Millikan Motors - 1929

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[PIC: MILLIKAN MOTORS BILLBOARD]
In 1929 Mervyn Manlove Millikan sold Graham-Paiges
at Millikan Motors, 1314 12th Ave., Altoona, PA

Topics on this page:
Graham-Paige Historical Notes
The following text was borrowed from various places at: 100 Years of the American Automobile: A Portfolio.
After ending their association with Dodge upon its acquisition by Chrysler Corp., the Graham brothers, Joseph, Robert and Ray, launched their Graham-Paige automobile in 1928 at the New York Auto Show with a lavish affair featuring world champion boxer Gene Tunney and Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. The Graham-Paige set a production record in its first year of 73,195, exceeding the previous mark set in 1926 by the new Pontiac. In 1930, "Paige" was dropped and the car became the Graham. As the Great Depression wore on, sales dropped dramatically. Ray Graham committed suicide in 1932. The company fought to survive with advanced styling and supercharged engines. This 1938 Graham was one of the maker's more spectacular efforts to stay alive, with a styling concept it called the "Spirit of Motion." Most people called it the "sharknose." It met the same fate as Chrysler's Airflow. Graham quit building cars in 1940.
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When Auburn folded, dies for the Buehrig Cord were adapted by Graham for its 1940 Hollywood model and by Hupmobile for its '41 Skylark. It was the last gasp for both these nameplates, although Graham-Paige Co. survived as part of the basis for Kaiser-Frazer after World War 11 (Joseph W. Frazer was president of Graham-Paige).
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The Dodge brothers had their differences and quarrels, but through most of their lives they were inseparable and they were in death also. They died within a year of each other in 1920.

Their widows asked Frederick Haynes, manager of the Dodge plant in Hamtramck, to run the company. Under Haynes, the company continued to grow and acquired Graham Truck in 1925, which became Dodge Truck. Joseph, Robert and Ray Graham worked for Dodge for a while, then left to build the Graham-Paige car.

The Millikan Motors Picture Album
click here for the full album

[PIC: MILLIKAN MOTORS SHOWROOM] [PIC: MILLIKAN MOTORS SHOWROOM]
The Millikan Motors showroom

[PIC: GRAHAM-PAIGE ON THE ROAD]
Sign on car says:
See Why 50 Miles an Hour Seems like 38 Try the TACHOMETER Test

[PIC: AT GRAHAM-PAIGE MOTORS ]
One day at the factory

[PIC: MILLIKAN MOTORS YEAR IN BUSINESS (click to read)]
Newspaper article from 1929 (click to read)

[PIC: THE NEW THRILL IN MOTORING (click to zoom)]
Magazine ad from 1929
(click to zoom)

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Questions? .. Scott
--- last updated 17 February 2004 ---