History We ALL Love a DARE! PIX of TRULY Extinct Makes?

Keen ad, HJ! CONGRATS on the find. Well, if we can't find a production
Cornelian still in existence, at least we know what they actually LOOKED
like! We still didn't answer for sure whether the existing RACERS are
recreations or the real thing, though (I suspect some of EACH?). Opin-
ions?

Our search for the Cornelian has taken a full page. I'd say about as
thorough a search as for any car since we sought in vain for the 1915
Luverne Special Speedtser!!! (An ironic coincidence: Had the Luverne
brothers gotten their racer in shape to qualify for the Indy 500 of 1915, they
would have raced agaisnt Louis' Cornelian!!! Ha, ha!)

Hopefully, this addresses the questions HAMBer Wisdonm posted July 13
on Post #5,300. While the Cornelian certainly seems to be EXTINCT
(and most or all of the extant racers, REPROS), we really turned up a lot
of fascinating back stories and tech data, eh??? Apart from the light weight,
I was really engrossed by the then-unique independent suspension! (Mim-
icked in the heavier Birmingham of 1921 and, I think, referred to as a "swing
axle" setup.)

I think THAT's half the fun of these searches! We search like mad to try
and prove something still exists, somewhere, and when we fail then we've
actually come as close as humanly possible (without a crystal ball or clair-
voyance!) to PROVING that something is, in fact, EXTINCT or ultra-rare, etc.,
right? It's sort of like taking a trip. Some people see it only as a journey to
be endured, the DESTINATION being their only motive. Others -- like us? --
enjoy all the SCENERY along the way!!!

Thanks, ALL! The thread is always fun, thought-provoking and informative!

 

1957 Spohn Cruiser:

One of one built = Extremly rare.





http://www.dezercollection.com/1957-spohn-cruiser-1-of-1-built,[pav.]-c-49.htm

<DL><DT>"Year: </DT><DD>1957</DD></DL>
<DL><DT>Make: </DT><DD>SPOHN</DD></DL><DL><DT>Model:</DT><DD>CRUISER</DD></DL><DL><DT>Trim:</DT><DD>1 of 1 built,[PAV.]</DD></DL><DL><DT>Body Style:</DT><DD>CONVERTIBLE</DD></DL><DL><DT>Stock</DT><DD>00058</DD></DL><DL><DT>Engine Size:</DT><DD>331 V-8</DD></DL><DL><DT>Transmission:</DT><DD>3 SPEED</DD></DL><DL><DT>Exterior Color:</DT><DD>RED</DD></DL><DL><DT>Interior Color:</DT><DD>RED & BLACK</DD></DL><DL><DT>Vin:</DT><DD>0S181</DD></DL>1957 SPOHN CRUISER 1 of 1 built,[PAV.]

TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS ONE BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER. BUILT IN 1957, IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST SPOHNS EVER BUILT. SPOHN WAS A COUCHBUILDER FROM RAVENSBURG <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:country-region><st1lace>GERMANY</st1lace></st1:country-region>; WHO WAS CREDITED <st1lace><st1lacename>FOR</st1lacename><st1lacetype>BUILDING</st1lacetype></st1lace> THE BODIES FOR THE PRE-WWII MAYBACH LUXURY CARS. HIS DESIGNS WERE MASTERPIECES SOUGHT AFTER BY THE WEALTHY. AFTER WWII SPOHN PURCHASED LEFT OVER CARS FROM THE US MILITARY FOR THEIR CHASSIS AND CONTINUED AS A COACHBUILDER TAKING ORDERS ON A ONE ON ONE BASIS, EACH CAR WAS BUILT TO THE SPECIFIC DESIRES AND SPECS OF THE BUYER, THERE WERE LESS THAN 200 CARS BUILT AND NO 2 WERE ALIKE. THIS CAR IS BUILT ON AN EARLY 40&#8217;S FORD CHASSIS WITH A 53 CADILLAC V-8 ENGINE THAT IS BACKED BY AN OLDSMOBILE TRANSMISSION AND REAR-END. THE DESIGN AND FLOW OF THIS CAR IS AN EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION OF THE FLAMBOYANT 50&#8217;S ERA. "

Has been sold - http://classiccars.com/listing-169799/1957-spohn-cruiser-for-sale-in-north-miami-florida-33181.html



Links:

http://www.dezercollection.com/1957-spohn-cruiser-1-of-1-built,[pav.]-c-49.htm

http://cars.adloe.com/1957-Spohn-Cruiser_kaaorromoearkmnkrik.html

 

Grahame, INTERESTING car! Looks like one of those Tranfromers morphing! LOL.

I couldn't get the link to open.. Are there any other angles of photos of it? Thanks!

 

I thought there was something wrong with my eyes when I first saw the Spohn. That is one bizarre looking car.

 

Some of the Sphon bodied cars from the 50s are decent looking but that red one is not. Go here to see a bunch more.

I'm not sure why sometimes they are referred to as "Sphon" cars as they were really Fords, Cadillacs, etc with coach-built bodies.

A much better looking one sold for 100k at auction last week.

 

Jimi,

I'll try again -

http://www.dezercollection.com/1957-spohn-cruiser-1-of-1-built,[pav.]-c-49.htm

http://cars.adloe.com/1957-Spohn-Cruiser_kaaorromoearkmnkrik.html

I posted this 1957 Cruiser because of it's "unusual" look and the mix of mechanicals that were used.

There's nothing like a hot rodding, customising karosseriewerke. .

I can't find any other angles of the car, at this time.

Not my cup-of-tea (coffee) at all, but, it must have appealed to someone (Actually it would be some-more-than-one ) as it has had more than one owner.

 

karosseriewerke

MisterFire takes the Two Dollar Word of the Day Award!

 

Here are a few more pictures of the Spohn AJ mentioned sold at Auction last week;

1953 Spohn Roadster, green. Appears complete, for restoration - sitting for years. Very unique. Original interior surfaces in poor shape, deteriorating, severe paint loss on hood. All exterior trim pieces appear complete and preserved, though vehicle in need of extensive restoration.

 

Thanks for finding a pix of a Cornelian. Yes the racers are recreations with some obvious deviations from the real car, such as wheels, tires, the intake manifold and carburation are all wrong.

Early Indy expert, Griffith Borgeson wrote, "He (Louis Chevrolet) welded a tapered tail to the (Cornelian) roadster body, mounted oversized wheels, reworked the cylinder head to take two Master (Miller) carburetors, bored and no doubt stroked the tiny engine to it's 116 cubic inches, and did everything else he could to make the car raceworthy." I wish he had installed a valve cover.

That Cornelian tag is a wonderful find. That may be all that there is left.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

You're welcome!! That's what this thread is all about.
Keep checking here for more info. You never know what might turn up while searching for other marques. It took over a week to find the ad with the pic. WE are a tenacious group here and dogged in our efforts.

 

Amen, HJ! And half of the fun is the challenge and search!

Housekeeping Note: BTW, for anybody new to the HAMB and are searching for a particular make or model, you don't have to comb every page of this thread laboriously to see if it's been covered. Just key in the make, model or other key words into the "Search This Thread" feature at the top of any page. It's search the whole thread and give you every post containing your searched word.

 

I want to build a correct model of the 1915 Indy Cornelian. Another strange thing is that the IMS records say the car ran as #27 with Cornelian written on the tail, I have never see a period pix of the car with #27 on it, always #10 with Cornelian written on the hood. Even the IMS official photo shows #10.

However, #10 in the 1915 500 was a Duesenburg driven by Alley.

 

ROBERT SERF - .. .



" Robert Serf, France 1925 – 1934; Automobiles Robert Serf, Colombey-les Belles, Meurthe-et-Moselle. The Robert Serf light car was made in two models, the 7CVwith a 1,470cc 4 stroke 4 cylinder engine, introduced in 1926, and the 4CV, powered by a 597 cc 2 cylinder 2 stroke engine introduced in 1933. The latter was available as an open two seater, saloon, or light van. About 80 Robert Serf vehicles were made only 10 of which were the 4CV model. A prototype 4CV FWD was built in 1936. (Georgano)."

http://www.hubcapcollector.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=3021



Above photo was posted by "pitcats" -
http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-mythiques-exception/section5/sujet377390-210.htm

http://les-renault-d-avant-guerre.xooit.com/t1502-Robert-Serf.htm





http://les-renault-d-avant-guerre.xooit.com/t1502-Robert-Serf.htm

By "woodinsight" -

"....... Serf et Didier built between 1928-1933 by Entreprise Serf et Didier, Place de la Mairie, Colombey-les-Belles
(M-et-M)
One car delivered each month.

..................


The cars were sold as Robert Serf and made in a small factory by Georges Didier who also sold Ford cars and Fordson tractors.
The first model, which made up the bulk of production, was marketed as a saloon, tourer or commercial traveller's car. Some sports cars were also built.
The bodies were made locally but not in Didier's factory.
Years of production of Robert Serf cars was between 1925-1934. Total production was around 80 cars."

The above from: http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=17393.25

 

.

I thought this was interesting, (not sure how such a fine restoration somehow ended up with a wonky grille/hood but)...

July 29 2011 Youtube:
<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YaRkvkLAwr8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


A buddy of mine has a MuntzJet which is the latter version of this, Americas first sports car. The interesting thing is that his car has a built in 'bar'.


.

.

 

I had a wonderful surprise this weekend at the Detroit areas concours at Plymouth.

A real in the flesh McFarlan.

I can't say how happy I was to see it. Can anyone tell us the history of this particular automobile. Harrah's?

Connersville must have really been something.

Vintageride

 

Holy mackerel! There couldn't be TWO this nice. This has to be the one that sold about a year ago. And, yes, it appears to have been part of Bill's vaunted collection until '84. A ton more GREAT pix at the link below. YOU saw the car; see if you don't think it's the same one, bro!

Man, were these special. Several makes have been unofficially dubbed "American Rolls-Royce," but maybe McFarland more than deserves such billing. Own coachwork, very limited numbers, extremely pricey, own T-head, multi-valve, redundant ignition from early '20s on. Less than 300 in ALL body styles for 1924. Just wow.


Photo THANKS to:

1924 McFarlan TV-Six for sale: Anamera
Jun 22, 2010 ... A rare and nearly forgotten marque
of the highest quality, this McFarlan TV Six Suburban
has important Harrah's provenance and deserves to ...
www.finecars.cc/en/detail/car/87243/index.html

 

Assuming that's the same McFarlan, it would cost $96,000 new today, adjusted for inflation. 120-hp in 1924, BTW!
<!-- / message -->

 

I suspect there could not be two like it. Your color photo with the 3/4 frontal really helps.

The Harrah's car was formerly a prop car at Warner Brothers according to the book "What Was the McFarlan" by Keith Marvin and Alvin J. Arnheim with Henry H. Blommel. The book provides two side views of the car.

A couple tech items: Hydraulic brakes, TV stands for "twin valve", the engine was a six with three spark plugs per cylinder.

Vintageride

 

SNAPPY ride! I wonder what this job would DO!!! 120
ponies, in this body.



Bruiser Jack Dempsey with his '24 McFarlan, THANKS
to the InternetMovieDatabase.

 

1934 Bendix in the Studebaker National Museum,
South Bend, Indiana


I stumbled across this amazing car, but the bits of info I could find aren't fitting
together in a coherent way, at least for me. Is anybody else familiar with this car?
Also, any more pix anyplace? Since Studebaker was very into safety then, did,
perhaps, they support Bendix with assistance and resouces on this car? Sort
of a stylish blend between lines of the MoPar Airflows and the "Sad-Eyed" Hupps!

My assumption is that this attractive streamliner was intended as a demonstrator
exercise, blending aerodynamics and safety features, a popular theme in the mid-
'30s. I'm also assuming this is one of the lesser-known endeavors of Automotive
Hall of Fame member Vincent Bendix, famous for his contributions to the auto
self-starter, auto brake systems and aviation achievements, as well.




Don't know if this sharp pic by Douglas Wilkinson for RemarkableCars.com will appear here, but it's
a quality photo -- like all of Douglas' material! The Bendix seems to have a special museum spot,
right next to the unreleased Stude Sceptre!

 

Here you go, jimi:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2007/06/10/sia-flashback-fwd-bendix-swc/

dan

 

Hey there, Dan! THANKS, and welcome back to this thread, man.

Daniel Strohl ALWAYS does a great job on his features, and THIS one was PACKED with great facts -- MANY very, very surprising.

It answered the big question in my mind: HOW COULD SUCH A GRAOUND-BREAKING CAR SIMPLY BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG? The GM connection in Daniel's article answered that.

But the many tech features NOT visible on the exterior are really eye-opening and make the article WELL worth a read! A BIG THANKS TO DANIEL AND TO HEMMINGS -- ONCE AGAIN!

(BTW, Dan, have you had a chance to go by the Bennington Museum and snap any pix of the ultra-rare martin Wasp as yet? Just thought I'd follow up, buddy. Thanks! -- J)

 

Check this out!! It is not so much a rare car but the owner/driver sure is.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/bcvideo/1.0/iframe/embed.html?videoId=100000000895665&playerType=embed

 

Would anyone know who were the organizers of the Denby Motor Truck Co. of Canada? I am looking for shareholders, incorporators, officers ect.

Thank you
llr

 

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=4 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width=220> </TD><TD width="100%">The U.S. designed Denby was produced in models ranging from one to six tons at a Canadian branch plant in Chatham. Denby's sales manager was William Riley Stansell, who later produced the Brock Six. Production took place in the old plant of the Defiance Iron Works, previously home of the Swift car.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

“The Book of Detroiters. A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Detroit,” published in 1914, reports:

• Ayers, Jule Caesar. District manager General Motors Truck Co.; born Mt. Vernon, Ind., May 25, 1881; son of Joseph and Freddie [Frederica] (Paul) Ayers; educated in public and high schools, Dayton, O.; married June 29, 1904 Camilla Chalmers, of Dayton; two sons, Jule C. Jr., and Chalmers. Lived in Dayton, O. 1884-1902; began active career as clerk with Western Union Telegraph Co., Dayton; then with National Cash Register Co., for seven and one-half years, starting as a clerk and holding various positions until he became instructor sales department, at St. Louis; traveling salesman for Burroughs Adding Machine Co., Detroit, 1908-1910; moved to Detroit, 1910; and became resident manager General Motors Truck Co. Presbyterian. Member Detroit Board of Commerce; Detroit Automobile Dealers’ Association. 32 [degree] Mason, Consistory. Clubs: Detroit Rotary, Detroit Athletic. Recreations: automobiling and baseball.

There’s that reference to Presbyterian. In fact, Jule Ayers, son of Jule Caesar Ayers, and great uncle to Bill Ayers, was a famous Presbyterian minister. In July 1944, Rev. Jule Ayers of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s First Presbyterian Church, after a year as an Army chaplain serving during World War II, was featured in TIME magazine.
To continue: “Automotive Industries” (v39 1918) reported on the advancement of Jule C. Ayers:

• Detroit. Aug 5 – J.C. Ayers of the Towar-Ayres Co. [Towar-Ayers] and Denby Motor Truck Co., was elected vice president of the Detroit Automobile Dealers’ Association at a meeting of that organization last week. …

And “Motor West” wrote in its February 15, 1918 issue that Jule C. Ayers was a “pioneer” in the truck manufacturing industry:

• Ayers Vice President Denby Co. Announcement has just been made by President Garvin Denby of Denby Motor Truck Co of Detroit that J.C. Ayers has been elected vice president and placed in general charge of sales and advertising. Mr. Ayers has become nationally known in the field through years of association with it and brings to his new connection an experience that is of value. As one of the real pioneers of the industry he has acquired unusually thorough knowledge of many distinct types of trucks and equipment that [is] the required [to] perform satisfactorily the widely divergent work of the various lines of using motor haulage and he knows intimately the problems of the hauler and distributor and the sort of co-operation from the factory which the dealer needs.

“Motor West”, in its November 19, 1919 issue, reported that Jule C. Ayers had taken the next step, becoming a truck manufacturer:

• Ayers Heads New Truck Firm. J.C. Ayers vice president of the Denby Motor Truck Co. has resigned to become president of the Motor Truck Corp. recently formed to take over control of the Universal Service Co. maker of the Universal truck. The Universal will be discontinued and the Ayers truck will succeed it. The 1920 output will be at least 450 trucks.

 

Ask, and ye shall receive! LOL.


So much for Denby, now how about THIS one? I'm stumped.
Was this maybe a Stude styling exercise???

 

I wanted to revisit the Saxon make briefly. As mentioned in our earlier
discussions, even photos of the later Saxons are hard to find, much less
actual surviving specimens. Below is a photo of an upsized '23 model,
when the company was on its last legs.

Saxon had been quite successful from its 1914 launch, mainly because
of the ample four-cylinder, midsize and modest price made it a perfect
choice for those who didn't want a cycle-car nor a bare-bones Ford T.
But in 1918, one of the founders died, just as the company was dropping
the popular four and building a new factory to build more expensive sixes.
The optimistic move turned out to be a blunder, and sales declined to
just 700 by 1919. Though Saxon management revived a four-cylinder of-
fering, the writing was on the wall. GM bought the Saxon facilities and
started turning out Chevys there.


1923 Saxon ad THANKS to American-Automobiles.com!
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Here, finally, is a photograph of an in-the-flesh Richelieu automobile! Though I can't take one ounce of credit for the pic I've sought for over, I think, two years, I'm at least satisfied that we HAVE one to compare against the ReVere , from which (at least one account holds) the Richelieu was derived -- supposedly under possibly shady circumstances!

This photo is one of three I ran onto by accident while searching Rochester-Deusenberg engines. That led to an article on the excellent site, TheOldMotor, and a titillating article by site founder Dave Greenlees. This is a wonderful, serious-minded site for auto aficionados, and if you have not yet visited it, I guarantee that you will become a fan! Dave has been a HAMBer, BTW.

You may remember the earlier discussions around possible connections among the ReVere of Logansport, IN, the Richelieu of Asbury Park, NJ, and the Barbarino of New York City. Material available on a site of the historical society of Logansport doesn't beat around the bush about one Newton VanZandt, one of the one-time heads of the ReVere car company, 1917-1926. But one of the underhanded deeds attributed to VanZandt was sneaking at least one ReVere car (and maybe many MORE!) out of the Logansport factory by night and shipping it by rail out east. Perhaps a bit speculative, there was the allegation that VanZandt was rebadging ReVeres and selling them under the name Richelieu -- and presumably pocketing extra dough.

Now, with a pic of a real Richelieu, we can MAYBE get a better idea if there was any resemblance. At first glance, there do seem to be some similarities, I think. The general body lines and wheelbase seem fairly close, and both engines were Duesy-based power plants. Both used sporty wire wheels and spare step plates instead of clunky running boards. Hmmmm!

A period ad, however, with Dave's article claims bodywork by Fleetwood. And Richelieus were reputedly built at Asbury Park. So, is it, maybe, more likely that ONE ReVere purloined by VanZandt may have been used as a sort of model or template for ground-up Richelieus in 1922-23? Please, YOU be the judges!

[Note: Anyone not familiar with the back story on VanZandt, et.al., please refer to Posts #390, 2132 and 2133 to read more!]



Richelieu, 1922 - 23. Perhaps as few as a few score of these opulent cars were made in the approximately
12 months the company was effectively "in business." I have a strong hunch the Richelieu is EXTINCT!
I hope somebody in HAMBland can prove me wrong!!!



1918 ReVere, THANKS to Royal Feltner's EarlyAmericanAutomobiles!


1920 ReVere, THANKS to Royal Feltner's EarlyAmericanAutomobiles!



ReVere, all decked out for shipment to King Alphonso of Spain. As many as some 2,600
and as few as 1,500 ReVere's were built, depending on the source. The first hit the bricks
about 1918, the very last in 1926.