1925 Locomobile Model 48 Sportif Phaeton

Locomobile found their way into the garages of America's elite, featuring some of the finest coachbuilt bodies of the era. In 1911, the firm introduced the Model 48 and called it 'The Exclusive Car for Exclusive People.' The slogan endured up until the company stopped producing automobiles in 1929.

This one-of-a-kind 1925 Locombile was custom-built for Mr. Edward T. Stotesbury, who was J. P. Morgan's business partner. Mr. Stotesbury ordered this Model 48 Locomobile in the fall of 1924 with a special order fully transformable convertible sedan body by Derham. The top can be lowered and all the windows disappear to give the car the look of a Phaeton. Upon delivery, Mr. Stotesbury had the car shipped to New York, where the car was restyled with new fenders, custom appointments, a Rolls-Royce-style hood and radiator. The eagle radiator cap, made of solid silver, denotes the automobile's distinctly American heritage. The engine glistens like jewelry, for it is composed of numerous metals, including silver, nickel, bronze, aluminum, brass, and copper. The automobile, in design and manufacture, is lavish and speaks to the wealth and sophistication of its era.

He felt that in his position as the managing director of the largest bank in America, it was not proper for him to be seen in a foreign automobile. The Locomobile was then shipped to his mansion, named 'Whitemarsh Hall,' in Philadelphia, which was the most lavish American palace ever constructed. Henry Ford was quoted as saying, 'It is a great experience to see how the rich live,' after he visited the mansion. The car was Stotesbury's personal automobile.

Some of America's wealthiest individuals purchased the automobiles produced by the Locomobile Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Period advertisements declared 'The Exclusive Car for Exclusive People.'

In 1911, the company introduced the Model 48, one of the more expensive American luxury cars. Since the company did not have a body manufacturing facility, they would select the best coachbuilders to create coachwork, often from designs created by Locomobile's own Custom Body Department.

The advanced chassis had forged members pressed from chrome-nickel steel, heat-treated and hot-riveted together. The suspension was comprised of chrome-nickel-tungsten steel leaf springs, and the T-head, 7.0-liter six-cylinder engine had a drop-forged alloy steel crankshaft, a bronze crankcase, and aluminum intake manifold with bronze-bodied carburetor.

This particular Model 48 was custom-built for a business partner of J.P. Morgan, Edward T. Stotesbury. The fully transformable all-weather body was built by Derham, and all the windows and top could be lowered for the sporty look of a phaeton. It was given restyled fenders, a radiator with Mr. Stotesbury's monogram, and a Rolls-Royce-style hood.

When the Model 48 was completed, it was delivered to Mr. Stotesbury at his new mansion in Philadelphia, Whitemarsh Hall.

In the early 2000s, Concours Classic Motorcars was commissioned for a full frame-off restoration of this Locomobile. after the work was completed, it won a Best in Class Award at the 2005 Greenwich Concours, Best in Class Blue Ribbon at the Meadow Brook Concours in 2005, and the Most Outstand Custom Coachwork award at the 2005 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

This Locomobile was later acquired by the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California where it would reside for a number of years before entering The Gregorie Neck Collection around 2013.

This 1925 Locomobile Model 48 Derham Convertible Sedan currently has 22,103 miles on its odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024