Tatra 87
Aerodynamics modernized the automotive industry. Stemming from advancements in aviation design, the study of aerodynamics was infectious and designers worldwide were inspired to explore automobile design: Le Corbusier dedicated a chapter in Vers Une Architecture to automobile design; Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, designed an elegant emblem for Adler car radiators; and American architect R. Buckminister Fuller designed the innovative Dymaxion car (1934). Meanwhile, Austrian born Hans Ledwinka was applying Dr. Paul Jaray’s (the Zeppelin Company designer) groundbreaking aerodynamic concepts to cars he designed for the Czechoslovakian company Tatra.
The idea of streamlining design was explored internationally and the relationship between design, architecture and automotive disciplines merged to establish new principles in car technology. Hans Ledwinka’s Tatra 87, designed in 1936, reflected contemporary taste and harmonized industry achievements. Improving upon his 1934 Tatra 77, the Tatra 87 was the first self-contained body vehicle to feature top-of-the-line technology such as independent suspension, integrated transmission with two synchronized gears, one-shot pedal operated lubricating system, forced ducted airflow and an aerodynamic form with stabilizing fin producing the lowest drag coefficient. The Tatra 87 is an air-cooled, aluminum-alloy, 8-cylinder, overhead cam, rear-located engine producing 73 horse power that propels the car to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The T87 also featured a panoramic windshield for improved vision, a fog light in addition to the standard headlights and a spacious interior – the Tatra 87 was the ultimate achievement in car design of its time.
Tatra produced 3,023 T87s and today, nearly seventy-five years later, only a couple dozen remain. Exquisitely restored and in excellent condition, this Tatra 87 from 1940 – with fewer than 700 miles on the original engine – is the most complete example to be offered on the market.
Tatra
T87 Sedan
Czechoslovakia, 1940
184 w x 67 d x 60 h inches
Complete restoration and parts list available upon request.
Estimate: $150,000–200,000
Literature: Tatra: The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka, Margolius and Henry
73 hp, V-8 overhead cam, air-cooled, Dural (aluminum alloy) block, rear engine sedan with 4 wheel independent suspension. This car was originally owned by a Viennese citizen who acquired it in 1940. The Austrian citizen brought it to Ottawa, Canada after WWII and the last registration was in 1963. The car remained unused for 40 years. The current owner discovered the car in Canada in 2001 and shipped it to Koprivnice having it restored by the renowned RS (Roman Spacek) Car Restoration who restored one of two Tatra T77s in the world. This Tatra contains all the original parts and engine. Each element was taken apart and restored. Only pullys, belts, seals, hoses, and wiring have been replaced. The body was stripped, sandblasted, patched and completely restored. All interior surfaces were redone including the leather seats and interior finishes. A DVD documenting the process is available upon request.
