By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, RCN Classifieds

These days we’re so used to the notion of “the Big Three” that it becomes astonishing to look at the variety of manufacturers that once built cars in this country. Wikipedia’s “List of defunct automobile manufacturers of the United States” displays brands alphabetically, and they must number close to one thousand, as the entries starting with “A” number 135 on their own.

Listed between Hummer and Hupp-Yeats, you’ll find a cheery-sounding brand called Hupmobile, also known as the Hupp Motor Car Company. Named after one of the founders, Bobby Hupp, Hupp got its start in 1909 with the spartan and reliable Hupp 20. Hupps manufacturing grew quite rapidly, and the company manufactured 5,000 automobiles in its second year of production. By the late ’20s, the brand had produced 65,000 units, and its products strongly contested more established manufacturers.

As the country neared the Great Depression, Hupp and several other auto manufacturers attempted to move their products to a more profitable and expensive market segment. The move was ultimately a step backward for the Hupmobile, as they failed to garner sufficitent buyers at this price, and their longtime customers could no longer afford their products.

By 1939, Hupmobile had gone through several failed models and purchases (including buying the tooling for the Cord 810 in 1938), and it would close its doors for good in 1940. The company left behind a string of interesting innovations and attractive models though, such as this 1934 Hupmobile Coupe.

The appearance of the Hupp Coupe is stately and attractive, and definitely on par with Ford and GM offerings of the time period. The car is said to have been fully restored in 2000 and remains in excellent condition. The Coupe is powered by an L-head six-cylinder engine, which appears to be in good mechanical and cosmetic order. A fully upholstered rumble seat area out back is another solid bonus, as it’s a bucket list item for me personally to ride in one while I can still capably get into it.

The Hupp Coupe is listed here on the RCN Classifieds for $32,500.