SOLVED: WTH # 292 - 1938 Maybach SW38 Sports Saloon by Spohn

sixtee5cuda · December 30, 2013, 08:53:11 PM

Please describe the year, make, model, and coachbuilder of this multi-hued old car

sixtee5cuda · January 05, 2014, 02:08:53 PM

As the mythical Rookies are not paying attention, maybe the Experts can solve this puzzle?

Up!

D-type · January 05, 2014, 02:16:13 PM

1936 Ford V8 underneath?

exekiel · January 05, 2014, 02:18:19 PM

czeck?

sixtee5cuda · January 05, 2014, 03:32:07 PM

No connection to Ford or the Czech Republic.

Bill Murray · January 05, 2014, 03:40:11 PM

India?
Bill

sixtee5cuda · January 05, 2014, 03:46:31 PM

The car was created for a customer in India. Source car and coachbuilder are not from India.

Bill Murray · January 05, 2014, 04:35:01 PM

Took a bit of digging.

Maybach SW 38 with coach work by Spohn 1938.
Made for the Maharajah of Kota in Rajusthan India.

Apparently, it still exists in the Pranlal Bhogilal collection.

Here is a photo of the car with the owner of the collection and some sort of Maybach descendant.

Bill

sixtee5cuda · January 05, 2014, 04:40:15 PM

And the point goes to Bill Murray for the complete answer.

Spohn built a sedan for a Maharajah, on a Maybach chassis, only to produce what looks like yet another generic 1938 sedan.

Maybe it is the red and yellow paint?

Bill Murray · January 05, 2014, 05:01:31 PM

Hi Cuda:

It was the paint job that got me on the trail. I have a couple of good Indian sites bookmarked and that is where I found your car.

What the sites indicate is that the Indians have a great appreciation for colors and in the day, those who had the money had their cars painted in some marvelous color combinations. Bear in mind that the "Titled" Indian Royalty of the Raj era in the last throes of the Empire had a lot, a lot of disposable income. Part of the whole system was that they displayed their wealth in a very public way that would not really be acceptable today.

As to the Maybach, it is definitely a coach built vehicle but not garish which seems to be typical of the Maharajahs cars of the day. The paint schemes were what set them off. Note that the grille has been tarted up a bit and it has the typical Spohn fender skirts. I am trying to find a photo of the interior as this where these guys also tended to get a bit creative in their wishes.

Here is another shot from the other side.

Bill

Wendax · August 09, 2020, 10:21:06 AM

The car before it went yellow:

News:

SOLVED: WTH # 292 - 1938 Maybach SW38 Sports Saloon by Spohn