LaVerne and Marlene Johnson, Grosse Pointe, Michigan (acquired in 1967)
Current Owner (acquired from the estate of the above in 2015)
Coachwork by Castagna
Chassis: 1515
Engine: 1479
Rare 8A S Model Bodied with Majestic Castagna Landaulet Coachwork
Just Three Enthusiast Owners in Its 95-Year History
Concours-Level Restoration; Multiple CCCA First Place Awards
2004 and 2021 Class Awards at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®
One of Just 12 8A and 8A S Models Known to the CCCA
7,370 CC OHV Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
Twin Zenith Carburetors
155 BHP at 2,500 RPM
3-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Servo-Assisted Mechanical Drum Brakes
Front Solid Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs and Shock Absorbers
Rear Live Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs and Shock Absorbers
In terms of sheer opulence, Isotta Fraschini was without peer and its Tipo 8 models were a favorite among royalty, celebrities, and affluent clients from around the world. Introduced in 1919, the Tipo 8 marked the firm’s transition from four to eight-cylinder propulsion, holding the distinction of the first production inline eight-cylinder engine. The 8A and 8A S models that followed improved on the original design with an increase in engine displacement and a stronger chassis capable of accommodating more elaborate coachwork. Approximately 950 of the 8A and 8A S models were built between 1924 and 1932.
These superb mechanicals were paired with exquisite coachwork crafted by top-tier European and American coachbuilders. Castagna of Milan is most closely associated with Isotta Fraschini, crafting majestic coachwork such as the example offered here, a stately landaulet on the more powerful 8A S chassis. Its history is documented from new, having benefited from the care of just three enthusiast owners throughout its 95-year life. Restored to concours standards, it has numerous awards to its credit.
This Tipo 8A S, with chassis no. 1515 and engine no. 1479, was an American delivery and its history begins with Lloyd M. Willis, a successful Chicago property developer who gifted the car to his son, Howe B. Willis. The Willis family owned seven Isotta Fraschinis and Howe channeled his enthusiasm for the marque into service for the Isotta Fraschini Owner’s Association as club historian.
In 1967, LaVerne and Marlene Johnson of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, acquired the car, and Howe B. Willis maintained contact with its new owners for many years. Mrs. Johnson wrote about the purchase stating the car was “completely original” but “her paint job was a little faded.” The Johnsons proudly displayed the car locally and used it for family occasions before embarking on its only full restoration in 2000. The multi-year project was entrusted to Bob Anzalone’s R&A Engineering Inc. of Manchester, Michigan, and upon completion, it debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in 2004, where it received a Second in Class award. A trio of CCCA first-place awards followed in 2005, taking the car through primary, senior, and premier CCCA judging tiers, scoring a perfect 100 points on one of those occasions. It now carries CCCA badge no. 2668SP.
The consignor acquired the car in 2015, and it returned to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in 2017 as part of the Isotta Fraschini feature, displayed in a class celebrating Castagna coachwork. Extensive mechanical work followed, including a top-end rebuild of the engine by specialist Laurence Anderson. In 2021, the car made its third appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, receiving another Second in Class award.
The car is presented in two shades of green with a lighter tone used for the body and darker green applied to the fenders, beltline and the roof. Correspondence with the Willis family confirms two-tone green was original to the car. Large “I-F” lettering is centered on the chrome grille guard with Stephen Grebel headlamps symmetrically placed on either side of the grille. A matching Grebel spotlight is mounted on the driver’s side windshield, and just aft of the dual side-mounted spare tires are wooden storage boxes affixed to the running boards. A removable trunk at the rear provides additional storage space. The upper body features a removable leather canopy over the chauffeur’s compartment matching the rear roof section, which can be lowered using functional landau irons.
Commensurate with its regal exterior appearance, the interior is equally lavish. The driver’s compartment is finished in dark green leather embossed with a tulip design, with the rear passenger compartment tastefully appointed in light green fabrics also with an ornate tulip pattern applied to interior door panels, jump seats, and the back of the chauffeur’s division. Interior hardware is all German silver, except the door handles, complementing extensive walnut trim used on the dashboard and throughout the rear compartment.
The landaulet design has an aristocratic presence and also offers the driver and passengers multiple options for configuration: as a closed limousine, as an open-front town car, or with the rear quarters lowered, providing the passengers with an open-air motoring experience.
This car celebrates the elegance and luxury of a bygone era; it is a tribute to the efforts of the craftsmen and artisans of Isotta Fraschini and Castagna. Authentically restored with documented history from new, showing its adherence to its original 1928 specification, this Isotta and its extensive history file are worthy of close inspection. This magnificent, three-owner Tipo 8A S is ready to be appreciated in any automotive arena.
*Please note that this vehicle is titled by its engine number.