Image of 1938 Hupmobile Series 822-E, Note: These illustrations use artistic license and may differ from actual historical models.

Engine Specifications
Engine Options:	Inline 6
Displacement Range:	3.6L
Horsepower Range:	Estimated 100-120 HP
Torque:	Not available
Compression Ratio:	Not available
Ignition System:	Distributor and coil
Cooling System:	Water-cooled
Performance Specifications
0-60 Time:	Not available
1/4 Mile Time:	Not available
Top Speed:	75 mph
Transmission and Drive
Drive Type:	Rear-wheel drive
Transmission Type:	3-speed manual
Fuel and Efficiency
Fuel System Type:	Carburetor
MPG:	Not available
Dimensions and Brakes
Brakes:	Drum brakes
Wheelbase:	115 inches
Weight:	3,200 lbs

1938 Hupmobile Series 822-E: A Rare Detroit Saloon

The 1938 Hupmobile Series 822-E is a handsome reminder that Detroit’s automotive story was shaped by more than the biggest names. Built by the Hupp Motor Car Corporation, it came from a company that had once been a serious contender in the American car market. By the late 1930s, however, Hupmobile was fighting to remain competitive. The 822-E represents one of the marque’s final conventional model lines before the company’s last, more unusual chapter.

Hupp Motor Car Company was founded in Detroit by Robert Craig Hupp and began building cars in 1909. Its reputation grew through a mix of engineering ambition and stylish design. One intriguing link to the 822-E’s era is Hupmobile’s 1934 Aerodynamic, a streamlined model shaped with input from industrial designer Raymond Loewy. The 822-E took a more traditional approach, but it arrived just a few years later, when Hupmobile was already navigating a difficult market and a shrinking production base.

Streamlined Fenders, Classic Proportions

The 822-E wears the familiar proportions of a late-1930s American car: a long hood, rounded front fenders, a tall cabin, and a separate trunk at the rear. Its broad grille gives the nose a purposeful look, while the headlamps are integrated into the front fender area rather than mounted as isolated accessories. Sweeping fender lines and running boards soften the body and give the car a graceful, substantial stance.

Inside, the emphasis is on comfort and traditional craftsmanship rather than modern minimalism. Buyers could expect broad bench seating, durable cloth upholstery, and a dashboard with a formal, furniture-like appearance. Depending on trim and body style, interior details could include contrasting materials and decorative finishes. These cars were built for passengers to settle in for a long ride, not to feel like they were sitting in a stripped-down sporting machine.

Factory paint selections varied by year, body style, and market, so a surviving car’s original color is best confirmed through period records or traces beneath later paint. Typical late-1930s choices included sober dark blues, greens, maroons, grays, and black, with two-tone treatments available on some cars. Dark, conservative colors suited the 822-E’s formal character, while brighter or contrasting fender and body combinations could make it stand out at the curb.

The Hupmobile range offered traditional passenger-car body configurations, including closed sedans and coupe-style models, with exact availability depending on the specific catalog and market. The four-door sedan is the most recognizable practical choice today, thanks to its family-friendly layout and formal proportions. Buyers choosing a coupe traded some passenger space for a more compact, personal-looking car.

Late-Era Engineering and Design

The 822-E’s importance lies less in introducing a single revolutionary feature than in showing how an independent automaker tried to keep pace with the mainstream. By 1938, American buyers increasingly expected comfortable enclosed bodies, effective hydraulic brakes, dependable six-cylinder power, and styling that looked modern without being difficult to manufacture. Hupmobile offered the familiar ingredients in a package with its own identity.

Period specifications commonly identify the 822-E with a 245-cubic-inch inline-six producing about 100 horsepower, paired with a three-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. Exact specifications can vary in references and by vehicle configuration, so a specific car should be checked against its identification and parts documentation. The six-cylinder layout was a sensible choice for a company that needed to balance smooth road performance with manageable production costs.

The 822-E also belongs to the story of Hupmobile’s final years. The company later turned to the striking Skylark, developed in connection with Graham’s streamlined Hollywood design. That collaboration is an unusual footnote in American car history: two struggling independent manufacturers tried to share resources and design ideas to stay alive. The 822-E came before that final experiment, representing Hupmobile’s more conventional approach to the challenge.

Six-Cylinder Road Manners

The 822-E is best understood as a relaxed touring car, not a performance model. With roughly 100 horsepower moving a substantial prewar body, it had enough power for ordinary traffic and open-road cruising, but acceleration was measured by modern standards. A period factory 0-to-60-mph figure is not readily established; based on its power, weight, and gearing, a rough estimate would be around 20 seconds or longer. A healthy, correctly tuned example might reach approximately 75 to 85 mph, though sustained high-speed driving is not what these cars were designed for.

On a smooth road, the car’s long wheelbase and soft suspension deliver the cushioned, gently floating ride many people associate with prewar American sedans. It absorbs ordinary road imperfections well, but large bumps can produce body movement that modern drivers may find pronounced. On winding roads, the 822-E rewards a measured pace. Its steering is less direct than that of a modern car, and the tall body leans through corners, so smooth inputs matter more than quick corrections.

Behind the wheel, the experience is pleasantly mechanical. The inline-six gives a steady, low-pitched note, while the manual transmission asks the driver to plan gear changes rather than rely on effortless modern torque. Steering, braking, and clutch effort depend greatly on the car’s condition and setup. A well-maintained example feels composed and engaging; one with worn suspension, tired brakes, or poor steering components can feel vague and demanding.

Owning and Maintaining an 822-E

Today, a 1938 Hupmobile is more likely to be a show car, touring car, or cherished weekend driver than a daily commuter. It can participate in vintage-car events and relaxed club tours, but its age, size, and limited parts supply make routine modern traffic less appealing. It is also a car that tends to attract questions. Many people recognize its prewar styling without immediately knowing the Hupmobile name.

Routine mechanical work is approachable for an experienced home mechanic. The engine, transmission, brakes, and chassis use familiar prewar technology, and many service tasks do not require specialized electronic tools. The bigger challenge is sourcing correct parts. Wear items may be adaptable or repairable, but model-specific trim, glass, body panels, and interior pieces can take time to find. Before buying, inspect the frame, body mounts, floor, suspension, brake system, and engine carefully, and verify that hard-to-replace parts are present.

Reliability depends less on the badge than on the quality of the restoration and the car’s maintenance history. A properly rebuilt engine and cooling system, sound wiring, and freshly serviced brakes make a major difference. As with any prewar car, regular use and careful storage are preferable to leaving it idle for long stretches. Owners should also plan for specialist help when a repair involves rare Hupmobile components or restoration work that needs period-correct details.

Unusual Hupmobile Details

The 822-E’s strongest claim to uniqueness is its place in the last years of a once-prominent independent manufacturer. Hupmobile’s earlier Loewy-influenced Aerodynamic models show that the company was willing to explore advanced styling, while the later Skylark project illustrates how far it went to seek a future. The 1938 car sits between those stories, with conventional appeal and a nameplate that was nearing the end of its life.

No widely recognized speed, endurance, or production record is associated specifically with the 822-E. Nor is it chiefly remembered as a celebrity car or a vehicle tied to one defining historical event. Its distinction is quieter: it is a rare survivor from an independent automaker whose models are now far less familiar than those of the Big Three.

Common criticisms include modest acceleration, prewar handling that feels less precise than later cars, and the difficulty of finding model-specific parts. Its size can also make storage and transport expensive. Those drawbacks are balanced by its distinctive grille, graceful proportions, and the appeal of owning a car that is genuinely uncommon at most classic-car gatherings.

Collector Values and Availability

Exact production figures for the 1938 Series 822-E are difficult to confirm, and model-by-model totals are not consistently available in commonly used reference sources. A reasonable working estimate is that production was in the low thousands, perhaps around 2,000 to 4,000 cars, but that should be treated as an informed estimate rather than a verified factory total. The number of surviving, roadworthy examples is much smaller.

In the current collector market, a project car may sell for roughly $5,000 to $12,000, while a usable driver or older restoration might fall around $12,000 to $25,000. A high-quality restoration with strong provenance and correct details could bring approximately $25,000 to $40,000 or more, depending on body style, condition, and buyer interest. These are broad guide ranges, not a formal appraisal; the market for uncommon prewar cars can be thin, and sale prices vary substantially.

Values for cars like the 822-E tend to be condition-sensitive rather than driven by a rapid, predictable rise. Well-restored examples can hold their appeal, but restoration costs may exceed market value, especially when rare trim or bodywork is needed. Its scarcity gives it conversation value and collector interest, though it does not automatically make it more valuable than a better-known rival. Buyers should prioritize completeness, sound structure, mechanical condition, and documentation over ambitious restoration promises.

Why the 1938 Hupmobile Still Matters

The 1938 Hupmobile Series 822-E combines a comfortable six-cylinder touring-car character with the story of an ambitious independent automaker nearing its end. Its rounded fenders, formal cabin, and understated engineering reflect the expectations of late-1930s buyers, while its rarity gives it a special place among surviving Detroit cars.

It may not have set a speed record or changed the industry on its own. Its significance is more human: the 822-E captures a moment when smaller manufacturers were still trying to compete through design, engineering, and sheer determination. For collectors who value overlooked history as much as famous badges, this Hupmobile is a memorable way to keep that story on the road.