Orphan Of The Day 10-18, 1935 Hoffman

[8E45E]

One-off 1935 Hoffman, equipped with a rear-mounted 'X-8' engine created by ex-GM engineer, Roscoe Hoffman.









Craig

[55champion]

Very different. Studebaker head lights and VW rear end....

[clonelark]

I was courious about the car as i had never heard of one, Guess this explains a lot about the headlights, and this is 3 years before Studebaker used them

LAST CAR OF THE BROOKS STEVENS' COLLECTION

While most cars from the Brooks Steven Automotive Museum were sold to private collectors in the years immediately following the designer’s 1995 death, Old Cars Weekly has learned that one car is still available. It is a streamlined sedan with an eight-cylinder radial engine made by Roscoe C. (Rod) Hoffman around 1934 or 1935.

Hoffman was about 47 when he designed this car. He graduated from Purdue University in 1911 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He started a company called Hoffman Motor Developments in 1934 in Detroit. Hoffman was an independent engineer and knew many people in the auto industry. He may have done projects for GM. Studebaker and Packard. He became a good friend of Brooks Stevens and gifted the car to him in 1961.

The car — now dubbed the Hoffman X-8 — is believed to have evolved from a deal that the French automaker Mathis was working on with Henry Ford. Apparently Hoffman, Ford and Mathis got together to develop a radical X-engined car that was envisioned for European production. The prototype was constructed in Boston, Mass.

The all-steel Hoffman features a unitized body and frame with honeycomb floor perimeter strengthening members. It has a tubular front axle, front transverse leaf spring, front trailing arms and tube shocks all around. The rear suspension features fully independent half shafts with Cardan joints at each end, along with londitudinal leaf springs and trailing arms. It has a 115-in. wheelbase and 181.35 overall length. It weighs in at about 3100 lbs. and puts out 75 hp.

This 1935 Hoffman is the last of the Brooks Stevens Collection. The car last ran in 1996 but the brakes did not work yet at that time. It is the only one of its kind, the sister car was destroyed many years ago. It is very unique and will be an asset to any collection.

[kurtruk]

And throw in a case of that soda advertised on the poster in the background. Er...how do you pronounce that Or is that the sound it makes when you open one

[Jim B PEI]

That soda ad is French, and that is the sound a bottle or can opening in France makes.

French makes rather heavy weather spelling some things. My home city Ottawa, named after the Uttawa tribe, is spelled Outaouais in French. Yes, 5 vowels together because the French ignored that useful English consonant "W".

Love that Hoffman. I wonder how it handled? I remember reading in Popular Science WBW about the X design engines and other stuff.

[jclary]

This makes you wonder if the design is just another coincidental example of "designer group think" of the era, or did the artist building this car have a hand in Studebaker as well? Not only does the headlight resemble the '38 Studebakers, but the bat wing rear window of the 36 and 37 coupes.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Also looks like the LF/RR and RF/LR doors are interchangeable....Another item brought up years later by Stevens...
Jeff

(and note that every other light is out at the museum)

[Milaca]

Very interesting car. I remember reading many years ago about Henry Ford's work with an X8 engine around the same time that he was experimenting with soybean based plastic body panels.

[JimK]

I'd sure like to see a pic of the motor and how it's installed and attached to the rest of the drivetrain. Neat car nonetheless.

Wasn't there a shot of a motorcycle with a radial engine posted here sometime?

[clonelark]

I found this on the Henry Ford X-8 engine.

http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=page&mode=display&gid=00032000001081239920917940&pg=00032000001086276828588714

[showbizkid]

Actually, when I look at this car, I think "Scarab." I wonder if there was some cross-pollination going on with Bill Stout?

[JBOYLE]

Remionds me of a Tatra.

Neat car, love the headlights.