Vehicle Description
On May 7, 1930, Dr. Norbert H. Knoch of Denver, Colorado stepped
into local Hupmobile dealer C.S. Norton, Inc. and purchased a brand
new Model H sedan. The Model H was a mainstay of the Hupmobile
lineup; a car that was of very good quality, with conservative
styling, respectable performance and a reputation for reliability.
On paper, it was a sound and smart decision for a doctor to get
such a sensible, practical automobile. However, Dr. Knoch' passion
for motorsport would eventually lead him to transform the Hupmobile
into one of the more fascinating early hot-rod/racing cars of the
period. No ordinary Doctor, Norbert Knoch served as official team
doctor for Duesenberg's land-speed record attempts at Bonneville in
the 1930s. He became closely acquainted with Augie Duesenberg and
the "Mormon Meteor" Ab Jenkins. During the 1937 24-hour record
attempt, a piece of debris lodged in Jenkins' arm, and it was going
numb during his stint behind the wheel. When he stopped for relief,
it was Dr. Knoch who stepped in to treat his wounds and allow
Jenkins to complete the record-setting run successfully. Racing and
record-breaking were essential marketing tools for motor
manufacturers in the 1930s. Speed records and success on the race
track demonstrated superior reliability and performance,
translating into sales in the showroom. Hupp Motor Company of
Detroit lacked the budget and resources to support racing on a
large scale; however, they still recognized the tremendous sales
potential that motorsport offered. In 1931, Hupmobile executives
contacted Russell Snowberger, a privateer driver and car builder
who had shown immense promise at Indianapolis with his home-built,
Studebaker powered special. Hupmobile convinced Snowberger to
replace the Studebaker engine with a Hupp 8, which he could modify
to his specs with Hupp's support. The resulting Hupp Comet was
astonishingly quick considering its production-based engine. It
debuted at the 1932 Indy 500, starting second on the grid and
finishing 5th overall against a field of far more sophisticated
machinery. At the end of the season, Snowberger chose to take a new
direction, and he returned the special high-compression,
four-carburetor engine to Hupmobile. With circuit racing on the
shelf, management began to look elsewhere for sport-related
marketing opportunities. Meanwhile, in Denver, Dr. Knoch, with
assistance from Bill Kenz (a future Bonneville legend himself) was
making serious progress in converting his Hupp sedan into a
dry-lakes speedster. He commissioned local coachbuilders Niederhut
Carriage Company to create the light and purposeful two-passenger
boat-tail body. Niederhut scrapped the fenders in favor of
specially designed, streamlined mudguards which served to keep the
salt out of the cockpit. Documents suggest the design inspired
those used on Duesneberg's Mormon Meteor record car. An astounding
amount of original correspondence documents the development process
of this remarkable machine. Multiple letters to Hupp Motor
Corporation, fuel suppliers, oil refineries, and gear makers
document Dr. Knoch's quest for ever higher performance. Some of the
letters reveal Hupp's confusion as to what he was trying to
accomplish, questioning his need for multiple carbs on a "pleasure
car." However, once they caught on to his plan, they saw the
project as a chance to promote the Hupmobile name with minimal
investment. The car's initial runs were made with a modified
factory engine, including a high-compression cylinder head and a
multi-carburetor manifold. Knoch added an auxiliary tank which bled
raw benzol into the carbs to boost the octane rating to accommodate
the high-compression head. In the quest for more power, Dr. Knoch
eventually purchased the ex-Russ Snowberger Hupmobile Indy car
engine, which was sitting in storage since being returned to the
factory. Now, Hupp Motor Company could recoup some of the
investment made in the Indy program while still reaping the
benefits of Dr. Knoch's efforts. On September 2, 1935, Dr. Knoch
ran his Indy-powered Bonneville Hupp on the Salt Flats. As reported
in a 1977 article in Cars & Parts magazine, Knoch achieved an
impressive 136 miles per hour on the salt, in a car that was
initially good for no more than 80 mph. Knoch's wife was even given
a turn at the wheel, and she ran the car to 130 mph, later
reporting "It was a honey and really had a bark!" Following Dr.
Knoch's death in 1956, the Bonneville Hupp was acquired by Denver
resident Don Crites. It later joined the famous Frank Kleptz
collection in Terre Haute, Indiana. By that time it was painted
white, yet it retained the Snowberger engine. It stayed with Kleptz
for many years, until John Snowberger (Russell Snowberger's son)
purchased it to reunite the engine with his father's newly restored
Indy car. The Hupmobile then sold to Rick Blomquist, who, together
with his son Cord, began a comprehensive restoration. Completed in
2017, the fascinating speedster is now in a specification very
close to how it last ran at Bonneville. Perhaps equally as
impressive as the high-quality restoration is the astonishing
history file, complete with the original 1932 Colorado title, and
dozens of letters between Dr. Knoch, the Hupp Motor Company and
suppliers. Also included are letters from Mrs. Knoch recalling
their experiences at Bonneville, photos of the car on the flats
(including one with August Duesenberg's dog in the car!), and
extensive articles documenting the car's history, closely
intertwined with Russ Snowberger's accomplishments at Indy. Now
lovingly restored by the Blomquist family's White Glove Collection
workshop, this intriguing speedster presents in a close
approximation of the original black and silver color scheme. A
period-correct Hupp Model H 8-cylinder currently resides under the
hood, beautifully detailed and fed by a single oversize Stromberg
carburetor. The restoration is very fresh, having had little more
than shakedown mileage. Paintwork and detailing is excellent, and
the car has an undeniable presence, with the unique boattail body,
aero mud guards, and laid-back radiator grille and fairing. Rare
E&J Model 20 torpedo headlamps are a later addition yet in line
with the car's purpose and character. With stunning presence and
captivating history, this unique one-off Hupmobile is now
beautifully restored to a high standard, suitable for show or
possible entry into the popular T.R.O.G. (The Race of Gentlemen)
events. T.R.O.G. celebrates the history and tradition American hot
rodding and land-speed racing, traditions which Dr. Knoch's
Hupmobile is an integral piece.
