Everything about a Duesenberg is overwhelming. The desire to have one and the crushing fact that I probably never will is akin in my mind to the lack of any great war, depression or defining event for my generation. How many craftsmen are there today that could pull one off?
Thanx for the heads up Ryan, just ran into the group in Kerrville, Tx and got a pretty good look at the collection...AWESOME! LOOSERS C.G. FOREVER!!!!!!!
Technically they were all customized - Duesenberg manufactured and sold only the powered rolling chassis which the buyer ordered and checked boxes for chassis wheelbase and engine (standard or supercharged). They then selected and custom ordered the body style and fitments they desired. All this could be done at the dealer but that is the way it was done - custom!
http://www.classiccars.ws/duesenbergs_files/image003.jpg And I remember seeing a picture of some thirties movie star who removed the fenders from his Duesenberg.
Correct. They were all "coachbuilt" which means the same thing I guess. You bought the chassis and then had a coachbuilder make you a body. There were some "catalog" versions that you could probably buy off the shelf like the Murphy Conv Coupe.
That duesenburg was in "The Allure of the Automobile" at the High here in ATL. It was at one end of the room, with the companion Packard (also a gift from Ms. Lombard) at the other end. I may never own one, but it is a target worth aiming at while we hand craft our dream cars. Thanks for sharing Ryan.
The ACD Museum in Auburn, Indiana is the best laid out and most impressive car museum I have ever encountered. Just fantastic, rolling works of art.
Love those Duesies. I've only had three encounters with them outside museums or car shows. The first was 1963 when I was a 19 year old living in Mexico City. A friend and I were walking around town when I spotted a fantastic specimen of car sitting on a used car lot, right next to a '58 Chev for sale. I asked the salesman what the price was on the Duesenberg and he told me $6,000, which was about 1 1/2 times my annual salary when I took my first job! I'm really glad that so many of them have survived. Actually I am reading Dennis Adler's book Duesenberg right now. Just the photos are worth the price. By the way, I got mine used from Amazon for $17 and it was what the seller claimed -- unread. When I purchased it a couple of weeks ago there were about three in the same condition for close to that price.
Duesenbergs are simply stunning. At the time they were introduced, the Model J's 420 cubic inch DOHC in-line 8 cylinder Lycoming engine produced 265 hp in standard trim. It was the most powerful car on the market. The nearest (regular production) competitor was the Chrysler Imperial with 130 hp - less than half of the Duesenberg. The Model SJ (supercharged) produced 320 hp and the SSJ with ram-air induction which came along in about 1934 produced 400 hp. It was said that no one passed a Duesenberg owner unless he wanted them to. Jay Leno has several in his collection and he drives them. You can see the videos on them at his website: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-garage/duesenberg/ Info on the Duesenberg brothers and their company is here: http://www.supercars.net/cars/468.html
Looking at the lines on the J, makes you wonder if it was the inspiration for the '32 Ford, which sure does look like a scaled down Duesenberg.
I recall my first real world encounter with a Duesenberg was in the early 70's when I was about 12 years old. Coming upon this gorgeous behemoth of a car that I had only seen pictures of in books about took my breathe away, and sent a chill down my spine. I'll never forget it. Everything about those cars is done in a big way.
Here's the complete story on the Muroc race in AQ magazine...it's about half-way down the page. http://forums.acdclub.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=2881
For those who bemoan the cost of a Duesenberg, have a look at this: Richard Jons' DuesenFord. Ford Model A phaeton with Duesenberg styling. The photo is from 1001 Custom & Rod Ideas, 1983. I think it was a featured in Rod Action, Feb 1983, but I don't have a copy. Anyone know if this car still exists?
You know how sometimes something will cause you to remember a wierd fact? When i saw your post, i remembered that in the Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg museum, there was a Duesenberg there that had been entombed in brick in the Mexico City airport in the 60's. A quick search led to this link and pic: http://dajatuphoto.com/Cars/Auburn-...n-2006/2414089_x8mcD/1/126631510_SRvoU/Medium The two cars share many similarities, including color and body style- you think it could be the same one? How many of those cars would have made it to Mexico City? Just pondering. Evan
What a great opportunity Ryan. I've long held a great fondness for the styling and engineering philosophy of the Duesy. They were indeed hand built customs and are exotic, refined, quality examples of America ingenuity at it's best. They also had big horsepower and clicked off some pretty good speed for their time. But, for me, it's the design; From the short wheel based '35 SSJ to the huge phaetons and town broughams, they along with Cord's 810 & 12a and pretty much every model of Auburn Speedster built between 1931 -'36, were just plain amazing. '29 and '30 Cords weren't too bad either. Here's a British built '35 SJ with custom body work I'm sure had influence on many a custom Ford or Merc back in the day :
Hey Fargoguy, Another Mexican Duesey! Found behind a brick wall - I like that! Take a look at the windshield in the one I posted the photo of. Quite a bit different. Also the one in my photo had outside door handles, whereas the "brick wall Duesey" didn't. In 1995 I sent my photo to Randy Ema, keeper of all things Duesey, and he sent this reply to me: "The car is the J510 LaGrande Phaeton. The body is a 'company body' or a 'Union City Body' built for Duesenberg in Union City, Indiana. The car was originally supercharged and still has the exhaust tubes coming out the sides of the hood, but it lacks the supercharger now. The car's second owner took it to Mexico in 1938 or 1939. The third owner was a used car dealer who had it on his lot for almost a decade. There are stories that he would up the price when people made offers on the car. In 1969 the car sold to a Texan. It is now owned by General William Lyon in Orange, CA, and is now 2-tone red. Next the car will be going to the Blackhawk Collection." That is now 15 year old information. I will check back with Randy and see the latest story on the car. Like a lot of you, I think the Duesies are a gift to the generations, thanks to Fred D. and E.L. Cord. Xoot
Look at how the lower frame of the windshield is contoured to the shape of the cowl on this car. Pure Sex On Wheels!
Hi all, been enjoying this thread and wanted to add something about that Marx Bros match race Mercedes...apparently the car stayed local and continued to evolve--this photo was snapped by Strother MacMinn in the 1950s.
I actually live about 10 minutes from auburn indiana where the auburns were built, we have a beautiful musuem full of them in auburn, and each fall the city has the duesenburg festival which is huge and theres a huge collectors auction and swap meet too on labor day weekend, if you can you should come check it out for yourself!
In the mid 70s I worked for Johnson Ford in Hialeah Fl. Chuck Johnson, the owner, owned 2 Clark Gable cars, a 32 roadster & a 35 touring car. Both were restored like new and he had film of Gable recieving them new in Hollywood California. They spent most of their time on the showroom floor but he did actually drive them at times. He also had a Duesenberg Indy car that was powered by of all things a Falcon 6 cylinder. He tried for 5 years to find the correct motor nut never did & finally sold it. He had the touring car engine rebabbited and we built the rest of the engine in the shop. The crank & flywheel weighed over 200 lbs. The cars were as pretty underneath as they were on top and he as anal about keeping them that way. You could actually as legend goes balance a nickle on the engine while it idled. I have loved the cars ever since. Things like leather wrapped springs tied with rawhide are somethng you just dont see much of any more on vehicles.
Glad you got to see them,and expand your knowledge they are beautiful cars, so are the Auburns, Packards, Caddys,,, what have you. If you are a car guy you have to appreciate them, might not ever own one but so what. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to check out a concourse event, time and money well spent in my opinion.
The Jalopy Journal
