The DFW Car & Toy Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, is now showcasing a rare 1936 Tatra 75 Convertible from the renowned Ron Sturgeon Collection. This vehicle, which was previously housed at the Tampa Bay Automotive Museum, represents a significant piece of prewar automotive history and innovation. With only about 4,100 examples ever produced, the Tatra 75 is an uncommon sight worldwide.
Under the hood, the Tatra 75 features an advanced air-cooled 1.7-liter flat-four engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission. During the 1930s, Tatra distinguished itself by adopting engineering solutions that were decades ahead of many competitors. Its innovative backbone chassis provided exceptional rigidity and contributed to a smooth, comfortable ride, making the Type 75 a standout among luxury touring automobiles of its time.
The interior is a beautifully preserved right-hand-drive cabin trimmed in rich red leather with a body-color dashboard that reflects the elegance of European automotive design. A classic VDO 120 km/h speedometer with an integrated clock serves as the centerpiece of the instrument panel, while the odometer shows just 44,000 kilometers (approximately 27,000 miles), indicating the vehicle's remarkably limited use throughout its lifetime. Finished with a sophisticated beige convertible top, this 1936 Tatra 75 remains one of the finest surviving examples of the model.
This particular Tatra 75 holds a special place in automotive history as the last front-engined passenger car introduced by Tatra before the company shifted toward its famous rear-engined designs that later influenced generations of automotive engineering. Ron Sturgeon, founder of the DFW Car & Toy Museum, noted, "The Tatra 75 represents a level of creativity and innovation that continues to impress nearly 90 years later. It's automobiles like this that allow visitors to appreciate how engineering vision and craftsmanship have shaped the cars we drive today."
Visitors to the DFW Car & Toy Museum can experience this extraordinary piece of automotive history alongside more than 200 iconic automobiles and 3,000 vintage toys spanning over a century of innovation, design, and culture. The museum, located at 2550 McMillan Parkway in Fort Worth, offers free admission and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the museum's website at dfwcarandtoymuseum.com.
