Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 46 ¤
1920 Cole 870 Aero Eight Tourster Chassis no. 61374 Engine no. X38708
Sold for US$31,360 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 46¤
From the Minden Automotive Museum
1920 Cole 870 Aero Eight Tourster
1920 Cole 870 Aero Eight Tourster
1920 Cole 870 Aero Eight Tourster
Chassis no. 61374
Engine no. X38708
Chassis no. 61374
Engine no. X38708
346.4ci L-Head V-8
Single Zenith Updraft carburetor
80bhp [39.2 NACC hp]
Three-Speed Manual Transmission
Live Axles with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Rear Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
* 346ci 80 brake horsepower V-8 engine
* A rare limited production luxury car from the early 20's
* Handsome, imposing coachwork
* Quality restoration thoughtfully preserved
THE COLE AERO EIGHT
Joseph Cole teamed up with GM's Northway Manufacturing Company to build a sophisticated V-8 engine with fork and blade connecting rods (like Henry Leland's Lincolns) that obviated the need for offset cylinder banks. The expensive precision feature wasn't necessary, but it was the right way to build a smooth-running V-8 engine.
The Cole's 346 cubic inch displacement is familiar today as the displacement of GM's LT1, LS1 and LS6 V-8s. It is a coincidence, but it crops up more than expected despite the fact that the early engines were undersquare (bore less than stroke, in this case 3½ x 4½ inches) while the LS series is oversquare at 3.898 inches x 3.622 inches (having become primarily metric dimensioned.) The coincidence is less than it might seem, but it is a frequent occurrence (see 289 cubic inch Fords and Studebakers.) Some 50's Packard straight eights were 327 cubic inches, as were a whole generation of Chevrolet V-8s.
With some 80-brake horsepower the 1920 Cole Aero Eight was competitive with its most prestigious competitors. Offered in a variety of body styles from the "Toursine" limousine to the basic Roadster and Speedster, the Tourster (phaeton) offered exceptional utility, comfort and performance, like driving a V-series Cadillac sedan today. Cole built 3,236 cars in 1920, a total surpassed only in 1921 when 4,136 left the Indianapolis factory before the post-WWI recession killed demand. Cole wound up in 1925, voluntarily liquidated before it fell victim to its creditors.
THE CAR OFFERED
This 1920 Cole 870 Aero Eight Tourster was acquired in late 1969 for the Minden Automotive Museum. A restored car at the time, it is finished in haze grey with black fenders and aprons, upholstered in red leather and has a black leatherette top. It has red wood spoke wheels, a single windshield wiper and elaborate wind wings. Its visage, however, is dominated by a generous luggage trunk on the left running board, large enough for a week's trip.
Restored to high standards when acquired, it has been carefully and consistently maintained in the Minden Automotive Museum and occasionally used including in the 2009 Modoc Tour. Paint, brightwork, engine and chassis are in good older restored condition and although it has not budged from its position at Minden in years it is a prime candidate for a straightforward, reasonable mechanical recommissioning which would return it to weekend drives and tours.
The Cole V-8 would sound great when driven, even among a field of restomods and customs. It is a milestone automobile.
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| ¤ | No Reserve |
| Unless indicated by the ¤ symbol next to the lot number (or bearing an explicit statement such as "No Reserve" or "Without Reserve"), which denotes no reserve, all lots in the catalog are subject to a reserve. The reserve is the minimum hammer price that the seller is willing to accept for a lot. This amount is confidential and does not exceed the low estimate value. |
