Author Topic: Solved - MJW #1031 - Miller V8 4WD Roadster by Kirchhof 1930 (for Philip Chancellor)  (Read 991 times)

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Offline woodinsight

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Moving back to cars again, what car is this?
Make, engine type, coachbuilder and year for a point.
Perhaps a second point for what was different about this car and who commissioned it?

Offline FrontMan

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2012, 03:38:18 PM »
Front-Drive Duesenburg, by Murphy?

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2012, 11:53:06 AM »
Front-Drive Duesenburg, by Murphy?
Not that but it is American....

Offline Arunas

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2012, 07:50:49 AM »
Very nice car!

Offline FrontMan

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2012, 08:53:17 AM »
Stutz?

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2012, 11:14:12 AM »
Stutz?
Not Stutz - more unknown in this format.....

Offline FrontMan

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2012, 11:35:12 AM »
Miller!

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2012, 02:43:39 PM »
Miller!
Yes!
LOCKED for you to answer the remaining questions.....

Offline FrontMan

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2012, 12:15:08 PM »
Please unlock, I've currently no access to where I know the answer will be!

RayTheRat

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2012, 01:55:23 PM »
<<Reply removed>>

This puzzle is only open to Rookies Ray!
« Last Edit: November 21, 2012, 06:15:14 PM by Carnut »

RayTheRat

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2012, 07:32:14 PM »
I can't believe it!  I did it again!  What a dummy!  :doh:   :bag:

Maybe I need to stay in the garage and get the roll cage welded into the race car and quit makin stupid mistakes like this.  Twice in 2 days!   :faint:

Sorry for the goof, man.


Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2012, 08:25:05 AM »
I can't believe it!  I did it again!  What a dummy!  :doh:   :bag:

Maybe I need to stay in the garage and get the roll cage welded into the race car and quit makin stupid mistakes like this.  Twice in 2 days!   :faint:

Sorry for the goof, man.


I didn't remove your post but if it's any consolation you'll be able to answer soon..... ;)

Offline 4popoid

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2012, 12:54:14 AM »
Well, since I can not find a picture, I'm going to stick my neck way out, and make a wild guess, based on little random clues.  Could this be the "lost" 1932, V-16, 4-wheel drive car, with an Emil Deidt body, that Harry Miller had Fred Offenhauser build for William A. M. Burden?

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2012, 02:02:14 AM »
Well, since I can not find a picture, I'm going to stick my neck way out, and make a wild guess, based on little random clues.  Could this be the "lost" 1932, V-16, 4-wheel drive car, with an Emil Deidt body, that Harry Miller had Fred Offenhauser build for William A. M. Burden?
Yes, I know the Miller built for William Burden but it's not that car although it is similar in concept.

To sum up - it is a 4WD Miller but not a V-16, built earlier than 1932 and the bodywork was not by Emil Deidt and it was, of course, built for a different customer.

I'll LOCK it for you just for one more guess as your last reply was an excellent one even though it was incorrect.

Offline 4popoid

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #14 on: November 23, 2012, 04:52:55 PM »
Thanks for the lock, and a second chance.  According to my references, Harry Miller only made two 4-wheel drive road cars.  The above mentioned 1932, for Burden, and one other, which I assume must be this car, since I still can't locate a photograph.  This other 4-wheel drive car was a 1928 roadster with a 5+ liter V8 built for Californian Phillip Chancellor.  No body builder was mentioned in my references, so I will guess that the body was done by Myron Stevens.  Stevens was a Californian who had worked as the chief body man for Harry Miller until 1927, when he left to form his own company, so I'm guessing that Miller might have used his recently departed employee.

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #15 on: November 23, 2012, 05:10:41 PM »
Thanks for the lock, and a second chance.  According to my references, Harry Miller only made two 4-wheel drive road cars.  The above mentioned 1932, for Burden, and one other, which I assume must be this car, since I still can't locate a photograph.  This other 4-wheel drive car was a 1928 roadster with a 5+ liter V8 built for Californian Phillip Chancellor.  No body builder was mentioned in my references, so I will guess that the body was done by Myron Stevens.  Stevens was a Californian who had worked as the chief body man for Harry Miller until 1927, when he left to form his own company, so I'm guessing that Miller might have used his recently departed employee.
Yes, it is the other FWD Miller although I have the date as 1930.
The body was made by a separate coachbuilding company and not by Myron Stevens.
I'm going to award you a point for your full and interesting answer.
OPEN again and still one point available for the coachbuilder
« Last Edit: November 25, 2012, 01:49:39 AM by woodinsight »

Offline 4popoid

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #16 on: November 23, 2012, 06:14:44 PM »
I'll take one more cut for that other point.  Was the coach builder the Walter M. Murphy Co. of Pasadena, CA?

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #17 on: November 23, 2012, 06:55:08 PM »
I'll take one more cut for that other point.  Was the coach builder the Walter M. Murphy Co. of Pasadena, CA?
Good guess but not by them I'm afraid.....

Offline 4popoid

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #18 on: November 24, 2012, 12:57:39 AM »
Lets try Hayes Body Corp. of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #19 on: November 24, 2012, 04:48:34 AM »
Lets try Hayes Body Corp. of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
No, not them either.....

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #20 on: November 24, 2012, 04:55:14 AM »
Time for an Expert to finish this one off......
One point remaining for the coachbuilder.

Offline sixtee5cuda

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #21 on: November 24, 2012, 10:37:05 AM »
Kirchhoff Coach Builders of Pasadena, California

Offline woodinsight

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Re: MJW #1031
« Reply #22 on: November 24, 2012, 10:40:22 AM »
Kirchhoff Coach Builders of Pasadena, California
That's it - well done and another point is added to your score.

Offline woodinsight

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I'm still uncertain whether the car was four-wheel drive or front-wheel drive as there are a few conflicting articles out there.
Perhaps someone can confirm?

There was also a descriptive article in "Autobody" magazine's June 1930 issue.

 

Offline 4popoid

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All the information I have is from an 8/1/2001 anonymous guest comment/question on the Antique Automobile Club of America site, which states:

"Harry Miller, who was best known for his Indy 500 racing cars, made 2 special cars for road use. Here are the details that I have about them:<P>1. 1928 - roadster powered by a 5,080cc V8<BR>engine, and 4 wheel drive. The car was built<BR>for Californian sportsman Phillip Chancellor<P>2. 1932 - roadster powered by a supercharged<BR>4,965 V16 engine, and 4 wheel drive. The car<BR>was built for New York diplomat William A Burden.<P>Does anybody know any more about these vehicles, and do both cars still survive?"