Hupmobile built a small handful of gorgeous 417-W 3-window Coupes in 1934. Over the years, we’ve only featured one of the 6 or so that remain. In David F’s article on that one, which you can read here, he mentioned and linked to a beautiful customized example that was riding on a set of wire wheels. There’s a reason I bring up that purple Hupmobile Hot Rod. You might have already noticed that Reader Vince M’s example you see here is sitting on charred wire wheels. And that’s because it is the very same car, just after having suffered through a garage fire. Vince is friends with the previous owner and purchased it from them after the fire. He was going to use it as yard art but some of the body panels are actually in good shape and he doesn’t want to just let it rust away if someone can use them. You can find it here on eBay in Langley, BC, Canada with an opening bid of $500.
What Makes It Special? It is 1 of only 6 known to remain.
Body Condition: It burned in a garage fire in the winter of 2018. Some of the panels are very good and straight. Unfortunately, the roof and right door are seriously damaged from a beam that fell from the roof.
Mechanical Condition: You might say it’s running a lil’ hot!
It really is a shame to see this car in its current state. Whether you like the customization that had been done to it, it was a really nice looking machine. I can’t even imagine how sick Vince’s friend must have been when they saw the extent of the damage.
I can’t say definitively, but this looks like a 4.3 liter Vortec V6 out of a ’90s Chevrolet Blazer. It’s hard to say if it’s any good at this point, but chances are there are a few parts here that could be reused. While it doesn’t offer the kind of power a V8 would, these V6s are good for around 200 horsepower and would have been a serious upgrade from the original 80 horsepower inline 6.
There isn’t much left of the interior, but there might be a few panels and bits left that could be salvaged. I suppose you could clean it out and put it back together as a rat rod. It would be the rattiest rat out there, but it would be better than scrapping it. Install new gauges, some bomber seats, a windshield, and the interior would just about be done.
Honestly, I’m not sure what the best option is for this Hupp. There are definitely some good parts here, so you might be able to part it out and scrap the rest. Given how rare it is though, it sure would be a shame to just crush it. And while rat rodding it wouldn’t be easy, it might be the easiest and best option for making it driveable again. What do you think? Is the fire and body damage to extensive to save it? Or, is there some hope left for this rare Hupmobile?
- Location: Langley, British Columbia
- Mileage: 1000200
- VIN: 123456
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
Sadly, this was just one of many beautiful hot rods and collectible cars lost in that particular fire. The gentleman whose collection was lost has now replaced his building (including a new sprinkler system) and is now rebuilding the collection. I don’t know him personally but live nearby and the fire was big news among car folks in our area.
Wondering what happened to the blue coupe. The W series was built for the 2nd series 1934 and 1st series 1935 model years. A filler until the new smaller version of the Aerodynamic body was in production.
It came only as a coupe or sedan with many body parts supplied by Ford. The coupe actually started out as a convertible coupe. Hupp tooled a permanent roof for it and converting it into a business/rumble seat coupe.
The blue one was also one of a few model Ws built in Canada. Hupmobile built their plant in Windsor. Ontario in 1910 but suspended production during WW I. The Canadian government lowered import duties in 1931 and Hupp reopened the plant. Sales were never big and the plant closed in 1936.
I have been to a number of car shows here in Vancouver over the years and remember the blue coupe quite well. It was a beautiful car. Really hurts looking at it now.
In reply to the above post, Hupp and Ford used Murray Body Company as a body source which produced Fords Woody Wagons, 3 Window Coupes, Cabriolets (Which the Hupp W-417 Coupe body was derived) and of course the 4 door sedan.
I have owned a W-417 for 22 years and also have the 34 Ford 3W & an original Murray Produced with Ford grown Iron Mountain Wood Woody Wagon.
So many years ago I posted this info as it appeared in a Ford V8 Times publication from 1979 on Ford’s & Hupp’s Hybrid.
Very sad to see the present state of this Hupp,I hope that someone take the time to save it once more…..Meanwhile ours is still awaiting paint and slight body work.
Given its rarity I fervently hope someone tries. I wonder if 34 Ford panels could be modified to fix the roof and doors?
ITS yard art .Metal wraps with that much heat .Can never get rid of the burn smell.
Cushenberry’s Matador – a heavily customized 40 Ford, suffered a similar fire / and roof damage – it had gotten restored. Sure that was a one-of-one, and this is a one-of-six, but – when there is a will – there is a way.
As bad/sad is this is. At least it wasn’t a 35 coupe. A Ray Lowey design that is really sweet. The 34 Hupps look like Fords while the 35’s …well… check them out for yourselves. Wild.
The W series Hupps used basically Ford bodies (coupe and sedan) while the 1934-1936 Aerodynamic models were styled by Lowey, Some sedans had trunks added on and the first ones out had 3 piece windshields.
1934 2nd series – 421-J 6 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1934 2nd series – 427-T 8 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1935 1st series – 521-J 6 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1935 1st series – 527-T 8 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1935 2nd series – 518-D 6 cyl (1 piece windshield)
1935 2nd series – 521-O 8 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1936 1st series – 618-D 6 cyl (1 piece windshield)
1936 1st series – 621-O 8 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1936 2nd series – 618-G 6 cyl (1 piece windshield)
1936 2nd series – 621-N 8 cyl (3 piece windshield)
1937 1st series – 618- G (1 piece windshield)
1937 1st series – 621-N (3 piece windshield)
The first series were generally introduced in the fall with the second series after the New Year. How to get confused without really trying.
Raymond Lowey also did the 1931-32 Hupps with the cycle front fenders.
This is almost as bad as that incredible Corvette we had a month or so ago the pic the the car was beyond beautiful, then the pic of the same car after the garage fire! OMG!
What a sad end to a beautiful car! My son had a garage fire when my 53 MG TD was in it. Luckily it was a smouldering fire and it was discovered quickly so the structure remained standing. My poor MG went from needing the mechanicals refreshed to needing a total restoration. The paint is charred, roof ruined, windshield cracked and one of his golf clubs melted onto the gas tank. I was heartbroken, but with a lot of effort, it can be saved. I cannot imagine the grief this owner must have felt. I hope this can be resurrected in some form.
When it was blue and shiny, I would say the first thing to go needed to be those wire wheels and thin whitewall tires. Looks like God and/or mother nature took care of that! This car deserves a full-on resto, and source some period-appropriate steel wheels to bring it back to a show standard. I see the Ford resemblance, but that grille looks about 3 times as big and not as delicate as a 33-35 Ford offering.
It can be fixed if someone cares or has the money to do so. Anyone who says otherwise-well they just don’t know.