1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS

The Italian Isotta Fraschini Company manufactured luxury cars, trucks, and marine and aviation engines. The company was founded in Milan on January 29, 1900, by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini. Their earliest automobile built under the Isotta Fraschini nameplate was a 24-horsepower, four-cylinder model that proved its performance through motorsport competition. Larger and more powerful models would carry the Isotta Fraschini banner, elevating the company's reputation and demonstrating their engineering prowess. Among the early accolades was a victory in the 1908 Targa Florio. They were early proponents of overhead camshaft designs (OHC) and one of the first companies to successfully market cars with four-wheel brakes.

Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 (1919 to 1924)

The Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8 was introduced in 1919, and by this point, the company's reputation for building high-performance automobiles had been well established. The Tipo 8's arrival was significant, as it was the first time a straight eight was used in series production in Italy. The 360.2 cubic-inch (5.9 liter / 5,902cc) straight-eight initially offered 80 horsepower and was paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Horsepower rose and a four-speed manual was added as the years progressed. Built solely as a rolling chassis, bodies were often created by Italy's finest coachbuilders, such as Cesare Sala and Carrozzeria Castagna.

Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A

The Tipo 8A served as a replacement for the Tipo 8 and remained in production from 1924 until 1931. The previous 5.9-liter engine gave way to a 7.3-liter straight-eight that offered 115 to 160 metric horsepower, making it the most powerful mass-produced straight-8 engine in the world. The new model was aimed directly at the lucrative American market, and at one point, the Isotta Fraschini was the most expensive foreign automobile sold in the United States, exceeding event that of a Duesenberg. All Isotta Fraschinis were built with right-hand drive, which made them popular with chauffeurs who could more easily open the curb-side door for their employer.

The Tipo 8A 'S' was an optional, tuned version with the 'S' representing 'Sprinto' or 'tuned'. The Tipo 8A S models often received the short wheelbase chassis, a tuned engine with a higher compression ratio, a higher numerical final-drive ratio, and lightweight coachwork. The company could accommodate the mechanical specifications, but it was up to the coachbuilder to accommodate the lightweight body. Additionally, Some customers preferred the 'S' specification but a longer wheelbase chassis.

The Tipo 8A 'SS', or 'Super Sprint', featured twin carburetors, higher compression engines, and rear axles tuned for higher speeds. Some examples were built on the shortened platform, while others were built on the standard and long wheelbase chassis.

Approximately 950 of the 8A and 8A S models were built.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by LeBaron
Chassis number: 1353

By the late 1920s, Italy's Isotta Fraschini had earned a reputation for both performance and luxury among well-heeled American buyers.

The Isotta Fraschini 7.3-liter Tipo 8A, launched in 1924, was built to three different specifications - the standard Tipo 8A on a 145-inch wheelbase and two powerful 150 horsepower models, the Spinto S, and Super Spinto SS, each on a 134-inch chassis.

Isotta Fraschini marketed their elegant automobiles to the new American aristocracy, the stars of stage and screen - and they flocked to Isotta's showrooms on Fifth Avenue in New York City, often paying a lot more for an Isotta than they would have paid for a Model J Duesenberg. Clara Bow and Rudolph Valentino both owned Isottas.

The chassis of this Isotta Fraschini was built in Italy and then delivered to the LeBaron Company in the United States to have the boattail body with a single rumble seat put on it. Its 160 horsepower straight-eight engine made this a powerful and fast car.

Built in Italy and with Custom Coachwork by LeBaron, this Isotta-Fraschini was introduced at the 1928 New York Auto Show. Two such custom boattail bodies were produced. Isotta-Fraschini's were favorites among those such as silent movie star Rudolph Valentino and this particular car was owned by 'America's Darling of Broadway and The Silent Screen,' Marguerite Clark (born in Cincinnati, Ohio) and her husband the aviator Harry Williams. Ms. Clark was the inspiration for the Walt Disney character of 'Snow White.'

This car, which has been unknown to the collector community, is a wonderful piece of history. In 2007, it was shown for the first time in public since the 1930's. The car only has 22,000 original miles and was previously owned by collector Jim Thomas of Florida since the 1960's. The current owner showed the car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2007 where it placed Second in Class.

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 worldwide. It was also a 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 were introduced, and the name was changed to 8B. As with most businesses at this time, the Great Depression and the Second World War had taken their 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 vehicle production, but all attempts failed. The factory was forced to close.

by Dan Vaughan