Lenos 29 Duesenberg chassis test drive

http://jaylenosgarage.com/video/index.shtml?vidID=82381 select from videos on left. It plays a cadillac commercial first. Lots of neat videos on the whole page. It quits playing the caddy **** each time after a few

 

This is my absolute dream car - well, not exactly this one but ANY Duesenberg. The absolute pinnacle of American car building - both from the ch***is aspect and the coachwork. Cars just don't come any better than this.

Thanks for the post.

 

I worked at a Ford dealer in the 70's who's owner owned a 32 roadster & 35 touring car both owned by Clark Gable. He once paid $8000 for an NOS altimeter in 77. I put the 32's motor together after he had the block & rods rebabbited. The crank weighs 200, the flywheel 150. A nickle would balance on end with the motor idling at 500 RPM. They were works of art, as nice underneath as they were on top. He had film of Gable taking delivery of both cars brand new. Ive been fascinated with them ever since

 

All the hype about Deuseys. I think the video says they only ever built 475 of them? Incredible car, 325 hp, four valves per cylinder, DOHCs. That's kind of like the Cobra mystique today. I

 

did you see the 31 shotwell? How cool is that?

 

Thanks for this site... really good ****... better than the "Tonight Show"...!!! (Hate his California writers!)

 

I want to be like him when I grow up.

 

Interesting aside as to how the Duesenberg's crank is balanced.
There is mercury in one of the crank's lobes. At first, the mercury would seep out, reducing the balancing. Powel Crosley (yes, THAT Crosley) suggested lining the lobes with copper, which cured the problem.
Which may the last thing that Mr. Crosley ever balanced, because his cars certainly looked more than a little unbalanced...
Cosmo

 

The engineering in the cars for their time was unreal, like the gear driven timers that automatically tell the automatic luber to grease things. The rear springs were wrapped in leather covers with rawhide laces to hold them together. The guy I worked for had a late 20's/early 30s Duesenberg Indy car with a Ford falcon engine in it too. He searched for years for the correct engine but finally gave up and sold it. He used to drive it around Hialeah Fl where the dealership was. His daily driver was a priceless 67 Ferrari Daytona V-12 coupe. I was at the old Harrahs Museum in Reno in 1979 and they had 17 of them in there. You gotta love Leno, hes living all of our dreams

 

If you click on the little rectangle within another one in the lower left corner of the video it will give you a full screen instead of the small one if you havent discovered it