When you go out to buy a Maybach - like this 1938 SW38 Cabriolet by Gläser (Galleria Style e Auto), you are entitled to have the highest expectations. Top quality from every nut & bolt and every stitch of the driver's 'Schlafsitze'(!). Every gauge should read 'pünktlich'. Each and every handle and control should function flawless. With ease and without loud or funny noises. Aristocratic quality and rest. Only in that way you really can enjoy you newest toy. We are not talking of the car of course but about the Worldradio. Where it is? Safely hided for thieves of course! Please open the dashboard locker on the far right. Aah!, there it is, the Telefunken T 3877 ! Check Autoradio-Oldtimer.de to find the original list price 0f 338,- Reichs Marks. Imagine to have crystal clear receival of Kopenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, München, Potsdam, London und Potsdam... Not really a luxury in view of the things that were taking place. 

An intriguing photo (Horwitz Collection) of a Dürkopp roadster. It's not only the poker face of the driver which makes you wonder what the idea behind this weird creation is. One thing is sure. When you take out the soldier, take away the atmosphere and bring this contraption for a valuation, they probably will say: 'Ah some fifties built Saturday night special.'..... It's not. It's bolted together a long-long time before that. When exactly you hopefully are going to learn us. But what had the designer in mind with the high positioned headlamps and that uggly but highly effective windscreen? The a last interesting detail. The wheels carry discs on both sides (prevents mud sticking). Suddenly this thought came up. Maybe...maybe this is not a sportscar after all! Maybe this is a purpose built reconnaisance vehicle. The blueprint for all 'open war tourers' that came one war later. Could this really be the WW I Jeep? For that let's try to date the vehicle. The badge on the soldier's cap seems to have two crossed guns and the licence plate reads: '?Z21466': Info@PreWarCar.com One thing is sure, Dürkopp liked experimenting. See this armoured truck, photographed around 1920 (ChrisHodgeTrucks.co.uk).  

Update by Raul valkila who sent some perfect Mitchell links: one showing a 1914 Mitchell Light Six (DPautomuseum.com). The othere we will add to out Mitchell library. Thanks Raul!
EARLIER: Now what is this chunk of brownish vegetable in my way? Pull together your vitamines and move! It's hard to imagien, but probably one of you instantly thought: Mitchell !!! And yes, of course we should have known also... ;-) But maybe you want to follow us to the engine + gearbox greenery and now tell us - or tell the seller - what the year of this frozen Mitchell is. And if not, the least you can bring us is some decent Mitchell links. We were not succesfull. And now that we have you busy, any of you has som 18 mm sparkplugs with 18 mm reach? We are not looking for alternatives. We are looking for the original 18 x 18 plugs, four please: Info@PreWarCar.com  

Update by Hans Compter:"The Minerva-factory-photo shows the huge coachbuilding-plant in Mortsel around the year 1928 I think. This opinion is based on the fact that most of the 4-door-Sedan-bodies visible in that photo are for the then popular small 12-hp-six-cylinder Minervas, type AH. The bodies for the later versions of that 12hp, known as the types AN, AO and AS, of the period 1929-1931 were slightly more rounded off at the front and rear. The last version was also known as the Minerva 2000."
EARLIER TEXT: See the fabulous photo we received from Minervist Bruno Costers showing the Minverva works around 1930 (can you date it more exactly?). Much more interesting is that you can almost see the complete proces of coachbuilding. Click here for more detail in the background. Beginning at the far end of the procduction hall we see the shelves with 'pre-fab' ashwood planks that are glued and bolted(?) together into rigid saloon frames. The big heap in the middle is holding all rubbers, straps, headliners, skins and more that are needed to finish the fabric/leather (?) coachworks. In the middle one can distinguish production figures on a chalkboard. And... no room for change for the about 35 man we counted. Coats & caps hang on hooks at the side... Somebody who really knows about coachbuilding could write a hundred page report when checking the full scan of this amazing photo. (Minerva photo nr. 168(?)2 ; collection Bruno Costers) 

Here we present the second short story inspired by the Floral Concourses at the dawn of motoring; click the pic first before reading) by Roger Bowers (clic to e-mail him) /

" ....The First Annual Floral Fantasies Festival commenced on Friday with a grand costume ball in celebration of the first Summer Solstice of the new century. Held in the lavishly decorated Yewhedge Manor, this delightful event drew its upper crust guests from as far away as London.
Presided over by the charismatic new owners of the vast estate, the international theatrical producer, Sir William Kenneth Blackton, and his glamorous wife Flora, the evening exemplified their undeniable mastery of showmanship.
The ballroom was encircled by twelve vehicles, each representing a month of the year, and decorated with flowers in a manner which expressed the unique and equally artistic visions of their respective owners. The motor carriages, while hardly recognizable in their marvelous disguises, were dominated by French Marquees, among which were De Dion Bouton, Panhard et Levassor, Peugeot, and Millot. Also represented were Benz, Daimler, and Wolseley.
Champagne corks popped late into the night, as the merry guests laughed and danced to the gay sounds of the Riley Crouch orchestra. At midnight, all were treated to a wonderful surprise. Mrs. Blackton, formerly the well known Flora Maudslay, succumbed to the entreaties of her husband and, dressed in a gown as magnificent as the floral creations which filled her ballroom, sang a series of songs which she had made famous while on the London stage. It was impossible not to be charmed by her lilting voice and....   Read more

Update: This time we had two competitors ending extremely close. Not so strange as the product came not too far from their homes. But before we arrived there... several competitors fell into the trap of the Italian name. We wrote Type name not name of the Make. The type name is 'Alfa' which is a type of the Czechoslovakian make Praga or Praha. Earlier winner Radu Comsa was almost sure about victory with a precise Praga, 1928, type Alfa. Very good. BUT, only one can win. Tonda Procházka was extremely precise in his answer and we had to talk with several experts to find out a few things. Whether the year is '27, '28 or '29 is uncertain and without chassis number almost impossible to determine. But the bumper seems to be a '29 model. Both mentioned Alfa. One could also mention the Series, but that is almost impossible to say with 100% certainty. In fact it came down to the extra question about the engine. Radu stated the engine is original. Tonda said that the engine probably is original, but...: "the engine in original has 2 Zenith 26 HAK carburettors with special air-filter and BOSCH VA 6 ignition with aluminium body". According to experts this is true, which made us decide to point out Tonda as winner. Congratulations! By the way you could have asked the owner ;-))) The car is for sale on these pages since two weeks. (check here, Clic)   Read more

by Hans Compter: "The Moon Motor Company's first venture into the Straight-Eight-league was with the 1925-introduction of the Diana, "the goddess of the moon". The cars were powered by a 240,3 cu. inch Continental-8 giving 72 hp and their radiators were styled after the big Minervas-types AC and AF. Production never really took off and Moon was forced to halt in early 1928. Virtually the same cars were then sold as the shortlived Moon series 8/75, but with the use of the more powerful 268, 6 cu. inch Continental Model 26-L-eight the cars then became the Moon Series 8/80. However Darrin revamped their styling and the cars were then introduced as....--->>> see Read More
(illustration from Diana instruction book - PreWarParts.com)   Read more

Ian Murray (UK) reports: "I'm pleased to tell you that since you advertised my Rolls 20 only two days ago, I've had 73 enquiries and the car has now sold."
Click photo for more RR's or >here< for more seller's feedback. 

This Friday -tomorrow- Bonhams will have a great auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This will include a number of cars collected by the late Max Lips, who started the renowned Dutch automuseum 'Lips Autotron'. One of the cars in the auction is this 1927 Lombard designed by racing driver André Lombard and built for him by Salmson (see Read More for Update), France. Only a few dozen of these cars have been built ever. The driver Dhome won the famous 24 hours single driver(!) Bol d'Or race of 1929 with a 'moyenne' of 77km/h. In this endurance race for both cars & motorcycles no driver exchange was permitted... Times have changed. Also the cars looked quite different then we often may think. Something to bear in mind when you restore a racing car of that era... For example, in the same Bonhams Goodwood auction is a very interesting lot between the automobilia. Check the condition of Bentley Old nr. 7 after another famous 24 hours: the 1927 Le Mans.... (photos courtesy Bonhams (UK)  Read more

When you are looking for Isotta parts you'll have a problem. You won't find much in our parts department. This IF-stuff doesn't come in heaps. Also you won't be very succesful at Beaulieu or Hershey either. And the little IF parts treasure pictured here is not for sale separately. It comes with a full Isotta 'package' that is (update: WAS!) for sale at 'Galleria Style e Auto'. To cut things short, we have decided to encourage the further growth and awareness of PreWarParts and help to 'unearthen' more rare parts. For this purpose ALL parts adverts, as long they are TEXT-ONLY, will be free of charge. So grab your chance! (click the photo to log in at 'Parts')