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1933 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A news, pictures, and information | ||
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 |  |  | Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton Coachwork: Castagna Chassis Num: 1664 Engine Num: 1664 |
| Sold for $1,089,000 at 2009 Gooding & Company. | |||
At least one-third of 8A models were sold in the United States, with the chassis alone cost around $9,750. With complete coachwork, the cost often exceeded $20,000.
Originally displayed at the 1933 Paris Salon, this car was shipped to the US and sold to radio comedian Joe 'Wanna Buy a Duck' Penner. The car later became the property of Pacific Auto Rentals, a rental company serving major Hollywood studios.
This Isotta Fraschini has been featured in several movies including:
- Giant (1956) starring James Dean, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor
- Mr. Imperium (1951) starring Lana Turner and Debbie Reynolds.
- Without Reservations (1946) starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don Defore
- Invisible Agent (1942) starring Jon Hall, Ilona Massey, Peter Lorre and Cedric Hardwicke.
The coachwork was created by Ercole Castagna and is a two-door, dual cowl sports tourer. It is a one-off body with art-deco-style ornamentation on the radiator stone guard which depicts the rays of the sun. There is a rakish V-shaped windscreen, dual cut-down doors, torpedo-style running boards, and twin rear-mounted spares.
After being shown at the Paris Auto Show, the car was shipped to the Isotta Fraschini showroom in New York City for collection by American celebrity Joe Penner. Penner was a popular radio comedian whose catchphrase was 'Wanna buy a duck?' By the 1940s, the car was on the West Coast and in the collection of Pacific Auto Rentals, owned by George Schweiger. His collection of cars numbered in the 150s and many were often used by the Hollywood studios and featured in films. This Tipo 8A was used in the 1956 film, Without Reservations, starring John Wayne and Collette Colbert. It would be used in several other movies during the 1940s and the 1950s.
The car was treated to a restoration in the late 1960s when it was purchased by Matt Browning of Ogden, Utah. While in his care, the car was featured in Angelo Tito Anselmi's book on the marque, Isotta Fraschini. Ownership later past to the famed Otis Chandler collection and then to another prominent collection.
In 2009, this one-off Tipo 8A Dual Cowl Sports Tourer was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was estimated to sell for $1,000,000 - $1,500,000. The lot was sold for the sum of $1,089,000 including buyer's premium.
In 1902, Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini created the Isotta Fraschini Company. This decision was made after years of successfully importing French vehicles to Italy. Automobile production was very new and this led to the creation of hundreds of independent automobile producers world-wide. It was also a very unique time in history since the automotive market was evolving, and so were the designs. This was true for the Isotta Fraschini Company, and they were rewarded for their unique creations by continued success. The elegantly designed automobiles were popular with the rich clientele. Their creations were reliable, stylish, and quick. At Targa Florio in 1908, one of their automobiles won.
In 1912 the Isotta Fraschini Company introduced a straight eight cylinder engine but would not go into production until 1919 due to World War I. During the war, the Company shifted its resource to building airplane engines. When the war was over, the eight-cylinder engine was used to power their Tipo 8, making it the first straight-eight cylinder engine to go into production. The 5.9-liter engine was capable of producing 100 horsepower, an extremely difficult accomplishment at the time.
In 1924, the engine capacity of the engine was increased to 7.3 liters, giving the vehicle between 110 and 120 horsepower depending on the configuration. The name was modified to reflect this change and was dubbed the 8A. The company claimed the vehicle could accelerate to a top speed of 90 miles-per-hour.
The vehicle could be had in a variety of flavors and sizes. The standard model sat atop a 145 inch wheelbase while a sportier version was fitted with a 134 inch wheelbase. The price to own one of these magnificent creations was not cheap, weighing in around $20,000.
In 1931 a four-speed gearbox and a refined engine was introduced and the name was changed to 8B. As with most businesses at this time, the Great Depression and a second World War had taken its toll on the company. The company had shifted focus to creating airplane and marine engines during World War II. After the war, several efforts were made to jump-start the vehicle production but all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.
By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2006
In 1912 the Isotta Fraschini Company introduced a straight eight cylinder engine but would not go into production until 1919 due to World War I. During the war, the Company shifted its resource to building airplane engines. When the war was over, the eight-cylinder engine was used to power their Tipo 8, making it the first straight-eight cylinder engine to go into production. The 5.9-liter engine was capable of producing 100 horsepower, an extremely difficult accomplishment at the time.
In 1924, the engine capacity of the engine was increased to 7.3 liters, giving the vehicle between 110 and 120 horsepower depending on the configuration. The name was modified to reflect this change and was dubbed the 8A. The company claimed the vehicle could accelerate to a top speed of 90 miles-per-hour.
The vehicle could be had in a variety of flavors and sizes. The standard model sat atop a 145 inch wheelbase while a sportier version was fitted with a 134 inch wheelbase. The price to own one of these magnificent creations was not cheap, weighing in around $20,000.
In 1931 a four-speed gearbox and a refined engine was introduced and the name was changed to 8B. As with most businesses at this time, the Great Depression and a second World War had taken its toll on the company. The company had shifted focus to creating airplane and marine engines during World War II. After the war, several efforts were made to jump-start the vehicle production but all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.
By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2006
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| Fraschini 8A |
