...continuing with our fall 2024 tour of the non-cavern attractions at Luray Caverns Virginia. For those of you that aren't particularly interested in automobiles, the good news is that the post after this one will involve a non-automotive attraction at the Caverns.
This is a 1911 Hupmobile Roadster. It has a bit of an unusual body design and it certainly has a 'sporty' look, especially for 1911. It was manufactured by the Hupp Motor Car Company in Detroit Michigan. With its upscale upholstery and it's 'look' it was the antique version of an 1960's MG sportscar. It was promoted at the 'little car built better than the big ones. It weighed 1,100 lbs., it had a 4-cylinder motor that developed 20 HP.
Hupmobile was a line of autos that were built between 1909 and 1939. Like sports teams today, players frequently changed teams...or companies. Bobby Hupp co-founded the Hupp Motor Car Company with Charles Hastings...who came from Oldsmobile. Another key executive was Emil Nelson who had previously worked for both Oldsmobile and Packard. Even after Bobby Hupp left the company, it was a strong competitor against Ford and Chevrolet. By 1928, Hupp Motor Car Company's sales had reached over 65,000 units. In the mid-1920s the company decided to build larger, more expensive autos. In going for the higher-end market, Hupp forgot their established clientele. The diversification meant that production of the many models became cost prohibitive as there weren't enough sales to support the variety offered.
This 'old-fashioned' looking auto is a Metz 1912 Roadster and it's another brass era automobile. It featured something called a 'friction-type drive'. A steel disc rotating in one plane/angle drove a fiber disc at a 90 degree plane to the steel disc. The motor turns the steel disc and the fiber disc turns the drive wheel. Too technical for me! This roadster does feature a 'Mother-in-Law' rumble seat in the back. The cost of this car was $475.00. It featured a 4-cylinder engine that produced 22.5 HP.
The Metz Company began business in 1886 making bicycle parts. Later as the company got involved with the automobile business, Metz did offer the first known "kit automobile" on an installment plan. The buyer would buy 14 groups of parts on an installment plan for $27.00 each. Then the customer could be put the auto together with the plans and tools provided. Total price came to $378.00. A factory-assembled automobile could be purchased for $475.00. This plan continued until the kits couldn't compete with dealer-supplied Model T Fords. Metz also produced light trucks but shortly after World War I the company folded.
This is a 1912 Ford Humpback delivery truck. Made in Detroit and costing $700.00, it had a 2-speed transmission, a 4-cylinder motor that produced 20 HP. Early on the Ford Motor Company produced Model T automobiles and or motorized chassis that other companies would outfit with whatever truck body the customer needed. Some of these bodies were scratch-built at home but most of them were sourced from a known company or builder. With the Ford Model T being so popular, it didn't take long for Ford to diversify into light trucks...cutting out most of the companies that were building specialty bodies.
This is yet another version of a Ford Model T truck, this time serving as a milk delivery truck. How many folks even remember home delivery milk trucks!? When this 1914 Model T truck was refurbished for the museum, the original lettering could still be seen, making it easy to 'freshen up'. The 4-cylinder 22.5 HP motor achieved about 20 miles for each gallon of gas.
1914 was the last year that Ford installed gas lamps/headlights on their vehicles. It was also the first year that Ford actually fully assembled trucks on the assembly line...
Now for some more exotic automotive creations... This is a 1932 Rolls-Royce Shooting Brake and it was built in Derby England. This special automobile originally cost $15,800 and it is equipped with a 6-cylinder motor producing 25.3 HP. Top speed was about 50 MPH.
This vehicle's main function was to serve as a 'gentlemen's hunting wagon'. This luxury vehicle was used to carry hunting or shooting parties along with their weapons, equipment and game. There actually were 81 of these hand-built vehicles produced in 1932. The coachwork by Crosbie and Dunn Ltd. of England, was constructed using Honduran and African mahogany.
Hey! This is an exotic vehicle too... There are different ways to define exotic! This is a 1925 Graham Brothers "Black Maria", really a portable jail. This 35 HP truck was rugged and simple...and it was a secure way to transport evildoers. Love the Luray Caverns paint job!
The Graham Brothers started out producing kits to convert Ford Model Ts into trucks and to modify the newer Ford Model TT's (heavier duty) trucks. Eventually they began building their own trucks. From 1921 and 1929 the Graham Brothers manufactured all of the trucks for Dodge...using Dodge engines. Actually, in 1925 Dodge purchased the Graham Brothers truck company and the Grahams were brought on board at Dodge as key executives. As a subsidiary of Dodge, by 1926 the Graham Brothers were the largest company in the world that was dedicated to truck manufacturing.
Luckily for the reader, I'm not going to go into the history of Mercedes-Benz. Nevertheless, this is indeed a Mercedes-Benz classic car. This Model S Tourwagen was built Stuttgart Germany in 1928, and only 7 vehicles using this chassis were built. The auto was designed by Ferdinand Porsche and it was built by Daimler-Benz. This was one of the first autos built under the Mercedes-Benz name. Costing $15,000, this was a fast car. This beast of an auto weighed 5,511 lbs., and it was equipped with a 6-cylinder supercharged motor producing 220 HP. It could reach speeds of 110 mph.
Cord automobiles are another luxury brand that I've expounded on previously. This is a 1930 Cord L-29 Phaeton. It features front wheel drive with the transmission mounted in front of the engine. Strangely, the shift lever is mounted on the dash panel. The motor is a water cooled Lycoming straight-8 cylinder that developed 120 HP. It's original cost was $2,595.00
If you love automobiles or even just innovative design, a visit to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn Indiana. Check it out at https://automobilemuseum.org/. The website itself is chock full of great automobile photos...
I'll end this post with this 1935 Hispano-Suiza Drophead Coupe. FYI, Hispano-Suiza refers to the original Spanish-Swiss collaboration that led to this line of automobiles. This model was created for the 1935 Paris Auto Show. It has a dual ignition system, an 8-cylinder motor that develops 132 HP and it cost $20,000 new. The accent trim and other exterior appointments were made with solid brass and German silver. The Hispano-Suiza Company had it's start in 1904 with plants in both France and Spain. It didn't hurt the company's reputation that these autos had earned the affection of Spanish King Alfonso XIII.
The Hispano-Suiza Automotive Company is still making automobiles today...over 120 years later. If you have the resources, you can order a Carmen Sagrera...shown above. There is only a 9-month waiting period before delivery. This automobile is yet another effort to save the planet in that it is fully electric. Developing 1,019 HP, it will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Cost - $3,200,000 plus taxes.
On the other hand, you could pick up an older model for a more reasonable price. In August 2022, a 1936 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet was purchased by someone in Monterey County California for a mere $1,050,000.
That's all for now. Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...
Thanks for stopping by for a visit!
Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
I love those old cars...the modern cars look really boring. Even a Citroën 2CV looks outstanding among all the vw, bmw and co.
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