Want to cheat the wind and look good doing it? Try a Hupmobile in just the right condition and with lots of documentation.

This 1936 Hupmobile we found for sale on Facebook Marketplace reflects the novel and unique aerodynamic styling introduced on Hupmobiles in 1934. They were splendid looking cars with faired-in headlamps, three-piece windshields, and tire-carrying fastback models. The overall wind-cheating looks are attributed to two celebrities of automotive design: Raymond Loewy and Amos Northup. As good looking and innovative as the mid-1930s Hupmobiles were, there was a lot of drama behind the scenes at the company. While management fought over control, Hupmobile (aka Hupp) sales declined. It didn’t help that at this time, all surviving car makers were still trying to recover from the economic devastation of the Great Depression, especially independents such as Hupp. When the dust cleared in the Hupmobile board room in late 1935, there wasn’t much left of the company to fight over. As a result, Hupmobile ceased building its 1936 models in December 1935, making this 1936 example extremely rare. (There was no new 1937 Hupmobile, but new six- and eight-cylinder models did arrive for 1938.)

This 1936 Hupp two-door sedan is such a rare find, we’ve never seen another in our travels to AACA shows, concours events and other car shows around the country. From the pictures, the car looks to be a solid and complete car. According to the seller, it’s rust-free and been stored in a museum for 50 years. Museums are generally great for keeping cars dry and intact, but such lengthy storage means it probably deserves a thorough mechanical inspection before hitting the road again. (The seller states it will need brake work.) However, the ad says the six-cylinder runs smooth and “like a top” and if the 13,000 miles showing on the odometer reflect the actual mileage, there’s no reason to think it doesn’t run like a watch. And since it hasn’t been body-off-frame restored, you won’t be afraid to drive it.

The seller says he’s the second owner and the car includes the title from the original owner, and a lot of the car’s service records are included in its documentation. The car carried a base price of about $835 when new ($15,400 in today’s dollars), so with the car’s current $11,500 asking price being below the rate of inflation, can you really go wrong? You’re certain to be the only one at the next cruise-in or car show with a 1936 Hupp.

Afraid to own an orphan? Don’t fret – The Hupmobile Club is an active group with an Old Cars Golden Quill Award-winning publication (The Hupp Herald), a website and a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hupmobileclub/

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The post We’d buy that:1936 Hupmobile appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

New York – Bonhams is proud to announce that in April it will have the privilege of auctioning the renowned Tupelo Automobile Museum Collection.

Built by TV and telecommunications pioneer, Frank K. Spain, the famed Mississippi collection comprises more than 160 automobiles from every decade of motoring, beginning from the 1890s through the 1990s. Highlighted by major American classics, such as a 1948 Tucker that was one of the original Indianapolis test cars and a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Sedan, prestigious British and European marques are also represented, such as Bentley and Lagonda, and Hispano-Suiza and Talbot-Lago, to name a few.

With a lifelong passion for automobiles, Spain began building his extensive collection from the early 1970s until his passing in 2006. Predating the modern era of the internet, his searches were done the old-fashioned way, following-up on tips, responding to obscure advertisements in newspapers, and attending local, national and international events, including the famed Harrah Collection sales. 

Says Rupert Banner, Bonhams Vice President of Motoring, “The collection is a cornucopia of wonderful machines, telling the story of the development of the automobile and charting the various ways in which manufacturers pioneered self-propelled vehicles. The scale, breadth and presentation of Spain’s museum is just extremely impressive.” 

With so many rare, original and pioneering vehicles, the collection is already internationally renowned. To give some idea of the degree to which the history of the automobile is covered, represented marques include: Allard, Alvis, AMC, Amphicar, Apperson, Aston Martin, Auburn, Benz, BMW, Bricklin, Brush, Buick, Cadillac, Cartercar, Chalmers, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroën, Cord, Delaunay-Belleville, Desoto, Detroit Electric, De Lorean, Dodge, Firestone, Ford, Franklin, Gardner, Glide, Graham, Hupmobile, International, Jaguar, Jensen, Kaiser, La Salle, Leslie, Lozier, Marmon, Martin, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Messerschmitt, MG, Minerva, Mitchell, Morgan, Nash, Oldsmobile, Opel, Owen Magnetic, Packard, Paterson, Peerless, Pierce-Arrow, Plymouth, Pontiac, Porsche, Queen, REO, Rolls-Royce, Saxon, Sears, Stanley, Studebaker, Stutz, Sunbeam, Talbot-Lago, Toyota, Triton, Trumbull, Triumph, Tucker, Volkswagen, Westcott, White and Winton.

And with Tupelo being the birthplace of Elvis Presley, there’s a 1976 Lincoln Continental Mk IV purchased by Elvis, complete with a copy of the check Elvis wrote and his famous “TCB” (Taking Care of Business) logo etched into the side windows. Additionally, the extensive collection of motoring signs decorating the museum walls will also be sold.

Bonhams will be taking care of business on April 26th and 27th, when the doors of the Tupelo Automobile Museum will open for one last time, with previewing taking place on April 25th. 

Jane Spain, Frank’s wife and partner in their car collecting journey, said, “For more than a decade it has been the greatest pleasure to honor my husband and to see people come to his home town to appreciate the collection he enjoyed building. Ultimately, I feel that the greatest legacy of his passion for engineering, design and the motorcar is for them to be shared with other collectors and for that reason I’ve made the difficult decision to part with this collection. In selling the group, the proceeds will go to a charitable educational foundation. I hope that others will enjoy acquiring and owning them as much as he did.”

More information about this historic sale will be posted in the coming weeks at Bonhams.com/Tupelo.

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