The fourth annual edition of The Greenbrier Concours d'Elegance at America's Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV, crowned the 1933 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Sports Tourer as their Best of Show winner. Sunday's Concours was the culmination of a weekend full of events for car owners and enthusiasts, beginning with The Summit Drive on Friday, a picturesque drive with incredible views and historic locations. The day finished with a Welcome Reception at Kate's Mountain Lodge for food, fellowship, and entertainment. Saturday began with Cars & Cocktails with cars of all types and eras displayed on the world-class golf courses at The Greenbrier. Seminars and a Charitable Dinner followed, serving as appetizers for the main course on Sunday.

The winning Isotta-Fraschini, shown by Evergreen Historic Automobiles, is one of two known 8As surviving with the dual-cowl sports tourer body by the renowned Milanese coachbuilders, Castagna, and the only example of the two to have a 'cut-down' door on both sides. Although its chassis number indicates production around 1931, it took an additional two years to have its Castagna body built and mounted. It is believed that the completed car was displayed at the 27th Salon de l'Automobile in Paris in October of 1933, after which it was shipped to New York and exhibited in Ugo d'Annunzio's Isotta Motors showroom in Manhattan.

Since it is a later car, this Tipo 8A is equipped with the higher-horsepower 8A SS engine with larger carburetors and a vacuum tank. The 7.3-liter straight-eight engine is backed by a three-speed manual transmission, and stopping power is provided by four-wheel power-assisted mechanical drum brakes. Its wheelbase measures 145.6-inches and is suspended by a solid front axle and a live rear axle.

It is believed that the car's original owner was American radio comedian Joe Penner, whose catchphrase, 'Wanna buy a duck?' was rooted in vaudeville tradition. The car made its way to the West Coast by the 1940s, where it was acquired by Pacific Auto Rentals, an agency operated by George Schweiger, Sr., that supplied automobiles to Hollywood studios. Its 'film career' included Invisible Agent of 1942 starring alongside Ilona Massey and Peter Lorre, and Without Reservations (1946) starring John Wayne and Claudette Colbert. Additional cinema appearances included Mr. Imperium (1951) and the Ben Hogan biopic, Follow the Sun (1951), and The Wolf Man. Its most famous role was in Giant (1956) where it was driven throughout Texas by James Dean.

In 2018, the car was given a complete nut and bolt restoration and finished in its current livery.

Photo credit: Dan Vaughan / Conceptcarz.com
Dan Vaughan
posted on conceptcarz.com

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