Duesenberg "J" carb/engine ??

A local community mansion estate museum is looking into possibly re-purchasing the model "J" Duesenberg that was purchased new by it's former industrialist owner.

J 308 2337 Harold Pitcairn's Murphy Clear Vision Sedan

I am helping them research this model "J".

Are there ANY extant photos of this model "J" , both before and after restoration, out there anywhere ?

Does anyone have any photos of J 308 today ?

Over the years I have seen many fantastic "J" engines with both updraft & others with downdraft carbs on their intake manifolds.

I am talking about non-supercharged "J" engines ~

My Question: Were ALL model "J" engines originally supplied from the factory with updraft carbs ?

Were the downdraft carbs later installed on "flipped" or replaced intakes to increase performace ?

If so~ were the intake manifolds just "flipped-over" and new fuel lines & linkages fabricated ?

Did the Duesenberg factory change the carb/intake set-up ?

OR~

Were the "J" engines originally factory equipped with downdraft carbs & intakes also in addition to the updraft units ?

Any help of information on J 308 greatly appreciated !

Thank You:

Check this listing:

THE CARBURETOR SHOP / Passenger applications "D"

The Schebler S-3 duplex is an updraft

The Stromberg UUR-2 and UU-3 are updraft

The Stromberg DDR-3 is a downdraft

The Stromberg EE-3 is a downdraft

I do not have a breakdown by engine numbers.

Jon.

From Elbert's "The Mightiest American Motor Car," 1964 edition, p. 130:

"The original intake system included an updraft manifold with a special Schebler duplex carburetor. The first downdraft manifold appeared early in 1930, several designs being tried before adoption of the design found on the majority of Js. Although a downdraft manifold was 'standard' equipment only after Nov. 1932, it was available for earlier cars, and many cars on the road were changed over. Nearly one out of three Js was ultimately so equipped. Downdraft manifolding variously used several carburetor type models. Strombergs of special specifications, to which the factory added an air-cleaner silencer, predominated."

As of the 1970s J-308 / 2337 was equipped with dual Winfield updraft carburetors, per Duesenberg historian Ray Wolff's notes. I do not know if the car is currently so-equipped as information for the car post-1981 or so is extremely slim in my notes. I have never seen a picture of the car as it currently appears, although I'm told one ran with an ad for the car in "Old Car Weekly" in late August or early September.

Chris:

Thank's again ~

As usual you always have the correct needed Auburn, Cord, & Duesenberg ino !

I talked with the owner's wife and they still own J 308.

BRAD

Chris - I would be very interested to know if your notes specify which Stromberg carburetors might have been tested.

The information which I have shows the DDR-3 to be adapted from the Marmon DDR-3 in 1932.

The first EE-3 to be tested for Duesenberg (Stromberg experimental files) was tested May 3, 1932.

Jon.

It seems a bit odd to have Winfield carbs on a model "J" does it not ?

And two of them ???

Never saw any Winfield cabs on a Duesenberg "J"