6 Cylinder, 6 Wheel
Model H6A Barcelona, Spain
This automobile was recorded as being built in Barcelona and the body was designed and built by Leon Rubay.
The car was bought by the Hollywood director D.W. Griffith for $35,000. It appeared in the 1933 film "My Lips Betray" and a few war movies. We are currently researching this automobile's movie career. If you have any information, please contact us.
LA HISPANO SUIZA FABRICA DE AUTOMOVILES, S.A. was founded in 1904 in Barcelona by Damian Mateu and other Spanish capitalists. The engineering of it was given to the young Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt who had been working in Spain since 1900. Literally translated, Hispano-Suiza means Spanish-Swiss, designating the engineer and the investors.
From 1904 to 1914 Birkigt designed several different engines for La Hispano Suiza , starting with the 20/24 h.p., a water cooled, side valves, 4-cylinder designed in 1904 and going to piston supercharged racing engines. He designed the first 4 cylinder 16 valve engine and the car considered to have been the very first real sports car in history, the Hispano Suiza 45 Cr. The 15T or Alfonso XIII model was derived from the series of long-stroke, four-cylinder racing cars which the company made in 1910. It was called the "Alfonso XIII" after the King of Spain, who bought the first model Hispano made in 1905 and was a great enthusiast of the brand (owning some 30 of them during his reign).
In 1911, La Hispano Suiza opened a factory in Paris, France to meet the demand of the French market, particularly the racy Alfonso XIII. The factory in France became larger than the original one built in Barcelona.
At the outbreak of WWI, Hispano Suiza turned to making aircraft engines and introduced the revolutionary Hispano Suiza V8. It was an excellent engine and in great demand by the allies. The famous WWI French ace Georges Guynemer, flew a SPAD VIII which was powered by the Hispano-Suiza engine. He also drove a Hispano-Suiza car. The elegant flying stork was his squadron emblem, and appeared on the radiator caps or hoods of all Hispano-Suizas after his death in 1917. In the 1920's the Hispano Suiza became more known as a French automobile, as the models built near Paris were more glamorous and expensive than their Spanish cousins. The Hispano Suiza H6 became the star of the 1919 Paris Motor Show. Birkigt's experience designing aircraft engines transferred to this powerful automobile. Hispano Suiza also was the first car to have four wheel brakes using a mechanical servo assistance and surpassed the Rolls Royce in performance.
Hispano Suiza ceased production in France 1938. Production continued in Spain until it was stopped by the Second World War, ending an era and the glamorous Hispano Suiza.
The Moffat Modeler's N-Scale Model Train Layout
Will be open to the public in the near future.
The Timme Motorcycle Collection
Come and see some incredible vintage Indian, Honda & other rare motorcycles! *Exhibits subject to change without notice*
Visit our Gallery
Make sure to visit our gallery. Our gallery features various die-cast models, art, and other artifacts related to transportation.
