Vehicle Description
Destined to become one of Italy's most prestigious luxury car
manufacturers, Isotta-Fraschini formed in the late 1800s when
lawyer Cesare Isotta partnered with brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and
Oreste Fraschini. The four men shared a passion for motorcars, and
they began importing French DeDions into Milan before embarking on
a more ambitious plan to build a car of their own. Finding success
in the early 1910s, the company grew steadily and enjoyed an
increasingly loyal following, particularly in the American market.
The Tipo 8 of 1912 marked Isotta-Fraschini's arrival in the upper
echelon of car manufacturers, featuring world's first production
inline 8-cylinder engine and four-wheel brakes. The successor Tipo
8A followed in 1924, retaining the eight-cylinder layout, but with
an entirely new chassis and suspension. Testers criticized early
iterations for being underpowered compared to the mighty
Hispano-Suiza, but in Isotta's defense, the 8A's objective was
silence over speed. Not to be outdone, however, subsequent
evolutions of the Tipo 8A, the Spinto, and Super Spinto, made 135
hp and 160 hp respectively, putting any criticism to rest.
Particularly in ultimate S.S. form, the Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A
stands among the most desirable of all Classic Era automobiles. The
combination of power, prestige and engineering excellence was
matched by the work of great coachbuilders including Fleetwood,
Derham, Worblaufen, and Italy's own Castagna. In America, where
nearly a third of Isottas were sold, the price of an 8A exceeded
that of a Model J Duesenberg. Pricing started at $9,750 for a
chassis alone, with complete cars often approaching $20,000
depending on coachwork. As such, Isottas attracted the likes of
King Faisal, the Aga Khan, William Randolph Hearst, and Rudolph
Valentino, to name just a few. One of those aforementioned great
coachbuilders was the Floyd-Derham Company. With the passing of
Derham's founder, Joseph J. Derham, in 1928, a rift between his
three sons was exposed, which would change the makeup of the
company. Son Philip wanted the firm to modernize and expand, while
siblings James and Enos remained in favor of running the firm just
as it had been with their father at the helm. Philip left the
Derham Body Company in 1928 and utilized the backing of William
Floyd, a European car importer based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
Philip Derham was responsible for the design and drafting work, and
the actual body production was carried out by the well-known
Alexander Wolfington, Son & Company. Just prior to the stock market
crash of 1929, the Floyds imported car business began to falter,
and they withdrew their support of the nascent coachbuilding firm,
despite the fact that there were orders to fill. These were
ultimately completed by Wolfington, with the help of the Derham
Body Co. Although short-lived, the firm did manage to produce two
vehicles for display. One of those was a Minerva Town Cabriolet,
displayed at the Chicago Salon in the fall of 1928, which is now
part of the Nethercutt Collection. The second car is this Isotta
Fraschini Convertible Sedan, chassis 1571, which was displayed at
the New York Auto Salon in December. After the show, the car went
into private ownership and next appeared in the collection of early
enthusiast Paul F. Cofrancesco, of New Britain, Connecticut, who
was actively purchasing these magnificent, used, pre-war
masterpieces in the 1940s and '50s. A graduate of the Yale School
of Fine Art, Paul was an accomplished artist and musician, and he
was also a friend of Rudolph Valentino. Perhaps it was Valentino's
association with the Isotta Fraschini marque that fueled
Cofrancesco's interest, because he ultimately had four of them in
his collection. Cofrancesco came to the attention of fellow pioneer
collector Anthony Pascucci, of Meriden, Connecticut, who tried many
times over the years to acquire the cars. Ultimately, well-known
collector and operatic tenor Sergio Franchi got involved in the
chase, and the two ultimately convinced Mr. Cofrancesco to part
with his cars around 1975. As unearthed from the garage in New
Britain, the car was still finished in its original color scheme of
Butterscotch with yellow fenders and belt line. Mechanically
recommissioned, it remained largely original through the subsequent
ownership in several well-known collections. In 2006 it was
entrusted to Reinhold's Restorations, of Reinhold, Pennsylvania,
for a thorough body-off restoration. The work, which was completed
in 2008, saw the body stripped down to the bare chassis and all of
the components rebuilt and refinished. The engine, transmission,
and rear end were fully disassembled and rebuilt with all-new
gaskets and seals. In addition, new high-compression aluminum
pistons and rings were fitted. In the process of restoration, every
piece of chrome was replated, and the wheels were fully rebuilt and
balanced by the Dayton Wire Wheel Company. More recently, the car
has received further maintenance and sorting by noted Classic Era
specialist Automotive Restorations in Lebanon, NJ. Finished in a
handsome two-tone green, the body is accented with subtle red
stripes. Providing a pleasing contrast to the body color scheme is
a richly appointed dark tan leather interior with ostrich seat
inserts and a tan cloth top. The chromed wire wheels are shod with
whitewall tires, and the radiator stone guard, which is nearly
unique on every Isotta Fraschini, depicts a point-down triangle
divided down the middle. Some interesting features of this example
are the tubular bar-type bumpers, the wood ribs on the front splash
apron, and the upward curve of the door, which reaches up almost
imperceptibly to match the height of the cowl. The long belt
molding traverses the length of the hood and then splits at the
cowl and continues down the side of the body, where it rejoins and
dips down sharply to allow room for the convertible top to fold
down. The rear contains additional room for a stationary trunk rack
and trunk. The mighty 7.3-liter, overhead valve, inline-eight is
more than up to the task of propelling the big Isotta along with
ease. With the signature bright red cylinder block, the jewel-like
presentation continues on the engine, which was completely rebuilt
during the restoration. Compared with the Americans and other
European neighbors, Italy's contribution to Classic Era automobiles
was somewhat smaller, yet as we see with this exceptional motorcar,
no less impactful. Fastidiously restored, this is the sole example
of Floyd-Derham coachwork on an Isotta Fraschini chassis and is
ready for the next keeper to carry on its remarkable legacy. Offers
welcomed and trades considered For additional details please view
this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7687-1929-isotta-fraschini-8a-convertible-sedan/
