1938 Graham 97 Supercharged Cabriolet
Amos Northrup’s final design before his death produced what may be the most aerodynamically aggressive American production car of the 1930s.
Introduced for 1938 as the Graham 97 “Sharknose,” it presented a jutting prow with headlamps blended into the curved leading edges of the fenders and a grille that appeared to wrap around the hood under pressure, with rear wheel skirts integrated into full pontoon-style fenders (carried with an audacity few domestic manufacturers had previously attempted).
Jacques Saoutchik of Paris installed custom cabriolet coachwork on several Sharknose chassis, and this example (displayed on Saoutchik’s stand at the 1938 Paris Salon) is believed to be one of two surviving examples and the only one currently in the United States.
Its bodywork dispenses with running boards and adopts a notchback profile with sweeping side moldings and a subtle fin integrated into the rear deck.
The approximately 52-inch doors open on a cantilevered parallel-swing hinge (built under license from British coachbuilder James Young Ltd.), and the windows operate on a double-retractable system allowing the wind wing to remain independently operable.
Power is supplied by a 217.8 cubic inch supercharged L-head inline six producing 116 horsepower, backed by a three-speed manual transmission. Wheelbase is 120 inches.
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