Lord K’s Garage #138: Spirit of Motion
Dieselpunks.org | May 11, 2012
Probably the most striking serial production car of the Diesel Era:
Meet the
Spirit of Motion by Graham!
Here is its story told by Bill Vance @ Motoring Memories (May 2005):
Graham-Paige Motors called the styling of its new 1938 car line the “Spirit of Motion.” But the public took one look at the protuberant beak and immediately dubbed it the “Sharknose.”*
Apart from the lovely but short-lived Cord-bodied Graham Hollywood, it would be Graham’s last gasp at building cars, except for a brief association with Kaiser-Frazer after the Second World War.
The Graham name went back to the end of the First World War when brothers Joseph, Robert and Ray Graham began building trucks in Evansville, Indiana. They became associated with Dodge, who would ultimately buy their truck business in 1926.
1926 Paige via
K&GM @ Flickr
The Grahams still wanted to build motor vehicles, however, so with their truck company proceeds they bought the faltering Paige-Detroit Motor Car Co. of Detroit. They changed the name of the car to Graham-Paige.
Photo by
sjb4photos @ Flickr
Graham-Paige introduced its new six and eight cylinder models at the New York Automobile Show in January 1928. The first year proved very prosperous with more than 73,000 sales. But the 1929 stock market crash and the subsequent Great Depression dealt Graham-Paige and the whole motor industry a heavy blow. By 1930, the firm’s sales were down to 33,560.
Photo by
sjb4photos @ Flickr
The name of the cars was changed from Graham-Paige to Graham for 1931. By offering some stylish cars, albeit some with Reo bodies, both six and eight cylinder engines, and the first moderately priced supercharging, the company was able to struggle through the worst of the Depression. The 1932 “Blue Streak” Graham set a new styling direction with its valanced front fenders, slanted grille, and nicely integrated lines. It was largely the work of famed stylist Amos Northrup.
1933 Graham Convertible Coupe via
aldenjewell @ Flickr
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