Hemmings Daily: Xenia, Dubonnet's 1938 Hispano-Suiza, takes L.A. Classic's Award of Excellence

Andre Dubonnet was a World War I flying ace, a race car driver, an Olympic athlete, and a prolific inventor. Given his background, no ordinary automobile would do, so Dubonnet had several designed for him, including a futuristic Saoutchik-bodied coupe built atop a Hispano-Suiza chassis. Now owned by the Mullin Museum, the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia recently added a new trophy to its collection, capturing the Award of Excellence Grand Boulevard (a Best of Show equivalent) at the 2018 Los Angeles Classi [View in Browser | Subscribe]( [Hemmings Daily] Friday, March 16, 2018 [1938 Hispano-Suiza takes Award of Excellence - Grand Boulevard at L.A. Classic Auto Show]( [1938 Hispano-Suiza takes Award of Excellence - Grand Boulevard at L.A. Classic Auto Show]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Andre Dubonnet was a World War I flying ace, a race car driver, an Olympic athlete, and a prolific inventor. Given his background, no ordinary automobile would do, so Dubonnet had several designed for him, including a futuristic Saoutchik-bodied coupe built atop a Hispano-Suiza chassis. Now owned by the Mullin Museum, the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia recently added a new trophy to its collection, capturing the Award of Excellence Grand Boulevard (a Best of Show equivalent) at the 2018 Los Angeles Classi... [Read More]( [Sponsor]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1974 Dodge D500]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1974 Dodge D500]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Restored 1974 Dodge D500 flatbed for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This rare Medium Duty model was only made in this body style for 4 years (74,75,76,77) and most were made in the bigger 600, 700, and 800 series, so finding a D500 like this is pretty hard. Finding one in this shape is nearly impossible. There is no rust on the body and the 14 foot wood deck is in good shape, but not perfect because it has been used to haul a small car to shows. It has an 18,500 lbs GVWR with a 13,500 lb Rockw...[Read More]( [Utah off-highway vehicle bill aims to expand state's trail infrastructure]( [Utah off-highway vehicle bill aims to expand state's trail infrastructure]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - It may sound like a tedious bit of administrative red tape and paper shuffling at first, but a bill pending in the state of Utah, should it pass, promises to redirect millions of dollars toward trail building and maintenance in some of the country's premier off-roading destinations. Introduced in January, House Bill 143 proposes modifying the state's fee structure for all-terrain vehicles, increasing the cost to register ATVs, off-road bikes, and snowmobiles while at the same time decreasing the property tax asse...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( ["A whole new car - a lot of new technology:" 1982 Chevrolet Camaro brochure]( ['A whole new car - a lot of new technology:' 1982 Chevrolet Camaro brochure]( Posted by Mark J. McCourt - Images are from the brochure collection of Hemmings Motor News, courtesy of Bruce Zahor. It's difficult to overstate what a difference GM's new-for-1982 F-body sports coupes were, as they represented a drastic change from the long-serving 1970-1981 models. The new,third-generation Camaro was notably smaller (down 10 inches), sleeker (.374-.369 versus .412 coefficient of drag), and lighter (roughly 450 pounds) than its predecessor, and with revised front strut/coil spring underpinnings, had a renewed focus on ha...[Read More]( [Los Angeles, 1960s]( [Los Angeles, 1960s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa early 1960s Location: Devonshire Street and Balboa Boulevard, Los Angeles, California Source: via Maurice Mentens What do you see here?...[Read More]( [Sponsor]( [HemmingsPRO]( Seller Listings [1972 Buick Gran Sport]( [1972 Buick Gran Sport $24,900]( [1981 Datsun 280ZX]( [1981 Datsun 280ZX $24,900]( [1939 Buick Roadmaster]( [1939 Buick Roadmaster $19,650]( [2010 Porsche 911]( [2010 Porsche 911 $66,997]( [1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle]( [1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle $12,500]( [1980 Porsche 911]( [1980 Porsche 911 $71,500]( [Learn More]( [This Day in Automotive History] THIS DAY IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY 3/16/1988: Racing legend "Mickey" Thompson and wife murdered. UPCOMING EVENTS [Chasing Cars April Fools Swap Meet/Car/Truck Show Mt. Airy]( March 23, 2018 - Mount Airy, NC [48th Annual Indoor/Outdoor Antique Auto, Truck, Motorcycle Parts/Swap Meet]( March 23, 2018 - Westminster, MD [AACA Winter Meet - Deep South Region - Mobile, Alabama]( March 23, 2018 - Mobile, AL [1st Annual Open Car Show]( March 24, 2018 - Georgetown, TX [31st Annual Arizona All Oldsmobile Show]( March 24, 2018 - Scottsdale, AZ [BRITISH MOTORING CLUB NEW ORLEANS 28TH ANNUAL BRITISH CAR DAY]( March 24, 2018 - New Orleans, LA [See All Events]( [Sponsor]( FEATURED CLASSIFIEDS Sponsored By: [Sponsor]( [1949 Studebaker Champion]( [1949 Studebaker Champion]( [$2,100]( [1971 Plymouth Duster]( [1971 Plymouth Duster]( [$25,000]( [1963 Chevrolet Corvette]( [1963 Chevrolet Corvette]( [$80,000]( [1974 Land Rover Range Rover]( [1974 Land Rover Range Rover]( [$43,500]( [1956 Mercury Montclair]( [1956 Mercury Montclair]( [$32,000]( [1964 Austin-Healey 3000 MK III]( [1964 Austin-Healey 3000 MK III]( [$52,000]( PROMOTED LISTING [1975 Cadillac Eldorado]( [1975 Cadillac Eldorado]( [Auction]( PROMOTED LISTING [1980 Ford]( [1980 Ford]( [$38,901]( PROMOTED LISTING [1965 Chevrolet Corvette]( [1965 Chevrolet Corvette]( [$44,900]( [Henderson Motorcycle engine + transmission]( [Henderson Motorcycle engine + transmission]( [$6,540]( [View All Classifieds]( FEATURED IN THE BLOG [The Stoner T: How to build a hot rod in 10 years (and impress people), part 12]( [The Stoner T: How to build a hot rod in 10 years (and impress people), part 12]( [This or That - Season 2: 1970 Shelby G.T.500 or 1971 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner]( [This or That - Season 2: 1970 Shelby G.T.500 or 1971 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner]( [See All Featured Blog Posts]( FOLLOW US: [Get RSS Feeds of Hemmings Blog]( [Follow us on Twitter]( [Join us on Facebook]( [View our Flickr pool]( [View Newsletter Archives]( WEEK IN REVIEW Thursday, March 15, 2018 [Golden by design and by dilapidation: Golden Sahara breaks cover after decades in hiding]( [Golden by design and by dilapidation: Golden Sahara breaks cover after decades in hiding]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - For several years it toured the country claiming a Guinness world record for "world's most expensive automobile," and it very well may have been, given the extensive modifications and futuristic technology that went into building it. But then its owner inexplicably hid it away 50 years ago, leading to an exile that will only be broken this spring when the Golden Sahara heads to auction. Considered one of George Barris' most iconic customs, the Golden Sahara actually went through three major iterations, two of whi...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1984 Chevrolet Corvette]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1984 Chevrolet Corvette]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Conduct your own night of fire with this J34 turbojet-powered 1984 Chevrolet Corvette funny car for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This incredible Jet Turbine powered Funny Car was built for Fred Spezio and based on a 1984 Corvette. It was named Fireworks USA and is patriotically painted red, white and blue. The chassis is a Meng Race Specialties and it was painted by Harners Auto Body. The power is provided by a J34/34-A Westinghouse Turbo-Jet engine that was originally built in 1951 for use ...[Read More]( [What price victory? For a 1976 Porsche 934, a world-record $1.32 million]( [What price victory? For a 1976 Porsche 934, a world-record $1.32 million]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - In 1976, Porsche introduced the 934, a new racing car built for the FIA's Group 4 GT class, based upon the production 911 Turbo. Just 31 Porsche 934s were built and sold to privateer teams in 1976 (plus 10 more in 1977), and one of the most frequently raced examples was chassis 930 670 0162, which proved successful on both sides of the Atlantic from 1976-'86. On Friday, March 9, this 1976 Porsche 934 sold for a fee-inclusive $1.32 million at Gooding & Company's Amelia Island sale, setting a new auction benchma...[Read More]( [The 1959 Oldsmobiles even appealed to young Space Cadets]( [The 1959 Oldsmobiles even appealed to young Space Cadets]( Posted by Thomas A. DeMauro - In this vintage television ad, two young boys wearing space helmets experience from the backseat of their parents' new Ninety-Eight what the redesigned '59 Oldsmobile had to offer. The "Rocket" tie-in between the car and their headgear is obvious. So too, is the lack of seatbelts, as the children move freely about the cabin, and the little girl even climbs into the front seat to sit with her mother while the car appears to be traveling down the highway. (It was a different era with regard to passenger safety.) Yo...[Read More]( [Lopez, Pennsylvania, 1950s]( [Lopez, Pennsylvania, 1950s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1950s Location: Lopez, Pennsylvania Source: Sullivan County Historical Society Of Pennsylvania, via Ron Dawson What do you see here?...[Read More]( Wednesday, March 14, 2018 [The load-down on this Mercedes-Benz transporter: Porsche commissioned it]( [The load-down on this Mercedes-Benz transporter: Porsche commissioned it]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Of all the ways to load a car onto a truck for transportation, German utility truck builder Ruthmann may have come up with one of the oddest and yet most practical method for its so-called Gewichtsbilanz Schraeghubwagen, a truck that Porsche commissioned and that will cross the auction block this weekend. Ruthmann, founded in 1901 and based out of Gescher-Hochmoor in North Rhein-Westphalia, for the most part builds hydraulic cranes for flatbed trucks, but in late 1982, the Porsche factory in Stuttgart approached ...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1951 Mercury Monterey coupe]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1951 Mercury Monterey coupe]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Professionally built, resto-modded 1951 Mercury Monterey coupe for sale. From the seller's description: Magnificent low mileage classic modified during our ownership by professionals in San Francisco. Body: Burgandy beauty, Lowered, Decked, Shaved, Fender Skirts, Re-Chromed as necessary. Engine: All 50s upgrades: + 4 barrel carburetor, dual steel pack mufflers, electric fuel pump, upgraded radiator system: see pics Transmission: modified to a 3 speed. Electrical: Converted to 12 V system, am/fm/cd syste...[Read More]( [Gallery: The 2018 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance]( [Gallery: The 2018 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance]( Posted by David Conwill - Early light and thinner crowds make morning on the golf course a special experience. Photos by the author. For the second year in a row, a prediction of inclement weather prompted the rescheduling of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance from Sunday to Saturday; nonetheless, the 2018 edition of the annual Northeast Florida event, held on March 10, was again a rousing success. In addition to vehicles ranging from early horseless carriages to 1980s Formula One cars, the wild showcars of Ed Big Daddy Roth, and...[Read More]( [The Stoner T: How to build a hot rod in 10 years (and influence people), part 15]( [The Stoner T: How to build a hot rod in 10 years (and influence people), part 15]( Posted by Dan Stoner - Look, I want you good people to understand one thing about custom shops: you have no idea. You have no idea, no real understanding of the lengths these craftsmen go to in order to let you realize the vision of your custom car. You've seen something or remember something or dreamt something or heard about something that's inspired you to have a car built, so you've found a shop owner who is totally simpatico with you and you're finishing each other's sentences and you love telling your buddies that you had this ol...[Read More]( [New York City, 1960s]( [New York City, 1960s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1960s Location: West 4th Street and Washington Square West, New York City, New York Source: NYU Libraries What do you see here?...[Read More]( Tuesday, March 13, 2018 [City of Detroit to take a stab at redeveloping former AMC headquarters]( [City of Detroit to take a stab at redeveloping former AMC headquarters]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Plenty of moving parts have gone into the negotiations behind a massive land swap deal between Wayne County and the City of Detroit, but if everything works out, the city will soon take possession of the former American Motors headquarters on Plymouth Road with an eye toward redeveloping it. While some county officials once considered of razing the facility, a plan that developer Dan Gilbert floated last year would potentially save the property, give the region a new jail, and clean up an abandoned downtown const...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1961 MG A]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1961 MG A]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Award winning 1961 MG A for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: This MGA just won Best-In-Class at the largest AACA car show in Southwest Florida. The car was recently restored to original specifications, starting with its original rust-free, dent-free body. Less than 500 miles on its original rebuilt motor. The car sports its original 4 speed gearbox and rear axle. The original dual SU carbs, starter, generator and master cylinder were all rebuilt, and it is still a 12V positive ground car as orig...[Read More]( [One of six remaining, 1931 Marmon Sixteen coupe cracks the million-dollar mark at Amelia Island]( [One of six remaining, 1931 Marmon Sixteen coupe cracks the million-dollar mark at Amelia Island]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - When the Marmon Motor Car Company introduced its new V-16 models for 1931, the Indianapolis automaker already had two strikes against it: The Great Depression had decimated luxury car sales, and rival Cadillac had beaten it to market with a V-16 of its own. Less than 400 Marmon Sixteens were built before the company ceased automobile production in 1933, and of these, roughly 75 remain today, including an estimated six LeBaron-bodied coupes. On Friday, March 9, a 1931 Marmon Sixteen Coupe by LeBaron sold for $1.05 ...[Read More]( [My Triumph Obsession, Part II: Preserving the originality of Dr. Miller's unrestored original 1967 GT6 MKI]( [My Triumph Obsession, Part II: Preserving the originality of Dr. Miller's unrestored original 1967 GT6 MKI]( Posted by Richard Lentinello - Thanks to the good graces of Dr. Robert Miller of Cotuit, Massachusetts, I was selected to be the next custodian of his beloved GT6. Dr. Miller called me one day back in March 2008 and asked if I would be interested in buying his Triumph. I remember him saying, it's a MKI GT6 just like the one you used to own and it's all original I bought it new. Evidently, Dr. Miller was a regular reader of my column in Hemmings and remembered that I had once wrote about how I regretted selling my black 1967 GT6 back...[Read More]( [Sandusky, Ohio, 1963]( [Sandusky, Ohio, 1963]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: August 1963 Location: Perkins Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio Source: Sandusky History What do you see here?...[Read More]( Monday, March 12, 2018 [1929 Duesenberg J/SJ and 1963 Ferrari 250/275P win Best in Show at Amelia Island]( [1929 Duesenberg J/SJ and 1963 Ferrari 250/275P win Best in Show at Amelia Island]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - Rain once again threatened the 23rd annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, prompting show organizers to hold the event on Saturday - instead of the traditional Sunday - for the second year in a row. In the Concours d'Elegance category, this year's winner was a 1929 Duesenberg Model J/SJ, owned by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio, while the Concours de Sport winner was a 1963 Ferrari 250/275P owned by the JSL Motorsports Collection of Redwood City, California. The Best in Show Duesenberg began life as a Model J...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1979 Datsun 280ZX]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1979 Datsun 280ZX]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Delahaye-inspired wood-bodied 1979 Datsun 280ZX nicknamed "The Dolphin" for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: I'm an artist who loves cars. The 1930's French automobiles designed by Figoni and Falaschi were the inspiration for this car. The wood is from a 250 year old Redwood tree that shaded my shop until it fell down in a windstorm in 1981. The car has the look of a 30's classic with the feel and sound of a 50's British sports car but without the mechanical problems. It took over 5 years workin...[Read More]( [Pinin Farina-bodied 1947 Delahaye 135MS coupe sets auction record at Amelia Island]( [Pinin Farina-bodied 1947 Delahaye 135MS coupe sets auction record at Amelia Island]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - French automaker Delahaye introduced its 135 model in 1935, and war years excluded variations remained in production until 1954. Delahaye 135s were frequently rebodied by French coachbuilders, but one example carried a body from an upstart Italian firm, Carrozzeria Pinin Farina. On March 8, this unique French-Italian hybrid crossed the auction stage at Bonhams Amelia Island sale, selling for $478,000 to set a new auction record for the model. Of the Delahaye 135 variants, the 135MS (for Modifie Sp...[Read More]( [What new car owners said regarding the 1967 Buick GS 400]( [What new car owners said regarding the 1967 Buick GS 400]( Posted by Thomas A. DeMauro - When collecting magazine stories regarding muscle cars I own, I usually seek out road tests that feature lots of performance figures. In my enthusiasm to take in all the mechanical specifications, 0-60 times, quarter-mile ETs and trap speeds, and braking distances, as well as the insightful prose that normally accompany them, I sometimes lose sight of the fact that when most of these muscle machines were purchased new, their owner's requirements extended well beyond how quick and stylish they were. These high-per...[Read More]( [California, 1960s]( [California, 1960s]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1960s Location: somewhere in California, we guess Source: via Jim and Chester's Garage What do you see here?...[Read More]( Sunday, March 11, 2018 [The Last Flight Of The Featherweights: The Touring-bodied Fiat 124 C4]( [The Last Flight Of The Featherweights: The Touring-bodied Fiat 124 C4]( Posted by Matteo Giacon - Some weeks ago, I spent a lovely Saturday morning while visiting the little Bonfanti-Vimar Car Museum set in Bassano Del Grappa, a charming town placed at the feet of North Eastern Alps range, halfway between Vicenza and Treviso and between Padua and Trento. This town, better known for its wood bridge (the Ponte Degli Alpini) and its world famous shine, the grappa, also hosts this little but rather interesting museum, one of the best of its genre in Italy. Mainly devoted to show and to explain North Eastern Italy...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1950 Ford custom]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1950 Ford custom]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - Flathead-powered flamethrower 1950 Ford custom for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: Exterior: - Paint is fantastic. It looks red at first glance, then as the light changes, it becomes more of a magenta. Magenta contrasts beautifully with the flames, which are yellow with subtle green and blue tips. This car has serious presence, and gets a response from everybody that enters our showroom. - See video with listing, as every blemish on the car is shown close-up and in direct sunlight. There ...[Read More]( [Four-Links - women of trucking, Gut Terk, Frank Fox, snow plowing]( [Four-Links - women of trucking, Gut Terk, Frank Fox, snow plowing]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - This week, The Women of Trucking blog took a look back at the pioneers who fought their way into the male-dominated industry, going as far back as Luella Bates (pictured above) and Lillie Elizabeth McGee Drennan, both credited with being the first licensed female truck driver. It's a few weeks late for us to point this out, but this San Francisco Chronicle profile of outlaw biker Allan "Gut" Terk is interesting. All the drivers who raced in the first Indianapolis 500 no doubt had remarkable lives, thou...[Read More]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1983 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce]( [Hemmings Find of the Day - 1983 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce]( Posted by Kurt Ernst - From the seller's description: Outstanding 1983 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce, 61k miles - One of the best versions of the Alfa Spider, featuring 2.0 L double over head cam 4 cyl with reliable Bosch Fuel Injection, 5 speed Transmission, Limited slip rear differntial, The interior is the classic Alfa dual pod dash, Leather interior, power windows, A/c . Currently wearing true Panasport wheels, but includes the original 5 star factory wheels, also sports a Ansa exhaust, Nardi Steering wheel ( includes the origina factory ...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S MOST READ [Never-produced Nash pickup prototype pops up for sale in Europe]( [Never-produced Nash pickup prototype pops up for sale in Europe]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - When Don Loper first came across the remains of a funny pickup with Nash badges stored in a tobacco shed, he thought that somebody had just lopped the back off a sedan, thrown together a pickup bed, and gone haulin'. And he was correct, except for the fact that "that somebody" was a bunch of engineers at Nash, and that the resulting pickup - headed to auction later this month - was a one-off factory prototype. Loper, active in the Nash Car Club of America, gathered all the parts from the shed, took it home, and b...[Read More]( LAST WEEK'S BEST DISCUSSION [Pair of mid-Fifties Chrysler concept cars to make post-restoration debuts]( [Pair of mid-Fifties Chrysler concept cars to make post-restoration debuts]( Posted by Daniel Strohl - One might be the most well-traveled former show car of its day with stops in multiple countries on four different continents; the other, a virtual recluse. One directly influenced production cars; the other merely showed what was possible. Yet both the 1956 Plymouth Plainsman and the 1954 Dodge Granada will now share the same fate: full restorations and debuts slated for this weekend's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. The restored 1956 Plymouth Plainsman at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Photo by Da...[Read More]( Hemmings Motor News will not sell or share your e-mail address with other companies. 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