Quiz Archive

About Quiz 250: 1928 Henney

The mystery car in Quiz #250 is a 1928 Henney, built by the of Freeport, Illinois, USA (see also this link ). Carriage builders since 1879, the Henney family began building truck bodies in the 'teens, and introduced a motorised hearse in 1916, an assembled vehicle powered by a Continental six-cylinder engine. By the early 1920s, Henney was well known in the American funeral trade, building hearses and limousines, although a short run of sport phaetons was built around 1921-23. In the late twenties, hearses and limousines (like the quiz car) were assembled on Henney's own chassis frame, powered by either Continental sixes or Lycoming eights. In 1933 they gave up chassis assembly and concentrated on "professional" bodies for commercial chassis like Packard, Lincoln and Cadillac. From 1938 they had an exclusive arrangement with Packard - if you saw a Packard hearse or ambulance it was Henney-built - and also bodied Packard's long-wheelbase limos in the postwar period. With the demise of Packard's "professional" chassis in 1955, Henney left the business, although the firm lasted long enough to convert a run of Renault Dauphines to electric power, sold as Henney Kilowatts in 1959-60.

Although several contestants got the hearse connection, none came up with the right make. The closest geographically was jury member Dick Trenk, who said it was a Lorraine, also a funeral car, built 1920- 21 in Richmond, Indiana, just 366 miles from Freeport. Next closest, geographically, was Reg Harris, who voted for Ferris of Cleveland, Ohio, 457 miles away. Reg gets this week's prize. Honourable mention goes to Allan Lewis, who mentioned James Cunningham, Son & Co. of Rochester, NY, another carriage builder who turned to automobiles, hearses and limousines. Other suggestions, good guess all, included Bay State and Leach.
The mystery photo was taken many years ago in Florida by my colleague Elliott Kahn. There's plenty of information on Henney at the intensely useful website Coachbuilt.com
We like to give special thanks to Kit Foster who created Quiz #250 ! Kit Foster

Friday, 22 May 2009