1924 Hupmobile Tourer

Description

Robert Craig Hupp had already embarked on a successful career in the motor industry by the time he founded his eponymous company in 1908, with stints at Olds, Ford and Regal to his credit. The first Hupmobile was unveiled at the 1909 Detroit Automobile Show, the Model 20 powered by a 16.9 horsepower four-cylinder engine with a two-speed sliding gear transmission. Priced at $750 and fitted with racy two-passenger Runabout bodywork, the low-cost Hupmobile soon found favour with the American public thanks to a combination of solid engineering and good value. Unsurprisingly production in the Detroit factory increased rapidly and despite the loss of Hupp, who quit following a dispute with his partners in September 1911, the company continued to expand, announcing a larger Model 32 for 1912. In the years leading up to the First World War Hupmobile's model range continued to evolve, with a new lower priced Series R announced in October 1917 in an attempt to recapture some of the brand's original spirit. The Series R was powered by an L-head four-cylinder engine displacing 182.5-cid and developing 37.5 horsepower, mated to a three-speed transmission. Built on a 115-inch wheelbase chassis, the Hupmobile featured mechanical brakes operating on the rear wheels only. The Series R continued to be the mainstay of Hupmobile's production until 1924, while the company itself survived until 1940 before declaring bankruptcy.