1933 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A

Isotta Fraschini was founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini. The early production cars focused on high horsepower and luxury, with several notable racing successes, including a victory in the 1908 Targa Florio. In 1919, the company introduced the Tipo 8, the first production car to be powered by a straight-eight engine. Around half of the Tipo 8 examples were sent to America and often found their way into celebrity ownership. Isotta Fraschini provided the rolling chassis which was sent off to be clothed with coachwork produced by the finest coachbuilders of the era. A long hood and cowl concealed the massive 8A engine, with the early examples featuring a push-rod operated, overhead-valve unit displacing 5.9-liters and offering 80 horsepower. There were sophisticated with mechanical, servo-operated, four-wheel brakes. In 1924, Isotta Fraschini introduced the revised Tipo 8A with had a 7.3-liter engine offering 115 horsepower, the most powerful straight-eight in production. Along with a three-speed synchromesh transmission, the chassis and suspension received improvements.

Options beyond the standard 8A included the Spinto or Super Spinto, the phrase translating as 'racy' or 'driven', with twin carburetors and higher compression engines developing 150bhp and rear axle ratios for higher speeds. Some examples rested on shorter wheelbase chassis frames, although the coachbuilders preferred the standard chassis on which to practice their finest art. The standard Tipo 8A had a lengthy wheelbase of 145 inches, while the S and SS models had a shorter 134-inch wheelbase. Each car came with a factory guarantee that it was capable of 90 mph.

Even though the cost of an 8A in the United States exceeded even that of a Duesenberg Model J, they were the second most popular foreign make after Rolls-Royce. The chassis alone demanded a price of nearly $10,000 with coach-built examples costing upwards of $20,000. Like most manufacturers, Isotta Fraschini was hit hard by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Depression, as one-third of all Tipo 8 production was sent to the United States.

An improved Tipo 8B with a four-speed transmission was introduced in 1931, but it is thought that fewer than 100 examples were built compared with 320 of the Tipo 8 and 950 of the 8A.

Henry Ford planned to save the failing Isotta Fraschini, but instead, it was rescued by aircraft manufacturer Count Caproni di Talideo in 1932. Prewar car production ceased in 1935 as Isotta Fraschini concentrated on aero engines and trucks. A comeback was attempted in 1947 with a rear-engined V8, but only a few cars were completed.

by Dan Vaughan

Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton by Castagna
Chassis number: 1664
Engine number: 1664

One of the early racing highlights of the Società Milanese Automobili Isotta, Fraschini & C. was a victory in the 1908 Targa Florio. The early production vehicles focused on high horsepower and were very successful in motorsports. In 1919, the firm moved into the luxury automotive market with the introduction of the Tipo 8.

The Tipo 8 was introduced by Isotta Fraschini in 1919, making it the first vehicle to feature a 'production' inline eight-cylinder engine. In 1924, the Tipo 8 chassis was thoroughly redesigned, resulting in improved performance and a more comfortable ride. Another benefit was that it could accommodate even larger, heavier, and more stately bodies that had grown in popularity during the mid-1920s. This new update was soon dubbed the Tipo 8A.

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 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 passed 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 $1,089,000, including the buyer's premium.

Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton by Castagna
Chassis number: 1664
Engine number: 1664

Isotta Fraschini was founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini. The marque is remembered for producing some of the most luxurious and prestigious cars ever built. They offered one of the first cars with four-wheel brakes and were also among the early pioneers of overhead cam engines. The Tipo 8 was the first production automobile to be powered by a straight-eight engine in 1919.

This chassis was assembled in 1931 with the higher horsepower 8A SS features including a larger vacuum tank and carburetors. The one-off hand-built dual cowl body commissioned by Isotti Fraschini, was designed by Ercole Castagna and was not completed until 1933. It is one of only two known examples of the two-door Sports Tourer produced by Castagna. It was shown by Isotta-Fraschini at the 27th Salon de l'Automobile in Paris in October 1933 before being shipped to New York and put on display at the Isotta-Fraschini showroom in Manhattan. The car's first owner was the famous radio comedian Joe Penner. In the 1940s, it was sold to the George Schweiger Pacific Auto Rentals Collection in Hollywood and became quite the movie star, appearing in many films. The car starred alongside John Wayne and Claudette Colbert in the 1946 film Without Reservations, but its most famous role was in the 1956 film Giant, when it was driven by James Dean.

A complete nut and bolt restoration on this famous Isotta-Fraschini was completed by Evergreen Historic Automobiles in 2018.

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