Classic Cars / Hupmobile

Hupmobile History

History

This is the history of the brand Hupmobile since the establishment of the company and up to the most modern of vehicles produced under this brand.

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Hupmobile

The company Hupp Motor Car Co., Produces cars under the brand name Hupmobile, with three companions founded in November 1908 by Robert Craig Hupp, a former employee of the Detroit firm R. E. Olds, - which, in turn, produces cars under the brand Oldsmobile. It was by far the most common way in that time naming arose everywhere, like those mushrooms after the rain, avtostroitelnyh firms, small companies and even simply workshops - is derived from the name of manufacturer: there were also Brushmobile, and Scottmobile, and even Fordmobile was let and very short-lived. His decision to be closed up automaker in Detroit Hupp substantiated by the press in the following terms: "Based on the experiences gained over the years that I spent in the automotive industry, I believe that I know the way to make the car affordable, but good."



Over the lifetime of the vehicle as an industrial product, Robert Hupp explains to readers, "all of us are accustomed to thinking that the transport vehicle must be worth a lot of money - otherwise the buyer has no right to expect her to either of high performance, nor even basic strength and reliability. About inexpensive machines still do not talk about how cheap - usually states that "for the money does not get any better." The prevailing type of the car on its size, usually indistinguishable from the more expensive machines, and weighs considerably more than you need, in the vast majority of these vehicles have a planetary transmission and ignition of dry cell ... We Hupp in the firm believe that a small car size should be made of materials of better quality - and that was the basis of our production program. On the other hand, we pay special attention also to the quality of the processing of these materials - as in the drawing of the machine made a special mark on the purity of machining dimensions, tolerances, and other things. As a result, it was found that under these conditions the cost of production of small cars with high driving characteristics obtained low enough to ensure a steady income. In the course of work, we showed and proved the following rule: if the car is to make quality, then it will turn out more expensive than the larger the size. Having in mind to avoid the main disadvantage of small cars - their small capacity - we strongly shifted the seat back and used a patented spring suspension scheme on three points, turned the car in which, without much inconvenience can sit two people, even very large physique. "



The cited article by R. Happ appeared in print in the winter 1909 - as described in her car by that time already more than a year as was at work and was released during this time of more than a thousand copies. Unpretentious dvuhmestka under the factory designation "Model 20" was born on November 1, 1908 - base 2120 mm, power four-cylinder motor of 17 incomplete Force (digital code "20" is pretty flattering cars) and the selling price of 750 dollars, a hundred less a month debuted earlier Ford Model T True, she was a four-seater - but first Hupmobile had a two-stage gear box with sliding instead of Ford's planetary and high-voltage magneto instead referred to Mr. Hupp dry cells. Three-point suspension meant transverse rear spring - but the front poluelliptiki were normal, just like the big machines. A characteristic feature of the "twentieth" was the high oil filler radiator tank - neither give nor take bottleneck. Production expanded rapidly - to work Hupp moved many of his former colleagues in the company Olds, especially after the company became part of the newly formed consortium of General Motors on the rights of "separation Oldsmobile". For the first year produced 2618 cars model "20" for the next - is 5340 pieces, and two hundred of that amount left for export to New Zealand. A year later to the original two-seater open-top models add a private model "20-F» and two quadruple torpedo modifications to the body - "20-D» and "20-T". With the start of the season in 1912 went on sale a brand new model of a larger class - the one that is shown in our illustrations.



This car was conceived from the outset as a four, so he built up a meter base, that was where to put two more riders. However, there was also a double modification - even as much as two, open and closed - and then there was also a six-chaise, which the wheelbase has been generally reduced to two meters and sixty-nine centimeters, as the then Cadillac. But that was then, and at the time of the debut single of the proposed option was open and a four-seater. The new model was of a digital code "32" points again to return its power unit, a motor for it, by the way, has been re-designed - long-stroke four-cylinder with a displacement of three liters. Over a radiator car still towered traditional "bottleneck" - but above all "thirty-second" conspicuous because of an unusually high position headlamp: they are not fixed to a fork brackets mounted on the front "fangs" frame and mounted on the cross, which connects the front fenders at the top of them - why not proved to the radiator, and above it, and on either side. Get rid of the fork arms, however, is not immediately possible, - other attachments for heavy carbide lamps with brass bodies did not exist - but in the 1913 model cars "32" began to be offered with electric light, and then the need for these "oarlocks" finally disappeared, although, again, not once. "Pop-eyed" design, seems to be in the company of Hupp was considered something of a corporate identity, because in 1912 on the model of "20" - the release of which continued as before - the headlights began to establish a similar way: high and the sides of the radiator. I must say, in those days, many automakers have tried to raise the headlamps higher: just a year another American company, Pierce-Arrow, generally to attach them to the front fenders, so yes there and left for good - until the end of its history, until the second half of the thirties.



The new "big Hupmobile» came to the liking of consumers: if for the debut in 1912 of these cars built and sold Unit 5791, the year after sales rose more than twice and reached 11,649 copies. That's just Robert Happ in the company at that time was no longer: he left immediately after the "thirty-second" was officially presented to the public in early September 1911. He was closely within the company he founded, he aspired to be the head of a large corporation, which then appeared in the United States over the place - in addition to the previously mentioned "General Motors Corporation" (as it was called in the Russian printing concern General Motors) in 1910 arose still quite large industrial union USMotors, just merged company EMF and Studebaker Brothers firm, gaining momentum "empire" Albert Pope in Toledo, Ohio, - and Mr. Hupp sincerely wanted to be a part of it, in terms of classical Marxism, "the process the concentration of capital. " However, and hastily cobbled together a corporation USMotors, and a consortium of Pope-Toledo quickly fell apart, just out of luck and Robert Hupp, - multi-union Hupp Corporation, which are on a par with his brother Lewis formed, lasted barely more than a year, and besides, a former partner at the firm Hupp Motor Car Co. a court banned him from using his own name "as a mark or any other proprietary designations" (real quote from a court verdict). Mr. Hupp had to rely on the experience of his former boss R. E. Olds, - one when he "cleaned" of his own company creditors, a new company called its own initials: REO. That's Robert Hupp similarly awarded a new car, which went to the U.S. market at the end of 1911, the designation of RCH. By the way, this machine ("Series F») and in construction, and externally very similar Hupmobile Model "20", and a steam room to her larger "series SS", respectively, Hupmobile Model "32" - that, in general, and no wonder. Another thing is that this firm Mr. Hupp had to leave very soon - and also because of the conflict with the creditors. Later, he twice tried to expand production of vehicles - at first under the name Monarch, and then, three years later, under the name of Emerson, - but the success of it, in both cases not expressed.



The company Hupp Motor Car Co., Meanwhile, was in order. Both models, the little "twentieth" and the big "thirty-second" were in production prior to the 1914 season, losing to then place a more modern and more sophisticated - but not as commercially successful - car series "K". "Small Hupmobile» among the first American car got into military service - in 1911 the command of the 26th Infantry Division has acquired a copy of the model "20" in the most basic open set, and the commander of the military division, Major Dixon for the first year of arrival on it three and a half thousand miles on nasty roads and off-road. Military appreciate the resistance model "20" and began to buy it rather large lots, a total of 15,750 vehicles were produced pieces. (Before the army jeep in its present form had at least three decades.) Throughout the twenties Hupmobile machines have earned a reputation of good-quality cars and unpretentious, there were models with six and even eight-cylinder under the hood, for a firm such outstanding designers of his time as John Tyarda, Amos Nortap and even the Raymond Loewy. It is said that car that ten-dollar bill on the former type cheerfully rolls past the U.S. Treasury - is also Hupmobile, Model R 1925, but check this claim is unlikely to succeed: the image too small. The company has suffered quite well the Great Depression the late 20's - but the ensuing mess in the top management of the company has put this venerable company to the top of the forties to the brink of bankruptcy.



The latest car Hupmobile was in strict accordance with the current "platform" approach, unified by the body and in most units of the chassis with the other American car companies from the number of "independent» - Graham-Paige. Even the appearance of these two machines differed among themselves is very small - just like modern "remnants". We will not talk about these cars in detail, except to say that the then consumers turned away from them, and sell the manufactured batch of 319 cars fully managed only one and a half years after they were built. It is now enough to stick to, say, Opel emblem, say, Chevrolet, the machine is automatically turned it into Chevrolet and nothing else - and then things like this just do not pass: any teenager could clearly explain where Graham, where Hupmobile, and where For example, the same Chevrolet and how they differ from each other. Because in those days they were really different. Of course, today's manufacturers to drive profitable worldwide one-two, many - three "platforms" and then sculpt them all sorts of different logos, all the more so in our ever and they really put on the glue instead of rivets, just like before. Just let then do not be surprised by a drop in demand especially popular and respected brand. As aptly put it another classic Marxism, everyone willingly call a broom mammals - but do not expect it after themselves grow breasts ...

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