A single monocle windshield sat in front of the driver.

It's clearly evident from the photos that this car was all business.

Creature comforts didn't exist. Neither did doors, a closed passenger compartment, or any kind of bodywork.

None of that mattered anyways. The goal of this car was to go fast, which it did.

The monocle windshield made the goggles seen in the photo above very necessary.

And like so many cars from that era, there were no brakes on the front wheels.

Braking duties were handled by a pair of drums on the rear wheels.

1922 Dodge Brothers Series 116 roadster.

Class 17A: Gas vehicles, 2-wheel brakes, 4 cylinders.

Brothers John and Horace Dodge founded the Dodge Brothers Company machine shop in 1900 and made a name for themselves as an OEM supplier of components for Oldsmobile and Ford. By 1913, the brothers had established the Dodge Brothers Motor Company and introduced their first complete car in 1914. By 1916, Dodge Brothers became the number two manufacturer in the US. Their vehicles quickly gained a reputation for their durability, especially with the military where Dodge became its primary supplier of light duty trucks until WWII.

All was well until 1920 when both brothers died, (John in January and Horace in December). Development became stagnant and automobile sales dropped, (light duty truck sales, however, remained strong). In 1925, the company was sold to an investment group, and then to Chrysler in 1928.

Power comes from a 212 CID inline 4-cylinder that makes 25 hp.

1925 Dodge Brothers Series 116.

This is another Class 17A Dodge Brothers car. The Series 116 is what the original Dodge Brothers Model 30 evolved into after the death of both brothers.

1923 Gardener Radio Special.

This is another Class 17A car that was displayed as an HPOF car.

Wagon builder turned Chevrolet body builder Russell Gardner started making his own cars in 1920. The company's attention to quality engineering and performance made it quite successful. But like so many manufacturers, the Great Depression wasn't too kind to Gardner. Production ceased after 1931.

The Gardner's Lycoming CE series I-4 engine made 43 hp and was the most powerful production 4-cylinder engine on the market at that time. It also had the distinction of being the only 4-cylinder engine to have 5 main bearings. This car is one of 8,303 Gardeners produced for 1923.

1926 Studebaker Big 6 Custom Brougham.

Class 18B: Gas Vehicles, 4-wheel brakes, between 4 and 8 cylinders.

This car features Studebaker's 354 CID "Big Six" that makes 75 hp. The Disc Wheels mentioned in the sign seen in the photo above were optional.

The name "Big Six," (otherwise known as the Model EP), is a reference to this car's 127" wheelbase being bigger than the "Special Six" wheelbase of 120".

The hood mascot depicts the huntress Atalanta, the Greek Goddess of Running.

1930 Franklin Series 145 convertible.

Two important principles of Herbert H. Franklin's automobile company were its use of air cooled engines, (which he considered simpler and more relilable), and its emphasis on light weight, (which made the cars more responsive and nimble than its contemporaries). The license plate seen in the photo above indicates that this car is air cooled. The large item that looks like a conventional radiator is, in fact, just an air intake.

Class 19A: CCCA Vehicles, 1915 - 1931.

This car is one of 5,744 Franklins built in 1930. As was the case of so many smaller manufacturers from this era, Franklin had difficulty overcoming the Great Depression, and was bankrupt by 1934.

1927 Cadillac Series 314 Standard.

Class 19A: CCCA vehicles, 1915 - 31.

The series designation, "314", was a reference to the 314 CID V8 that was introduced in 1915. This would be the last year for the 314 V8, (displacement would increase to 341 cubic inches for 1928, and result in a new "341" series designation).

The more than 40 different body configurations that were available in 1927 fell under three primary categories. This car is a 'Standard" body style. A "Custom" body style allowed the buyer to choose from an array of paint colors and interior appointments. The third category featured complete custom bodies and was referred to by the coachbuilder, (i.e. Fleetwood bodies, Brunn bodies, Willoughby bodies, etc.). An entry level Standard body style Cadillac cost around $3,000. A mid-level Custom body style car cost around $3,350. The range for a coachbuilt car could almost double the Custom figure depending on what the buyer specified.

The Series designation of "314" was a reference to the 314 CID V8 that was first introduced in 1915. Power output had risen to 80 hp by 1927.

In the mid-1920s, Cadillac's mascot was known as the "Cadillac Herald," and was designed to "herald" the arrival of a great Cadillac. This figure of a man in a uniform with the Cadillac coat of arms playing a trumpet affectionately became known as the "Trumpet Tooter," or simply the "Tooter."

The paint on this car was flawless.

Total Cadillac production for 1927 was 8,599 cars.

According to the plate in the engine compartment, this car carries engine number 1-43461, which puts this car near the beginning of the model year, (engine numbers started with 1-42021).

1929 Du Pont Model G.

This is another Class 19A car: CCCA vehicles 1915 - 31.

Even though his family made its vast fortune manufacturing gunpowder, E. Paul du Pont eventually found himself on a different path. du Pont founded the Delaware Marine Engine Company, (later known as the DuPont Motor Manufacturing Company), to build marine engines for military use during WWI.

Once the war ended, du Pont repurposed its marine engine and began production of its first car, the Model A, in 1919. The Model A was engineered to be the best luxury car available and marketed to an upscale clientele. Famous owners included actress Mary Pickford and boxing champion Jack Dempsey.

For 1928, du Pont introduced the Model G. Power came from a 322 CID inline 8-cylinder Continental engine that made 125 hp.

In addition to being quite powerful for the day, it was also a work of art.

With an emphasis on quality and an extreme attention to detail, du Pont sold around 350 expensive luxury cars from its inception in 1919 through 1927, which isn't that much in the grand scheme of things.

From what I read, this wasn't from a lack of demand. In fact, quite the opposite was true. There were plenty of buyers for a du Pont. But the factory couldn't make enough of them in a timely manner.

Production continued very slowly until early 1932 when the effects of the Great Depression started to be felt. Over a 12 year production run, a grand total around 540 cars is estimated to have been produced. E. Paul du Pont would go on to become the president of Indian Motorcycles, and is credited with saving the company.

1932 Auburn Twelve, Series 160A.

Class 19B: CCCA vehicles, 1932 - 33.

Auburn began life in 1874 as the Eckhart Carriage Company of Auburn, Indiana. Brothers Frank and Morris Eckhart began selling single-cylinder runabouts at the turn of the 20th century. But things weren't going so well by 1919. The Eckharts sold their company to a group of investors looking to turn the company's fortunes around. In 1924, automobile sales prodigy E. L. Cord was recruited to get the job done. It worked.

Under E. L. Cord, Auburn's outlook brightened. The company became known for its low priced cars that were also fast, handsome, and reliable. Sales responded accordingly, rising from less than 4,000 in 1924 to over 20,000 by 1929.

Normally, this is where I'd say something like, "Then, the Great Depression happened." And while sales dropped by almost 50% for 1930, sales for 1931 surged to more than 36,000. Unfortunately, the optimism was short-lived. Sales for 1932 plunged to less than 8,000 cars.

When Auburn introduced its Twelve line, (Series 160), in 1932, buyers were presented with a beautifully styled and very powerful V12 car that was loaded with advanced (at the time) engineering. The car's MSRP, however, was less than $1,000. By comparison, Cadillac's cheapest V12 started at $3,495, (1,709 were produced). The 200 people who bought a Franklin Supercharged Twelve paid at least $3,885. Lincoln's KB Series started at $4,000, (1,525 were produced). Packard's cheapest Twin Six started at $3,745 (549 were produced). And the 447 people who bought a Pierce-Arrow's Model 53 paid a minimum of $3,650.

In other words, Auburn's $975 Series 160 was a ridiculous bargain. Yet only 1,261 were produced that year. The current economic climate certainly didn't do the company any favors. But the car's dirt cheap price made potential buyers question if the car was any good. The idea of "You get what you pay for" was alive and well, and actually worked against sales.