The T87 debuted in 1936 and remained in production with few changes until 1950. The T87 could reach speeds up to 100 mph and 18.8 mpg with only 85 horsepower – a testament to its masterful design and styling.

Exhibited courtesy of The Elkhart Collection

DID YOU KNOW?

Tatra is one of the industry’s oldest names. The company was established in 1850 and introduced its first automobile in 1897.

ADDITIONAL TATRA LINKS

The Death Eaters, Chapter 1: Tatra T87

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1948 Tatra T87 appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

Exhibited courtesy of the Richard H. Driehaus Collection at Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage, Chicago, Illinois

DID YOU KNOW?

1939 was the last year for Lincoln’s “K” series, which was its most expensive line of cars.

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1939 Lincoln “K” LeBaron Convertible Roadster appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

The D8’s long 132-inch wheelbase offers a vast canvas for the streamline school’s design elements, such as the long, low hood, pillarless greenhouse, and sloping finned fast-back rear deck. The D8 Aérosport’s lack of bumpers further emphasizes its precise curvaceous lines.

Exhibited courtesy of the Collection of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California

Photo Credit: Visit South Bend

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1937 Delage D8 Aérosport appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

Despite critical acclaim, the Cord’s production run was hampered by product development and corporate financial woes. After production ceased in 1937, the Cord’s body shell was utilized by the Hupp Skylark and Graham Hollywood.

Exhibited courtesy of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Auburn, Indiana

Photo Credit: Visit South Bend

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1936 Cord 810 appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

Hupp’s Aerodynamic was an attempt to gently introduce this new aesthetic fashion, as the company was aware of the buying public’s aversion to radical change. Unfortunately, Hupp’s efforts did not yield success, as the company was significantly weakened by the Great Depression and produced its last car in 1940.

Exhibited courtesy of Greg Drufke of Michigan City, Indiana

Photo Credit: Visit South Bend

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1937 Hupmobile 618-G (Aerodynamic) appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

Hailed by the motoring press as revolutionary, the Airflow was spurned by the public as too radical. Low sales saw Chrysler facelift the line to a more conventional look in subsequent model years before discontinuing it entirely in 1937.

Exhibited courtesy of Charles W. and Charlotte Cochran of Shelbyville, Indiana.

Photo Credit: Visit South Bend

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1934 Chrysler Airflow appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

The Scarab was the brainchild of William Stout, an automotive and aviation designer and engineer. The Scarab’s uni-body construction and rear-engine placement allows for an expansive interior space. The interior arrangement foreshadowed today’s minivan and features movable seats with a folding table. On its hood is the ancient Egyptian motif of a Scarab beetle, a symbol of regeneration to the ancient Egyptians. During the Art-Deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s, Egyptian motifs were a common design element.

Stout advertised that the Scarab would be sold “by invitation to a selected list” and its price, $5,000, (about $90,000 today) ensured exclusivity. Just nine were built, and it is estimated five remain in existence today.

Exhibited courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, Michigan

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1935 Stout Scarab appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

The Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow show cars were a radical departure for the luxury brand well known for its conservative engineering and design philosophy. The Silver Arrows were designed by P-A designer Phil Wright and feature Pierce’s signature fender mounted headlamps with an aggressively sloped V-shaped grille. Design elements, such as the distinctive fastback tail, were used on the 1934 production model, also named the Silver Arrow.

Five Silver Arrows were built and exhibited at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair as well as the national auto show circuit. Ultimately Pierce-Arrow sold each example at an astounding $10,000, still losing money on each sale.

Exhibited courtesy of the Richard H. Driehaus Collection at Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage, Chicago, Illinois

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.

To protect Bendix’s automotive partnerships, Vincent Bendix created a phantom company, the Steel Wheel Corporation, and branded the car with “SWC” badging. The Bendix car designed and assembled in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Michigan at a cost of over $84,000. It was initially shown in Europe but kept under wraps in the U.S. It was discovered and restored by Bendix employees the late 1960s.

Gift of the Honeywell Corporation, South Bend, Indiana.

About this Series

Streamlined: Style on Motion was on display at the Museum in 2019.  This series of articles comes for the displays from that exhibition.

The post 1934 Bendix (Steel Wheels Corp.) appeared first on The Studebaker National Museum.