1929 Minerva AM Convertible Sedan (more photos 👇)
Murphy’s “Clear Vision” windshield defined the Pasadena coachbuilder’s most celebrated design innovation. The frame’s width (narrower than the space between a man’s eyes) eliminated blind spots while creating an airy greenhouse effect that complemented Murphy’s characteristically unadorned body lines.
The convertible sedan adaptation featured an equally slender center pillar at which both doors hinged, becoming one of Murphy’s most recognizable and prolific designs across various luxury chassis during the late 1920s.
As Murphy served as West Coast distributor for the Belgian marque, the firm produced particularly notable creations on the Minerva platform. The Type AM arrived in 1928 with a massive 149.5-inch wheelbase, rivaling the largest automobiles of its era.
Power came from a 366 cubic inch inline-six employing Knight-type sleeve valves, producing approximately 100 horsepower. This configuration delivered the near-silent operation for which Minerva had become famous after adopting sleeve-valve technology exclusively beginning in 1910.
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