1938 Graham Custom Model 97
edited by David Barth, 25 December 2008.
Courtesy "The Auto Collections" showroom at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las, Vegas, Nevada,
USA.
Some of the information presented below is from "Imperial Palace Auto Collection" by Ralph Engelstad, owner of the
hotel/casino and the automobiles until his death in 2002.
This new design was called "Spirit in Motion." It was manufactured from 1927 to 1940 by Graham-Paige Motors Corp.,
Detroit, Michigan, USA. The original cost was $1,095.00.
The company began as Paige-Detroit, founded in 1909. By the outbreak of WW I, "Detroit" had been dropped. In 1927
the company was taken over by the Ghaham brothers who changed its name to "Graham-Paige." By 1930, the "Paige" was
dropped. In 1934 this was the first moderately-priced car to have a supercharger added.
Characteristics:
- Engine: L-head six, supercharged (Model 97)
- Bore: 3.3 inches
- Stroke: 4.4 inches
- Displacement: 218 cubic inches (3.6 liters)
- Power: 120 hp
- Speed: 0 to 60 mph in 16 seconds
- Weight: 3,300 pounds
- Transmission: four-speed with overdrive
- Supercharger: Centrifugal type
- Top speed 95 mph
- Styling: As with its its predecessor, the straight-eight Graham Blue Streak, Amos Northrup designed this
"Sharknosed" model
- Introduced: 1938
- Model 96: unsupercharged
- Model 97: supercharged
- Price of Model 97: $1,198
The last Graham was built in 1940, and the company manufactured military products during WW II.
