1910/1914 Hispano-Suiza 8HP "Boattail" Sports Roadster

1,800cc, Side-Valve, 4-Cylinder Inline Engine
Single Carburetor
27bhp at 3,000 rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension
2-Wheel Brakes

*Rare early survivor of this renowned marque
*Formerly in the Art Liberman Collection
*In the Museum's collection since 1992

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

For information relating to the history of the famed marque of Hispano-Suiza, please refer to the example of the H6B model elsewhere in this collection. This example predates that car and has its origins in the smaller side-valve models which arrived after the introduction of famed Alfonso XIII and before the arrival of the H6B in 1919.

Bonhams is grateful for the assistance of Nelson Thorpe of the Hispano-Suiza Society here in America and also of Sr. Manuel Lage in Spain in identifying this car. It is their considered view that this is an example of the 15/20hp chassis based on its chassis number, which would seemingly date from 1910, that has been retrofitted with a 1.8 Liter 'Economico' engine, a power plant introduced by Hispano from 1914. For the 1914 season Hispano-Suiza had introduced a new range of side valve models, the 8-10hp Type 24, the 20hp, 16 valve Type 26 and the 18hp Type 27. The Type 24 had a bore and stroke of 70x120mm, displacing 1,848cc and boasting an impressive 33hp @ 3,000rpm. It remained in production through to 1922.

On close inspection, the Hispano appears to have received restoration or construction of its coachwork on a largely unrestored, perhaps never restored running gear. The coachwork is certainly of a period design, but is framed in metal rather than wood, which would suggest that it is more modern than its underpinnings. How this early car originated, persisted and emigrated from the country of its birth is unknown, however it surfaced in the Midwest in the mid-1970s with long term car enthusiast and collector Dr. Jim Stickley, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who according to a copy of a Chicago title, had purchased it from King Arthurs Pub Inc. Illinois, whose proprietor, Art Liberman, was a known collector. Mr. Stickley sold the car East to Dr. Terry Bennett of New Hampshire, who would retain it for nearly 2 decades, before ultimately parting with it at a public auction of his collection in 1992. Frank K. Spain was present at the sale and acquired the car, along with the Minerva on that day, it has remained on museum display ever since as a perfect foil to the T49 and H6B in the collection.