| Automobiles of Arizona Friday, January 16, 2009 |
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| “The Dr. Barbara Mae Atwood Collection” | |||||||||
| 1929 Graham-Paige Dual-Cowl Phaeton | |||||||||
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Model 837. (Est.) 150bhp, 322.0 cu. in. supercharged L-head inline eight-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, suspension via front and rear semi-elliptic leaf springs, solid front axle, live rear axle, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 137" The Graham brothers, Joseph, Robert and Ray, began their industrial careers in the glass business. Their inventiveness brought the Lythgoe Bottle Company of Loogootee, Indiana, later renamed Graham Glass Company, from a craft shop making hand-blown bottles to a major mechanized concern. Having sold their interests to the Libbey-Owens firm, the brothers embarked on an enterprise of building trucks and tractors. The first product, the “Truck-Builder” conversion for Model T Ford chassis, proved a marketing success with farmers and deliverymen; by 1917 conversion units were offered for 30 makes of chassis. The popularity of this unit led the Grahams to begin assembly of complete trucks of their own design in 1919, using proprietary components and engines from such manufacturers as Continental, Ford and Dodge. An advanced tractor designed during this period was stillborn. The Graham Brothers Speed Truck, using much Dodge componentry, became so popular that the Dodge Brothers firm took notice, and entered into an agreement for the Grahams to supply complete trucks to be sold through Dodge dealers. In 1926 they sold their interests in the truck firm to Dodge, then owned by bankers Dillon, Read and Company. On June 10th, 1927 they purchased the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company of Dearborn, Michigan. The firm’s name was soon changed to Graham-Paige Motors Corporation. The Grahams continued the existing line of Paige cars for a time. Six months after acquiring the firm, their own Graham-Paige car was ready, and debuted at the New York Automobile Show. There were four six-cylinder cars on four different wheelbases with three different engines, and one eight-cylinder car. Styling of the new Graham-Paige by LeBaron designers R.L. Stickney and Hugo Pfau, was contemporary yet novel. Its radiator shell was reminiscent of Hispano-Suiza, and carried the Grahams’ new emblem, a profile view of three knights wearing helmets. Sales of over 73,000 set a record for an automotive marque in its introductory year. A new series of 1929 cars appeared in January of that year, featuring two sizes of eights and three sixes; all cars had hydraulic brakes and the upper part of the line had Bijur central chassis lubrication. LeBaron custom bodies had been available on the long-wheelbase 835 chassis, beginning in May 1928. A dual-cowl sport phaeton was offered through dealers at $3,755, about $1,000 more than the factory body styles. A town car was pricier, $4,285. Joseph Graham had LeBaron work up a special car for the 1929 New York Auto Show, which was held at the Grand Central Palace in January. A handsome one-off dual-cowl phaeton on the 1929 Second Series 837 chassis, it featured an aluminum-skinned body, the lower section of which was left bare and polished. The curvaceous belt molding was done in black to match the fenders, and a sweep from the radiator cap to the windshield in contrasting crimson. Somewhat unusually for a car of this type, sidemount spares were not fitted. The sweep of the front fenders was uninterrupted, the single spare tire mounted at the rear, aft of a leather-covered trunk. The effect was stunning. The car was designed for Graham’s daughters Elinor and Virginia. After the show it made a tour of dealer facilities, and Joseph Graham later used it as his personal car. In 1936, he had the factory fit a centrifugal supercharger of the type adopted in 1934, and which had helped Graham make a name for itself. No less than Rolls-Royce Ltd. studied this supercharger in their quest to add performance to the Derby-built Bentleys, and were considerably impressed. In the end, however, Rolls opted to simply enlarge the Bentley’s engine. Dr. Atwood purchased the spectacular phaeton at the September 1984 dispersal auction of the Harrah collection. It was entrusted to John Sanders’ Antique Auto Restoration in 1985 for a complete restoration. Sanders carefully removed all the aluminum, renovated the body frame and then reinstalled the skin, without so much as an errant tool mark. The car made its public debut at Pebble Beach in 1986, where it was rewarded with a class win. Despite the passage of two decades, the car retains its stellar appearance. The black fenders have deep gloss, and the aluminum sparkles. Whereas production Grahams in 1929 had door ventilators in the cowl, this car has stylish louvers, echoing the slanted louvers in the hood. Air flow is controlled by a sliding blind, adjusted from the kick panel. The seats and door panels are done in red leather, and there is black carpet over two layers of rubber mat. The odometer currently reads 15 miles, probably the distance covered since restoration. The black canvas top shows some soiling, and the leather trunk, too, shows its age. Inside are side curtains. The brightwork on the car is all excellent. Part of the windshield wiper linkage is presently not fitted. If not reinstalled by time of sale it will be included, along with the extensive history and photo file that documents its provenance and restoration. The engine is clean and well detailed, and the supercharger looks every bit at home, as though it was always meant to be there. When the factory added a supercharger to the Custom Eight in 1934, the engine produced 135 brake horsepower from just 265 cubic inches. This larger engine is estimated to produce far more than its 120 brake horsepower stock rating, probably closer to 150. The chassis and running gear are matched to the hood accent and inner fenders, in a crimson shade of red. The undercarriage is immaculate. The car has not been driven recently, but is expected to be in running condition at time of sale. However, due to its period of inactivity a thorough recommissioning should be carried out prior to placing it in road use. Seldom does the opportunity arise to purchase a singular car – one with an important history, and one that was specifically designed – and engineered – by and for one of the company’s principals. Looking at the car today, there is no doubt that its sleek LeBaron lines, show history, and custom-engineered supercharger installation make it a truly impressive opportunity to acquire an astonishingly beautiful example of the very best that one of America’s leading coachbuilders could offer. |
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