2 DUESENBURG PHOTO'S

[db34]

The photo's have April 1934 written on the back of each one. These were in a group of old car photo's I bought at a local post card & paper show. I have enlarged one photo so the detail can be seen a little better. I have no history on the car or it's owner, Daryl

[Talarico8447]

Wow! Thanks for posting.

[Guest frazer51]

This Duesenberg showed up at my 60th birthday party in 1992. I believe it was about a 1930 or so and had been, as they called it, rebodied in 1937. We had names for this fellows Duesenbergs and this one we called it the Borman & Swartz. I guess they were the ones that designed the rebodied look. This car had a fresh rebuilt motor at this time. It was original with 8 cylinders, dual overhead cams, 4 valves per cyl. and a supercharger with dual carbs. I believe it was stated to have 350 HP. It was taken to the ACD event in Auburn in Sept that year. These car all have some great stories with them.:cool:

[West Peterson]

Here's a picture of that Bohman & Schwartz car as it appears today: J572. Still has dual carburetors, though it wasn't delivered new that way.

Edited February 18, 2010 by West Peterson (see edit history)

[Guest frazer51]

Thank you Mr. Peterson for the update on the J572. I recall that a fellow from Ohio had traded for this car , then had it delivered to Maine for a complete restoration. From the restoration shop it had gone directly to Pebble Beach. When the J572 was first traded there was a second car that went with it in the trade. It I believe was a 1930 that had been wrecked in 1932 and the fix involved replacing the body with a Packard body as there was to long of a wait for the correct replacement.We called this car "The Green Hornet". I think that I saw this car restored and up for auction at the R&M Auction. Here is a photo of the green hornet. By the way was the photo of the J572 taken at the Black Hawk Museum? Correct me if I got this information wrong.

[West Peterson]

The photo is taken at the "garage" of the new Ohio owner. He also owns the Mormon Meteor, and THE THREE most desirable Packards in existence. You'll also notice the Corvette race cars in the background. Think of the six most notable Corvette race cars, and they're there, including the 1956 car that started Corvette racing lore. Wanna see the Ken Miles 427 Cobra. He's got it. How about one of the three Ford GT40s that ran 1-2-3 across the Le Mans finish line... yup. He's got one of those, too.

Edited February 18, 2010 by West Peterson (see edit history)

[Dave Henderson]

The correct spelling is Duesenberg!

[Grandpa]

Hi db34,

The three pictures dated April 1934 look a lot like J-116 after the fenders were "moderized". The car has since been restored back to original.

Grandpa

[Dave Henderson]

Just shows what you can do with a little paint and a lot of money1

[West Peterson]

While that Derham phaeton carries J number 116 (#2136), it is one of the first four built and is the prototype for the body style, which started out life as a dual-cowl phaeton. Sometime in the 1930s, the wind-up rear windshield was installed. It was originally owned by Charles Hooper Crosby (second cousin of Bing) of Piedmont, California, and later acquired by Pacific Auto Rentals.

In the late 1930s, its back end was removed and replaced with an A frame that was welded on to enable the car to launch gliders at the Gardena, Calif., airport. In 1940, it was junked and rested in a West Los Angeles wrecking yard until 1949 (how it survived the scrap drives, I don't know).

The rear of the body section and the rear doors were stacked on top of the junk pile when a guy and his brother rescued it. Upon receipt of the bill for chrome plating the door handles and engine, they decided the entire job would be too costly and sold the car to Glen Kirtwright. He sold it in 1962 to John Thorpe, who restored it. In 1978, the car was given to his 16-year-old son, Nelson, who kept it until relatively recently.

The phaeton was rented to MGM in the 1960s and appears in the Elvis Presley film, Spinout. Elvis actually tried to buy the car, but was told it wasn't for sale. Nelson Thorpe, who drove the car regularly, related that while racing a Greyhound bus, and moving along nicely at about 80mph, the driveshaft sheared.

[Guest ChrisSummers]

The car in the photos is J-116 / 2136 as West guessed. In April 1934 it was in California but I'm not sure who owned it (it had several owners during the 1930s). It was one of two built, not four, and last I checked was on loan to the ACD Museum.

The green roadster pictured earlier is J-434 / 2410, which has been repainted black and last I heard was owned by the same current Ohio owner as J-572 / 2268. Thanks Frazer51 and West for the extra photos of the cars.

Edited March 4, 2010 by ChrisSummers (see edit history)

[mdsbob]

Is the roadster (J434/2410) the former Bill Bools car prior to being repainted black?

Bob

[West Peterson]

The roadster is now black.

The Tourster is now silver, but the color doesn't do justice to the Derham body style. It very well could be in the ACD Museum, but I'm certain the U.S. Government has a careful watch on it now. In fact, they may have taken ownership of it by now, since it's owner is in deep, deep doo-doo.

[West Peterson]

Chris

Please clarify "one of two built," as I know there were more than two Toursters built.

[alsancle]

The Elvis Tourister that was sold a few years back at the Hershey auction had 20 inch wheels. I don't know why but they don't quite look right. I believe that is now the silver one you have pictured West.

[West Peterson]

Al

I'm not quite sure what you're asking? or stating.

[alsancle]

Al

I'm not quite sure what you're asking? or stating.

I guess I'm just stating that the standard 19 inch wheels (or the later 17 inch) look a lot better then the 20 inch ones that are only found on this one particular Model J.

[West Peterson]

I don't think it would look good with the 17s at all, unless you had the skirted fenders as well. But I'm not a fan of the skirted fendered Duesenbergs, so I guess I'd rather see 20-inch wheels than 17.

If you remember the Randolph Hearst Duesenberg Hibbard et Darrin town car (black and red, I believe)... it has (had?) the smaller wheels and IMO looks ridiculous.

I really think it's the color that makes it look strange.

Edited March 5, 2010 by West Peterson (see edit history)

[alsancle]

I'm personally pre-disposed to the 19 inch with open fenders. 17 inch in open fenders doesn't look right - I agree. I don't mind the 17 inch wheels on the later bodies, but taking an early body and simply skirting the fenders doesn' t look right. I think the 17s look find on Jerry Gebby's car.

[West Peterson]

I can't argue with you there, you make a good point. I especially like the wheel covers as well.

[Grandpa]

Re. the 20" wheels -

The 20" wheels are 1928-29 Cadillac (and likely other makes of that period). The Model J never came with 20" wheels.

Grandpa

[alsancle]

Re. the 20" wheels -

The 20" wheels are 1928-29 Cadillac (and likely other makes of that period). The Model J never came with 20" wheels.

Grandpa

AA & BB Stutz used the 20 inch Buffalo also. This particular Duesenberg was *supposedly* equipped with the 20 inch wheels from the factory.

[K8096]

20" Stutz Buffalo wheels will not fit Duesenberg because Duesenberg uses #6 Buffalo hubs. Stutz uses #5 which is smaller. The most popular cars that use #6 Buffalos are 1928 & 1929 Cadillacs and some Model L Lincolns, along with Duesenbergs of course.

[Guest Bob Kerr]

Funny but those cars were driven past my Grandparents farm while on the test run at the factory. Most all the duesys were! Part of the old test "track" was 86th (old US 52 bypass or Indiana Road 100 )on the north side of Indianapolis. Just west of Allisonville road and 86th was a hill and all the Dusenberg test cars had to stop at the bottom of the hill and pull the hill in high gear. The hill has since been shaved down and is hardly noticable now but even back in the 80s it was still a decent pull for being in the flatlands. If anyone wants to see it, it is at the place where 86th street makes the first curve to the right west of Allisonville Rd. Part of the original hill is still visable to the north back in the office complex. Grandpa used to love to see those cars go past and talked about it for years.

Edited May 27, 2010 by Bob Kerr (see edit history)

[Guest ChrisSummers]

Sorry for taking so long to get back to this.

There were eight Toursters built (all of which happily survive, although one has a replica of its original body). The car in question, J-116 / 2136, and the very similar J-124 / 2148 were not Toursters but Phaetons built to a different design. Both Phaetons originally had full rear hinged cowls in the traditional dual cowl phaeton style; J-116 / 2136 was remodeled later in the 1930s with the tourster-style retractable second windshield. J-124 / 2148 still has the full rear cowl.

The big point I make here is that J-116 / 2136 and J-124 / 2148 are not Toursters...no matter what features they may have in common.

[Bob Scafani]

the Mormon Meteor and the others are in the Price museum of speed Price Museum of Speed

[West Peterson]

You're talking about the Mormon Meteor III. The "Mormon Meteor and the others" of which I was referring to are in Cincinatti.