My 1952 Spohn Custom is on year long display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Based on a 1940 Ford chassis; coachbuilt body by Spohn in '52. The "FINS" exhibit of 14 vehicles runs through Feb. 4, 2014.
TWO Spohn Customs appeared on the lawn at the Amelia Island, SC Concours d'Elegance this weekend. The red car owned by Wayne Carini is a pre-war Ford V8 chassis, older restoration. The white car owned by Dale Walksler is a 1949 Veritas (German sports car) chassis, unrestored. Both received Spohn coachwork in the early '50s.
The Veritas is one of the best looking of the Spohn bodied cars (in my opinion). Where did Wayne find his car? I assume there will be an episode centered around it.
The red Spohn Custom owned by Wayne Carini and Ralph Marano was in the Dezer Museum Collection in Florida for something like 25 years. The episode where the car purchase occurred aired a couple of months ago and will air again certainly.
Reminder to anyone reading this thread: I have a Spohn Custom Enthusiasts page on Facebook. Been going on four months and there is a TON of information there about these Spohn Customs.
So Ralph owns it? He has an exceptionally good eye for cars. Btw, your green car is also attractive. Some of them are hideous I must admit but a few are pretty cool including the subject of this thread.
Carini and Marano are co-owners of the red Spohn Custom as displayed at Amelia. We must always remember that Spohn offered innumerable styling elements and details from their "Box of Toys" portfolio and that the owner of the car was the stylist choosing the combination to be applied to his car. Styling, as is classically said, is subjective. Thank you for comments on my car. It will be spectacular when restored to original color, fresh chrome and new leather.
ANOTHER SPOHN CUSTOM historical reference has been found! In the Feb 10, 1956 Oakland (Calif) Tribune classifieds: "FORD, 1953, Ford, custom body by Spohn. Removable hardtop. Leather upholstery. Trade equity for older car. (Phone # illegible)" Where is it now? What does it look like? The mind boggles! Which one of you owns it?
Always welcome any new Spohn Custom comments to this thread. Its been quite a while. My Spohn Palos is at a restoration shop.
Original existance of another Spohn Custom has come to light from the 1950s. This car's second owner lived in Vandalia, Illinois after a US serviceman had in built in Germany and brought it back, presumably to his home in that general area. The nephew and niece of the Vandalia seller from 1956 would like to find the car. Has anyone seen it since then. I fully expect it is still out there, perhaps sitting in some collector's warehouse or private collection. Thanks.
The 1940 Ford based Spohn Palos, completed by Spohn in 1952 is undergoing thorough rebuild at Manns Restoration in Missouri. Total teardown, repair of everything, got rid of the Ford Y-block that never fit and never ran in the car, will be getting a 291 DeSoto Hemi.
Sheet metal work progress on the Spohn Palos. The Stude bullet in the "jet pod" is just a mockup for now.
Looks to be approaching the home stretch. The color is starting to grow on me. Can't wait to see it done.
Did the shop, or you, ever find out how many layers of paint, & what colors they were? Esp the 1st one over a primer? Or ever determine what was actual orig color? Just curious is all... Somehow, I can see the earlier-referenced light pink pearl on that car. Marcus...
The Veritas Spohn custom spent many years with Lee Hartung in Illinois. Our friend BLUTO(Jim Proffitt) spent some time with Lee talking about this car and a great deal more things. After Lee's death the car was sold at auction to Dale Wacksler at the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum(https://wheelsthroughtime.com/). The cars has been sold on and has been restored.
The car is looking much better now. That green even kinda works. But coral and black would have been much cooler.
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