Lot 9: 1930 ISOTTA FRASCHINI 8AS BOATTAIL CONVERTIBLE

COACHWORK BY CASTAGNA

Chassis No 1581

Gray with gray leather upholstery and dark green soft top

Engine: L-head, straight eight cylinder, 7,370cc, 120bhp at 2,500rpm; Gearbox: three speed manual; Suspension: semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear; Brakes: four wheel servo-operated mechanical, foot and hand brakes operating on all wheels. Right hand drive.

In the world of Italian cars during the first four decades of the 20th Century, what Alfa Romeo was to racing, Isotta Fraschini was to luxury. Acknowledged as one of the world's true thoroughbred cars, the company was founded in 1902 by Cesare Isotta together with Oreste, Vincenzo and Antonio Fraschini. The company quickly established itself as a technical innovator, with its products boasting features such as four wheel brakes in 1909, the first production straight eight cylinder engine in 1912 and a three speed synchromesh transmission in 1924. They became very popular in the US market, being outsold only by Rolls-Royce among foreign marques. Isotta Fraschinis were wildly expensive, with bare chassis selling for almost $10,000 by the mid-Twenties.

Although the Bugatti Royale earned the sobriquet 'The Car of Kings', that title in all fairness truly belonged to Isotta Fraschini. Some of the notable owners of the marque included King Faisal, the Queen of Romania, the Aga Khan, Pope Pius XI and William Randolph Hearst. The film world also embraced the motor cars, with perhaps the most famous being Rudolph Valentino's Isotta Fraschini 8A Coupe de Ville. No one can forget the cinematic appearances of Isotta Fraschinis in the film Sunset Boulevard with Erich von Stroheim chauffeuring Gloria Swanson in a Tipo 8A Town Car Landaulet and James Dean in the big Isotta tourer in Giant.

To meet the factory guarantee of 90mph, the Tipo 8A had the most powerful production straight eight engine yet. A remarkably flexible unit, it could run from 6mph to maximum speed in top gear. Approximately 950 Tipo 8A chassis were built between 1925 and 1931, by which time the company began to struggle in the Depression. A savior was found in the person of Henry Ford, who had long admired the marque and offered to buy the company. He planned to build Isottas in the US, one of its best markets, and use the company's Italian production capacity to build Fords in Europe. Instead, the Italian government stepped in and brokered a deal to sell Isotta Fraschini to the Caproni aircraft company. Caproni had been using Isotta engines in their planes and wanted to make certain the supply was not interrupted. When the deal was finalized in 1932, auto production was stopped. An attempt to revive the marque after WWII with a sophisticated rear-engined V8 model came to naught after three prototypes were built. Isotta Fraschini continues today, building highly regarded marine, industrial and rail engines.

Carrozzeria Castagna's bodies are generally regarded as the most impressive to ride on Isotta Fraschini chassis; the boattail convertible body on this example shows why. Although it is a very large car, the proportions are near perfect and its massive scale is only revealed when you stand directly next to it. The decorative detailing of the body and interior are simple and clean, with a sparing use of chrome trim, and elegant contrast wood banding over burled panels on the dashboard top and doors. The large number of louvers cut into the hood sides, cowl and sills, giving the car a racer's look which is enhanced by the teardrop-shaped separate running boards.

The paint and leather upholstery of the car shows evidence of use, but the high-level restoration done in the early 1980s has stood up extremely admirably, and the car would present itself quite well in tours or casual showing.

Sergio Franchi was particularly fascinated with the Isotta marque, and in his life owned five of the manufacturer's products. This car exemplified his attitude towards collecting: an important and rare car, with a superb pedigree and giving evidence of an artistic expression which matched its technical achievement. Both sides were shown during his ownership of the 8AS, as he showed it at the 1983 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and drove it on the 1986 CCCA Caravan to Mount Hood.

Eva Franchi, recalling Sergio's relationship with this car and that trip up Mt. Hood said, 'Letting go of this one is truly breaking my heart because it was so him. But- it needs to be loved and enjoyed to live on. It needs a 'man's love'- for automobiles are frequently referred to as 'she'- I cannot give her that love. But I forever treasure the memories while she was ours. This car was Sergio's pride and joy- the jewel of the collection. It stands for what he stood for. Sergio was a classic - an original - there will never be another like him. Just like this Isotta; the real thing, the genuine article. I found the swatches and boards Sergio used to choose the colors and materials for the restoration of the Isotta. He was an artist in every way and made an artist's choices. In his life he owned five - he liked to say that the letters 'IF' on the badge stood for 'I Franchi'. This is the best and was his favorite. This car is him - his aura, the boldness, the beauty, the class and elegance and the performance of Sergio - like a stallion. At the CCCA Tour in Oregon, going up Mt. Hood, all the other cars were struggling to make it up the mountain in the summer heat. I can still hear the deep sound of the Isotta's engine as it swept up the mountain without stopping or a break, and seeing Sergio's great profile, his face stern and concentrated as we drove up. That was Sergio, strong, powerful and confident, just like this car.'