Bob Roller

My FIRST car was a 1935 Packard convertible with wire wheels and a "rumble"seat.Three speeds and weak brakes.After that,various MG's and several Model J Duesenbergs with 3 speeds and one with a 5 speed that gave the benefit of overdrive. Bob Roller

I live about 15 miles from Garland's Junkyard and have bought a number of parts from him mostly for Packard cars.I did my last Packard repair in 1989 and went to St.Louis in that years and rebuilt The Ultramatic transmission.The "new"front pump the owner got was as useless as the one that failed and I was given a complete bell housing with front pump and it worked and I drove the car back to WVa and did the final adjusting and then the owner drove it to Colorado.Orphan cars and 6 volt electricals have no place IMHO on the roads of the present time frame.Packard,Nash,Hudson,Studebaker all had their "days" but those days are long gone.Vacuum windshield wipers,an abomination on the roads then and now along with drum brakes and carburetors and generators.No place for them now or even when new. Bob Roller

I have had a bit of experience with the Model "J" in years long gone and I well remember being diverted by high water in the hills of West Virginia and we were in J540,another Judkins sedan.We found the last open gas station after making it to Marietta,Ohio and finally in West Virginia again at 5AM.This powerful old car did a great job and I can think of nothing else from that time that could have done any better.The Show Car called the 20 Grand IMHO is one of the best looking 4 door sedans ever made and I do like roll up windows and working heaters.Recently got a call from the current owner of "J"540 and told him of this long ago night and the drive shaft failing as it was being backed into the garage.The drive line from :J"155 was installed and may still be under this car.

I like your ad.You might add "We will trade for anything old except eggs or anything that has to be fed.

Because it continued on and on with few or no improvements. I have a friend who owned a 1919 Chevrolet that has a water pump and oil pump PLUS a 3 speed transmission.It may have had a distributor as well.

Our every day driver is into the 24th year and nobody can give us a real reason to get rid of it.The car is a 1997 Lincoln Town Car and everything except us still works.Smooth,quiet and more than enough power.

That was Hollyweird at its best.I do object to the folk hero status assigned to Bonnie and Clyde.They were murdering morons that finally were rehabilitated by retired Texas Ranger Frank Hamer and his posse.I have looked at that Ford and it was taken all over the country.

I have been told the Model "T" Ford was the only car ever made that started at the bottom and went down.

I think at one time J183 powered a hot rod built by Jim Hoe and now may be in a built up replica phaeton.

What is the "J"number and I will look it up in the Wolff Notes Bob Roller

Built for a rural mail carrier?

If those cars are running the way they should,a mountainous drive should be a pleasure. A slow opening intake cam timing may screw up your day and I hope there is none of that. Bob Roller

I posted in the wrong place.I did find the Feb.28,1979 newspaper article on this car. No idea if it still exists or sitting on the back of A USED car lot with a flat tire.

I found the newspaper article on this car and it's dated Feb.28,1979.

Please amend this one mistake on identifying the Duesenberg as Jim Schneck's Riviera Phaeton. The tan color made me think it was his car. This one in the picture had dark blue fenders and I should have noticed that feature.

The P2 I am assuming is a Rolls/Royce.In the mid 1980's I was a machine shop supervisor for a reactivated optics/lens manufacturer and the owner,a local doctor had a 1974 Rolls Corniche Convertible that I did some work on.Power steering hose I think.HIS personal car was a 1967 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible and I rebuilt the entire power window system in that car.At that time my everyday driver was a 1968 Continental sedan that I bought from the son of the original owner for $100. It had 80,000 miles on it and I used it for another 45,000 and traded it for a paint job on my 1951 Packard. I sold the Packard to a local collector and then got a 1989 Lincoln Town Car.

The Duesenberg car as WE know it will never be duplicated.The "J" came along at a time,according to Elbert and maybe others when America had no prestige car to offer the very affluent and E.L.Cord had known of the failing Duesenberg Car Co.and knowing their reputation for racing decided to remedy that lack of a prestige car. It was and now once again still is a car for those who can afford NOT to worry about the price.The best looking IMHO of the bogus new Duesenbergs was the one built as a dressed up Chrysler Imperial from 1966.The car pictured I think was a Cadillac with nothing remotely resembling any Duesenberg. Sometimes it's better to remember what once was and be reconciled to the fact that it will NEVER be again and enjoy what is left for us to admire and be glad as I am that these great cars were once,in another time,the boss of the roads. 1960's style "Tromp it and GO"in 1929! Good then and still is.

What year is the Studebaker. I had a 1960 Lark years ago and I think the whole thing was built for $20 including parts and labor.

Right on C Carl, I have only seen ONE RHD "J" in my life.It was "J159"at Auburn,an unrestored but very operational car. Also "ALL 5" pipes come thru the right hand side of the hood.** This discussion of external pipes brought back a bad memory. Years ago when we rebuilt J528* for Harry Schulzinger we had been running it for a couple of hours as a test and pulled into the front of the garage and shut it off. An old black man was standing there and said "That is one fine car, what is it?" I told him and he then reached over and laid his hand on one of those FOUR pipes and it scorched him badly.He said "I wanted to find out what that was". I told him to get in the car and I'd have him to St.Mary's hospital in about one minute. He refused and walked away.Bob Wilson was a teenager in 1933 and saw an SJ with the manifold extending thru the hood and saw the gold eagle emblem on the radiator shell.He said the paint was badly blistered where the pipe went thru the fender. ** English limo body by Barker and NO pipes. * Brunn Conv.sedan called a Riviera phaeton,There were three built to identical pattern.All three still run,fully restored and then some.

You're right.I mis spoke about the RHD cars.ALL the "J" engines,with or without superchargers were the same head configuratation.Sitting in the drivers seat the intake is on the left and the exhaust on the right. My apologies for the brain fart.One of the joys of a fossilized brain.

According to Ray Wolfe's notes this car was destroyed in a fire while in Algeria. Sold new by E.Z.Sadovich,Paris to Robert Beghain in Paris 1934. Tested 7/29/32 as a "J" then made into SJ and then sent to Paris.

On a real Duesenberg "J" NO pipes will be seen on the drivers side unless it's a right hand drive car which in itself is rare..The photo seems to be Jim Schneck's Brunn Riviera Phaeton judging by the color. Sad and sorry end for such a fine man.When he was looking for a "J" head to dissect for his stunning head reproduction project,I got him hooked up to the also now deceased Harry Van Iderstine who had one from SJ551 and was not a good head for driving.There was a deal worked out and new heads for the "J" were produced. How many I don't know but I think Harry Van Iderstine got one.I am glad I had a small part in that idea.

The buying public will determine success or failure as it did will others that finally bit the dust like Nash,Packard, Hudson.Studebaker and Willys and Crosley to name a few.Right now it seems as though Chevrolet is doing a good job of making cars few,if any,want.Never owned a Chevy and too old to consider them now.