1939 Horch 830 BL Convertible
- Engine
- 3.8L V8 (3,823cc)
A 1939 Horch 830 BL Convertible, chassis 84922020, distinguished as the last Horch sold new in Sweden, first registered on 13 May 1939. Its original owner, Major Reinhold Schmidt, later became father-in-law to actress Ingrid Bergman through her 1958 marriage to his son Lars Schmidt. The car survived wartime Sweden intact and passed through several Swedish owners before a lengthy, originality-focused restoration spanning 1973 to 1997, after which it was recognised for exceptional originality by the Swedish national historic vehicle authority.
Ownership
- 2018-10-27Auction saleEstimate €300,000 – €400,000
- 1939-05-13 → 1959Factory deliveryMajor Reinhold Schmidtfull documentation
Original purchaser; the vehicle was registered in Sweden in May 1939. During wartime the car's tyres were requisitioned, keeping it off the road until early 1946. Schmidt's son Lars later married actress Ingrid Bergman, and the couple reportedly used this car early in their relationship.
- 1959 →Acquisition unknownFour successive Swedish ownerspartial documentation
Original documents on file cover this period. None of these owners made significant use of the vehicle; it was registered only briefly and remained largely inactive.
- → 1973-10-01Acquisition unknownLeland Frödeliuspartial documentation
Swedish expatriate based in Chicago who kept the car in a small private museum in Sweden without registering it. Was on the verge of exporting it to the US when it was sold.
- 1973-10-01 →Private saleLars-Erik Larssonfull documentation
Businessman and car enthusiast who purchased the car just before it was to leave Sweden. Undertook a careful, originality-focused restoration using skilled craftsmen over roughly 24 years, completed in 1997. The car was subsequently certified as highly original by the Swedish National Federation for Historic Vehicles.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Maintenance
Military authorities requisitioned the vehicle's tyres due to wartime rubber shortages, leaving it immobilised until early 1946.
Occurred in 1940; effectively placed the car in long-term storage.
- —Restoration
A comprehensive, originality-focused rebuild carried out over approximately 24 years using a network of skilled craftsmen. The car was described as complete and unmodified at the outset, and the work aimed to preserve as much original fabric as possible. On completion it was assessed as very original by the Swedish National Federation for Historic Vehicles.
Commissioned by Lars-Erik Larsson; begun October 1973 and completed 1997. The car returned to the road following this work.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.