1941 Graham Hollywood Custom Supercharged Sedan
Independent Detroit automaker Graham acquired the body dies from the 1936-1937 Cord for its final automotive venture, grafting redesigned front sheet metal onto a purpose-built Graham chassis.
Gordon Buehrig’s distinctive design received Graham’s own inline six-cylinder engine (217 cu in), available with optional supercharging that delivered a 25 lb-per-horsepower power-to-weight ratio, the best figure among American automobiles of the period.
Early stock car racers including Bill France Sr. favored the supercharged Hollywood for competition, recognizing its performance advantages in an era before organized NASCAR racing.
The combination of lightweight construction and forced induction provided acceleration capabilities that made the model competitive against larger-displacement rivals.
Production reached 1,859 units across two model years before the company abandoned automobile manufacturing in favor of real estate development.
The Hollywood represented the final evolution of Buehrig’s influential styling, adapting the Cord’s dramatic proportions while serving as the last significant automobile from one of Detroit’s historic independent manufacturers.
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