Last time, we began our visit to the Blackhawk Auto Museum and explored some of the remarkable automobiles that have made it one of Northern California’s premier automotive destinations. But as impressive as that first batch of vehicles was, there is more to discover. The museum’s collection spans decades of automotive history, from elegant luxury cars to rare coachbuilt creations, and today’s installment continues our tour; the focus will be on the postwar vehicles displayed. Overall, a more eclectic group of cars, but no less interesting.
As one enters the Museum, one can go either left or right through the door to the main hall. I went to the right, and this was the first car that showed up. Not exactly what I expected, since Blackhawk is better known for classy bespoke models. However, there’s more to the collection than those, and a few vehicles are on loan as well.
This 1961 Corvette was part of a short 1950s-1960s Hot Rod/Rock ‘N Roll display.
Next Ron Nunes 1941 Willy’s Gasser. OK, I thought Blackhawk was upper end?
Another heavily modified, Hot Rod custom; a 1939 Ford Woody by Chip Foose.
This 1956 Oldsmobile, or Oldsled, pretty much closed this display. Originally a Ninety-Eight 2-door that’s heavily modified.
Moving away from customs, now a 1948 Chrysler Town & Country Barrel Back Convertible. A gorgeous restoration; one of 3,309 built that year.
This car also shows up as part of the Audrain Auto Museum display in Rhode Island, so it was likely on loan at the time of my visit.
Here we pick up where we left off last week, with a one-off coach-built beauty. Officially, it’s a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III, but the “Copper Kettle” Sedanca de Ville coachwork by Freestone & Webb is from 1946.
This particular coachwork featured burnished solid copper with a satin finish, and is powered by an OHV V12 with 165BHP that could go up to 87MPH.
An attractive 1946 Delahaye, with body by renowned French coachbuilders Figoni et Falaschi.
A 3.6L inline-six is under the hood of this one.
Let’s move on to extraordinary baroque coachwork, one of two 1948 Cadillac Series 62 3-position cabriolets built by French coachbuilder Saoutchik.
There’s lots to see in this elaborate design; all part of a race between French coachbuilders to outdo each other, and also, to call clients’ attention towards the fading coachbuilding tradition, struggling after WWII.
The “3-position” refers to Saoutchik’s cabriolet tops, which allowed “passengers to enjoy the open-air experience in various configurations; from fully closed to fully open with just the rear portion open, offering versatility and style.”
Under the hood, a Cadillac V8 with 150HP.
Far more familiar, but no less enjoyable, a 1956 Jaguar XK 140 MC roadster. From the museum’s label, “the XK 140 MC Roadster epitomises British motoring elegance and performance. With its sleek, flowing lines and signature Jaguar grille, this convertible marries timeless design with advanced engineering.”
The “MC” designation denotes the Special Equipment package, emphasising enhanced performance features. Power comes via a 3.4L inline 6, with a 4-speed manual, 210HP, and a 125MPH top speed. A big deal back in the day.
A 1951 Delahaye Type 135M cabriolet, with “an elegant and flowing bodywork crafted by renowned French coachbuilder Henri Chapron.”
A 3.6L inline-six is under the hood with 115HP and a top speed of 92MPH. The chassis makes use of “Delahaye’s racing heritage… with an independent front suspension with coil springs and wishbones, providing excellent control and comfort.”
Another known face, but no less breathtaking; a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.
All immaculately restored.
Next to it, a 1957 300SL roadster, which retained much of the engineering brilliance of the Gullwing.
Under the hood, a 3.L fuel-injected engine with 225HP and a top speed of 140MPH.
Staying in the sporty/performance side of things, but of the race kind, the 1967 McKee MK7 high-speed Can Am racer.
 Sleek 1960s race lines, big Chevrolet power, and ultra low-weight for the time.
A series of famous drivers are part of the car’s history.
Staying in the 1960s, a 1969 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV Limousine with distinctive handcrafted wood veneers. Specs for this include a 6.2L V8, 220HP and 110 MPH top speed.
Now we’re entering recent decades; a 1981 Ferrari 308 GTS, a model most should be familiar with.
Next to it, that 1980s Ferrari icon, a Testarossa. A 1986 on this occasion.
The wide, low slung look, accented by industrial-like strakes, was rather controversial and eye-grabbing in its day.
The looks clicked though; the Testarossa sold more than any Ferrari up until then, and it’s become a cultural reference of the era.
And on to the 1990s, a 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT roadster. VT stands for Vicious Traction, signalling this to be an all-wheel-drive model, one of 466 built.
Here, our tour to the Blackhawk Museum comes to a close, and I’m glad I finally made the trip after missing the opportunity during that Alfa Romeo show. The collection exceeded every expectation I had; whether your interests lean toward luxury cars, coachbuilt classics, or automotive history in general, it’s the kind of place that leaves a lasting impression. If you ever find yourself in the area, a visit is highly recommended.
One of the first things I thought when I saw the Saoutchik Cadillac was that someone had to build and chrome that grille, skills that would have been necessary at any of the coachbuilders back then. The car itself is clearly ridiculous in a good way, but I’d love to know who commissioned it in the first place. What a conversation starter.
I looked for that info, and appeared in a Wikipedia image note:
“In 1948, noted New York city furrier Louis Ritter commissioned Saoutchik to execute a special convertible on a Cadillac chassis. The car was completed in time to be displayed at the Paris salon of 1949. The car stole the show and after having it shipped back to New York, he drove it to California. Ritter used the car around Beverly Hills for a number of months and then, as usual, offered the car for sale.”
All nice, but my picks from this group are the black Jaguar and the Corvette.
Was the grille for the Copper Kettle actually-re-rendered in copper, or was the original item post-tinted?
All very nice. But back in ’87, when my boss bought one brand new and I got to see it in the flesh, and still now, I think the Testarossa is the ugliest Ferrari ever. And that goofy rear view mirror…
That green paintwork on the Phantom is a curious choice. The Saoutchik Cadillac is one of the more flamboyant examples of postwar French coachbuilding. Very expensive and not exactly harmonious — that’s part of the reason why custom coachbuilders went extinct in the early ’50s. The silver Delahaye is beautiful though. Goes to show they could still do a good job if they restrained themselves.