Streamlined: 1934 Hupmobile Aerodynamic
There have been very few Hupmobiles featured here on Barn Finds, so let’s change that. This one listed here on eBay is from the last years of the Hupmobiles. The styling by Raymond Loewy had several interesting features, including the 3 piece windshield and rounded body lines. Raymond Loewy is known as “The Father of Streamlining” and designed many iconic vehicles from a streamliner train to the Avanti. The Chrysler Airflow was also introduced in 1934. It would seem people were not quite ready for streamlined cars. The owner doesn’t provide much information on his Hupmobile except to say it runs and drives.
This Hupmobile’s styling is very different from previous models. This car looks complete and original.
This is the original design concept for the Aerodynamic.
Things under the hood look complete and original as well.
The styling is more conventional from the rear. Ford soon followed with a similar design. This Aerodynamic may not be worth the cost of a full restoration, but perhaps someone will at least enjoy it as a unique driver. These are somewhat rare, but that does not mean valuable, of course. Sadly, this car would also make a striking and unique restomod. I hope the new owner keeps it original. What do you think?
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Comments
Love it.
Now there’s a car!
Keep it original. This is a nice piece of history.
Just shows, you never know what’s sitting in a garage in L.A. I remember my grandfather talked about owning a Hupmobile, only an older one with the tall wheels. (20’s?) The story goes, he ran over a small child, going slowly, and was afraid to get out of the car, fearing the worst. Because of the tall wheels, the kid crawled away unhurt. Too bad no dash pic’s. These had such a nice dash. To new buyer, please, keep it original. Probably have the only one.
http://assets.hemmings.com/story_image/178251-500-0.jpg?rev=2
Another hot rod with a small block and outrageous paint scheme? It’s been done.
Nice now that was an Art Deco style car!!!!
WOW! A split window coupe!
Very ahead of it’s time. Wonder if that is the first use of that type windshield?
front end reminiscent of a later Pierce Arrow with faired headlights?
…..ahhh the Zeppelin days…..they had no idea what lay ahead,….same true for us now…
Most definitely a full restoration. Too few of these to start with. It would not be doing justice to modify.
Restore to original? What fun is that? Restomod it…
Restomod……….they are so boring, I like a small block Chev or a hotrod as much as anyone else but there are so many of them……they show off the craftsmanship of the builder but are boring after you see the 100’th one parked in a line. They are destine for obscurity while a properly restored original is headed for a museum. It reminds me of kids that all wear the same kind of clothes thinking they are being unique when in reality it is like a uniform……..
I can appreciate cars that you can enjoy just sitting in a museum, but what fun is that? I would rather see them in motion under the power of a dependable late model drive train. Rolling automotive art…
Hi Jon, I suppose. You know, believe it or not, there was a time ( in what seems another dimension) gliding down a 2 lane road in a 1934 Hupmobile was almost as cool as it got. I think your comment shows exactly where the old car hobby is going. Not to worry, there’s like a 97% chance this will be resto-modded, and I guess that’s ok too.
Hi Howard, of course my thoughts would be to just update the drive train, but leave the beauty of the body and interior the same… I like more reliability. ..and a little more power..
Hi Jon, that’s cool. Like you say, better it should be enjoyed and if you do plan on driving regularly, that is the way to go. Just as a side note, I went to a small car show yesterday near Kingston, NY, and maybe of the 30 or so cars there, maybe 3 ( not including the several stock Model A’s) were original, the rest were all resto-modded.
Nothing wrong with that…. Believe me, This Hupmobile would look so cool restomoded…
I hope someone restores this 100% back to original. This is an irreplaceable piece of history and art, and any “updates” would detract from it.
This from a restomodder, no less!
If it wouldn’t cause my divorce it would be in my shop. Need to finish my current project and sell it (65 Triumph Spitfire) before taking a chance.
I’ve driven the coupe version of this car many times and let me tell you it drives just fine as long as you are driving it for fun and are not trying to get somewhere at 75 miles per hour.
Let’s remember that can be the joy of an old car, stay off the interstate and enjoy the essence of a less fast paced time.
Let the young know that deferred satisfaction has it’s place along side instant satisfaction.
I love it, the color, styling, all of it. It would be great fixed up. Hopefully the mechanics are ok, somebody will have a great car
An updated drivetrain would certainly make it more convenient but part of the fun for some is to get what was originally there working to its original peak of perfection. Don’t over restore it. Clean it up and drive it.
It’s a sad fact of life. Folks are more interested in restomods than original cars and automobile museums. (Note the small number of auto museums) Folks seem to find museums almost as boring as the symphony. For some of us there’s magic in the unique sounds of those old engines. If I want modern and convenient, I have a couple of C-Max Energis. They are more appliances than cars. I’m lucky to be able to drive a few of the museum cars, when we can get the money for tires, batteries and such. The public loves riding in these old cars. Perhaps one day classic cars will be a treasure.
Dear Jon (and others), When you take a very rare car like this one and bastardize it with a Chevy V8, etc., and worst of all, those fat/ugly IDIDIT steering columns, you have eliminated one more piece of our American automotive history. Shame on you.
You should stick to Taiwanese Tr-5 “replicas”, since you have zero appreciation for our auto. history.
Whoa Joe, LOL,
let’s not get all bent out of shape here. Who said anything about fat /ugly iditit, steering columns and Small block chevy motors. I would keep it as close to stock looking without as you said bastardizing it. Not my intent at all…I would keep the stock column and have the gauges updated to 12 volt along with the rest of the electrical system. As far as a motor… Cadillac would be my choice, with a automatic overdrive as I plan on driving my projects…
Joe, a couple other things, first, I love old cars and history of old cars. And secondly, I would never buy one of those tri-5 replica bodies. Mostly because they aren’t American made. I could go on, but won’t.
keep it stock!
Not sure why BarnFinds says “from the last days of Hupp..” when there were Hupmobile cars through 1941. That aside, a buyer will find a small but very helpful club dedicated to these car and a surprisingly good quantity of restoration parts available. I found a ’38 Hupp 8 sedan a few years back and got it into the hands of a Classic Car Club guy who could afford to do something with it. Well engineered, finely detailed cars they are.
Interesting discussion this has brought up. I know nothing about Hupmobiles but assume there is a market for them. And I agree that while a factory correct matching numbers resto is by far the right thing to do as a rule, in many cases it is just economically unfeasible. In those cases a resto mod or even (bleh) a rat rod is better than an old car going to the crusher or rusting away in some trailer park or field any day. Just my $.02
Exactly. ..
Nice…looks like it could just be a nice driver with the mechanical’s done….have fun !
Note there is a cold (or hot) water bypass pipe from the top radiator hose where it enters the head down to the cooler water inlet on the side of the block. Does anyone know what this was for? I don’t think I have every seen it on another engine.
Howard A and Joe and others 100%. This is a very nice car but to most everyone else thinks it would be better to be destroyed. Meaning the masters that built it, to the owners who have preserved it all means nothing. At least being in a museum it would still be alive. Being modified and turned into a carcass in a field with 400 other cars just like it is no different then the next. I mean really how many times can you add a Chevy V8 into something with a “custom” chassis to a body? It will make it ride and handle better then original? How many miles a year are you going to drive it? The answer is about the same as is it were stock. Equates to such a waste.
That is what the custom builders should do next. Build cars and just swap bodies and use the same chassis. How about that?
The whole hot roding thing has become so boring with copycat builds. Going to SEMA you see it all over and over. Chip Foose drive a Corvette inside a 65 Impala. Nice but what is the point? To me it is more refreshing to see the under 30 crowd building the sport compact cars and that my friends is where the hobby is headed.
What do you mean when you refer to copycat builds? I have yet to see any one model built exactly like the next one. Unless you are building/restoring numbers matching cars of the same make a n d model like mustangs. ..
To each his own. Is what keeps the hobby alive…
I guess it depends on perspective, but it’s all pretty much the same formula; custom chassis, big engine, the remains of a classic car bolted on, custom bodywork and paint….
It’s great to see that so many folks understand the value of history and appreciate classic cars.
I was traveling recently, and while watching TV in the hotel, I started watching an auto auction. Mecum, Barrett, I can’t remember.
What I do remember is nearly 2 hours of the same 6 cars in restomod: 57 Chevy, Corvette, Chevelle, Camaro, Mustang, GTO. “Next up is a 1970 Chevelle with a 396….” …and on and on and on ad nauseum.
Before I turned the channel, the announcer said “…we are in hour number two of our 7-hour auction broadcast….”. Proof positive that there are enough of those cars out there being resto-modded. Personally, I’m ready for something different.
This is a 1935 not a 34 very rare there too damn many of these resto rods out there now too many of these rare Hupps have been bastardized By thoughtless individuals who have no regard for historical preservation.This Hupp has a 303 cu in.engine and develops120 hp and they will run at 65 miles an hour down the road with no problem some even equipped with overdrive I have several days in original condition in my collection you are truly a rare breed thanks for reading
I imagine all the restomod boys do not know how to shift a stick anymore, especially rolling to a corner and feeling you need 1st gear and no 1st gear syncro. THAT’S THE ANSWER! Spend $30,000 putting a SBC and automatic. And oh, you can then put on RESTOROD air and power steering as well. All to drive it 20k miles in the next 6 years.
These things functioned well enough for many Americans to drive them for years and even coast to coast. Seems like it would be a lot of fun to turn back the clock every few weekends and truly experience what it was like. Or, if you are up to explaining it a thousand times, put on a teardrop trailer and go find the Lincoln Highway.
BTW, this reminds me lot of some 1935ish French car I saw for sale a few months back.
Al
Haha my point exactly Rex watching TV and Alan describing reality. It takes a real man to run and operate this vintage car….It is when men drove their cars not the P SSys of today. (doesn’t count the men in Cuba who have been driving our cars every day since the 40’s and 50’s!)
Case in point. I am doing a 61 Rambler wagon at the moment and it came from the family from the original owners who bought it new…that is until the great grandson got a hold of it and tried to ram rod it. Figured out the standard shift on the column part but not coming to a full stop while jamming it into first and taking out the first/reverse gear cog BECAUSE didn’t know it wasn’t synchronized! Luckily I was able to get all NOS Rambler/AMC parts to rebuild it for under $100.
As for Jon, Really you are smarter then that? A restomod IS a form of a copycat build when you combine the elements of Chevrolet V8, custom frame and suspension IDIDIT (JOE!) steering column and painless wiring etc.etc. to ANY car body. It is all a combination of the same. Sure you can use a 57 Thunderbird body or in this case here the Hupp. The guts are all the same. You end up with a Chevy powered Frankenstein. They are at ANY local car show from California to Ohio.
Good Guys event contains 90% of them Speaking of which saw a Beautiful 69 AMX out on the track at a recent GG event. I was happy to see at least one AMC in a group of about 1500 cars. I checked it out when it pulled off the track and it had an LS1. It was no longer an AMX.to me. He didn’t seem amused when I said Walley Booth could make 1100 horsepower with an iron block AMC in 1973
Now If a big famous rod builder wanted to impress me by taking a 50’s or 60’s Rambler or AMC and build a custom Aluminum Block Gen III American Motors V8 engine with an EFI unit , blower or what ever and use custom pieces specific to AMC (Control Freak Suspension) I would be inclined to be an enthusiast again. But that will most likely never happen. No one for one will take the time to do something different to really build an off the wall car and use the original brand of motor and the fine points of the original chassis when they can order them on line or get it free for advertising.
I just don’t think many understand. There was a time when one could tell with their eyes closed the sound of an Oldsmobile V8 compared to a Pontiac. When cars even made by GM were as individual as their name. A restomod does away with all of that.
AMCFAN. Back in 1969, I had opportunity to do some repair to a 1960 Rambler American belonging to a buddy. I think I put a clutch in it. Then got to drive it a couple weeks. These cars won the Mobil Economy Run back in their time and were surprisingly good. I loved their looks as well. 45 years later my friend laments losing it.
I did a few engine conversions over the years and was never satisfied with the results. Just too much engineering to get total reliability.
I guess I was a tightwad too. I just had too much fun finding the occasional orphan and fixing it right. And just celebrate what you had. I was kinda lucky as a kid. The neighbors car pooled for school and I rode in the following: Hudson, Kaiser, 1955 Cadillac, 1953 Chevy, 1963 Chevy II, 1960 Austin Healy Sprite, Triumph TR4, 1955 Ford, 1956 Mercury.
Neighbors had MANY more.
I feel the return on investment is not there for me, especially if it involves engineering stuff to fit.
My current orphan is twin turbo Audi A6 with a 6 speed. 270 horse 6 speed all wheel drive.Yes, I might just bump it up a little bit. Crazy people get 1000 hp from them. It’s pretty scary with 270. Pretty good for $1000 investment. But maybe like a boat? Second happiest day is when I sell it?
I agree with you about the sound of engines, but not sure I could tell an Olds from a Pontiac. Certainly a Y-block Ford sounded different. Flathead Fords COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I figured it was firing order and exhaust design.
BTW, I noticed that bypass on the coolant hoses on the Hup also, not quite sure what I’m looking at.
WRT the Hup, I’d scrub off the grey primer, probably try to match and blend the paint on the worst of the rust spots. Make the brakes and tires 100%. Patch holes in the floor and exhaust. Enjoy.
Al
It’s interesting to read all these comments. Funny that, to me, they ALL make sense; I guess that’s what rounds out the hobby. I recall a statement by Ralph Stein in ‘TREASURY OF THE AUTOMOBILE:’ ‘From 1914 on, cars were about as reliable as they are today.’ That was in 1960 but it does have some merit. A member of our club drove his ’37 Chevy Master 2-door 140K miles AFTER the restoration. It has seen both coasts numerous times and has circumvented the entire country. That’s with a 216/3-spd. manual, and bias ply tires. And SIX VOLT electrics! He DID upgrade from a cut-out relay to a full 3-unit regulator. You can still drive and ENJOY old cars fixed up the way they were originally built; it might take a little longer to get there but you still CAN get there, and with very few problems. I have no problems taking my (running) cars on the road although the transmission in the ’54 Ford is starting to show some signs of wear. And the transmission in the wife’s ’57 Poncho leaks. But all that aside, I still enjoy the ride, including the 2 x 55 air-conditioning…
If you are going to resto mod it do it like Jay would. Only period engines, trannys added to it. Maybe update the brakes for safety. SBC jobs are a dime a dozen. This car deserves something better than that if you want to change it.
As I had mentioned eariler… Cadillac or even a Chrysler Hemi, would be nice.
Dose any one know what it sold for? I found one and I want to buy it.
Thanks