Today, Petoskey Motors adds a piece of history to their display.
Dominic Bambino’s 1941 Ventnor Premium*
The Ventnor Premium was built from 1940-1941 when Petoskey Motors suspended production to focus on the war effort. Under the hood sits a gargantuan 571 cubic inch V12 producing 266 horsepower. The Premium was built to be a top of the line luxury automobile featuring an all hand-made interior and a ride comfort second to none.
Dominic “Babyface” Bambino rose to power in the 1930s taking a huge stake in gambling, illegal lotteries, the opium trade, racketeering, bribery, prostitution, extortion. When the 1940s rolled in, he was viewed to be unstoppable. During World War II, the Bambino Syndicate was notorious for hoarding ration vouchers and selling them to the highest bidder. It wasn’t until 1947 when the Department of Justice began making a serious effort to bring him down. One by one his assets were seized, illegal shipments, confiscated, and members of his organization arrested or killed. In June, 1948, there was enough evidence to go after Bambino directly. Barely escaping a running gun fight at his nightclub where the police raided, Bambino with four others made their escape in his Ventnor Premium. The V12 made the car far more powerful than anything the police had at their disposal, and Bambino easily left them in the dust. A state-wide manhunt was under way. By using local cropduster planes and coordinating with ground units via radio, the Police were able to reacquire the speeding Ventnor and lay plans to stop them. Twenty six officers waited in ambush as the gang reached Bluff Point Pass when each one opened fire with a Thompson. The gang inside never stood a chance. Experts counted 1187 bullet holes in the car. Amazingly the car still ran after that and in fact was driven into this showroom today.
*Due to me not having any skill in Photoshop, the car pictured is normal, so try to imagine it being riddled with bullet holes.