Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hi

This '31 845 boat-tail by Bohman & Schwartz has been kicking around on-line for a while:

http://www.prewarcar.com/index.php?option=com_caradvert&view=ad§ion_id=1&id=168621&Itemid=432

Given that Bohman & Schwartz didn't exist until 1933, after the dissolution of Walter Murphy Coachbuilders, one should be a tad suspicious.

But look at that crude execution of the body rearward of what is obviously a sedan cowl and front door. The shame of it is, that 845 chassis would be a great one to re-body with a genuine period full custom that has been lost to time.

Steve

Steve, how is the sedan cowl different? I always thought that the cowl and everything in front of it was the same.

A bit off topic but one of the boat tail designs that I thought was very-well executed was the small series of bodies made by Murray for the 1931 Hudson Greater Eight chassis. This was owned by a friend here in NJ some years back, restoration by Grey Hills in NJ (Marty Beron).

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Hi BDC

The cowl and doors of the roadsters and phaetons have the upper surface sweep past the windshield mounting and blend gracefully into the door tops. The windshields are a separate cast chrome unit. Door cut-lines don't necessarily coincide with the shape of the cowl-to-bodyside transition.

The factory-bodied convertible coupe and convertible sedans are much more similar in that of the regular sedan in that the A-pillar departs directly up from the cowl, extending the door opening cut-lines and even hinging.

Thanks Owen, for adding the photos of the Hudson boat-tail, the rear view demonstrates nicely what is meant by surface development. Note how the upper surface is curved and shaped to harmonize with the forward cowl. Those Murray boat-tail bodies have a much more shaped and elegant interpretation than most all other contemporary such bodies.

But even the Auburns which seem to be the most common show what a mistake the bodybuilder of this 845 made in assuming the surfaces were simply flat. Real panel-beating, coachbuilding skills are required to create such a body correctly, something definitely lacking in this 845 re-body here. Bohman & Schwartz would be insulted to have this attributed to them!

Steve

The only period possibilities I see are that either the car was done by an employee or for a movie props department. That is providing the plate is legitimate. Maybe that's a fake too. I thought B&S used a step plate the same way as Brewster and didn't use a regular cowl tag. I've never seen one of their cars in person.

It looks like a sedan windshield frame with reinforcements. That would never show up on a custom order.

The price is absurd, but at least it isn't a street rod.