In the early 1950s, when the aerodynamic shapes of jet aircraft first became part of the public consciousness, two friends decided to conceive and build a unique American sports car. Harry Birdsall, a commercial artist, and Joe Mascari, a New York contractor, came up with a futuristic luxury two-seater, based on the chassis and running gear of a 1953 Cadillac, and featuring a unique two-fold convertible hardtop. parts.
The Mercedes Benz Special Roadster Goering 540K is a historical contradiction of values. It has a remarkable finish that doesn't look overdone. It seems like a practical car that is ready to drive without fear of getting dirty. One can visualize Major General Maxwell Taylor driving through Germany with this beauty in contrast to the few cars that were on the roads of Germany at the end of World War II. But the biggest contradiction is the damage done to the Special Roadster by the 101st Airborne Division when it was captured. Viewers will no doubt ask about the bullet hole in the fender and the bullet star in the driver's side window glass. Many will wonder why subsequent owners never returned the Special Roadster to the condition of Goering's original ownership. Moving a historical piece from a war scene to a Concours d'Elegance field where perfection is the norm will undoubtedly confuse many viewers. If Goering's Mercedes Benz 540K Special Roadster makes us think of the great price the Allies paid for the freedom of Europe, then the preservation/restoration of this historic Mercedes Benz will have served its purpose. It is the intention and desire of the current owners that this unique piece of history be preserved in its current state. They hope that today's generations will better appreciate the cost and sacrifice that comes with war after seeing Goering's preserved Mercedes Benz 540K Special Roadster, nicknamed "The Blue Goose" by American soldiers. Time will tell.
The Hispano-Suiza H6 is a luxury automobile that was manufactured by the Spanish brand Hispano-Suiza, mostly in France. Presented in 1919 at the Paris Motor Show, the H6 was manufactured until 1933. The H6 was equipped with an aluminum in-line six-cylinder engine, with 6,597 cubic centimeters, inspired by Marc Birkigt's design of aircraft engines. One of the most notable features of the H6 was its brakes; it had light alloy drums on all four wheels and mechanical brake servo. The H6 was replaced in 1933 by the J12, which initially used a nine-and-a-half-liter V12 engine. The model in the photograph remained in the same family for 50 years.
See production figures for the 1955 Chrysler Imperial. The total, including two-door hardtops, four-door hardtops, four-door sedans and four-door limousines, is 11,430. The number of Imperial convertibles is 0. But you could say it's 1. The one we'll talk about is the prototype commissioned by Chrysler Chairman K.T. Keller. Designed and built by Chrysler Central Engineering, the concept car was created from an off-the-shelf New Yorker convertible. In addition to its roofless body, Keller's Imperial featured numerous exterior and interior design details. The end result was impressive and Chrysler put it to promotional use for a year before selling it to a private individual.
Affordable only to the wealthy, the Model 630K was produced in limited quantities, with only 267 units built between 1926 and 1932. With a displacement of 6.3 liters, the 630K's six-cylinder, overhead camshaft engine produced 160 hp with the Roots supercharger attached and, with these specifications, the 630K could boast of being the most powerful production passenger car in the world. Charles Murray of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a wealthy oilman and real estate developer, ordered this chassis in 1927 and had it shipped from the Stuttgart factory to the Castagna coachbuilder in Milan. The cost of the car amounted to a whopping $28,000.
If the acclaimed first-generation Lincoln Zephyr had a weakness, it was its V-12 engine. Sharing many design elements with Ford's flathead V-8, the 75-degree H-series V-12 had a narrow design that kept its displacement low and its water passages small, as well as the flathead engine's exhaust ducts running through the block and water jackets, which often led to overheating. Illinois-based inventor Willard L. Morrison could do little about the engine design, but instead believed he could improve the Zephyr's cooling by adding a second grille to the front of the car.
The Studebaker Manta Ray was a one-off custom car built by Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine of Whittier, California, in 1952. Assembled with fiberglass molds inspired by 1950s aeronautical design, it was unlike anything else on the road, with a turbine-shaped center grille and three rear fins. Unfortunately, it was never produced. The only example is for sale through Mecum in Monterey this week.
This car is not a modified 1934 Ford Roadster. The truth is that it looks like it, but its lines could not be more different. It is a Soviet GAZ GL-1, a car specially created by GAZ to break speed records, under orders from the Politburo and the highest levels of the Communist Party. Because? Because in 1938 – in a race organized in the center of Moscow – one of the Russian riders competed with an American Kord 812, reaching a speed of 141.56 km/h. A figure close to the Soviet speed record. Evil tongues say that Stalin himself banned competition with foreign vehicles on the same day. The GL-1 project was born a few weeks later, seeking to demonstrate that the USSR could also manufacture fast cars.
1939 ZIS 101A Russian Sport was the sports variant of the ZIS 101 limousine, a vehicle produced in Russian lands. This limousine was released in the period 1936-1941, while the sports version had to wait until 1939. It was inspired by a well-known American vehicle from the manufacturer Packard of the same era. It was designed and produced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a Soviet youth political organization called Komsomol, which defined itself as the youth division of the Communist Party. This project was supported by Stalin himself, but, unfortunately, shortly after the celebration the project fell into abandonment and oblivion.
The Charger III, the most aerodynamic vehicle conceived and built by Dodge, is an experimental two-seater just 42 inches high, 184 inches long and 73 inches wide. Features include jet-style canopy, fold-down steering wheel, lift-up bucket seats, and spoiler-style air brake fins. Dual air intakes on the hood supplement the air entering the engine compartment through the grille. Side air intakes push cooling air to the rear brakes. The Charger III, Dodge Division's experimental sports car, which contains many of the gauges and instruments found in the passenger version of the 1968 Charger, is touring auto shows across the country. The low-slung red "Candy Apple" two-seater is just 3 1/2 feet tall.
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