1940 Graham Hollywood

The Graham brothers (Joseph B., Robert C., and Ray A.) sold their interest in a glass manufacturing company to the Libbey-Owens-Ford Company, a producer of flat glass for the automotive and building products industries, and began in 1919 to produce kits to convert Ford Model T vehicles into trucks. Using engines from various manufacturers, they built trucks under the Graham Brothers brand, eventually settling on Dodge engines and selling through Dodge dealerships. The Graham Brothers truck firm was acquired by Dodge in 1925, and the three Graham brothers worked in executive roles within Dodge.

Dodge was taken over by the Chrysler Corporation in 1928, and the Graham Brothers brands were dissolved a year later.

From Glass, to Trucks, to Automobiles
The Graham brothers had been successful in glass and truck manufacturing when they decided to enter the very competitive automobile market in the mid-1920s. They acquired the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company in 1927 for the sum of $3.5 million. Paige had a history that dated back to 1908 and, over time, built a reputation for its luxury automobiles. Founded by Fredrick Osgood Paige, the company advertised its Daytona model of the early 1920s as 'The most beautiful car in America.' They were also known for their budget-friendly Jewett model, named after the Paige company president, H.M. Jewett.

The Graham Brothers bought the Paige company on June 10, 1927, with Joseph Graham serving as the new president and his brothers Robert and Ray as vice-president and secretary-treasurer, respectively. The corporate name soon changed to Graham-Paige Motors Corporation.

Under the Graham brother's guidance, production rose from 21,881 units in 1927 to 73,195 the following year. The product name changed to just Graham with the introduction of the second series of 1930 cars, but the corporate name remained unchanged. Poised as an entry-intermediate to upper-intermediate vehicle manufacturer, both six- and eight-cylinder models were offered among twelve models and five chassis with prices that ranged from $860 to nearly $2,500.

Graham Assistant Chief Engineer Floyd F. Kishline designed a crankshaft-driven supercharger in 1934. Initially, it was offered solely on the 8-cylinder models, but adapted to the six in 1936 when the eight-cylinder engines were dropped. They produced more supercharged cars than any other automobile manufacturer until Buick surpassed them in the 1990s.

Graham introduced a succession of styling innovations, with its Bluestreak and 'shark nose' models among the most daring designs of the 1930s. Unfortunately, Graham never fully recovered from the Great Depression and built its final automobile in 1940. Manufacturing was suspended in September 1940, but the plant re-opened for military production during World War II. Following the war, with all of its automotive assets transferred to Kaiser-Franzer, it resumed automobile production with the 1947 Franzer, named for new Graham-Paige president Joseph W. Frazer, in partnership with Henry J. Kaiser.

1940 Graham Models
All 1940 Graham models rested atop a 120-inch wheelbase platform and were powered by a 217 cubic-inch L-head inline 6-cylinder engine breathing through a single Tillotson carburetor. The Deluxe and Custom Model 108 were naturally aspirated, while the DeLuxe and Custom Model 107 were supercharged. With the supercharger, the engine offered 116 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. The transmission was a three-speed manual, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes provided the stopping power. The suspension was via semi-elliptic leaf springs. Body styles included a coupe, two-door sedan, and four-door sedan.

The Hollywood models of 1940 and 1941 had unibody construction with body panels that were modified Cord 810/812 stampings. Wheelbases measured 115 inches.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2023