To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Amelia
Island event, 6 - 7 March 2020.
Estimate:
$300,000 - $375,000
- Offered from the Todd and Peggy Nagler Collection
- Originally owned by Horace Dodge
- Only three owners since new; part of the collection since
2004
- Largely original and beautifully preserved, as the Dodges left
it, with 45,500 km
- Winner of the Alec Ulmann Trophy, 2006 Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance
- Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classic
ONCE UPON A TIME IN DETROIT
After the passing of the two Dodge brothers in 1920, the brothers'
business interests were sold for a then-record price of $174
million, equivalent to around $2 billion today. Both brothers'
widows inherited their wealth and were counted among the queens of
Detroit society. Horace's spouse, Anna, fairly ruled Grosse Pointe
from her palatial estate, Rose Terrace, and it was there that this
Hispano-Suiza H6B lived.
The story, as it has been passed on, is that this car was ordered
by her husband at the Hispano-Suiza show stand, with coachwork by
Marcel Chavet of Neuilly-sur-Seine, and indeed, the factory records
do note "Dodge" as the original owner. Horace and his brother John
both attended the New York Auto Show in January 1920, leading to
the belief that this was indeed the setting where Horace placed the
order for his stunning new phaeton. Tragically, both Horace and
John contracted the flu and pneumonia in New York during this
exposition, as reported, which soon claimed the life of John in
January and Horace later in December. While battling his illness,
it is unlikely that Dodge Sr. ever had a chance to enjoy his new
purchase, and ultimately it may have been Horace Jr. who first took
delivery and climbed behind the wheel. Tales are told of the
freewheeling young heir using the Hispano to host backwards driving
races around the Rose Terrace grounds-as you do. A 1932 title in
his name remains in the car's history file.
Horace had not directly inherited any of his father's wealth, but
he had no problem spending it on great cars, racing boats, and an
"adventurous" lifestyle that oftentimes put him at odds with law
enforcement. In these times of need, Horace Jr. would reach out to
his friend Waino Husko to assist with his legal troubles. In
return, Waino was offered the opportunity to pick a car from
Horace's stable as repayment, leading to a transfer of ownership
for the Hispano-Suiza to its second owner in 1962, along with an SS
1 saloon and two twelve-cylinder Packards. Mr. Husko tucked this
one-owner collection away in the proverbial big red barn in Romeo,
Michigan, with the Hispano left much as he had acquired it, largely
complete.
RESURRECTING A LOST HISPANO-SUIZA
Todd Nagler acquired the car from the Husko heirs in 2004 and
wasted no time in sympathetically returning it to running order.
Remarkably, the engine was free and showed good oil pressure, and
with some fettling the car was running again after 49 years. The
body cleaned up beautifully, with the original interior remaining
in good, usable condition, apart from some seat cushions that need
to be replaced, and with the paint even still holding a shine; the
monogram of "H.E.D." remains on the doors to this day. The
undercarriage has the original, oft-missing belly pan, and the car
is still running off its original solid copper fuel tank. Given
that the car had been left by Mr. Husko as he bought it from Mr.
Dodge, the modifications made to it are original to the first
owner-and so the Hispano retains its Duesenberg Model J steering
wheel and Ross mechanism (just as Horace Jr. preferred for his use
on Dodge racing boats), the Zenith carburetors on a custom
manifold, and the second Le Nivex fuel gauge mounted in lieu of a
dashboard clock.
Todd Nagler was justifiably proud of his treasure, and he had the
ability to exhibit it at several CCCA events and select
concours-none more select than the Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance, where it was shown with great pride in 2006, earning
the Alec Ulmann Trophy as the Most Significant Hispano-Suiza. And
significant it is-a priceless piece of immaculate preservation,
maintained and enjoyed still with the fingerprints of former
caretakers upon it.
The Dodge family's Rose Terrace is long gone, but the Hispano that
once explored it-backwards and at high speed-lives, happily, to be
driven, appreciated, and enjoyed.To view this car and others
currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am20.
