THIS GRAPHIC IS FROM THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "AUTOMOBILIA" FOLDER IN THE LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION.THE "HOLLYWOOD" WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT HAD ALL THE GUYS OF THE LATE 30'S AND 40'S SALIVATING. AUTO BUYERS WERE LOOKING FOR NEWER AUTO DESIGNS, GETTING WEARY OF THE "BOXY" TYPE AUTOS OF THE EARLY 30'S. IN THE MID 30'S CHRYSLER INTRODUCED THE "AIRFLOW" DESIGN WHICH WERE ADVERTISED AS BEING "STREAMLINED." THEN IN THE LATE 30'S GRAHAM-PAIGE INTRODUCED THE REVOLUTIONARY "SHARK NOSE," GRAHAM. THE CORD AND THE ABOVE GRAHAM "HOLLYWOOD" CONTINUED THE TREND TO MORE "STREAMLINED" AUTO CONSTRUCTION. BY THE WAY......NOTE THAT THE "HOLLYWOOD" SPORTED WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS "SUICIDE DOORS;" THE NAME DERIVED FROM THE FACT THAT THE FRONT DOORS OPENED FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONAL LOCATION ON THE SIDE.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: tglover320@optimum.net
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
1940: GRAHAM HOLLYWOOD
THIS GRAPHIC IS FROM THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "AUTOMOBILIA" FOLDER IN THE LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION.THE "HOLLYWOOD" WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT HAD ALL THE GUYS OF THE LATE 30'S AND 40'S SALIVATING. AUTO BUYERS WERE LOOKING FOR NEWER AUTO DESIGNS, GETTING WEARY OF THE "BOXY" TYPE AUTOS OF THE EARLY 30'S. IN THE MID 30'S CHRYSLER INTRODUCED THE "AIRFLOW" DESIGN WHICH WERE ADVERTISED AS BEING "STREAMLINED." THEN IN THE LATE 30'S GRAHAM-PAIGE INTRODUCED THE REVOLUTIONARY "SHARK NOSE," GRAHAM. THE CORD AND THE ABOVE GRAHAM "HOLLYWOOD" CONTINUED THE TREND TO MORE "STREAMLINED" AUTO CONSTRUCTION. BY THE WAY......NOTE THAT THE "HOLLYWOOD" SPORTED WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS "SUICIDE DOORS;" THE NAME DERIVED FROM THE FACT THAT THE FRONT DOORS OPENED FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONAL LOCATION ON THE SIDE.
Hi Tom, This dealership was just off Cedar Lane heading toward Liberty St. I don't know if the building is still there.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this car did not go over very well with the public. The Graham Hollywood and it's twin brother, the Hupmobile Skylark were actually retreaded 1936/37 Cord 810/812 bodies on a shortened wheelbase.
The Cord was an expensive, very exotic automobile, produced in Auburn Indiana, by the Cord, Auburn, Duesenberg, Co. It was powered by a 125 HP flathead V8 engine and was front wheel drive. Cord ceased operation in 1937. In 1938, a deal was made for Hupmobile to purchase the body dies, to build a more pedestrian version of the Cord with a six cylinder engine and rear wheel drive. Hupp did not have the manufacturing capacity to build the car, so another deal was struck for Graham to build the cars in their plant, hence two nearly identical cars. Neither sold well and it was all over before the end of 1940. This is a simplified story of a very complicated undertaking.
I think Bozarth went on to sell De Sotos, but that's another story I need to research.
Hey Ray:
ReplyDeleteHow I love it when an informed visitor adds historic information to my posts! This is what my blog is all about, and makes all the work in compiling these graphics and articles worth the effort! Thank you so much for your input, Ray. I hope you continue to visit. There will be additional AUTOMOBILIA material posted in the future. Nice to hear from you again.
Tom Glover