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1934 Chevrolet Master

Alex — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:28:07 +0000

Despite having been in production for a scant three years, from 1934 to 1936, the original Chevrolet Master is one of the most recognized and iconic cars of the 1930s. Produced by Chevrolet, always General Motors’ best-selling marque, it billed itself as an affordable, complete and well-balanced car, which it was, in all honesty. Except for a ill-fated attempt at introducing ‘knee-action’ shock absorbers, which had a tendency to collapse at the first sign of real work to be done, the Master was a surprisingly reliable car. It was available in a variety of body styles (six of them), including a two- and four-door sedans, a convertible, a limousine and more. The two-door sedan (pictured below) was by far the most popular model, and remains today a favorite of antique car restorers and hot-rodders.

1934 Chevrolet Master

Although it was certainly complete, for the price, the Chevrolet Master was no speed demon in its original incarnation. It was powered by a 3.5-liter, straight-six engine, and could reach a top speed of about 85 miles an hour, depending on the model chosen and thus the weight of the car. That being said, a top speed of 85 mph was nothing to be embarrassed about at the time; it wasn’t the speed to win you races, but you certainly wouldn’t have been the slowest thing on the road!

As I mentioned earlier, the original Chevrolet Master remained in production until 1936. For 1937, it was completely redesigned by none other than Jules Agramonte, the designer of the 1934 LaSalle. The 1934 Chevrolet Master allowed Chevrolet to consolidate its place and its reputation as a reliable mass-market car manufacturer, in the face of strong competition by none other than Ford. You can learn more about the Chevrolet Master right here.

1934 Chevrolet Master is a post from: AutoCognito

1938 Cadillac Sixty-Special

Alex — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:24:16 +0000

Although we sometimes credit Roosevelt’s New Deal for ending the Great Depression, it wasn’t really until the Second World War kicked off that America was finally able to shrug off the economic gloom. The 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special, which remained in production mostly unchanged (except cosmetic details) until 1941, was a huge commercial success for Cadillac and General Motors, with over 18,000 of the expensive cars sold. Designed by Bill Mitchell, the Sixty-Special was a derivative of the entry-level Series 60 Cadillac; it was a clean, straightforward and relatively unadorned affair, and fit the mood of the time quite well, as proven by its sales record. It featured a built-in trunk, large windows, and remarkably for a car of the time, didn’t have running boards.

1938 Cadillac Sixty Special

In a nod to future generations of Cadillac cars, the Sixty Special was powered by a 5.7 liter V8 engine, which allowed the big car to reach a top speed of about 90 miles per hour. While this is by no means extraordinary, especially by today’s standards, such a top speed in such a big car made the Sixty-Special stand out among its contemporaries.

Unfortunately, as in all things, all good things must come to an end, and thus it was that the 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special was cancelled in its current form in 1941, making way for a redesigned car in 1942, which didn’t prove nearly as popular. While it is acknowledged that the 1941 model is the most attractive and sought after model, all versions of this superb car are sought-after collector’s dreams, particularly the very few cars – some say as few as a dozen – which were fitted with factory original custom bodies.

1938 Cadillac Sixty-Special is a post from: AutoCognito

1936 Buick Century

Alex — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:36:14 +0000

1936 was certainly a good year for Buick, as it managed to introduce what turned out to be popular and profitable models, not just once but several times. The Buick Roadmaster is considered by many to be the crowning achievement of that year, however it is not alone in helping turn the company’s fortune around. The 1936 Buick Century was certainly part of the success, as it was built on a platform that allowed for greater speed than any other model; this was, however, offset by the fact that it could not handle very well. Many variations of the Century were available, including a convertible (pictured), a sedan, a coupe and several others. It was also offered to coach-builders as a rolling chassis, which explains why there are so many ‘original’ customs still around.

1936 Buick Century

The idea behind the Century was not a new one, but certainly one that’s remained popular: take a small, short wheel-base car and equip it with a large, powerful engine – in this case one big enough to push around a bus. The 1936 Buick Century was fitted with a 5.2-liter straight eight engine, which allowed it to reach the then-impressive speed of 98 miles per hour, depending of course on which type of body was chosen.

The Buick Century was popular, and remained in production from 1936 to 1942, when the full effects of the Second World War came into view, and Buick shifted production, in part, to aircraft engines. The Buick Century named wasn’t revived immediately after the war, but lived on in several iterations, from 1954 to ’58, and from 1973 to 2005.

1936 Buick Century is a post from: AutoCognito

1936 Buick Roadmaster

Alex — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:23:47 +0000

With some possible exceptions, there is no name that is better recognized, and that has more appeal in American automotive history than the Roadmaster. Introduced in 1936 and in production until 1958, the Buick Roadmaster represents the epitome of American automotive design in the 1930′s. Powerful, rugged and definitely stylish, the Roadmaster was available in a variety of configurations, including a coupe, a sedan, a station wagon and of course, a convertible phaeton. With its bullet headlights and raked, two-part windshield, it made a powerful statement on the road, which was only reinforced by its no-nonsense name, something fully intended by Buick.

1936 Buick Roadmaster

The original Buick Roadmaster was powered by a powerful ‘Fireball’ engine, a straight-eight, overhead valve affair with a 5.2-liter displacement. It was more than enough to propel this big car to a top speed of over 90 miles per hour. The feeling of speed was given a special treatment, thanks to the ultra-soft and comfortable suspension, something the model was well known for.

The Buick Roadmaster remained in production for 22 years, except for a hiatus caused by World War II, from 1942 to 1946, and represented throughout its production the very summit of American styling and luxury, superseded only by LaSalle and Cadillac, something done on purpose by parent company General Motors.

1936 Buick Roadmaster is a post from: AutoCognito

1927 Bugatti Type 44

Alex — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:47:46 +0000

Most very exclusive marques have one or more models that we built in greater quantities, and are much less exclusive, if only for the money it brings in, allowing the engineers to work on tomorrow’s marvels. This is as true now as it was more than 80 years ago, when the 1927 Bugatti Type 44 was introduced. It was the French marque’s first car designed primarily for road use rather than for the track, and it proved extremely popular, as over 1,100 of them were built. They were offered as rolling chassis, and were ‘dressed’ by the day’s top coach-builders, resulting in a dazzling array of coupes, convertibles, four door sedans and more, all of which were appreciated the incredible smoothness of their ride as well as their overall luxury and performance levels.

1927 Bugatti Type 44

Mechanically speaking, the Bugatti Type 44 was fitted with a 3-liter, straight eight engine made from two cast iron four-cylinder blocks. Paired with a four-speed manual transmission, it could push the car to speeds up to 85 miles an hour, depending of course on the type and weight of the body installed by the coach-builder.

The Bugatti Type 44 represents almost 15% of Pre-War Bugatti’s entire production. It is a common car by Bugatti standards, however it remains quite the rarity, and few are those lucky enough to own one, drive one or even see one, except in museums!

1927 Bugatti Type 44 is a post from: AutoCognito

1936 BMW 328

Alex — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 13:42:16 +0000

Most of us BMW as a manufacturer of fine sports touring cars, convertibles and sedans, but the Munich-based marque has quite the history, much beyond its relatively recent success! One of its early success was the 1936 BMW 328. With its distinctive, sweeping pre-War profile, long hood – held down by leather straps, no less! – and skinny tires over solid wheels, it brought BMW much renown and respect, especially the 328 ‘Mille Miglia’, only 6 of which were ever built. Lightweight, agile and supremely potent on the road as on the track, the BMW 328 was a resounding success, which was ultimately cut short by the war.

1936 BMW 328 (White)

At the heart of this BMW 328 was one of BMW’s early engineering marvels: a lightweight, powerful 2-liter straight six engine producing 79 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. When in race trim, on the ‘Mille Miglia’ models, it could reach a top speed of 139 miles per hour – well over 200 km/h – which I don’t need to tell you must have been quite the white-knuckle experience back in the day!

Of the entire 425-car production, over 200 remain to this day, making the 1936 to 1940 BMW 328 an exceedingly rare and expensive car. Don’t even think about finding a 328 ‘Mille Miglia’. They’re not available! Interestingly enough, BMW used to supply rolling chassis to Frazer Nash, who built their own body on it.

You can learn more about the 1936 to 1940 BMW 328, including the Mille Miglia, right here.

1936 BMW 328 is a post from: AutoCognito

1924 Bugatti Type 35

Alex — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:56:54 +0000

Although it’s going on a century since it was introduced to a stunned motoring world, few cars have had the impact that the 1924 Bugatti Type 35 did. It really was in a class all its own, and boasts a racing pedigree every car company and model should envy. The Type 35 was the first Bugatti to sport the arched front grille, a feature that remains on Bugatti cars to this day (such as the Bugatti EB110 from 1991), and it featured a level of performance that was absolutely stunning for the time. For those lucky or financially fortunate enough to drive one today, it offers incredible performance considering its age. Over 350 of these incredible cars were made, and many have survived.

1924 Bugatti Type 35

The Type 35 was not4 just the Type 35, of course. There were several variations over the years of production, until 1931. There was the Type 35A, the Type 36C, the 35T, the 37A and several others, created mostly but not exclusively to mark engine changes. The basic Bugatti Type 35 engine was a 2 or 2.3-liter straight-eight engine that produced 90 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and that allowed for a top speed of approximately 90 miles per hour, although that could vary slightly depending on the model. The 36C in particular was fitted with a supercharger that increased power output by up to a third.

The 1924 Bugatti Type 35 and its successors won several French Grand Prix races, in 1928 and 1930, as well as the Targa Florio and several others. With its unique blend of speed, handling and incredible good looks, the Type 35 is one for the history books!

You can learn more about the Bugatti Type 35 by clicking here.

1924 Bugatti Type 35 is a post from: AutoCognito

1991 Suzuki Cappuccino

Alex — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:25:29 +0000

If, to you, a Cappuccino is nothing more than a delicious coffee-based beverage, you may certainly be excused. The 1991 Suzuki Cappuccino, which remained in production until 1997, is a prime example of the Japanese Kei-car. These tiny cars were built to take advantage of Japan’s favorable taxes and tariffs for cars under a certain weight limit, and with engines under 660 cc. Despite these restrictions, the Cappuccino is anything but boring. This tiny convertible Suzuki was never exported to the United States officially, most of the production was sold locally, as well as a few hundred (just over a thousand) that made it to the United Kingdom. This tiny little car – only 1,543 pounds! – is today exceedingly rare and sought-after, as it is a genuine sports car, with the performance to prove it!

1991 Suzuki Cappuccino

The Cappuccino was a really punchy car, despite its tiny engine. It was fitted with a 657 cc – only 3 cc short of the limit – inline three-cylinder engine, with a turbocharger attached. This allowed the car to accelerate to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 93 miles per hour, definitely fast enough to lose your license (depending on the jurisdiction!). If that wasn’t enough, the Cappuccino displayed all the handling you could want in sports car.

While these figures are not stellar per se, consider the fact that you are practically sitting on the ground. Driving the Suzuki Cappuccino could be compared to driving a go-kart, except with the advantages of the roof, doors, and other convenient extras! Over 28,000 of them were built, and a lot of them found themselves exported after their run ended, mostly in countries with right-hand-drive convention.

1991 Suzuki Cappuccino is a post from: AutoCognito

1991 Lexus SC 400

Alex — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:43:06 +0000

At the time, Toyota was already one of the largest car companies in the world, known for their reliable, and in this writer’s opinion, boring fare. This changed when the Nippon giant followed Honda in the creation of a specialized luxury brand of purpose-built new cars, Lexus. This is not to be confused with the renaming of models à la Mazda / Xedos, a cheap and demeaning trick that’s just embarrassing to everyone involved. The LS 400 was a huge hit, but Lexus needed a sports car to really capitalize in the American market; the result was the California-designed 1991 Lexus SC 400, which was a stunning success. Stylistically, you love it or hate it. I don’t like it. That being said, the SC 400 was a fast, reliable and incredibly luxurious automobile, for the price, as it sold for half what comparable German imports went for!

1991 Lexus SC 400

As fitting of a sports coupe meant for the American market, the SC 400 was powered by a V8. Not just any V8, too, the superbly smooth and powerful (albeit oddly designated) 1UZ-FE. The full-size Coupe could reach a more than respectable top speed of 150 miles per hour – enough to lose your driver’s license, certainly! – and accelerate to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds – 6.9 seconds, to be exact. This engine was paired with a potent four-speed automatic transmission that gave the SC 400 true sports car performance, handling and demeanor, even though it was designed on the same platform as the four-door, luxury LS 400.

The first-generation Lexus SC 400 remained in production until 2002, accompanied by its slightly less powerful SC 300 cousin. This car is a real testament to the fact that if you’ve got a good base, there’s very little you can’t do if you set your mind to it!

1991 Lexus SC 400 is a post from: AutoCognito

1930 Bentley 8L

Alex — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 14:37:53 +0000

For most of us, the names Bentley and Rolls-Royce are forever linked to each other, and for good reason: for many years, these cars were practically identical, sharing almost everything except a badge and a name, but it was not always so. In fact, the last independent car produced by Bentley, the 1930 Bentley 8L was so good that Rolls-Royce maneuvered behind the scenes to purchase the company, stealing it away from a union with Napier. One of their first moves as new owners was to kill of the Bentley 8L, which was seen (with good reason) as a frightening challenger to Rolls-Royce cars. The 8L was offered in a choice of two wheelbases (long and short), and a rolling chassis was delivered to the coach-builder of your choice. It was also incredibly innovative, including servo-assisted brakes.

1930 Bentley 8L

One of the most incredible features of the Bentley 8L was its engine, and its treasure trove of technological innovation. The 8-liter, straight six engine featured twin-spark ignition and four valves per cylinder, when such things were still considered mostly beyond reach. It was fast, too: the Bentley 8L could reach a top speed of over 100 miles per hour, and that’s with the biggest, heaviest limousine coach-work. Others were undoubtedly faster.

Few of these wonderful automobiles were ever made – only about 100, and production ceased in 1931 – however, thanks to their incredible cachet and superior build quality, many of the Bentley 8L that were built still exist today, unfortunately out of reach of all but those with the very deepest pockets!

1930 Bentley 8L is a post from: AutoCognito