1935 Hispano Suiza J12

Drophead Coupe by Vanvooren
Chassis number: 14004

Emilio de la Cuadra, a Spanish army captain, started Hispano-Suiza in 1898. He hired Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt to design their first gasoline-powered engines. By 1905, they were producing a series of large four- and six-cylinder engines for automobiles. During World War I, they provided engines for airplanes. Birkigt designed a series of pioneering aircraft engine innovations that included the first use of a cast engine block, propeller reduction gearing, and a hollow propeller shaft to allow firing a gun through the propeller. When the War came to a close, they returned to automobile and engine production and developed a strong reputation for building luxury automobiles.

The Hispano-Suiza company is currently part of the French SAFRAN Group, while the Spanish company sold all its automotive assets to the maker of Pegaso trucks and sports cars in 1946.

The J12 was introduced in 1931 and was powered by a 574 cubic-inch V12 engine producing 220 horsepower. The car was capable of 115 mph. Each engine block was machined from a single 700-pound billet. The cars were very expensive and only 120 were sold during the production run between 1931 and 1938.

This Drophead Coupe with coachwork by VanVooren was originally owned by Richard Paine. The current owner acquired the car in 1991. It is one of just eight such cars ever built. Little is known of this car's early history but it is thought that it first carried limousine coachwork by Fernandez et Darrin but was soon re-bodied by Vanvooren. It is understood to have arrived in Los Angeles in the 1950s and has been a resident in California ever since.

Pillarless Sedan by Kellner
Chassis number: 14022
Engine number: 321060

Hispano-Suiza was a company with Swiss and Spanish originals and a parallel manufacturing base in France. The basis for the first Hispano-Suiza of 1904 the Barcelona-built Castro designed by the Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt. Over the years that followed, Birkigt developed a reputation for his engines, which included T-head fours, overhead-cam engines, a water-cooled V8, and the innovative H6. As the cylinder wars continued to escalate in both Europe and the United States, Birkigt responded in 1929 with what would become the J-12. The engine was a new design, a 'square' V-12 with a bore and stroke of 100 mm and a displacement size of 9.5-liters. The engine had convex pistons and offered 220 horsepower.

Though speed and power are important, so is stopping. The braking system on the J-12 is highly advanced for its day, with its friction-type mechanical servo brake system.

This example, order number 2112 for chassis 14022, was ordered on October 15th of 1935. It was delivered to Kellner to be fitted with a four-place pillarless sedan. The car was finished in black and cream and returned to the factory on November 21st. It was then delivered to its first owner, who is believed to have been named Violet. In October of 1955, the car was imported to the United States and acquired by Daniel Evans 'Hap' Motlow.

The current owner acquired the car in 1993 and treated the vehicle to a thorough engine rebuild and mechanical overhaul, which was completed in 2009. This work included a rebuild of the radiator and water pumps, a replacement of all wheel bearings, a full suspension rebuild, and a full rebuild of the braking system.

The body design exhibits several styling cues influenced by the designer's aeronautical engineering background. Flanking the rear of the powerplant is the aluminum firewall, mirrored by aluminum splash pans below. The lightweight aluminum engine block and valve covers are painted a flat eggshell black, as are the delicate covers atop the carburetors. The electrical system is 12 volts.

The exterior is finished in red with yellow pinstriping. There is a built-in trunk, trafficators mounted in the formally closed quarter, and dual side-mounted spare tires with pedestal mirrors. The existence of rear doors is belied by the lack of an exterior door handle, and the notable 'pillarless post' design by Kellner aids entry via the rear door, due to the lack of a B-pillar. The car rides on its original wire wheels as well as the original wheel discs. Chrome can be found on the bumpers, radiator shell, windshield frame, and Phares-Besnard headlights complemented by Marchal 'gooseneck' taillights.

Inside is a grey leather interior with matching grey carpeting and varnished wooden dash and door trim with inlay. The front seats can be independently adjusted forward and backward, a unique luxury feature for its day. There is a large sunroof which helps create an open-air experience for the passengers.

There were a total of 112 different coachbuilders from nine different countries that created bodies on the Hispano-Suiza chassis. 36 of those coachbuilders were from France. Of the 120 examples of the J-12 built, it is believed that approximately 40 remain.

This conservatively styled formal pillarless sedan is similar in style to the Bugatti Type 41 Royale Coupe by Kellner.

In 2012, this car was offered for sale by RM Auctions at their Monterey, CA sale. The car was estimated to sell for $750,000 - $1,000,000. Bidding reached $450,000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet by deVillars

The French company Hispano-Suiza was among the elite in luxury car production and was known for style, innovation, and design. The J12 was created for the discriminating buyer and priced well above what most people could afford. The cars were fitted with nearly every imaginable luxury item available. The V12 overhead valve engine offered 220 horsepower, which was quite enough to carry the vehicles, which often weighed between 5,000 and 6,500 pounds. Production lasted from 1931 through 1938 with around 120 examples produced.

This car was built for the Maharaja Thakore Sahib of Rajkot by de Villars of Paris, one of France's most exclusive coachbuilders. The Maharaja of Rajkot owned several cars, including the famous Rolls-Royce 'Star of India.'

Cabriolet deVille by Rippon Brothers
Chassis number: 13506
Engine number: 321099

The Hispano-Suiza Company had Swiss and Spanish origins and a parallel manufacturing facility in France. Marc Birkigt, a Swiss engineer, had designed the Barcelona-built Castro, which would become the basis for the first Hispano-Suiza of 1904. During his career, Birkigt would develop T-head fours, overhead-cam engines, a water-cooled V8, and the H6. As the multi-cylinder wars continued to grow, Birkigt became determined to build a large engine of his own. In 1929, he began work on what would become the J12, Type 68.

Birkigt's V-12 engine had a new design with pushrod overhead valves, twin alloy cylinder blocks mounted on a common crankcase, and a seven-main-bearing crankshaft with side-by-side connecting rods. It displaced nearly 9.5 liters and offered 220 horsepower. The engine had convex pistons and rubber engine mounts.

In the summer of 1931, a prototype chassis was put through testing. The Type 68 was shown at the Paris salon that autumn.

This particular Hispano-Suiza J12 rested on a large 4009-millimeter wheelbase and was shipped to Smith & Co., Hispano's agent in London. It was apparently delivered to its first owner, a Mr. Batcock of 1 Melville Road, Sidcup, Kent, by Motor Distributors of Leeds, which was also located in Sidcup.

Until recently, the coachwork had been believed to have been built by Saoutchik. However, it was actually constructed by the Rippon Brothers of Huddersfield.

John Ellis presumably owned the car throughout the 1950s and 1960s. After he sold off his collection, the car was lost from sight. Years later, it was in the car of John Upton of London.

Around the mid-1980s, it was imported to the United States and resided for a short time in the collection of Richard and Linda Kughn. It was part of the Imperial Palace Collection from 1989 through 1999, and then it spent time with the Atwell Family Collection in Texas. John O'Quinn acquired the car in 2006.

by Dan Vaughan

The French automaker Hispano-Suiza was among the elite in luxury car production and the leaders of style, innovation, and design. The reputation was solidified in history with the legendary H6 series including the H6B and H6C. Their destiny in history as one of the greatest producers of automobiles during the 1930s was secured with the introduction of the J-12 Type 68 in 1931. That was the same year that Hispano-Suiza united Swiss design, French production facilities, and the Spanish capital.

The J12 was created for the discriminating buyer and priced well above what most could afford. The J12 was offered only as a rolling chassis, with a choice of four wheelbase sizes. The large 'square' V12 engine (a long-stroke engine was optional) was an engine masterpiece, offering superb performance for its weight. The coachwork was left to the customer's discretion and most examples carried very luxurious and elegant accommodations.

The engine used in the H6C had been modified throughout the years, but by now, a replacement was needed. The displacement had been increased to the point where more cylinders were required. The company was familiar with V12 engines, as they had designed a V12 unit for use in an aircraft as early as 1918. The engine was used during the First World War but then put aside when peacetime resumed. From 1919 through 1923, the company exported a few V8 aircraft engines. They produced a 60-degree V12 type 12jb beginning in 1924. It was rated at around 400 horsepower. It was enlarged in 1926, becoming the 12Hb, and offering over 500 horsepower. It was improved even further in 1928, becoming the 12Nb and outputting 720 horsepower.

Development began on a V12 automobile engine near the close of the 1920s with the production version being introduced at the 1931 Paris Motorshow. The 575 cubic-inch V12 overhead valve engine offered 220 horsepower which was adequate to carry the vehicles which often weighed between 5000 - 6500 pounds. Production lasted from 1931 through 1938 with around 120 examples produced.

Wheelbase sizes included 135, 146, 150, and 158 inches.

by Dan Vaughan