The Graham brothers started their success with a glass manufacturing company that was eventually sold to Libbey Owens Ford, a company that would create the enclosure for the Declaration of Independence. In 1919 they created a kit that could covert Ford Model T's into trucks and at the time they were using various engines but primarily Dodge's. They then started building trucks for Dodge dealers and were eventually purchased in 1925 at which time they took executive positions with Dodge. Fast forward a little bit and Chrysler came into the picture at which time the brothers decided to set off on their own. They purchased the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company and thus the Graham-Paige brand was born. They created most of their own bodies/engines and developed a reputation for quality. Sales quickly rose and while they withstood the onset of the depression, sales eventually fell as time went on. Interestingly the Graham brothers developed a crankshaft driven supercharger all the way back in 1934 and it wasn't until the 90's that they were surpassed as being the largest producer of supercharged cars. That is pretty impressive considering that it has been since 1947 that the Graham-Paige name was purchased by Kaiser-Frazer. This Graham Paige sedan has been transformed into a really nice street rod and is incredibly unique. You can be pretty much guaranteed that you will be the only one pulling up to the car show in one of these cars. It is unknown how many were ever made but the amount still around has to be very small. This all steel car was originally built in California and the current owner purchased it in 2009. It is painted a very nice Black Cherry paint that has a beautiful finish. The car has rear suicide doors which are a very cool factory option. It no longer has it's stock bumpers but the stainless that is in place has a very nice shine. The glass is in good condition throughout and is tinted. The car has a great stance and sits on a set of American Racing Torq Thrust wheels (15 in front, 17 in rear). It also has taller tires in the back to give it a slight rake in the side profile.
Under the hood the car is now powered by a crate 454 V8 motor that has right around 28,500 miles on it. The engine runs strong and has plenty of power. It has been nicely dressed up with chrome accents and is also fitted with an Edelbrock Thunder series 650 cfm carb with electric choke and a more modern R134 AC compressor. The car has had multiple upgrades including power assisted front disc brakes and a Mustang II style front end. It comes with some receipts and a full breakdown outlining everything that was redone in the build. It is clear not a single component was left untouched. The car runs cool thanks to its electric fan and new custom radiator that was installed in 2017. The rest of the drivetrain includes the Turbo 400 automatic transmission that sends power back to the Ford 9 inch rear. This is a very nicely done car and set up to be one you can hop in and cruise anywhere.
Inside the car it has nice Gray upholstery with a rear bench seat and dual power adjustable bucket front seats. It is in great condition throughout. The dash is nicely painted and features custom Classic Instrument gauges in a custom bezel which is also where you will find LED gear and turn signal indicators. The shifter is located on the column which is a Flaming River tilt set up topped off by a very cool Lecarra steering wheel. The AC blows cold and is an underdash style unit with adjustable vents in both the center and sides. Being a 4 door is pretty neat because a lot of vehicles of the 30's were very cramped. This one has plenty of room and the availability of a rear seat so the whole family can go to the car show. Another very cool feature is the car has power windows but they are operated by the vintage style window cranks. The powered rear trunk lid is easily operated by a remote control with included key chain fob and the trunk is all nicely carpeted.
This is an extremely unique car because not only is it a rare manufacturer but it has been set up to be an excellent driver. Chances of finding another one is pretty slim so if you want to stand out from all the Fords/Chevys at the show you should scoop this one up while it is still available.
