The Kansas City Auto Show is a gathering of local dealerships to show off their latest offerings. But dealerships weren't the only ones on the scene at Bartle Hall when we toured the show this week. The Kansas City Automotive Museum brought a stunning display of classic cars, and we found ourselves lost in their greatness. We managed to whittle down our obsession to our seven favorites.
1936 Cord 810 Supercharged Phaeton
One of the most beautiful American cars ever designed, the Cord 810 instantly stands out with its coffin nose and polished exhaust, ducted from the engine bay to the fenders. The car was revolutionary, with front-wheel-drive, which was extremely rare in that era, and what were probably the first pop-up headlights, hidden within the fenders. The 810 also featured a unique transmission, with a stalk-mounted preselector. It never really caught on in the industry, but remains a fascinating curiosity, which, along with the exhaust, lends the car an air of steampunk fiction. But no, it’s real, and it's glorious.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
Speaking of the most beautiful American cars ever designed, we were blessed to see this one not far from the Cord. The C2 Corvette offers a perfect balance of smooth and bladed, a deadly sword in the hands of a master, but an artwork for everyone else. Famously, the 1963 model, the first year of its generation, featured a split rear window. The story goes that Chevy received so many complaints about the C2's poor visibility in that first year that they redesigned the rear glass into a single pane for the 1964 model year. Ironically, this has made the split-glass '63 extremely valuable.
1947 Chrysler Town & Country Sedan
Most of us remember the fake wood paneling stuck on the sides of the Ford Country Squires and LaBaron convertibles of our youth. (For that matter, some of us remember the wood stickers on VCRs and TVs.) It was a strange trend, especially after the laminate started peeling away. What were they calling back to? This. That bodywork isn’t some vinyl print. Between the real wood and the chrome brightwok, this Town & Country is a visual feast. It needs a bench in front of it, like you’d find in an art museum. Even the roof rack matches the honeyed tones of the doors. Normally a roof rack is there to protect the roof. But what protects the roof rack? It’s 1946. The war is over. Pack a picnic lunch with your Betty and head to the beach.
1962 Ferrari 250 GTE
Oh the refreshing simplicity of a 1960s Ferrari. The Italian supercar firm is known for taking themselves too seriously, but perhaps they do know best, because after nearly 60 years, this 250 GTE has aged like wine. This Pininfarina design was Ferrari’s first 2+2, aimed at the casual enthusiast who wanted the potency of a V12 engine but still needed space for the kids from time to time. We can speculate that it was seen as a bit of a sell-out in its day, and it was a volume seller, with 954 examples produced between its debut in 1960 and 1963. But it certainly doesn’t bother anyone now, and instead we’re focused on the car’s simple beauty and pleasant proportions. Then come the details: The period-spec Italian license plate, the knock-off wire wheels, the quad exhaust. Francesca, cancel our afternoon appointments. We’re popping out for a spin around Como.
1961 Fiat Jolly 600
On the other side of the spectrum for simple, Italian cars comes this little creation. The Fiat Jolly was conceived by design house Ghia as a yacht car. Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like. The jet set could load the little beach car on a boat, sail to their Mediterranian island of choice, unload it, and zip about the various villas and vineyards at their leisure. It cost nearly twice as much as the Fiat 600 on which it was based, perhaps as a lure to the wealthy. Yul Brynner, Grace Kelly, and Mae West were all Jolly owners. They also served as taxis on Catalina Island for a while. Notable details are the wicker seats and fringed canopy. Fewer than 100 examples are believed to have survived to this day. You can actually find a whole category of these “beach cars” from the era, including the customized Jeep pictured next to the Jolly, as well as the memorable Mini Moke.
1966 Plymouth Satellite
But enough with these little European slips. It’s time for some brutalist American muscle. This Satellite coupe in stunning forest green is the consummate muscle car, by the strictest definitions. Purists will tell you that the Mustang and Camaro are pony cars, being cars designed for a sporting platform, fitted with powerful engines. But examples like this Satellite are true muscle cars, being designed initially as mass-market commuter vehicles, then stuffed with those same engines. This one has a 426 Hemi, with a pair of 4-barrel carbs. It was rated at an insane 425 hp, no slouch in 1966, especially since most horsepower figures of the day were underreported. Capping it all off is a floor-mounted, 4-speed shifter. Yes, it’s a manual, and all's right with the world, as long as the Soviets don’t get us. Oh, and dig the scrollwork-printed vinyl seats!
1966 Sunbeam Tiger
Big, American engine, small, British car. Name a better duo. The Sunbeam Tiger, a Sunbeam Alpine roadster stuffed with a Ford V8, has such an interesting history that we’ll miss something if we try to sum it up in a single paragraph. But we’ll try anyway. The Rootes Group, owners of the Sunbeam, initially approached Ferrari to work over the Alpine’s 4 cylinder engine, but negotiations failed (surprise, surprise). Australian racing legend Jack Brabham then proposed to Rootes the idea of wedging a Ford V8 into it, possibly after seeing what Carrol Shelby had done with the AC Ace, known to us as the Cobra. Rootes went to Shelby, who told them to give him two months and $10,000, which they did. Meanwhile, West Coast Sales Manager of Rootes American Ian Garrad, impatient to see the finished product, paid Shelby’s friend, racing legend Ken Miles (yes, that one), to build his own prototype. Miles had it done in a week, to prove the dimensions. Ferrari, Brabham, Shelby, Miles. Four legends feeding into one. This example was in a beautiful British Racing Green, with a perfect set of Minilite wheels.
A huge thanks to the KC Auto Museum for bringing these beauties out. And that’s just the classics. Check back to the Zohr blog soon for another post about the modern display vehicles in the KCAM booth!
2020 KC Auto Show—Driving the Industry Forward | Zohr
