Graham-Paige

by Chris Dugdale

The three Graham Brothers, Robert, Ray and Joseph operated a garage business in the early years of the last century repairing trucks. By 1925 their workshop had become the largest producer of trucks in the world. In 1927 they decided to sell the business then known as Graham Brothers Trucks and with the proceeds of the sale they acquired the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company which was bankrupt. ( I have heard it called the Paige-Jewett Company)

Under the control of the Graham Bothers the organisation prospered and in their first year of 1928 they sold more than 58,000 units which placed them in twelfth position in the American Car sales league, the following year production peaked at over 77,000 cars.

A European assembly plant was opened in Berlin in 1928 but with the onset of the Great Depression it was swept away.

In 1932 a new range was introduced, the "Blue Streak Eights" with "V" shaped grills and narrow windshields and pontoon type wings. The look was copied widely by others but the car was not really a success for Graham. The firm continued to be adventurous and in 1934 the Custom Eight appeared, fitted with a centrifugal supercharger driven at five times engine speed by the water pump shaft. The engine delivered 135 bhp at 4000 rpm giving the car superb acceleration and a top speed in the region of 90 miles per hour.

The Eights were dropped for the 1936 season being replaced by a six cylinder range, the lowest priced model was named the Crusader, and the 3.6 litre the Cavalier, a supercharged six appeared in 1937 know as the 110

Sales figures were unfortunately falling, 1936 saw only a little over 16,000 cars sold and two years later this had dropped to 4,100.

The 1938 range - all 3,500 c.c. were considered fast but ugly and did not attract buyers and the company slipped further into decline - the design was altered but this did not help and sales dropped to just 1,856 in 1940. The marque really disappeared in 1941 and the name was taken over by Kaiser-Fraizer in 1945.

The Auto Motor Journal of September 27 1928 contained an article by Edgar N Duffield and he spoke well of the new American model "The 23.4 H.P. Twin-Top Graham-Paige Six", a novel name which referred to the four speed gear-box, unusual for products from across the Atlantic. Mr.Duffield stated "Let me say right away that this Graham-Paige model 614 saloon which I tried would be a very nice car with conventional trans-atlantic transmission. It is all the better car with its "twin-top" gear-box but I believe that the general qualities of the machine will be remembered by its owners long after they have got accustomed to its peculiar transmission, because of the nature of that peculiarity."

The general specification of the Graham-Paige was said to be very sound, the mono-block six cylinder engine was of "L" head design with a bore of 3 and 1/.8 inches and a stroke of 4 1/2 inches, developing 71 bhp at 3,200 rpm. The seven bearing crankshaft balanced both at rest and running, the white metal bearings having bronze shells, aluminium pistons with Invar steel connecting rods. Lubrication was by pump direct to main and big-end bearings and also those of the camshaft, valve gear and the spindle of the water pump. Cooling of the water is also by pump and circulation being thermostatically regulated. Ignition by coil and distributor (North East manufacture). fuel delivered to the cylinders by a Schebler carburettor with air filter attached. Fuel consumption was stated to be 22 miles to the UK gallon.

The fourth gear is stated to be good for 80 miles per hour and 60 could be obtained on third. Brakes on all four wheels were by Lockheed and of the hydraulic type, parking brake being of the transmission type. The steering by Cam and Lever and stated to be light to the touch.

The car as illustrated was available in the U.K. for £475, the chassis only price some £105 less for the keen types who wished to have their own body built.