Voluptuous curves would seem out of place on such a hulking behemoth of a machine but here, they make sense. Visually, this car is a stunner and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of the most photographed cars throughout the day.

The 'Heinz' Phantom Corsair is one of those concept cars that changed the world, and it's about to make as big a splash now as it did when it appeared in the 1930s.

In the late 1930s, Rust Heinz of the Heinz family food empire sat down to design something totally different.  Result?  The Phantom Corsair, a one-of-kind look at the future of automotive design.  Maurice Bohman of famed coachbuilders Bohman & Schwartz helped Heinz create a vehicle labeled by some as both a “monstrosity and a marvel.” 

This unique car comes to the 14th annual Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, March 13-15, 2009, courtesy of the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada.
 
“When this car came out of Bohman & Schwartz, people called it both outrageous and futuristic,” says Bill Warner, founder & co-chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance.  “It’s a 70-year-old design that generates a buzz wherever it goes, and still defies description today; just as it did when it rolled out of the Pasadena shop in 1938.”  
 
The Phantom Corsair’s design evolved in a wind tunnel – its streamlined look gave it a distinct aerodynamic advantage allowing it to reach speeds of 115mph, impressive for a car its size back in 1938.  Many new innovations were incorporated into the design such as hydraulic impact bumpers, covered driving lights, climate control system, and interior crash padding.  Getting into the car may have proven puzzling since there are no door handles.  
 
Bohman & Schwartz built the Phantom Corsair for an estimated ,000; Heinz had plans to build a limited number for about ,500 per car, but his untimely death shortly after its completion ended any production plans.  After a stint at the 1939 World’s Fair, it moved on to a new career in Hollywood as the mysteriously sinister “Flying Wombat,” in the David O. Selznick production, “The Young in Heart,” which starred screen legend Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
 
The vehicle was later sold to the famous comedian Herb Shriner and was displayed for a time at the Silver Springs (Florida) Museum before ending up in the hands of famed collector William Harrah, who restored the car to its original configuration and displayed it as a showcase car in his vast collection.  
 
“This car always surprises people,” Warner said of the Phantom Corsair.  “Voluptuous curves would seem out of place on such a hulking behemoth of a machine but here, they make sense.  Visually, this car is a stunner and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of the most photographed cars throughout the day.”  
 
About Bohman & Schwartz
Bohman & Schwartz based operations out of Pasadena, CA where they performed work for an exclusive clientele including Hollywood elite, business magnates, and political figures.  What started as a collision repair shop in 1932 quickly grew into a world-renowned business thanks to impeccable workmanship and stunning design.  They remained active until ceasing operations in the early sixties.
 
About The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance
The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance is one of the nation’s most innovative vintage auto shows featuring over 250 rare classics from seldom-seen private collections nationwide.  The 14th annual Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance will be held March 13-15, 2009, on the 10th and 18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.

The show’s foundation has donated nearly .6m to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc. since 1996. For more information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org or call (904) 636-0227