to the Crawford Museum in 1976. An interesting feature of the auto is
the lighting. Its Barker dippers can be raised or lowered to illuminate
the roadway without distracting oncoming motorists. In addition,
smaller pilot rays move right and left with the wheels for better
vision rounding curves. At an original cost of $19,000, the 1928
Phamtom was also equipped with a German silver radiator..."
$20
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1929
Auburn
"1929 Auburn...Motion picture animator and producer Walt Disney
produced the first musical Mickey Mouse films...The Auburn Cabin
Speedster offered one of the first aerodynamic designs, whle other
automobiles still resembled the horse and buggy. The Cabin Speedster's
creators recognized that technology from the aviation industry could be
applied to automotive design. The tapered machine stood only 58 inches
tall and looked like a road plane with wheels rather than wings.
Powered by a 125 horsepower Lycoming straight eight motor, the car
could exceed 100 miles per hour. Built for safety as well as speed, the
automobile's windshield was made of newly developed laminated glass.
And promoters of the Cabin Speedster claimed it could roll completely
over without injuring passengers..." $26
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1929
Ford Model A Woodie "1929
FORD MODEL A STATION WAGON. The first
station wagon was produced in 1923 by the Star Motor Company to serve
as a passenger car or a utility truck with plenty of luggage space. The
body style was an instant success and has retained its popularity to
this day. Ford introduced its first station wagon among the dozen body
styles available on the 1929 Model A. Nicknamed the 'Woodie' because of
its roomy maple-wood body, the wagon could accommodate seven
passengers. Only a handful of original Model A station wagon bodies are
still in existence..."$24
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1928
Ford Model A Roadster "Sporting
About. On crisp, sunny autumn afternoons Americans pursue another of
their favorite passions: college football. Armed with pennants and
appropriately clad, they pile into the family car and head to the
stadium to boost the local warriors. In 1928, raccoon coats were the
rage and the transportation could easily have been provided by a Ford
Model A Roadster. While the Model T had put the country on wheels,
other manufacturers had eclipsed its design, and sagging sales forced
Ford to introduce the revolutionary new Model A. The 4 cylinder, L
head, 40 horsepower engine was promised to get 20 to 30 miles per
gallon ('depending on your speed'), provided quick acceleration, and
was capable of easily cruising at speeds of 55 to 65 miles per hour.
Obviously, the rumble seat was highly popular with the college set..."
$24
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1929
Mercedes SSK "Lights,
Camera, Action! The
lavish life style of motion picture stars is directly proportional to
the esteem and affection showered on them by their adoring fans.
However frivolous this hoopla may sometimes seem, it is difficult to
escape the ultimate truth that the motion picture is the only art form
to be born and developed in our lifetime. For the stars, box office
success meant unbounded wealth, and the ability to enjoy, among other
things, the fnest cars in the world, such as this 1929 Mercedes SSK.
The epitome of German engineering perfection, its 6 cylinder engine
thundered with 170 horsepower. The car swept to victory in a number of
major races, and gained the reputation as the fastest sports car in the
world. The Mercedes SSK was equipped with a supercharger that kicked in
when the accelerator was pressed to the floor, but the driver could
keep the accelerator down only for short periods or risk blowing the
engine..." $20
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1929 Golden
Arrow "1929 Golden
Arrow. Construction of a streamlined,
low drag body has been a goal of almost every racing driver and
Englishman Henry Seagrave was no exception. His 1929 Golden Arrow was
an aero-dynamic revolution. Looking at the Golden Arrow, it's hard to
believe that the vehicle was conceived more than 50 years ago. Seagrave
capitalized substantially on aircraft design that achieved the
streamlined effect: the sides were covered with airplane coolers, the
front end was dramatically dipped, and the racer itself was powered by
a 12 cylinder Napier Lion aero engine with 930 bhp at 3250 rpm. On
March 11, 1929 at Dayton, the car set a new land speed record: 231.44
mph..." $50
|
1929
Harry Miller
Race Car "1929 Miller.
Harry Miller's racer was the
remarkable fruit of decades of development. Miller, a gritty, practical
engineer with no formal training, was convinced that a 'pulling' force
would result in a far more economical and easy to handle racer than the
conventional 'pushing' force of rear wheel drive. He introduced front
wheel drive to racing at the 1925 Indianapolis 500, but was
nevertheless defeated by the Duesenberg team. Just three years later,
however, the car, driven by Leon Duray, set a new closed circuit record
with a top speed of 148.17 mph at the Packard proving grounds. A new
1929 front wheel drive Miller, latest in the Miller line, went to
Europe for the French Grand Prix and was the subject of intense
interest by its competitors. The car was widely copied, but the Miller
racers dominated American racing for two decades..." $26
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1930
Auburn 8-95
Cabriolet "1930
AUBURN MODEL 8-95 CABRIOLET. the original factory salesroom of the
Auburn Company is still standing in Auburn, Indiana, as a tribute to
one of the leading American automakers of the 1930s. Begun in 1900 by
the Eckhart brothers, the Auburn Company joined the
Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg empire in 1924. When E.L. Cord bought Auburn, he
completely redesigned the line with low and sleek lines, a two-toned
color scheme with the characteristic curved molding on the hood,
outside exhaust pipes, and a high performance straight eight Lycoming
engine..." $22
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1930
Bentley Blower "1930
1930 Bentley. This 1930 Bentley 4.5 litre Supercharged, generally known
as a Blower Bentley, is a prime example of the vintage British sports
ar. It is a replica of the short chassis supercharged Birkin Paget team
cars which took second place in the 1930 French Grand Prix. Only 662
4.5's were built and only 50 were supercharged in order to qualify for
the LeMans race. This car was capable of going 125 mph and could reach
60 mph in first gear. Ironically, a large part of hte blame for the
financial failure of the Bentley Company was attributed to the
expensive production runs for the supercharged models..." $22
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1930
Bucciali "1930
Bucciali.
Bobby Jones won all four golf titles - British Open, US Open, US
Amateur and British Amateur - for a Grand Slam. Paul Victor Bucciali,
the man who patented front wheel drive, created a design sensation with
his alluring Bucciali TAV. The car, which featured a stork emblem in
the form of a sleek projectile on its side hood, reflected Bucciali's
sense of whimsy. Bucciali has been called 'an automotive genius capable
of working masterfully and skillfully on the borderline of fantasy.'
One thing is certain, the Bucciali TAV approached the out limits of
design imagination....." $24
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1930
Cadillac "1930
Cadillac, Body by
Fleetwood. In 1925 GM bought the Pennsylvania based Fleetwood Body
Company and opened a second plant in Detroit. The first American V16
engine was introduced in this Fleetwood. It ran very smoothly but
offered poor gas mileage....."$24
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1930
Cord "1930
Cord. The Weymann Body Company
in France
came up with a novel idea - instead of building auto bodies of steel or
aluminum, using cloth to cover a specially constructed wood frame. The
heart of the design was the unique frame, which consisted of wooden
beams connected by metal plates. Since no two pieces of wood ever
touched, the body never squeaked or rattled. Weymann opened a factory
in Indianapolis, but the cloth bodies which were popular in Europe
never caught on in the American market. The Model L29 1930 Cord chassis
was as unique as the body it carried. It was the first popular American
automobile with front wheel drive....."
$24
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1933
Pierce Arrow "1933
PIERCE ARROW.
Many
families purchase automobiles of only one manufacturer. In the 1930s,
the Adamsons were such a family, and their loyalty was to Pierce Arrow.
This 7 passenger touring car was ordered by the Adamson family in 1933.
It has a factory body with front windows that roll up and down. All
other enclosure is by side curtain. This car remained on the books of
the family business, Adohr Milk Farms until 1943. The Nethercutts
purchased this Pierce in 1957 from a Los Angeles wrecking yard and
restored it to mint condition. It is one of the original cars in the
collection...." $22
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1930
Rolls Phantom "1930
Rolls Royce
Phantom
I,
Body by Brewster. Rolls Royce opened a factory in Springfield,
Massachusetts in 1920 to build chassis and acquired the Brewster Co of
NY to supply the bodies. From 1920 to 1926 the Springfield plant build
a left hand drive Silver Ghost and from 1927 to 1931 the Phantom I.
Though most of the Rolls Royce's components were manufactured in
Britain and the chassis assembled by British trained workers, the
American consumer wanted the authentic British made model. This
slackening demand forced the only Rolls plant outside of Britain to
close. Ironically today's collectors highly regard the Springfield
Rolls. The model presented here is known as the "wind blown coupe,"
because of the unique reverse slant of the rear roof line..." $30
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1931
Mercer "1931
Mercer...University of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, who'd
popularized such offensive plays as the forward pass, died in an
airplane crash...Mercer introduced a striking tan and blue convertible
coupe at the 1931 New York National Automobile Show. The flaws expected
of a prototype didn't appear in this model. With coachwork by Merrimac
Body Company, the Mercer was comfortable, powerful and well designed.
It seemed Mercer's new president, Harry Wahl, would see his dreams
fulfilled. But the economic crisis threatened the stability of the
newly reorganized Mercer Company. There wasn't enough capital available
to tool the factory up for production and operating at a loss would
have proved imprudent. Wahl had no prototype to exhibit at the 1932
Auto Show. Out of desperation, he displayed watercolor renderings of
projected styles. But the depression obscured his classic automobile's
potential..."$22
|
1932
Cadillac 355B "1932
Cadillac Model 355B Phaeton. In the year 1932 classic car body design
reached its peak before streamining and envelope bodies appeared. This
1932 Cadillac Model 355B Phaeton is typical of that body design and is
powered by the popular V-8 engine. V-12 and V-16 engines were also
available. 1932 Cadillacs are among the finest examples of Cadillac
cars and very few 1932 Cadillacs are known to exist. The 1932 Cadillac
is pictured here with one of the most famous racing airplanes, the
Number II GeeBee Senior Sportster, piloted by Jimmy Doolittle. This
airplane won the Thompson Trophy at the 1932 Cleveland National Air
Races..." $30
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1932
Ford "1932
Ford. Henry Ford believed ' the fewer the parts, the less the risk of
trouble.' That belief led to development of the Ford V8 engine.
Reducing the number of parts also reduced costs. Before 1932, V8
engines were made from two or three segments. America, in the middle of
the depression, needed a less expensive eight cylinder engine. So Henry
Ford and his engineers built an engine out of a single, cast iron
block. The team had some trouble in doing so: heads cracked, rings
leaked and engine mounts vibrated loose. The result of all this testing
was an extremely efficient, lightweight and powerful engine that out
performed most of the larger, more powerful automobiles of the day. The
engine was ready for Ford's Model 18 when the car was unveiled on March
31, 1932. In 1933 seven Ford V8s were the first seven finishers in the
Elgin Stock Car Races..."$24
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1931
Isotta Fraschini "1931
Isotta Fraschini. Body by Castagna. Carolo
Castagna built most of Isotta Fraschini's bodies. This 1931 Sport
Phaeton has two unusually wide doors for access to both front and rear
compartments. The airfoil shaped running boards incorporate tool
drawers. Although the chassis was built in 1931, the body was not
completed until 1933..."
$24
|
1933
Chrysler LeBaron "1933
Chrysler,
Body by LeBaron. In 1921 Ray Dietrich and Tom Hibbard left Brewster and
Sons and together they formed the LeBaron Company. Though they both
left the company in 1925, LeBaron had established itself as one of the
finest coach building firms. Walter Chrysler used LeBaron bodies a
great deal and this custom Imperial Dual Cowl Phaeton is a highligh tof
LeBaron design and the zenith of Chrysler luxury and prestige..."
$24
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1933
Deusenberg SJ "1933
DUESENBERG SJ SPEEDSTER. This boat tail speedster, builty by Weymann to
a design of Gordon Buehrig, was one of only 36 SJ models produced by
Duesenberg. It was owned by George Whittell of Woodside, California,
along with five J model Duesenbergs. An honorary fire marshal, Mr.
Whittell had a siren and red light specially installed, although he
rarely drove the SJ because its striking appearance attracted so much
attention. When the car was acquired by Harrahs Automobile Collection,
the odometer registered only 1432 miles and the car still had its
original tires, paint and upholstery....." $26
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1934
Packard "1934
Packard,
Body by Dietrich. While Edsel Ford was president of the Lincoln
Motorcar Co., he wanted to secure the services of a highly skilled
custom coach builder to build bodies for Lincoln. In particular he
wanted Ray Dietrich. Ford lured Dietrich away from LeBaron and helped
him start his own firm. One of Dietrich's finest designs the
convertible sedan, is presented here. The Dietrich Company built its
last custom coach in 1938...." $22
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1935
Benz 500 "1935
MERCEDES-BENZ 500K
CABRIOLET A. Beginning in the '30s, Mercedes-Benz designed a wider gap
between its racing cars and luxury models. The 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500k
Cabriolet A was one of the new luxury models , with flowing body lines
and independent four-wheel suspension to assure a smooth ride on any
surface. The 500K series cars were limited edition models offered in
nine body styles and designed by Hans Nibel, who also designed the
famous Blitzen Benz. A straight eight engine with overhead valves
powered the 500K series. The engine was equipped with a supercharge
that would engage when the accelerator was floored. Only 354 of the
1935 Mercedes 500K were produced..." $22
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1935
Deusenberg SSJ La
Grande "1935
Duesenberg
Speedster, Body by LaGrande. The model SSJ speedster was strictly a
limited production automobile. In fact, there were only two of these
short wheelbase Duesenbergs built - one for Gary Cooper, the other for
Clark Gable. Duesenberg was one of the few American companies that
followed the European auto manufacturing tradition - it built only
chassis which were sold to custom body companies. The LaGrande Body
Company was part of the E. I. Cord empire and was housed in the Central
Body Company plant in Connersville, Indiana. The LaGrande name was a
take-off of LeBaron. The Cord people wanted a car with LeBaron's
prestige but not its high price....."
$22
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1935
Deusenberg SJ "1935
SJ (J-585) Duesenberg...President Franklin D. Roosevelt advance
economic recovery and social welfare through The New Deal...The
Maharajah of Indore ordered the last automobile built in the J Chassis
Duesenberg Line. The SJ (J-585) Duesenberg made a striking impression
with its brilliant orange and black body, right hand drive and
exceptional coachwork by Gurney-Nutting. In addition, the Maharajah
ordered a special set of red and blue running lights to crown each
fender. The red lights indicated to his subjects that he was
approaching. When his wife, the Maharani, was inside, the blue lights
signaled. The car featured a straight eight twin overhead cam engine.
Fitted with a super charge, the car could attain 104 miles per hour in
second gear and 129 in top gear. Such fine engineering and design
contributed to Duesenberg's racing success in America..." $26
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1936
Bentley "1936
Bentley,
Body by Gurney-Nutting. The J. Gurney Nutting Company Ltd began
building custom automobile bodies in 1919. In 1924 they purchased the
rights to produce the Weymann fabric auto bodies. They were very
successful and the Gurney Nutting Bentleys were sold to royalty: the
Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and Prince George....." $22
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1936
Mercedes "1936
Mercedes Roadster, Body by
Sindelfinger.
This spectacular automobile was first introduced at the Berlin auto
show in March, 1934. Some experts believe it is one of the most
beautiful cars ever built, and it is in fact a very limited production
automobile. This is the Special Edition roadsters with a supercharged 8
cylinder 5.4 liter engine churning out 180 hp......"$22
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1937
Oldsmobile "1937
Oldsmobile. Motor Age magazine described the first automatic
transmission as a radical departure from standard gear design. It used
oil pressure to control two planetary units which provided the
different gear ratios. Oldsmobile offered the new transmission as
optional equipment on its 1937 model. Vehicles so equipped yielded
better performance; acceleration rose 12 percent; and by reducing the
number of engine revolutions by 20 percent, the transmission saved
fuel, reduced oil consumption and decreased wear on the engine,
bearings and cylinder walls. The new transmission, however, was not
totally automatic. The driver had to use the clutch to put the
transmission into first gear. It went into second gear automatically -
at 10 miles an hour if the car accelerated at part throttle, at 22
miles an hour if the throttle was opened wide. To put the transmission
into third or fourth gear, the driver had to move the shift lever from
the L into the H shifting position. By 1941 Oldsmobile had eliminated
the clutch, making the transmission totally automatic..." $40
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1938
Auto Union "1938-39
Auto Union,
Type
D.
This chunky, tail heavy racer was the surprise successor to the Auto
Union V-16. A 1938 racing regulation abruptly limited engine size to
three liters, and the Auto Union Company met the rule with the
introduction of this V-12 car. It featured a single stage, three liter
engine with three camshafts. The steering geometry was improved over
the earlier model, and with a reduced wheelbase and shorter engine, the
driver's seat was moved back on the frame to almost exactly
mid-wheelbase. Tazio Nuvolari piloted this car to victories at
Donnington and the Italian Grand Prix in 1938. The last race of its
career - The Belgrade Grand Prix - occurred September 3, 1939,
coinciding with the outbreak of World War II. The two V-12 entries
captured first and third places, and afterward the entire Auto Union
Company racing fleet retired..." $24
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1938
Phantom Corsair "1938
Phantom
Corsair. Racing pilot and aviation industrialist Roscoe Turner accepted
the trophy for the second of three times from Frederick C. Crawford,
former chairman of TRW, Inc. and organizer of the Thompson Trophy
races... Rust Heinz, of the Pittsburgh catsup company, designed the
Phantom Corsair. Ebony black, with partially hidden headlights,
knife-like bumpers, slit-shaped windows and concealing wheel covers,
the automobile merited its eerie name. Heinz based the car on a front
wheel drive Cord chassis with an eight-cylinder, 190 horsepower engine,
which he boasted could propel the car 115 miles per hour. Bohman
& Schwartz of California executed the coachwork. The Phantom's
aerodynamic design and cockpit instrumentation, including altimeter,
barometer, and compass, reflected innovations in the aviation industry.
Unconventional seating allowed four passengers in the front and two
passengers facing backward in the rear. The car appeared in the film,
"the Young at Heart," and still exists as part of the Harrah Auto
Collection....$24
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1939
Buick Sedan "1939
BUICK
ROADMASTER SEDAN. 'Buick's the Beauty' was the slogan that introduced
Buick's 1939 model year. Although the 1938 models had been very
popular, Buick made a number of design changes in the '39 models, which
are considered by some designers to be the most attractive cars of the
times. As evidenced in this 1939 Buick Roadmaster Sedan, the front of
the car was reshaped to reflect the new placement of the radiator where
the most outside air could be forced onto it. Directional signals also
became standard equipment for the first time in 1939..."$22
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1938-40
LaSalle
"An Old Fashioned Fourth. The
La Salle was the first production car to be designed by a stylist
(Harley Earl). From the time of its introduction in 1927, it set a
styling trend away from block-looking, square cornered cars toward
sleekness and grace. A product of Cadillac, it adapted all significant
engineering improvements from the mother machine. The exterior of the
1938 model was completely redesigned, and its 322 cid, V-8 engine
supplied 125 horsepower. It has been called a casualty of the
Depression, when the market for small luxury cars collapsed along with
the market for large luxury cars. The La Salle was discontinued in the
summer of 1940, and a Cadillac executive lamented: 'It slipped quietly
out of production, its passing scarcely noticed by the automotive
press.'..." $22
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1940
Cadillac "1940
CADILLAC. By 1940, the era of the V-16 engine was virtually over.
Cadillac still produced the V-16 with a custom body upon order. The
last Cadillac V-16 and also the last custom body, which was built by
Derham, was purchased by Mr. H. G. Haskell, a vice president of the
duPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware. His automobile was a one of a
kind, five passenger fastback coupe with a leather top. At the time it
cost about $10,000. The car was acquired and completely restored by the
Nethercutt shops during 1970 and 1971..." $24
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1940
Packard "1940
Packard. The summer of 1940 was a cool one for drivers of the new
Packards. That year the company became the first manufacturer to offer
an automobile with airconditioning, then called Weather Conditioner.
The Weather Conditioner, however, wasn't without problems. The
compressor operated continuously, and the car kept cooling as it went
faster. The fan blew cooled air directly onto the necks of rear seat
passengers. Even withthe fan turned off, there was no thermostat to
keep cool air orm dropping to the floor. Despite these and
otherproblems, about 2000 units were sold before the Weather
Conditioner was dropped at the beginning of World War II. The air
conditioner made a comeback in 1953..." $24
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1941
Chrysler Newport
"1941 Chrysler Newport...Among the greatest outfielders in the history
of baseball, Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 consecutive games for a
major league record...the Chrysler Newport appeared at the Indianapolis
500 as the first non production pace car. One of the finest custom
coach bilders, LeBaron designed the Newport as a solution to the
previously unsuccessful airflow concept. The machine was orginally
dubbed the Golden Arrow, reminiscent of Sir Henry Seagrave's record
breaking Napier Golden Hawk. Ironically, it didn't resemble the Golden
Hawk in the least, and was renamed the Newport. Featuring an aluminum
body, two cockpits and raised rear seats, the Newport was LeBaron's
last attempt to produce a dual cowl phaeton. Uniquely designed, the
rear cowl opened hydraulically from a concealed compartment behind the
rear cockpit. Dan Topping, owner of the New York Yankees, bought the
Newport for his wife, actress Lana Turner..." $22
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1941
Jeep WWII
"Versatile Workhorse. the
World War II Jeep may well be the most versatile vehicle ever produced.
It was designed to be a powerful reconnaissance car, but military men
soon discovered that the four wheel drive, quarter ton utility truck
would do just about anything that was asked of it. In war it carried
troops and supplies, bore the wounded, mounted weapons, towed trailers,
hustled as a command car and parked airplanes. In peace, it has, among
other things, cleared snow from roads and driveways, and dug post holes
and trenches. Designed by American Bantam engineers in 1940, it was put
into mass production in 1941 after selection by the Army over
competitive vehicles. Today, the Jeep Corporation is a wholly owned
subsidiary of American Motors Corporation. Shortly after World War II
ended, General George C. Marshall described the Jeep as 'America's
greatest contribution to modern warfare..." $22
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1947
Ford Sportsman
Woodie
"1947 Sportsman.
The 1947 Ford Sportsman served
its maker more as a promotional tool than it did as an income earner.
Ford sold only about 2000 of these expensive, rustic cars, which
combined standard convertible bodies with tasteful wood trim. The car
was intended to appeal to sporty types witha love for the outdoors,
especially affluent hunters and fishermen who were looking for a
suitable vehicle to transport them to their lodges. The Sportsman also
served to lure visitors to Ford's exhibit at automobile shows. A chief
drawback was its exquisitely carved trim, which was extremely difficult
to protect and maintain. So few Sportsman were manufactured that many
dealers never had one on their showroom floors...." $24
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1946
Lincoln Continental "1946
Lincoln Continental. The 1946 Lincoln Continental was among that
company's first post war models. Only 201 cabriolets were built. A 1946
Continental was the pace car for the first post war Indy 500." $24
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1948
Willys Overland
Jeepster $20
" 'Jack-of-all-trades'
is probably the most apt
description for the Willys-Overland Jeepsters. Willys called
them sports cars, which some auto enthusiasts might consider an
exaggeration. They were big, tough and rugged vehicles,
perhapsmore at home plodding over fields and up dusty country roads
than they were on conventional highways. The 1948 version
shown here was powered by an L-Head, 4 cylinder engine that chugged out
63 hp. This particular model was elected a Milestone car for
its Styling, Performance and Innovation.
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1949
Chrysler Town & Country
Woodie
"1949 Chrysler Town
& Country Convertible.
The Town & Country was plush inside and out, with white ash
wood trim on the exterior complemented by full leather or leather and
bedford cloth interior. Power was provided by Chrysler's Spitfire
Engine."$24
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1948 Tucker
Cyclops "1948 Tucker. As
Preston Tucker saw it, the
post
World War II years were an opportune time to enter the automobile
market with an all new model. In 1946, Tucker introduced 'The First
Completely New Car in Fifty Years,' and in many ways it was. Among the
166 hp Tucker's futuristic features were its third cyclops headlight
which swung with the front wheels; the storm cellar compartment into
which front seat passengers could drop in the event of a collision; and
a pop out windshield for crashes. Unfortunately for Tucker, a rash of
bold claims and questionable practices led to a government invetigation
of Tucker's company, which managed to produce only 48 of the
revolutionary autos before folding. Nonetheless, among the early
postwar cars, the Tucker was one of the most innovative, both in
engineering and styling..." I was
emailed this info: "There were actually 51 Tuckers made....1 prototype
and 50 production. There are 47 remaining this day." What is in my
description was taken directly from the info that came with the print. $22
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1950
Olds
88
"1950
Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe. Olds burst upon the scene in 1950 with a
splendid design propelled by one of the most talked about engines ever
to be put in an automobile - the celebrated Rocket. "$20
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1949
Chrysler Royal Woodie "Suburban
Need. With peace reestablished in the
mid 1940s, little communities began springing up on the outskirts of
major metropolitan areas. 'Suburbia' was born. Though station wagons
had been around long before suburbia, they seemed to find their perfect
niche there, with their ability to haul either people or goods.
Chrysler's 1949 Royal station wagon was equipped with what the company
call its Spitfire 6, an L Head 250 CID engine that provided 116 hp at
3600 rpm. The wagon was capable of seating nine persons and a removable
rear seat added to its storage capacity. The wood finish was not
artificial but very real white oak and mahogany, which gave it a
splendid exterior appearance. All in all, the wagon was just what Mom
needed to get the kids to the ball game, or lay in a six month food
supply for the freezer..."
$24
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1951
Chopped Merc "1951
Chopped Mercury. The Happy Days decade was a time of few worries and an
overwhelming desire to maintain the status quo. Similarly automobile
design changed only slightly from year to year. The 1951 Mercury
featured the same body for the third consecutive year with only minor
changes. These included the extension of the rear fenders to enhance
the back end and a massive grille, which gave the car a 'toothy' look.
To counteract the car's consistency, Mercury owners customized or
chopped their cars by lowering the suspension to a couple of inches off
the ground and by drastically decreasing the size of the windows...." $22
10.5" x 18"
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1951
Hudson
Hornet
"1953 Hudson
Hornet.
Hudson sought and achieved a
sleek, streamlined silhouette and a massive front end, suggesting
spectacular engine power. The engine was a new L Head, 308 cid design
offering 145 hp. Hudson claimed an exclusive with its recessed floor,
step down entry. Hudson also insisted the Hornet was the lowest built
car on the road. 4 speed automatic was a novel option. "$30
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1953
Buick Roadmaster "1953 Buick Roadmaster
Convertible. Television was in its infancy in 1953, but to many people
the 1950s represented TV's Golden Age. "I Love Lucy," "Your Show of
Shows," and "The Howdy Doody Show," represented the classic comedy and
variety shows that captured audiences' imaginations. The 1953 Buick
Roadmaster convertible featured a major rearrangement of Buick styling.
The car had six fewer grille bars, a redesigned sweepspear and chrome
fender fins. But the most noteworthy feature was the option of power
steering - found on Buicks for the first time - and exclusive to the
Roadmaster series. The Roadmaster was powered by a 322 cubic inch
overhead V 8 engine that generated as much as 188 horsepower. It was
also equipped with Dynaflow transmission, a four barrel carburetor and
an 8.5 to 1 compression ratio. V 8 power flowed through a newly
developed twin turbine engine, which provided higher acceleration and
lower gasoline consumption....." $22
10.5" x 18"
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1951
Chrysler "1951 Chrysler. In
the
early
1920s, Francis W.
Davis of the Truck Division of the Pierce Arrow Company tried to find a
better way to handle heavy vehicles, but instead paved the way for
passenger car power steering. Chrysler bought Davis's patent but it
wasn't until 1951 that the company offered hydraulic steering, called
Hydraguide, as standard equipment in Imperials and New Yorkers and as
optional equipment in Saratogas. Drivers found that they could steer
with 80 percent less effort, and even the large models became easy to
drive. Although hydraulic steering was a significant innovation, it
made little immediate impact in 1951, since Chrysler had introduced a
V-8 engine, fluid torque drive and several other features that year..."$22
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1951
Henry
J
"1951 Henry J.
Baseball, the great American
pastime, flourished in the 1950s. the New York Yankees built a dynasty
with the help of Mickey Mantle, while Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson and
Stan Musial electrified fans with their batting and fielding heroics.
The 1951 Henry J. was the car Henry J. Kaiser hoped would excite
American car buyers. Although promoted as a car everyone could afford,
the Henry J. lacked the flashy styling the public wanted. Priced at
$1299 for a stripped-down four cylinder automobile, the J. was Actually
ahead of its time. The 1950s, however, was an era more concerned with
power and styling than with fuel efficiency. In early 1952 the Kaiser
Frazer Corporation collaborated with Sears, Roebuck and Company to test
market the Allstate, a Henry J. with a reworked grille, different
interior and Sears bolt on parts. Four and six cylinder models were
available through the Sears catalog. Despite Sears' money back
guarantee, sales lagged and were ultimately so pooor that the J. was
later said to have helped precipitate Kaiser Frazer Corporation's
decline....." $20
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1953
Packard Caribbean "1953
Packard Caribbean. The car was powered by Packard's 180 hp 327 cid
Thunderbolt engine...this car was a milestone of its time because of
its engineering, performance and craftsmanship..." $22
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1953
Studebaker "1953
Studebaker
Starliner Hardtop Convertible...to observe its second century of
operation in 1953 Studebaker strove for a 'European' apparance and
claimed it offered the first American car with a 'foreign look.' "
$24
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1954
Ferrari "1954 Ferrari 250
Europa.
Europa was equipped with a V-12 engine." This car was a milestone of
its time because of its engineering, performance and innovation..." $24
|
1955
Crown
Victoria
"1955 Ford Crown Victoria.
the 1955 Ford Crown
Victoria, developed from the 1954 Ford Skyliner, represened a new and
fresh styling approach. The car featured a transparent Plexiglas roof
divided by a broad stainless steel band. The automobile and plastics
industries believed that the bubble top style would create a futuristic
look. The Crown Victoria was the first automobile to experiment with
this feature, which provided a feeling of spaciousness without the wind
and noise of a convertible. Ford sold about 16,000 Crown Victorias over
a three year period before dropping the model in 1957. Although
attractive, the car was expensive - $2507 - and the plastic roof made
passengers hot on a summer day....."
$24
10.5" x 18"
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1955
Packard Carribean "1955
Packard Caribbean.
Beautiful and extravagant musicals were the rage on Broadway in the
1950s. The American public in 1955 seemed bent on extravagance. In
response, the automobile industry produced nearly eight million cars,
almost three million more than the previous year. For Packard, 1955 was
the first year of operation after the Studebaker Packard merger. That
year the company produced the Caribbean, Packard's first V8 and at 275
hp, the most powerful showroom car. It featured the first torsion bar
suspension, a 352 cubic inch engine and a four barrel carburetor. A
newly refined automatic transmission called the Twin Ultramatic helped
the engine glide effortlessly into gear...." $20
10.5" x 18"
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1952
Kaiser Darrin "1952
Kaiser Darrin. A
decade of research culminated in the first production car made of
plastic reinforced with fiberglass - the 1952 Kaiser-Darrin. The
plastic body was light - only 300 lbs., a fraction of the weight of an
equivalent steel body. In fact, the sports model weighed 1500 lbs. less
than what had been the lightest American convertible. Instead of
achieving stability through weight, designer Howard A. Darrin used a
longer car length - 15.3 feet from bumper to bumper - and a low center
of gravity. With the convertible top in place, the car's overall height
was 54 inches, lower than any other US production car. The low
silhouette added to the car's rakish European look and the sports
styling lines were crisp and uninterrupted. The folding, three position
top could be completely concealed under the rear deck and the doors
slid into closed compartments. Some 435 Darrin sports cars were
produced before Kaiser Motors discontinued its passenger car business.
The Kaiser-Darrin paved the way for the successful production of the
Corvette in 1953..." $30
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1957
Dodge Royal
Lancer "1957
Dodge Royal
Lancer. Movies in the 1950s featured a host of memorable characters
portrayed by such stars as James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Marlon
Brando. Automobile designs of that era were equally memorable. the 1957
Dodge Royal Lancer was smothly styled and featured a massive grille and
bumper, a lot of glass and more power than its predecessors. In
addition, Dodge offered a variety of engine sizes ranging from the mild
325 that rached 245 hp to the powerful 354 that peaked at 340 hp.
Although other carmakers provided limited edition supercars, Dodge
offered the D500 options on all models. Motor Trend magazine called
these options of stiff shock absorbers and springs and torsion bars 'a
close liaison with the road.'...."
$24
10.5" x 18"
|
1957
Ford
Skyliner
"1957 Ford Skyliner - the
world's only, first and
probably the world's last hide-away hardtop..."
$28
|
1957 Nash
Ambassador "1957
Nash Ambassador.
Professional football in the late 1950s saw such powerhouses as the NY
Giants and Cleveland Browns dominate play. Legendary players such as
Otto Graham, Jim Brown, Y.A. Tittle and Sam Huff thrilled millions of
fans and helped change the character of the game forever. In 1957
American Motors was changing, too, beginning with the phasing out of
the Nash name at the end of the model year. Only two models were
offered by Nash in 1957, the Ambassador Custom (pictured here) and the
Super. The Nash Ambassador received a total facelift in 1957 including
placing the headlights vertically on the fenders in a quad light
arrangements. Nash was one of the first cars to offer four headlights
as standard equipment. Despite all the color options and streak
styling, Nash sold only 826 cars in 1957, its last
season....." $19
|
1959
Cadillac
"1959 Cadillac 62 Convertible. The 1950s was a time of memorable
leaders whose styles influenced America's social and political
structure. Automobile design developed a similar flair for the
dramatic. The 1959 Cadillac represented the standard for performance,
craftsmanship and styling, and satisfied America's hunger for
extravagance with its dazzling new grille ensemble and sweeping rear
fins. The Cadillac 62 convertible was richly appointed and featured two
new high-performance engines and four barrel or dual barrel carburetor
designs that offered responsive, dependable and economical motoring...."
$22
10.5" x 18"
|
1959
Porsche
"1959 Porsche 356B
Coupe. The dawning of the space
age brought startling advancements in aerospace technology in the 1950s
and this sophisticated technology was also apparent in cars such as the
Porsche. When the 356 model was discontinued in 1965, more than 76,000
cars had been manufactured and Porsche ranked among the world's top
sports car makers...."$20
10.5" x 18"
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1953
Buick
Skylark "1953
Buick Skylark.
Introduced in 1953, the Buick Skylark, with its wire wheels, abundance
of chrome and rakish lines, embodied the opulence of the '50s. Typical
of the 'big is best' breed of autos, the Skylark was advertised as 'the
only car of its kind,' a superb customized vehicle in an era of
customized vehicles. Skylark owners enjoyed the latest in luxury -
hydraulic window lifts, 'Easy Eye Glass,' and 'Selectronic' radio - and
each had his name engraved in silver on the horn button medallion.
Buick didn't necessarily intend to sell many Skylarks; rather, the car
was a showpiece, a way to lure buyers into the showrooms. Its
stylishness and craftsmanship earned the Skylark its place on the
roster of Milestone Cars..." $24
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1953
Briggs
Cunningham "1953
Cunningham. When Yale educated dashing Briggs Cunningham got the racing
itch, he formed his own company to produce a series of powerful,
successful racers. Products of the B.S. Cunningham Company were
intended to surpass European machines of the same class. Cunningham's
vehicles ran well and logged some successes in American events, but he
never was able to achieve his ultimate goal of victory at LeMans. His
firm produced six different models. The first was dubbed the C-1 and
contained stock Cadillac and Chrysler engines in a tubular chassis.
C-5s boasting a monster 310 hp engine, managed third, fifth and tenth
place finishes at the 1954 LeMans. They were costly to manufacture and
few were sold, but they represented a valiant and memorable effort in
the field of sophisticated racing car design..." $30
|
1954
Aston
Martin "1954
Aston Martin DB-3/S. The name Aston Martin dates back to 1914 and from
the start this marque represented expensive automobiles. The DB-3/S, an
open seater which debuted in 1953, was stark but clean, sturdy and, for
its size, a solid performer. The six cylinder, three litre engine
boasted 140 hp. Its 5 speed gearbox and rack and pinion steering helped
make this a smooth handling machine. In evolving the DB-3/S from the
DB3, the maker's aim was to produce a more efficient machine for racing
purposes. As a result,the DB-3/S benefited from attempts to improve
engine performance, wind resistance, road holding ability, braking and
weight reduction, factors which contributed to its inclusion in the
ranks of the Milestone Cars..." $20
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1954
Kurtis
Racer "1954
Kurtis
Racer. America's preoccupation with flashy styles and speed was
apparent at home and at play in the 1950s. Spectator sports such as
race car driving were becoming increasingly popular as a new breed of
superstar emerged. The 'Mad Russian," Bill Vukovich, pictured in a
Kurtis racer, was one of the top drivers of the day. He won two years
in a row at the Indianapolis 500 and was leading the race for the third
consecutive year when a fatal crash occurred. From 1950 to 1964 every
winner of the Indianapolis 500 was either influenced or built by Frank
Kurtis....." $24
|
1955
Benz 300 Race
Car "1955
MERCEDES
BENZ 300 SLR. the success of the 300 SLR racers in 1955 confirmed the
absolute superiority of the Mercedes Benz designs. The 300 SLR went to
start six times on the Grand Prix circuit and brought home five
victories. It was leading the sixth race - at LeMans - when withdrawn.
Only 10 SLRs were made, of which two crashed. Those cars accounted for
10 first and second places, and three third and fourth place finishes.
The 8 cylinder, fuel injected engine could reach a top speed of 175
mph. At the end of 1955, Mercedes Benz withdrew from competition to
produce the designs proven by racing..." $24
|
1956
Mark
II
"1956
CONTINENTAL MARK II. In 1939 Edsel Ford introduced his dream car, the
Continental, with styling based on clean classic lines, including the
latest technological advances, and with maximum interchangeability of
chassis parts with the Lincoln models. The Continental line was
discontinued in 1948 but revived in 1956 with the Mark II. It had a
sculptured body design and was powered by a V-8 overhead valve
engine..." $24
|
1956
Chevy
Nomad "1956
Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad.
Today the van competes strongly with the station wagon as suburbia's
favorite family all purpose vehicle. But in the 1950s, the station
wagon prospered as suburbs spread. Outside the city, pubic
transportation was nil. Suburbia's growing families, with increased
leisure time and diverse interests, need a roomy, practical vehicle.
The wagon, generally of uninspired design, was the answer. the Nomad
was an attempt to capitalize on the station wagon's surging popularity,
but in a unique way. The Nomad combined utility with beauty. It boasted
a relatively sleek line, large wraparound rear windows, and abundant
chrome. Chevrolet promotional literature immodestly describe the Nomad
as 'a wagon with sports car flair.' General Motors produced the high
priced wagon for only 3 years, turning out just 23,000 Nomads during
its 1955-57 run...."$24
|
1957
Chevy
BelAir
"1957
Chevrolet Bel Air. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry helped
usher in rock n' roll during the 1950s. Their unique personalities and
vocal styles left an indelible impression on the American public, as
did the cars of that era. Extreme styling elements, such as the
extended fins that characterized the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, were state
of the art designs drawn from jet fighter planes. However, engineering
developments, such as fuel injection, remained the major focus.
Chevrolet's fuel injection system combined direct port time injection
with nozzles for each cylinder to produce constant fuel flow. Chevy
buyers could choose from a variety of options, including wide or close
ratio three speed transmission, engine mounts, fan drives, heavy duty
rear axles, 10 optional gear sets, heavier wheels and improved
suspensions. With one horsepower per cubic inch, the 'heavy Chevy' was
an impressive vehicle... $20
10.5" x 18"
|
1957
Maserati
"1957
Maserati GT 3500 (see note below). With the aid of a carefully plotted
and executed strategy, Maserati's world famous line of racing cars
evolved into a series of superb street machines, which were introduced
in 1957 to compete with the Ferrari 250 GT. Initially, the handling
left a bit to be desired, but the car's overall quality was rated
outstanding. The 3500 GT was a sophisticated car which borrowed the
best from the other makes to produce a fine automobile. The six
cylinder 3500 GT boasted a ZF five speed gearbox, four wheel Girling
disck brakes, 16 inch Boranni wire wheels, Pirelli tires, Borg and Beck
clutch, Alford & Adler independent front suspension, and
Salisbury rigid rear axle. The Maserati 3500 GT was no slouch as a
performer. It accelerated from 0 mph to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, reached
a quarter mile in 16 seconds and was clocked at 140 mph..." NOTE: The previous info
was taken from the description printed at the same time these prints
were made. They are not my words. Someone emailed me and said this is a
"V8 Maserati 5000GT." Also, an email confirming this
info:
"The
person
who emailed you before about this was
correct; the picture is indeed
of a Maserati 5000
GT, with coachwork by Allemano. The 5000 GT didn't debut
until 1959, and of all the 32 or 33 made between 1959 and 1964, about
2/3 of them were bodied by Allemano, in the latter years of production."
My
thanks to all the experts out
there. $20
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of Page
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1957
T-Bird
$20
|
1957
Testa
Rosa "1957 Ferrari Testa
Rossa (Red
Head). The 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa 250 was the latest in a line of
impressive racers designed under the critical eye of racing pioneer
Enzo Ferrari. Officially unveiled in November 1957, the beet red racer
had already seen competition at least twice, once as early as May. The
Testa Rossa (the name was derived from the engine's red crackled finish
cyinder heads) underwent many changes in design in its life, including
a modified front end, suspension, and cockpit. A fleet of 10 Testa
Rossa 250s entered the 1958 LeMans and captured first, sixth and
seventh places, giving the commendatore his fifth World Sports Car
Championship and third in a row. Ferrari has won 24 world championships
and more than 5000 races to date..." $28
|
1958
Alfa
Romeo
"1958
Alfa Romeo. Many auto enthusiasts insist that A.L.F.A. (the Lombardy
Motor Manufacturing Company), which first put a machine on the road in
1909, never built a bad car. But, as with US cars, the exigencies of
World War II pushed the Alfa Romeo into dormancy. Immediately after the
war, Alfa resumed production with a rebodied version of its old bread
and butter 2500 six. Beginning in 1958, a much more distinctive Alfa,
which resembled no other car, not even its Alfa predecessors, appeared
on the scene. It combined a host of enviable attributes, the car was
quiet, comfortable, smooth, delicate and fleet. Its famous five speed
gearbox made it light and easy to handle. With its curving aluminum
body, some car buffs consider it a work of art...."$22
|
1957
Chevy Bel Air
"Concrete Ribbons. During the
1950s, America launched an ambitious and vigorous highway expansion
program linking major cities east and west, north and south. Though
construction is still going on, it is now possible to drive thousands
of miles without encountering a red light or a stop sign. One of the
most popular cars of all time, The Chevy Bel Air, was produced during
this period. The 1957 version shown here was offered in 16 solid and 15
two tone color combinations. Eight engine selections were available,
providing horsepower from 140 to 220, in combination with three types
of transmissions. It was designed specifically to appeal to the
emerging youth market, and it was not uncommon to see teachers' parking
lots look poor by comparison. The Bel Air immediately became a favorite
of young Americans because of its speed and easy handling and is still
a favorite of many auto enthusiasts..."
$18
|
1958
Edsel
$18
10.5" x 18"
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1959
Austin
Healey
"1959
Austin-Healey. This car succeeded on two counts. Introduced in the
summer of 1959 with an engine enlarged from 2.6 to 2.9 litres, this
Austin Healey neatly filled a niche between moderately priced sports
cars like the MG and Triumph and expensive makes like the Jaguar. The
Austin Healey also did well in sports car races in its class. Small
wonder. Mechanically, they were indestructible. That strength stood
them well in ther real forte - international road rallies, where they
were virtually unbeatable. One source called them ' one of the most
beloved old brutes ever built.' Many enthusiasts also call the Austin
Healey, with its smooth classic lines, the best looking of small
British Sports cars - an attribute which led to its selection as a
Mileston Car..." $20
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1959
Scimitar
"1959
Scimitar (All Purpose Sedan)..Radio, motion picture and television
comedian Bob Hope was much admired for his rapid fire delivery of
topical humor and for entertaining American troops in combat
zones...Backed by Olin Aluminum, designer Brooks Stevens experimented
with and emphasized the use of aluminum in the construction of the
Scimitar All Purpose Sedan. Reutter built the Scimitar body featuring
silver colored areas of anodized brush aluminum. The design was mounted
on a 1959 Chrysler New Yorker chassis. Called Scimitar for its upward
sweeping lines, the sedan resembled the short, curved scimitar sword
used by Arbas and Turks. With virtually all aluminum components - even
the bumpers - the Scimitar was never intended for production. Instead,
it served to demonstrate new ides and advantages in using the light
metal aluminum to build automobiles......"$22
|
1960
Volkswagen "Bug Invasion. As
suburbia
grew and flourished, a new problem confronted the families living
there. Pop drove the family vehicle to work, and Mom wsa left home
miles from the market with no way to get there. The solution? A second
car, usually a small, economical car, and as often as not a Volkswagen.
Indeed, the popularity of The Bug and this new, rising demand for an
economy car had major reverberations in Detroit. All American producers
now offer a line of small cars. Economy was only one preferred aspect
of The Bug, however. Another was that styling changes year to year wer
so subtle they were scarcely noticeable: a distinct advantage at trade
in time. In the 1960 model shown here, among the evident changes were
push button doorhandles and a contoured front seat backrest. Hidden
changes included larger heater pipes and an anti-sway bar for improved
cornering and handling...." $19
|
1961
Cooper Climax Jack Brabham "1961 Cooper
Climax. The Cooper Climax that three time world champion racing driver
Jack Brabham helped make famous was the precursor of the Indianapolis
funny car. Its unconventional configuration, featuring a rear chassis
mounted engine, was instrumental in guiding the car faster through
tight turns. In addition, it was easier on the tires and provided
better gas mileage, reducing the number of pit stops. This design led
to the complete redesign of Indy race cars, starting with the Lotus 38
in which Jimmy Clark captured the 1965 Indianapolis trophy. The four
cylinder, 2.5 liter Cooper Climax with twin overhead camshafts won four
prestigious races in a row in 1960 under Brabham's steady hands: The
Dutch, Belgian, French and British Grand Prix...." $26
|
1961
Formula One Race Phil
Hill "Perennially
popular Formula 1 racing is one of the oldest forms of competition. Its
history goes all the way back to 1902, and since that time - guided by
governors who have been quick to adapt to change - it has earned the
reputation as the ultimate in road racing, both in car design and
driving. "Formula 1 is the designation applied to the top class of
international single seater racing, and all events for the Drivers
World Championship are now run under its regulations. Presently
governed by the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA), all
Formula 1 races have a specified minimum distance of 300 kilometers and
a maximum distance of 400 kilometers, though these can be waived by
FIA. Illustrated: 1961 Formula 1 Belgium Grand Prix; Winner: Phil
Hill..." $24
|
1961
Porsche "1961 Porsche Type 356B
Roadster." This car was a milestone of its time because of its styling,
engineering, performance and innovation $20
|
1962
Rolls
Royce "1962
Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II. Mr. Royce was a mechanical engineer and
Mr. Rolls a pioneer motorist and aviator. The two formed the Rolls
Royce company in 1904 with the avowed intention of establishing a
tradition of excellence in automotive manufacture..." $24
|
1963
Corvette "1963 Corvette Sting
Ray. Not
only the unique American Sports car but it was the only US built car
with a fiberglass body." This car was a milestone of its time because
of its styling, engineering and performance . $22
|
1967
Can Am Race Bruce
McLaren "The highly popular
Canadian
American Challenge Cup Series, consisting of six 200 mile races on six
200 mile races on six different courses, was initiated in 1966 (later
expanded to 10 races). Engine size was unrestricted and the big
International Group 7 machines, rumbling with more than 600 hp, were
capable of raching 100 mph in less than six seconds, and over 200 mph
on straightaways. Little wonder that Can -Am racing became the world's
fastest! With this reputation and cash prizes that topped any other
series of auto races, the Can Am Challenge Cup appealed to automotive
talent the world over and became an international attraction. The
Sports Car Club of America sanctioned series was discontinued in 1974
due to the high cost of Group 7 machines, which reducd production of
new models. Illustrated: From the 1967 Can Am series; Winner: Bruce
McLaren..." $24
|
1973
Champion Spark Club Road Racing Classic (SCCA) Winner: Sam Feinstein.
Illustrated: Production cars: 'A'
class.
$24
|
1973
Daytona 500 Richard Petty, Car
#43
"The
Daytona International Speedway, an enormous sports complex situated on
455 Florida acres, has been a world center of auto racing since it
opened in 1959. And though it annually presents a panorama of major
racing events, stock car racing is its heart. National Association for
Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) sanctioned stock car auto racing -
considered almost the sole possession of the US southeast, where it had
its origins - boasts one of the busiest racing seasons known. Several
of NASCAR's key events are held at the great Daytona complex, including
a month long racing jamboree each February that concludes with the
prestigious Daytona 500, a maximum challenge to both man and machine.
Illustrated: 173 Daytona 500; Winner: Richard Petty..." $30
|
1963
Studebaker
Avanti "1963
Studebaker Avanti. In
the early 60s, Studebaker Packard Company president Sherwood Egbert
knew his company was in serious trouble. The Avanti, a dramatic
departure from the Studebaker's family sedans, was his attempt to avert
the company's imminent demise. Limited production of the Avanti, along
with its coke bottle profile, facilitated the use of fiberglass for the
car's body. The interior, an innovative design, resembling aircraft
flight decks, featured an array of instruments, control levers and
overhead switches. The Avanti was chosen a Milestone Car for its
innovation, engineering and performance, which was admirable: At
Bonneville Salt Flats races, Avantis set 72 speed records. Although
Studebaker Packard's financial problems caused production to cease in
December 1963, the Avanti was so popular that a group bought that
division of Studebaker and moved it to Canada..." This description was
taken verbatim from what was written when these prints were made. It
appears sometimes they did not get all the facts correct. The following
was sent to me via email: "It is true that Studebaker did move its
production facility to Canada but no Avantis were ever built in Canada.
Nate Altman founded the Avanti Motor Corp. and continued to build the
Avanti in South bend Indiana. The car had the same basic design as the
Studebaker models, but the hand built ones beginning with the 1965
model had Chevy engines. The company was eventually sold and production
moved to Youngstown, Ohio." $24
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1965
Bugatti "1965 Bugatti...Jazz
trumpeter, singer and ensemble leader Louis Satchmo Armstrong travelled
the world as the foremost goodwill ambassador of American
jazz...American designer Virgil M. Exner designed a roadster
reminiscent of Ettore Bugatti's French classics. During World War II
Bugatti had to discontinue automobile production. Many people wished to
rejuvenate the great Bugatti tradition after the war. Six Type 57 C
chassis remained in the factory. Exner bought one and designed the
1965-1966 Bugatti using such traditional features as the horse shoe
radiator. Because Exner followed Bugatti's prewar chassis
specifications, the car's engineering was already obsolete. But his
machine approximated what a post-war Bugatti would have been like.
Corrogeria Ghia of Torino, Italy, built the body which first appeared
at the 1965 Torino Auto Salon...." $24
|
1965
Lotus Jimmy
Clark
"1965
Lotus 38. The sleek, narrow Lotus 38, which Jimmy Clark drove to
victory in the 1965 Indianapolis 500 sported an innovative low, tapered
design that soon became standard for all Indy racers. The chassis was
custom fitted to Clark's body and, like the many previous Lotuses built
by Colin Chapman, was simple in design; two long, riveted aluminum
sheets separated by a molded box which served as seat back and fuel
tank. Clark's racer was one of six Lotus 38s built, three of which ran
the 1965 500 mile classic. During preliminaries, Clark qualified at
160.729 mph, becoming the first man to break the 160 mph mark. During
the race he led for all but 10 of the 200 laps, winning the event in 3
hours, 19 minutes and 5.34 seconds. The Lotus rear engine car became
the instant pattern of Indy racing, and the old style roadster was
never to see the Indy winner's circle again..." $180
Shipping is FREE
on this item (within the USA only)
|
1966
Chaparral "1966 Chaparral 2E. Jim
Hall's
1966 Chaparral 2E, powered by a Chevrolet engine, created a sensation
in its first public appearance at the 1966 Bridgehampton Can-Am. A year
earlier Hall had introduced the spoiler - an adjustable tail deflector
designed to stabilize the head on currents. With the 2E, however, the
spoiler gave way to a full fledged wing. Mounted two feet above the
tail, the wing created a down force on the rear wheel hub carriers,
improving cornering and acceleration. Although the racing community
protested at the outset, the 'flipper' eventually became universally
accepted in Grand Prix racing..." $30
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1966
Le Mans Race. "An
all out effort by Ford Motor Company in the 1960s resulted in the first
American winner in 1966, when Ford GT 40s finished 1-2-3 (McLaren/Amon
first). Fords won again in 1967 and
1968...."
$52
|
1966
Shelby. "1966
AC Cobra Shelby 427. In 1962, AC needed an engine maker to complement
its coachwork, while Ford Motor Company wanted a sporty European body
to combine with its newly developed, high performance V-8 engine. It
took American race car driver Carroll Shelby to coordinate the
coachwork and engineering, resulting in a car built with everything 'in
the interest of speed and style,' the Cobra 289. Later in 1966, the 289
was converted to this street vehicle, the 427, and its twin racing
version, the 428. Cobras have been called the most powerful high
performance cars in an era of high performance cars, competing
successfully against many fine European race cars. This performance,
along with the AC's distinctive body style, was the basis for making
the Cobra a milestone car. Only 510 of the 427/428 models had been
completed when production ceased in 1967 because more stringent safety
standards were enacted and the car became impractical to
manufacture..." Someone has emailed me this info regarding the car in
the print: "The car pictured is not a 427 Cobra. The rear flares, roll
bar, front intake, and cut back doors identify it as a 289FIA racing
cobra of which there were only 5 official factory cars manufactured in
1965." What is in my description was taken right from the words used
during the printing. I can only let you enthusiasts out there decide
which is
correct.
Note: Info received via email 12/08 - "The
Cobra in the painting is CSX 2345, an FIA raced in Europe
in '64 and '65. See "The Cobra-Ferrari Wars 1963-1965". It never did
race against the other cars in the painting -- CSX 2002, CSX 2491 (the
427-engined prototype) and the Mako Shark Vettes. Definitely not a 427
Cobra. See www.thecobraferrariwars.com."
$66
|
1967
Ford
GT
"1967
Ford GT Mark IV. The Ford Motor Company, rebuffed in 1963 by racing
master Enzo Ferrari's sudden refusal to sell the Ferrari Company to
Ford as promised, resolved to upstage him at his own game: European
racing. After several years of development, Ford entered a team of GT
40s in the 1966 LeMans and captured firs and second places in a
controversial dead heat finish. A year later Ford and Ferrari lined up
for a LeMans rematch: Ferrari with a new, lightweight P4 race, and Ford
with its Mark IV. A modified seven liter passenger car engine powered
the computer designed racer. A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney covered a record
3,249.6 miles at an average speed of 135.48 mph to win the 24 hour
LeMans classic by the greatest margin in the history of the event
(240.6 miles). The victory was bittersweet: the next year the LeMans
governing committee limited engine size to five liters retiring the
Mark IV fleet from further LeMans competition...." $24
|
1972
Indy 500 Mark Donohue "If it wasn't
already one of the world's best known auto races, the Indy 500 would be
almost anybody's pick to exemplify the popularity and growth of the
sport. The first Inday - run in 1911 - attracted 80,000 spectators.
Today (1970s) attendance annually exeeds 300,000. First place money in
1911 was $14,000. Today, the winning driver pockets about $300,000
(70s) out of total prize money of over $1 million. And the winner -
aside from his earnings - achieves instant fame. The toast of the
world, he alone holds the spotlight, generally acknowledged at that
moment as the reigning monarch of his profession. Illustrated: 1972
event; Winner: Mark Donohue...." $55
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1973
Sprint Car Race "There are the
great races, the standouts, the
international attractions. And then there are those lesser known, hard
nosed events, where aspiring drivers have an opportunity to learn and
the established ones to learn more. Such are the United States Auto
Club sanctioned Sprint Car races, long a favorite of American racing
fans. Sprinkled throughout the racing calendar, peppy Sprint Car
competition is usually held on small (half mile or under) dirt or
asphalt ovals, where the driver must be as gritty as his machine, and
where desire exceeds the prize. Many a racing superstar owes his status
directly to the experience he gleaned from Sprint Car participation.
Illustrated is a typical scene from the 1973 season...."
$24
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1975
IROC Race "Among
the more recently conceived racing programs
(this is written in the 70s) is the annual International Race of
Champions (IROC), a series of four races for worldwide talent
specifically structured for a TV format. The 12 entrants drive the same
model car, each uniformly prepared and track tested. The series
culminates each February with a 100 mile race at the famed Daytona
International Speedway. Illustrated is the 1975 IROC event, considered
one of the greatest auto races of all time, when the six finishers
(driving 1974 Camaros prepared by Roger Penske) were literally running
bumper to bumper and doorhandle to doorhandle at the conclusion. The
Checkered Flag went to Bobby Unser, whose margin of victory over
A.J.Foyt is officially recorded as a mere two feet. Unser's average
speed was 167.516 mph. Foyt's speed is anybody's guess...."
$22
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1975
NHRA Nationals "Despite a
persistent struggle to achieve
respectability, drag racing is now one of America's fastest growing
forms of auto racing. Its origins lie in Southern California and early
hot rodders - for one reason or another - were generally frowned upon
by the racing fraternity. When the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)
was founded in 1951, however, the quarter mile drag acquired social
status. NHRA and American Hot Road Association now govern the sport
almost entirely. Drag racing's various catergories and classes are too
numerous to mention here. Illustrated: From the 1975 NHRA Nationals, a
Top Fuel Eliminator AA Dragster showdown between
Don Garlits
and Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney,
won by the
former...."
$24
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1976
Baja 1000
Race "The
SCORE International
sanctioned Baja 1000 is a savage test for both man and machine. This
brutal, uncompromising off-road event - staged in the wilds of the Baja
peninsula -by nature pursues a course that traverses silt beds and
mudflats, twists through cactus and sagebrush, and plows up lava-strewn
mountains and plunges into treacherous ravines. In the 1976 event, some
sections of the course had never had a power vehicle on them before!
And virtually all paved areas were eliminated in an effort to make it
the toughest off-road challenge in existence. How tough? Of the 205
four wheeled starters in 1976, only 69 finished. Malcolm Smith and Bud
Feldkamp finally took the Checkered Flag after 18 hours and 56.49
minutes and an average speed of 42.20 mph...." NOTE:
The above description was taken directly from the info that was
attached with these prints in 1976. It appears in some of them the info
is not exactly on target. Here is what I received in an email from
someone: "As an off-road racer and Tech Inspector, I feel you should
know that this fine artwork is mis-identified as representing the car
raced by Malcolm Smith and Bud Feldkamp. In truth, it was raced against
them by Roger Mears and others. It was a Hi Jumper RS-2 owned and
maintained by a fellow who operated a muffler shop in San Fernando, and
then Newhall CA. I Tech Inspected it and raced against it a number of
times, and very nearly center-punched it when its driver got out of
shape when I was passing it with my Hi Jumper 2-seat racer during an
AMSA race in '84. Malcolm and Bud raced a Funco SS2 maintained by Scott
McKenzie. It also had ISS (Insurance Salvage Service, a wholesale
wrecking yard in Sun Valley, CA) sponsorship a little later and for
several years. Their car was bright blue and white, while the Cloud
Hopper was red-orange and white. Malcolm and Bud's car was modeled by
Tamiya for their 1st off-road buggy R/C car. Nice artwork though." AND
ANOTHER BIT OF INFO FROM A FELDKAMP: The tech inspecter is right on in
the description of the car except for one point. ISS stands for
Intercontinental Speed Specialties a manufacturer of cylinder and
piston big bore kits for VW based motors. The real car was a red, white
, and blue flag pattern orgionally and then painted blue and white when
Bel Ray Oil became thier primary sponsor. ISS did remain on the car for
quite a time. You can see the first paint job in the movie dirt being
towed back to Ensenada during the BAJA 500 in 1976. I know this to be
true because I was in the drivers seat during the filming of this
footage. Where did you get the print and is it numbered. I will bid on
this item and hang it in the tower at Glen Helen raceway park in
Devore, CA. Bud still competes with his son in many of the major off
road races and finished quite well in this years BAJA 500."
$50
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1976
AMC Pacer, Mustang II, Vega..."Future
Trend. As we enter the
last half of this decade, many uncertain factors loom that will
definitely determine future design and styling trends of the auto.
Among these are safety requisites, environmental protection and energy
requirements, the latter being the most uncertain. More than ever
before, increasing fuel costs, prompted by threatened shortages, spark
a need for conservation. National speed limits have been reduced. A
demand has arisen for cars offering improved gas mileage. Among the
most typical of such cars in the last few years have been the Ford
Mustang II, AMC Pacer and Chevrolet Vega. Even thoroughbred Cadillac
has introduced a smaller, more economical model (the Seville). This,
then, is where the industry stands in America's Bicentennial year. As
we enter the final quarter of this century, it will be interesting to
see how the automobile evolves in light of the challenges ahead..." $18
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1976
Safari
Rally Lancia
Stratos "The
rally is a unique form of
competition in that it places man and machine into many dimensions:
distance, road surface, terrain, speed, weather and time (to name a
few) The East African Safari Rally - begun in 1953 - is billed as the
severest rally in existence and few would dispute the point. With three
legs all originating and terminating at Nairobi in Kenya - it demands
the driver to manipulate his machine more than 3000 miles across plain
and up mountain, through burning desert and frigid cold, in rain, or
mud or stifling dust, against an unrelenting clock that continues
beating even when the car breaks down. Aside form being one of the
toughest and most uncompromising of motor events,it may also be the
only one that has had women participants in every running. In 1976
Bjorn Waldegaard and Hans Thorszelius won the the four day event in a
Lancia Stratos...."
$20
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1975
Daytona
200 "The
motorcycle's origins are closely allied to
those of the automobile, and some events (Baja 1000, for example)
invite motorcyclists to participate along with the cars. Most speedways
used for auto racing also feature motorcycle events on their calendars.
The American Motorcycle Association (AMA) which sanctions over 7000
events each year, is the lone US affiliate to the Federation
Internationale Motorcycliste, which promotes international competition.
AMA sanctions events for amateurs, semi professionals and professionals
in a wide variety of competition, including track races, off road races
and hill climbs. The annual AMA sanctioned Dayton 200, an international
road race event held at the famed Dayton speedway, combines the outer
tri-oval with an infield course to make up AMA's top event of the year
and the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. In 1975, the
Daytona 200 was won by Gene Romero..."
$20
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