Graham-Paige Graham Spirit of Motion (Sharknose) History
The forward-leaning 'Sharknose' Graham — daring Amos Northup styling that won a Paris Concours but flopped with buyers.
Photo: “1938 Graham Model 97 Convertible (21614223670).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
Introduced for 1938 under the slogan 'Spirit of Motion', this Graham wore one of the era's most dramatic shapes: a forward-thrusting grille and fenders that made the car look as if it were moving while standing still, earning it the nickname 'Sharknose'. It was the last design begun by Amos Northup, who died in 1937 before it was finished; Graham's own engineers completed it.
The styling drew admiration in some quarters — it won a concours d'elegance in Paris — but it was a commercial failure, and total production across the 1938–1940 run was only a few thousand cars. The sales disaster contributed directly to the end of Graham automobile production.
Generations
First generation · Spirit of Motion (Sharknose)
Photo: “1938 Graham Model 97 Convertible (21614223670).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The forward-thrusting 'Sharknose' Graham — the last design begun by Amos Northup, completed by Graham's engineers after his death in 1937 and built for only three seasons.
1938 Photo: “1938 Graham Model 97 Convertible (21614223670).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1939 Photo: “1939 Graham Supercharged Combination Coupe in Metallic Green, front left.jpg” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Sedan
- Coupe
Related models
Collect the nameplate
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