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Details
Photo copyright for main shots: Fotostudio Zumbrunn
Photo credit for detail shots: Tony Baker/Classic & Sports Car
The 1995 Pebble Beach Best of Show Winner
1931 ISOTTA FRASCHINI TIPO 8B VIGGO JENSEN CABRIOLET d'ORSAY
COACHWORK BY DANSK KAROSSERI-FABRIK
Chassis No. 869 (1720) See text
Engine No. 821 (see text)
Maroon with maroon leather to front, ostrich skin upholstery in the passenger compartment and maroon soft top
Engine: L-head, straight eight cylinders, 7,370cc, 160bhp at 3,000rpm; Gearbox: three-speed manual; Suspension: semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear; Brakes: four-wheel servo-operated mechanical, foot and hand brakes operating on all wheels. Right hand drive.
If Alfa Romeo was the greatest Italian sports car in the 1930s, then the Isotta-Fraschini was its luxury counterpart. This was the true thoroughbred of Italian motor cars in its day. Established as an automaker in 1902 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Fraschini (Oreste, Vincenzo and Antonio), from around 1920 to the early 1930s Isottas were more popular in the United States than any other foreign marque except for Rolls-Royce. One of the world's most innovative automakers, IF introduced four wheel brakes in 1909, and the Tipo 8 series, unveiled in August 1912, featured an in-line eight cylinder engine, the first of its type put into series production anywhere in the world. The Tipo 8A series, introduced in 1924, offered 115hp, a redesigned frame and suspension and Isotta's highly regarded three-speed synchromesh transmission. In America, where nearly a third of Isottas were sold, the price of an 8A exceeded even that of a Model J Duesenberg; a chassis alone was priced at $9,750, and coachbuilt models were demanding upwards of $20,000.
Isottas were owned by the likes of King Faisal, the Queen of Romania, the Agha Khan, Pope Pius XI and William Randolph Hearst among others. The 8A models are often seen with a hooded cobra radiator ornament inspired by a similar mascot fitted to the hood of film star Rudolph Valentino's Isotta-Fraschini 8A Coupe de Ville. The original was given to the actor by friends Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. when Valentino completed the 1925 Paramount film, Cobra. There were other movie connections too; in Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson was driven around by Erich von Stronheim, and in the 1956 epic film Giant, James Dean playing Jet Rink drove an Isotta.
The Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A had the most powerful production straight eight engine when it was introduced in the mid-1920s. Most models were mounted on a very long 145" wheelbase chassis. There was an original guarantee that these cars would do 90mph, with the capability of running at both 90mph and 2½ mph in the same gear. About 950 Tipo 8As were built during the 1925-1931 model run.
By 1931 the company was struggling as the Great Depression in the USA had severely affected sales of expensive vehicles. Thus, in order to boost sales, the company introduced a new model, the Tipo 8B. The changes were not dramatic and largely involved engine and chassis/suspension improvements. The engine refinements included a heavier crankshaft, larger valves, lighter valve gear, H section connecting rods, double separate exhaust manifolds and twin Zenith carburetors that resulted in raising the horsepower to some 160bhp at 3,000 rpm. A new stronger chassis frame was utilized and this came with additional cross members for greater rigidity. At the same time softer elliptic springs and double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers were employed. Smaller wheels were fitted using larger tires (20 x 7in) and the radiator was made deeper and the shell now carried shutters. It is believed that only around 28 Tipo 8Bs were ever built.
The company was nearly saved by Henry Ford who was anxious to produce Isottas in Detroit and have his cars built in Italy, but the Italian government blocked this deal. Instead in 1932 the aircraft maker Count Caproni di Talideo, who considered the aero engines as indispensable for his own business, acquired the company. Car production virtually ceased that year and apart from a brief attempt at a rear engined V8 vehicle in the post-war period, Isotta Fraschini disappeared from car manufacture.
This particular car has an intriguing history and according to the past President of the IF club in Italy, Nunzio Ferrari, this rare 8B model was probably built in January 1931. Owing to the precarious state of the company some creative chassis and engine numbering occurred in order to avoid customs duties and to provide the sales manager with an added bonus! As built, this 8B should have been numbered 1720 for both engine and chassis. Its retail price would have been 125,000 Italian Lire. However, as the price of an 8A was some 75,000 lire, the sales manager sold the car to the Swedish importer/concessionaire at the 8A price and he had the car plated as an 8A and the engine stamped as an 8A using the following numbers: Chassis No. 869 and Engine No. 821. The importer in Sweden pre-sold the car new to Denmark and charged the full 125,000 lire price and split the difference with the sales manager. The export papers had to show an 8A chassis at the 75,000 lire price. It was assumed correctly that customs officials would not have known the difference between an 8A or 8B.
The Swedish importer's client was the Danish Consul General Mr. Carl Glad and he chose the relatively unknown coachbuilders Dansk-Karosseri-Fabrik of Copenhagen to build the bodywork to a design by Viggo Jensen. Initially a closed Coupe de Ville was constructed, although no pictures of this car have survived. In about 1933 the car was either re-bodied or considerably modified to a full cabriolet when he gave it a folding top over the passenger's (rear) compartment. In the late 1930s the fenders were modified by the addition of skirts. This stunning car was painted pale beige and was used extensively by Mr. Glad for his professional and diplomatic needs, parades, processions and other official ceremonies. The Isotta was also used on many long distance trips including one taken by the diplomat's son, Robert, to the Arctic Circle in 1939. The car returned the day before war broke out. In addition, the car became well known within the Scandinavian Territories and was used for ceremonial parades by King Christian X.
The Glad family retained the Isotta until the late 1960s when they sold it to some close family friends and neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Erik Orth. They participated in a few antique car shows in Denmark during the 70s. After that the car was displayed in a Copenhagen museum which then closed, and the car disappeared into storage. In 1986 it was rediscovered in a lamentable condition in the back of a garage and was sold by the daughter of Erik Orth. It was brought shortly after to the Hershey Autojumble where it was spotted and immediately purchased by the current owners.
After carrying out some research on the history of this vehicle, which in reality had just had two owners from new, and realizing it was a unique and highly imposing car, the decision was made to fully restore the car beginning in 1991. This exhaustive and meticulous restoration, documented by photographs, took nearly five years to complete and the entire vehicle was disassembled down to the last nut and bolt and rebuilt. New front fenders were made as the original ones had been modified and made to look much heavier. No expense was spared for the restoration and when the owner decided he wanted a full set of Grebel headlights to match the driver's spotlight (many Isottas had Grebel lights from new), a set was acquired at a cost of $25,000! When the interior was stripped out a piece of leather was found hidden under the rear seat and his upholsterer identified it as ostrich. Naturally the owner wanted to restore the car to its former glory and therefore the passenger compartment was finished using ostrich skin. Matching this splendid upholstery is beautiful inlaid birdseye maple and mahogany woodwork, art deco grab handles and cut glass decanters and glasses in the rear drinks cabinet. The attention to detail is quite exquisite down to making, from original drawings, a beautiful rear license plate holder. The unusual front bumper is made from solid brass and, like all the brightwork on the car, is finished in polished nickel. Rich maroon paintwork was chosen and complements the coachwork and fixtures and fittings in a remarkable fashion. Proportionally the Isotta Fraschini is a visual delight from the beautiful radiator and mascot through the long hood to the very low and raked front and rear windshields, sweeping fenders, side mounted spare wheels, wooden running boards and tool trays, monogrammed wheel spinners, neat rear roof line with landau irons and a rear mounted trunk.
This stunning restoration was duly rewarded at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance when the just completed Isotta Fraschini was given top honors, winning the coveted Best of Show award against stiff competition. The following year the car traveled to Europe and was variously shown or displayed at a number of prestigious events including Retromobile in Paris, Techno Classica Essen in Germany, the Louis Vuitton Classic at The Hurlingham Club in London (where it took the Best in Show award), the Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood and the Concours Automobiles Classiques et Louis Vuitton au Parc de Bagatelle in Paris (where it won the Prix Automobiles Classiques). More recently the car was again seen at the 2000 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
This fabulous Isotta Fraschini is still in concours condition and has only been driven some 100 miles since the restoration was completed. The current belief is that there are only three Tipo 8B models left anywhere in the world and this car would be a prized edition to any world class car collection.
Photo credit for detail shots: Tony Baker/Classic & Sports Car
The 1995 Pebble Beach Best of Show Winner
1931 ISOTTA FRASCHINI TIPO 8B VIGGO JENSEN CABRIOLET d'ORSAY
COACHWORK BY DANSK KAROSSERI-FABRIK
Chassis No. 869 (1720) See text
Engine No. 821 (see text)
Maroon with maroon leather to front, ostrich skin upholstery in the passenger compartment and maroon soft top
Engine: L-head, straight eight cylinders, 7,370cc, 160bhp at 3,000rpm; Gearbox: three-speed manual; Suspension: semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear; Brakes: four-wheel servo-operated mechanical, foot and hand brakes operating on all wheels. Right hand drive.
If Alfa Romeo was the greatest Italian sports car in the 1930s, then the Isotta-Fraschini was its luxury counterpart. This was the true thoroughbred of Italian motor cars in its day. Established as an automaker in 1902 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Fraschini (Oreste, Vincenzo and Antonio), from around 1920 to the early 1930s Isottas were more popular in the United States than any other foreign marque except for Rolls-Royce. One of the world's most innovative automakers, IF introduced four wheel brakes in 1909, and the Tipo 8 series, unveiled in August 1912, featured an in-line eight cylinder engine, the first of its type put into series production anywhere in the world. The Tipo 8A series, introduced in 1924, offered 115hp, a redesigned frame and suspension and Isotta's highly regarded three-speed synchromesh transmission. In America, where nearly a third of Isottas were sold, the price of an 8A exceeded even that of a Model J Duesenberg; a chassis alone was priced at $9,750, and coachbuilt models were demanding upwards of $20,000.
Isottas were owned by the likes of King Faisal, the Queen of Romania, the Agha Khan, Pope Pius XI and William Randolph Hearst among others. The 8A models are often seen with a hooded cobra radiator ornament inspired by a similar mascot fitted to the hood of film star Rudolph Valentino's Isotta-Fraschini 8A Coupe de Ville. The original was given to the actor by friends Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. when Valentino completed the 1925 Paramount film, Cobra. There were other movie connections too; in Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson was driven around by Erich von Stronheim, and in the 1956 epic film Giant, James Dean playing Jet Rink drove an Isotta.
The Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A had the most powerful production straight eight engine when it was introduced in the mid-1920s. Most models were mounted on a very long 145" wheelbase chassis. There was an original guarantee that these cars would do 90mph, with the capability of running at both 90mph and 2½ mph in the same gear. About 950 Tipo 8As were built during the 1925-1931 model run.
By 1931 the company was struggling as the Great Depression in the USA had severely affected sales of expensive vehicles. Thus, in order to boost sales, the company introduced a new model, the Tipo 8B. The changes were not dramatic and largely involved engine and chassis/suspension improvements. The engine refinements included a heavier crankshaft, larger valves, lighter valve gear, H section connecting rods, double separate exhaust manifolds and twin Zenith carburetors that resulted in raising the horsepower to some 160bhp at 3,000 rpm. A new stronger chassis frame was utilized and this came with additional cross members for greater rigidity. At the same time softer elliptic springs and double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers were employed. Smaller wheels were fitted using larger tires (20 x 7in) and the radiator was made deeper and the shell now carried shutters. It is believed that only around 28 Tipo 8Bs were ever built.
The company was nearly saved by Henry Ford who was anxious to produce Isottas in Detroit and have his cars built in Italy, but the Italian government blocked this deal. Instead in 1932 the aircraft maker Count Caproni di Talideo, who considered the aero engines as indispensable for his own business, acquired the company. Car production virtually ceased that year and apart from a brief attempt at a rear engined V8 vehicle in the post-war period, Isotta Fraschini disappeared from car manufacture.
This particular car has an intriguing history and according to the past President of the IF club in Italy, Nunzio Ferrari, this rare 8B model was probably built in January 1931. Owing to the precarious state of the company some creative chassis and engine numbering occurred in order to avoid customs duties and to provide the sales manager with an added bonus! As built, this 8B should have been numbered 1720 for both engine and chassis. Its retail price would have been 125,000 Italian Lire. However, as the price of an 8A was some 75,000 lire, the sales manager sold the car to the Swedish importer/concessionaire at the 8A price and he had the car plated as an 8A and the engine stamped as an 8A using the following numbers: Chassis No. 869 and Engine No. 821. The importer in Sweden pre-sold the car new to Denmark and charged the full 125,000 lire price and split the difference with the sales manager. The export papers had to show an 8A chassis at the 75,000 lire price. It was assumed correctly that customs officials would not have known the difference between an 8A or 8B.
The Swedish importer's client was the Danish Consul General Mr. Carl Glad and he chose the relatively unknown coachbuilders Dansk-Karosseri-Fabrik of Copenhagen to build the bodywork to a design by Viggo Jensen. Initially a closed Coupe de Ville was constructed, although no pictures of this car have survived. In about 1933 the car was either re-bodied or considerably modified to a full cabriolet when he gave it a folding top over the passenger's (rear) compartment. In the late 1930s the fenders were modified by the addition of skirts. This stunning car was painted pale beige and was used extensively by Mr. Glad for his professional and diplomatic needs, parades, processions and other official ceremonies. The Isotta was also used on many long distance trips including one taken by the diplomat's son, Robert, to the Arctic Circle in 1939. The car returned the day before war broke out. In addition, the car became well known within the Scandinavian Territories and was used for ceremonial parades by King Christian X.
The Glad family retained the Isotta until the late 1960s when they sold it to some close family friends and neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Erik Orth. They participated in a few antique car shows in Denmark during the 70s. After that the car was displayed in a Copenhagen museum which then closed, and the car disappeared into storage. In 1986 it was rediscovered in a lamentable condition in the back of a garage and was sold by the daughter of Erik Orth. It was brought shortly after to the Hershey Autojumble where it was spotted and immediately purchased by the current owners.
After carrying out some research on the history of this vehicle, which in reality had just had two owners from new, and realizing it was a unique and highly imposing car, the decision was made to fully restore the car beginning in 1991. This exhaustive and meticulous restoration, documented by photographs, took nearly five years to complete and the entire vehicle was disassembled down to the last nut and bolt and rebuilt. New front fenders were made as the original ones had been modified and made to look much heavier. No expense was spared for the restoration and when the owner decided he wanted a full set of Grebel headlights to match the driver's spotlight (many Isottas had Grebel lights from new), a set was acquired at a cost of $25,000! When the interior was stripped out a piece of leather was found hidden under the rear seat and his upholsterer identified it as ostrich. Naturally the owner wanted to restore the car to its former glory and therefore the passenger compartment was finished using ostrich skin. Matching this splendid upholstery is beautiful inlaid birdseye maple and mahogany woodwork, art deco grab handles and cut glass decanters and glasses in the rear drinks cabinet. The attention to detail is quite exquisite down to making, from original drawings, a beautiful rear license plate holder. The unusual front bumper is made from solid brass and, like all the brightwork on the car, is finished in polished nickel. Rich maroon paintwork was chosen and complements the coachwork and fixtures and fittings in a remarkable fashion. Proportionally the Isotta Fraschini is a visual delight from the beautiful radiator and mascot through the long hood to the very low and raked front and rear windshields, sweeping fenders, side mounted spare wheels, wooden running boards and tool trays, monogrammed wheel spinners, neat rear roof line with landau irons and a rear mounted trunk.
This stunning restoration was duly rewarded at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance when the just completed Isotta Fraschini was given top honors, winning the coveted Best of Show award against stiff competition. The following year the car traveled to Europe and was variously shown or displayed at a number of prestigious events including Retromobile in Paris, Techno Classica Essen in Germany, the Louis Vuitton Classic at The Hurlingham Club in London (where it took the Best in Show award), the Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood and the Concours Automobiles Classiques et Louis Vuitton au Parc de Bagatelle in Paris (where it won the Prix Automobiles Classiques). More recently the car was again seen at the 2000 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
This fabulous Isotta Fraschini is still in concours condition and has only been driven some 100 miles since the restoration was completed. The current belief is that there are only three Tipo 8B models left anywhere in the world and this car would be a prized edition to any world class car collection.
Special notice
Notice Regarding the Sale of Ivory and Tortoiseshell
Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing ivory or tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.