Following a distinguished career with Oldsmobile, Ford, and Regal, Robert Craig Hupp established the manufacture of motor cars bearing his name in 1909 in Detroit, Michigan.
Hupp Model 20 contributed to its early success. The Model 20, is a compact affordable, and durable car that gained popularity for its reliability and fuel efficiency.
Its reputation for endurance and reliability continued to grow when a Model 20 completed a transcontinental journey from San Francisco to New York in 48 days.
As the Hupmobile company grew it introduced larger and more sophisticated models, catering to a broader market. 1911, following a disagreement with the board, Robert Hupp left the company. Hupmobile continued and their 1912 Model 32, an all-steel-bodied car, became the mainstay of pre-Great War production.
The introduction of the Hupp 8 in 1925 marked an ambitious move into the luxury car segment. The Hupp 8 featured a smooth eight-cylinder engine and upscale amenities, attracting a more affluent clientele.
The Great Depression hit the automotive industry hard, and Hupmobile was no exception. Despite attempts to adapt to changing economic conditions by offering more affordable models, the company struggled financially. By 1936, Hupmobile attempted a fresh start with a new lineup, but the market conditions and competition proved insurmountable.
Hupmobile bought the Cord 810-812 body dyes after Cord went bankrupt in 1937-38. Hupmobile and Graham, who were also in financial trouble, joined as partners in building these cars. Graham had a brand new factory, so all the cars were built there. The cars came down 2 separate assembly lines. Graham called their car, the Hollywood Graham, using a Graham supercharged engine, and switching to rear wheel drive. They made approx 1600 cars.
Hupmobile did not produce a car in 1937. They did produce cars in 1938 & 1939. Then they went to the Cord body Skylak in 1940. The same engine was used in the Skylark in 1940)
In 1940 Hupmobile used a 6-cylinder engine, but switched to rear-wheel drive, and called their car the Hupmobile Skylark. They built 319 Hupmobile Skylarks in 1940 and went bankrupt that year. The cars that weren't sold in 1940, were retitled as a 1941 model.
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| 1940 Hupmobile Skylark ~ owner Alan Weinstein |
The company officially declared bankruptcy in 1941. While Hupmobile may not have endured through the decades like some of its contemporaries, its legacy lives on as a symbol of innovation and quality craftsmanship during the early days of the American automotive industry.
At this time there are approximately 35 Hupmobile Skylarks left in the world.
