1921 Duesenberg A Bender Coupe
After many successes on the racing circuit, the Duesenberg brothers decided to branch out into production cars with the Model A. Based on the chassis and using the same engine as the racers, the Duesenberg sought the help of Bender Body Company of Cleveland, Ohio to create this custom-bodied Bender Coupe, the American company’s first ever road car.
One of the first cars in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Bender Coupe’s extended cabin was created to accommodate politician and businessman Northrup Castle’s seven-foot tall, 300 lb. stature. It has been in the same family for 94 years and ferried around five generations of Castle owners. Northrup Castle’s grandson, James Castle Jr., has owned this car the past 35 years and spent six years restoring it at Bruce Canepa Designs in Scotts Valley, CA.
1929 Lincoln Locke Sport Phaeton
The mid- to late-1920s may have been the most prolific period of custom-bodied cars, as evidenced by the show category at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours.
This 1929 Lincoln Locke Sport Phaeton represents one of Edsel Ford’s earlier career responsibilities: to infuse style into the Lincoln Motor Company his father had acquired eight years earlier. To accomplish this, Ford sought the expertise of New York-based coachbuilding company Locke and designers W. Everett Miller and John Tjaarda.
Locke was one of many coachbuilders of the period, which competed with designs of Brunn, Judkins, Willoughby, and Murphy. Originally founded in 1903, the company began an expansion following the founder’s death, creating cars for Chrysler, Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Stutz and Ruxton, amongst others. This polished aluminum bodied Lincoln is one of two Sport Phaetons produced and remains as an unrestored example.
1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Spider
The Alfa 8C models were built from 1931 – 1939 and boast a phenomenal racing heritage. This semi-custom, with body by Carrozzeria Touring, is one vehicle from the coveted series. Some consider the 8Cs to be the ultimate collector cars, or “the greatest cars of all time” and many examples have sold in excess of $4,000,000.
1937 Peugeot 515 SP with Sidecar
Every year at Pebble Beach, the motorcycle section expands and the entries are more exotic than previous years.
The ‘Flame Side Grand Sport Side Car’ represents one of the many custom features that could be ordered for the 1937 Peugeot 515 SP, including special order combinations of fenders, toolboxes, seats, paint finishes and a chrome body and frame. The prewar French Art Deco style off sets the this Peugeot high compression racing engine that was a standard issue on the 515 SP.
