Writing about vintage automobiles is great. There are rare cars to cover (“The Only One” Vintage Roadcar, December 2013), cars once owned by royalty (“Fit for a Prince!” Vintage Roadcar, June 2015), and dream cars (“Butterfly or Bee?” Vintage Roadcar, January 2107). Once in a while, though, there’s a car that just takes your breath away as soon as you see it. So it was when I walked into the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum (www.tbauto.org) and saw their Panhard Dynamic in person for the first time. It wasn’t the size of the car—it is large—nor was it the color—it’s silver, a fairly neutral color. It is just so Art Deco! Its streamlined shape took my breath away. Then, during a closer look, the details that the designers included caused my jaw to drop. The Panhard Dynamic is an incredibly beautiful automobile on the outside and very innovative underneath. I knew I would eventually have to profile that car.
A 1906 Darracq Runabout joins other Brass Era entries under the wing of a WWII-era transport plane. Photo: David Gooley
