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A TRIBUTE TO CREATIVITY & IMAGINATION |
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Tatra T 87 (1937/48) - Czechoslovakia
The T 77, a limousine, was streamlined, with a V8 rear engine. The T 77 was manufactured from 1934 to 1937 and was later replaced in 1937 by the T 87 which stayed in production until 1948. The Tatra T 87, the most famous car made by Tatra, was Hans Ledwinka's favorite. The T 87 body was designed by Paul Jaray, a Hungarian born in Vienna. The all-steel body supported by a central tube utilized patents from Budd. The aluminum, air cooled V8 engine had overhead cams. Its suspension was independent on the four wheels. The top speed of the T 87 was 100 miles per hour with a very low noise level and good comfort. Unfortunately, the car had a tendency to oversteer and could be dangerous if the driver was overconfident. The T 87 was also the favorite car of the German officers of the Wermacht. So many were killed in accidents involving this car that the officers were forbidden to drive them any longer. The T 87 in our showroom, according to its engine number, was shipped in February 1942 to Frankfurt, Germany The last owner was a United States Army Officer. Otherwise, the history of this car is unknown. Few T 87s survived the war (3,000 manufactured). In fact, there may be fewer than 100 left worldwide.
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