1932 - Bergholt Streamline Car
The Remarkable 1932 Bergholt Streamline Car is now on display at the Ellingson Car Museum. This one of a kind car, was designed and built by Fred Bergholt of Minneaplis, Minnesota.
His seek innovative new shape was inspired by the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic turtle, as well as, the wide front and tapered back of a hammerhead shark. The car was completed well before the Piere-Arrow and was deemed too far ahead of its time by several auto companies.
The Streamline Car was used in the family business where it traveled over 200,000 miles with 3 different engines. When Bergholt died in 1978 his family turned the car over to Harlow Loney who restored and cared for the cared for the car until his recent death. The Bergholt family now has this historic car on display in the museum.
Manufactured- Minneapolis, MN. By Bergholt Aviation Company
Designed by Fred B. Bergholt
Engine - 221 Cu. In. v-8 - 3 Speed Manual Transmission
Predated the Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow and the Chrysler Airflow
Patented in 1934 for overall Design
Driven in 40 States, Canada, and Mexico Traveling over 200,000 miles!
Total Restoration completed in 2003 by Harlow J. Loney
Detailed in the
Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942
(Kimes & Clark)
BERGHOLT - Minneapolis, Minnesota - (1932)
It was elegant and sleek, and the perfect car to publicize his cosmetics business, but most probably Fred Bergholt build his car principally because he wanted to. Seven aspects of its design were patented, and the one car produced used a 1932 Ford V-8 chassis as its basis. The coachwork, however, was purely Berghlot, and as streamlined as the 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow. The car required nearly five months and $3000 to build, and was used extensively to promote the products of Bergholt Laboratories. "At one time I took the car to Detroit and visited several auto manufactures," Fred Bergholt told Special Interest Autos in 1971. "A lot of big Detroit men rode in the car, and most were interested, but they said it was too far ahead of its time - to come back in four to five years. Meanwhile they infringed on some of my patents, so we sued for $1.5 million and finally settled for a token amount, but it's okay because we've had a lot of fun with that car." The Bergholt remains extant.