1925 Hispano Suiza H6B

Hispano-Suiza was formed in 1904 and soon found success producing trucks to meet a need in Spain. They produced cars as well, which earned them a reputation for their performance and reliability. Most were sold to European heads of state, which established the brand in luxury circles. Their reputation continued to grow as they enjoyed success in racing.

The name Hispano-Suiza translates from French to 'Spanish-Swiss,' which is appropriate, as this superb French automobile was born from the genius of a Swiss engineer, Marc Birkigt, and was originally produced in Barcelona, Spain. The French-built Hispano-Suizas, however, would become the most legendary. Hispano Suiza began building automobiles in 1914 but switched to aircraft engines at the onset of World War I.

Designed by Marc Birkigt, the straight-six engine was an all-aluminum unit with a 6,597 cubic centimeter displacement that benefitted from Birkigt's experience with aircraft engines and was essentially half of Birkigt's aviation V12 design but with overhead camshafts. It had two valves per cylinder driven by a single overhead camshaft and a pressure-lubricated crankshaft turning on seven main bearings. The engine was backed by a three-speed manual transmission and braking was by light-alloy drums on all four wheels with power assist, a first in the industry. The brakes were driven by a shaft from the transmission, and as the vehicle decelerated, its momentum drove the brake servo and increased the braking power.

The 'La Cigogne Volante' radiator emblem first appeared in 1919 and was the insignia of Captain Georges Guynemer's Stork Squadron of Hispano-Suiza-engined Spads.

The Hispano-Suiza was the most expensive automobile in Europe during the 1920s and was generally acknowledged as the most advanced automobile design in the world. The company sold the chassis only; the coachwork was up to the buyer. The H6 cars were built in Paris at the Bois Colombes factory and were followed by the H6B model for the 1922 season.

The Hispano-Suiza H6 was introduced in 1919 at the Paris Motor Show and produced until 1933 with approximately 2,360 examples produced (including the H6, H6B, and H6C). The replacement was the T68 or J12 which was fitted with a V12 engine with a displacement of just over 9.4-liters.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Sedan by Belvallette
Chassis number: 11093
Engine number: 301111

The Hispano-Suiza H6 was introduced in 1919, the first time the radiator emblem 'La Cigogne Volante' appeared, the insignia of Captain Georges Guynemer's Stork Squadron of Hispano-Suiza-engined Spads. It was the work of Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt who had proven its technical prowess with the Georges Guynemer's 'Escadrille Cigogne' (Stork Squadron), of Hispano-Suiza-engined Spad fighter planes in World War I. The H6 cars were built in Paris at the Bois Colombes factory and were followed by the H6B model for the 1922 season.

The H6 employed a six-cylinder engine that had a 6597cc capacity which would become the mainstay of production for the next fifteen years. The engine was given a three-speed gearbox and servo-assisted brakes.

The Hispano-Suiza H6 and H6B models would become popular with the wealthy and influential individuals of that era. They offered refined engineering and exquisite coachwork that was hand-tailored for their clientele.

This particular example wears a fully convertible body that was created by Belvallette of Paris. It has its original body and engine number, and it still wears its original license plate designation of '30Y69'. It was purchased under order number 1854 through the agent or dealer 'Saint Didier' and sold to a 'M. de Surville' on 21 January 1925.

The early history of this vehicle is not fully known. It is believed to have remained in the same family ownership for about sixty years. If this is the case, there would be very few public transactions and possibly few documented public appearances. In 1984, it was sold at a public auction in Paris. At the time, it was in unrestored condition and could have been described as the epitome of a 'barn discovery' automobile.

Six years later, having changed very little, it was offered at a second Paris auction in December of 1990. Again, the car was in very original condition. The information from that auction stated that the car had received its last oil change in '1939 at 86930km. The counter indicates 89067km.'

M. Claude Decoster of Neuilly had the highest bid at the second Paris auction. He subsequently commissioned Paris restorer Andre Le Coq to restore the car. Upon completion, the car was shown at the Louis Vuitton Classic at the Bagatelle in Paris in 1992, where it was awarded the Breitling 'Grand Prix de l'Innovation'.

A short time later, the car crossed the Atlantic and joined the Arturo Keller collection where it remained until 2007 when it joined another important collection, returning back to Europe.

by Dan Vaughan

Landaulet by Kellner

The Spanish (and later French) Hispano-Suiza was produced from 1904-1938. The H6 series was introduced at the 1919 Paris Automobile Salon. The chassis was complemented by servo-assisted brakes, which Henry Royce found so admirable that he acquired a license for the system for Rolls-Royce in 1925. The year previous, legendary driver Woolf Barnato drove his Hispano-Suiza around the Brooklands circuit breaking eight international records while averaging 92 mph for 300 miles. In the early 1920s, it was rare for a car to reach 100 mph - the Hispano-Suiza did it easily and with style. As one of the world's most expensive cars, the H6 clientele was decidedly limited. Its influence was much greater as GM's Harley Earl admitted to modeling the 1927 LaSalle after the Hispano-Suiza.

This H6B was built to order for American industrialist Andrew Mellon as a gift to his daughter Ailsa, who had written to him, saying she 'hated taxis.' The landaulet coachwork, built by Kellner to Mellon's requirements, harbors an inline 6-cylinder with overhead cam displacing 6.6 liters. The block and head were cast in an aluminum unit with steel sleeves, the electrical system has dual ignition and dual batteries, and the brakes have servo assist.

Mellon was at that time, one of the wealthiest men in America. The car was used at the family estates in Pittsburgh, PA, and Long Island, NY. Ailsa was Mr. Mellon's Social Secretary while he was Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.

The current owner has a photograph of the car while it was in use in Washington, DC.

The Mellon's gave the Hispano to the family chauffeur. Upon his retirement, the current owner purchased it in very derelict condition in 1970. An exhaustive restoration began in 2003 and was completed in 2010.

Cabriolet by Kellner

Hispano-Suiza delivered the H6B only as a rolling chassis. To match its remarkable engineering, only the finest coachbuilders were commissioned to design and fit the bodies.

This unusual cabriolet, built by Kellner in Paris, was ordered by the Maharaja of Alwar specifically for his tiger-hunting safaris. During the Great War, Hispano-Suiza had built nearly 50,000 V12 fighter plane engines, powering over half the aircraft, and Hispano owner Marc Birkigt first intended to use the V12 engine for his luxury automobiles. After some tests, though, he concluded that only one bank of the V12 would be sufficient to propel the new Hispano-Suiza car, so he built the H6B with a straight six-cylinder 6.5-liter single-overhead camshaft engine.

Convertible Sedan by Belvallette
Chassis number: 11093
Engine number: 301111

This Hispano Suiza was purchased under order number 1854 through the agent or dealer 'Saint Didier' and sold to a 'M. de Surville' on January 21st of 1925. It wore coachwork by Parisian firm Belvallette in the transformable cabriolet style which means it has a three-position top that can allow the vehicle to be a fully open convertible sedan, closed limousine, or 'open-drive' town car.

It is believed that the car remained in the same family for the majority of its existence. In 1984, after nearly six decades, it appeared for sale in solid unrestored condition and carrying the initials 'JS' on its rear doors and registration plates 30Y69. Claude Decoster of Neuilly acquired the car in 1990 and commissioned a complete restoration by Andre Le Coq. After the work was complete, it received the Breitling Grand Prix de l'Innovation at the Louis Vuitton Classic at the Bagatelle in 1992.

A short time later the car came to the United States and into the Arturo Keller Collection in California. It would remain in their care for the next 15 years. In 2007 it returned to Europe and into the care of a German owner. In 2015, it returned to the United States when it was purchased by Jules 'J' Heumann. Mr. Heumann installed new high-compression 7:1 pistons and rings, valves, valve springs, tappets, and keepers, as well as grinding and hard-chroming the camshaft, during a full engine rebuild. The original transmission received a Laycock-type overdrive unit, an electronic ignition was installed, and the brakes and suspension received maintenance.

After the work was completed, the car was driven on the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic between Seattle and Pebble Beach.

by Dan Vaughan

Torpedo by Million-Guiet

The Spanish, and later French, company Hispano-Suiza was in business from 1904 until 1938 and the company's most successful model, the H6, designed by Marc Birkigt, was introduced at the 1919 Paris Auto Salon. The car was equipped with a 6-liter, 6-cylinder aluminum engine and an exceptional four-wheel braking system with servo assistance that was patented and sold to other manufacturers, including Rolls-Royce. Around 2,450 examples of the H6 were produced by the Hispano-Suiza factory in Bois-Colombes, just outside Paris. The coachwork on this H6B is by Million-Guiet & Cie, who were responsible for many of the period's finest bodywork on many marques, including Bugatti and Delahaye as well as Hispano-Suiza. This car was discovered in a shed under the banking of the Montlhery circuit in France where it had been hidden away in 1939 by collector Colin Crabbe, who restored and kept it for many years, taking it on a long tour of South Africa in 1968. It was later owned by Henry Petronis before its current owner bought it in 2010. It has recently been restored by Graham Moss in England.

The Hispano-Suiza Company has created some of the most elegant, respected, and exquisite automobiles of all time. The designs and custom-built bodies were owned by the most elite and exclusive clientele. Among their most memorable creations were the H6 Series and the J-12. Among their accomplishments was the production of aircraft engines. During the First World War, they produced over 50,000 V-12 engines for aircraft. From 1919 through 1923 Hispano-Suiza produced an eight-cylinder aircraft engine.

The beginning of the company Fabrica La Hispano Suiza de Automovils began in 1904 but their existence and experience in the automotive community began six years prior. Emilio de la Cuadra created the La Cuadra Company in 1898 focusing on the production of the electric automobile. Marc Birkigt, a French engineer, joined the Barcelona, Spain-based company shortly after its inception. In the very early 1900's, the La Cuadra Company began production of a gasoline-powered engine that featured a shaft drive instead of a chain, a revolutionary design at the time. Their fortune shortly changed and the company was forced to close. The Fabrica La Hispano-Suiza de Automovils succeeded the Castro Company, continuing production in Spain and employing the ingenious designer, Birkigt. The name was later changed to Fabrica La Hispano Suiza de Automóviles. The very early engines were four cylinders comprised of a 3.8 and 7.4-liter capacity. Two six-cylinder engines were introduced shortly after the fours.

In 1911 a factory in Paris was opened to satisfy the demands of their French clientele. A larger factory was built three years later in Bois-Colombes. The production of these facilities focused primarily on the H6B, a large, luxurious, and desirable automobile.

The H6 was revolutionary, offering speed, luxury, quality, and an unequaled level of craftsmanship. Rolls Royce, Isotta, and Bentley did not offer all of these qualities in their automobiles until the 1920's. The H6 models were expensive, often the most expensive vehicle in all of Europe. The production of the H6 began at the close of the 1920's and was powered by a six-cylinder, 6.5-liter overhead-camshaft engine capable of producing 135 horsepower. The camshaft was shaft-driven and operated the valves, a configuration that was uncommon at the time. The engine was placed in the front and powered the rear wheels. Top speed was achieved at around 85 miles per hour. Even though a V-12 cylinder was available, Birkigt felt that a single bank of the 12-cylinder engine was appropriate to power their vehicles. The suspension was comprised of a semi-elliptic leaf spring and a live axle. Drum brakes with a power-assisted servo-brake system provided ample stopping power. The H6 Series was built in Paris and later in the Czech Republic.

As was customary at the time, Hispano Suiza delivered the rolling chassis H6 to custom coachbuilders for assembly. This resulted in unique and custom bodies that complimented the power, ingenuity, and performance of the components of the chassis. Only the finest coachbuilders were commissioned to build the bodies.

In 1932 production of the H6B ended, and in 1933, the production of the H6C began. The H6C was powered by a 7983 cc engine, the result of modifying the cylinder size of the straight-six cylinder powerplant. The need to increase the horsepower of the cars was two-fold, the first being the need to stay competitive when compared with its competition, the second being the fact that the custom-built bodies had become heavier to keep pace with luxury. The need to offer an even larger engine became apparent. There was little room left in the modification of the six-cylinder power plant, so Birkigt decided that a V-12 would be more appropriate and allow the ability for future modifications. The result was the T68, also known as the J-12.

In 1924 Hispano-Suiza produced the Type 12Jb V-12 aircraft engine that produced 400 horsepower. In 1926 the engine was enlarged, dubbed the 12Hb, and produced over 500 horsepower. In 1928 the 12Nb version was introduced, a result of enlarging the engine further, resulting in 720 horsepower.

Hispano took over Ballot in 1930, the producers of a 4580cc Junior six-cylinder engine. In 1934, the Junior was replaced with the K6 model.

The 1930's brought The Great Depression. The automobile manufacturers most affected were the luxury automobile makers. Their short-list of clientele became even shorter which meant competition was fierce and change was necessary. Many luxury manufacturers began producing small, less expensive automobiles that could continue to be sold and still generate income. Hispano Suiza, however, did not change and continued to produce its large, powerful, and luxurious automobiles. The Type 68 was introduced featuring a 9.5-liter V-12 engine. As the years progressed, so did the engine capacity which was further enlarged to 11.3 liters. The company had stayed in business for most of the Depression but was forced to close its doors in 1938.

The automobiles produced by Hispano Suiza were unmatched. No expenses were spared on their creation resulting in some of the greatest automobile creations of all time.

by Dan Vaughan