Dupont

[John_Mereness]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alsancle]

3 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Ed is very correct though - no matter how much time, thought, and money goes into the car, you would be hard pressed to win a 'First in Class" at say Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. 

 

Ed's boss could pull it off with that car.  

 

Now the touring car at Hershey (and also earlier in this thread) is not overly attractive.   Although to borrow a phrase,  "I wouldn't be throwing it out of my garage".

[John_Mereness]

 

 

 

 

 

[alsancle]

I wonder if either of the last 2 every got built?

[John_Mereness]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

I wonder if either of the last 2 every got built?

The touring yes - I would say similar (as close as you will come) to their Le Mans car matched to several others photographed (or same Le Mans car in different colors - just looks different from drawing to actual form) - as to that Club Sedan though ???

Edited April 6, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[alsancle]

6 minutes ago, John_Mereness said:

The touring yes - I would say similar (as close as you will come) to their Le Mans car matched to several others photographed (or same Le Mans car in different colors - just looks different from drawing to actual form) - as to that Club Sedan though ???

 

I was looking at the speedster with what looks like a second windshield  and the very attractive club sedan.

[John_Mereness]

The Club Sedan is listed in two brochures of the brochures I posted  - you would have thought someone would have written a check for one. 

[alsancle]

2 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

The Club Sedan is listed in two brochures of the brochures I posted  - you would have thought someone would have written a check for one. 

 

Certainly before the one that did get built that we were discussing the other day.

[John_Mereness]

21 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

Certainly before the one that did get built that we were discussing the other day.

Ask and you shall receive regarding Club Sedans (Stan does not have Charels Bickford listed as an owner of one of the two Watehouse Club Sedans  sent to Los Angeles, though he did buy a 2 passenger Speedster on noember 15th, 1929) - I had to find an old letter from Stan Smith and interestingly this no longer pulls up, but I had the Getty Image number of JH8214

 

This is possibly:

 #G-868 Shipped March 1929 in Black with pastel wire wheels

or

#G-873 Shipped April 1929) in Cobalt Blue with Black fenders and Porcela Blue wire wheels (in special noted it references an Allen Winterfront)

 

Charles Bickford - Image date July, 24th, 1929

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

circa 1930: Leading man Alexander Gray touches up his make-up using a car mirror during filming of 'Song of the Flame'. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

 

 

 

[alsancle]

11 minutes ago, John_Mereness said:

Ask and you shall receive regarding Club Sedans (Stan does not have him listed as an owner of one of the two Watehouse Club Sedans  sent to Los Angeles, though he did buy a 2 passenger Speedster on noember 15th, 1929) - I had to find an old letter from Stan Smith and interestingly this no longer pulls up, but I had the Getty Image number of JH8214

 

This is possibly:

 #G-868 Shipped March 1929 in Black with pastel wire wheels

or

#G-873 Shipped April 1929) in Cobalt Blue with Black fenders and Porcela Blue wire wheels (in special noted it references an Allen Winterfront)

 

Charles Bickford - Image date July, 24th, 1929

 

Looks much better in those colors.

[edinmass]

On 4/6/2020 at 12:35 PM, alsancle said:

All Duponts sit high.   Except for the speedsters the proportions are never exactly right on a Dupont,  but they are TRES cool.

 

I agree with everything John said and think Ed is being clouded by color and condition.

 

AJ, you are incorrect.  No cloud in my vision. I wanted to fall for the car, and give the big guy a call so we could take it home. I also eyeballed the Ruston roadster. Neither one would make the cut for the showroom. Either one would look good in your or my garage, with no complaints. It checks a lot of boxes......it doesn’t check all the boxes. And John is correct. The car is a coin toss to make best in class at Pebble, with a fresh restoration in a decent color. Who wants a car that looks like a pile of “diaxxhia”? The car is in  desperate need of a color change.

[alsancle]

15 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

AJ, you are incorrect.  No cloud in my vision. I wanted to fall for the car, and give the big guy a call so we could take it home. I also eyeballed the Ruston roadster. Neither one would make the cut for the showroom. Either one would look good in your or my garage, with no complaints. It checks a lot of boxes......it doesn’t check all the boxes. And John is correct. The car is a coin toss to make best in class at Pebble, with a fresh restoration in a decent color. Who wants a car that looks like a pile of “diaxxhia”? The car is in  desperate need of a color change.

 

When the original color is known but horrible,  I'm cool with an owner taking liberties assuming they have taste (translation = my taste).   There are some attractive browns and the right combination of color, top and wheels could make that car stand out.

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

 

When the original color is known but horrible,  I'm cool with an owner taking liberties assuming they have taste (translation = my taste).   There are some attractive browns and the right combination of color, top and wheels could make that car stand out.

I agree new colors and a makeover would make the car look 300 percent better. 

[John_Mereness]

 

 

Different belt molding at cowl, different door handle orientation, and different visor - not the same car

 

[John_Mereness]

In our brown discussion - this 31 Franklin 151 won its AACA Senior 1969-ish and was one of the first AACA Senior cars I saw (owned by a fellow by the name of Ed Wyle when he lived in Dayton, OH and was restored by a legendary fellow by the name of Pop Rice) - and I took note of it sd it was the  first car I saw with a painted undercarriage to match fenders (now re-done in black), though had whitewalls that really did little for it  - I saw it recently (afyer blackwalls installed and other changes) and surprised by how nice the brown choice was.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[alsancle]

I found my Stan Smith book.   Club sedans were built by either Merrimac or Waterhouse.  You could distinguish them by the visor (Merrimac).   He says one of all survives and it must be the one you posted that Hyman sold some time ago.

[alsancle]

On 4/6/2020 at 12:20 PM, John_Mereness said:

 

 

 

 

Stan Smith has shot of this room from the other end facing the Model H.   I don't feel right about scanning it, but you can make out the victoria in the back of the photo.

[John_Mereness]

8 hours ago, alsancle said:

I found my Stan Smith book.   Club sedans were built by either Merrimac or Waterhouse.  You could distinguish them by the visor (Merrimac).   He says one of all survives and it must be the one you posted that Hyman sold some time ago.

I do believe the car Mark Hyman sold was this one: I think he gave me a page link and I apparently did not save such or download any photos - timing was just about right though for someone to restore in short order and get out to Amelia island.   I needed you around at the time to say open the wallet more and just go for it - you know how I like a good Club Sedan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

3 hours ago, alsancle said:

 I don't feel right about scanning it

I have plenty of the same for this and that over time. 

[alsancle]

That was the cheapest opportunity anyone will ever have to own a Model G DuPont.

[John_Mereness]

2 hours ago, alsancle said:

That was the cheapest opportunity anyone will ever have to own a Model G DuPont.

I agree as to perhaps cheapest entry point, but as you recall the car was quite weathered with questionable wood in areas - a car that every single part required touching. 

[alsancle]

Same as the Waterhouse Victoria,  except over 300k cheaper.   I would prefer the victoria, but again,  low entry point.

[alsancle]

[alsancle]

[alsancle]

[alsancle]

[alsancle]

[John_Mereness]

Showed up in of all things - Wikipedia

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

[John_Mereness]

[alsancle]

[Terry Harper]

Thank you for sharing. Dupont has always been a interesting mystery make to me and its great to see some of their offerings other than the speedster.

I have always admired the boldness of the speedster model but always felt it was a bit off.  In some of the photos, with the large clearance between the wheels and the fenders, it just looks not quite right. Sort of like a Lamborghini 350 or 400 GT - so right and stunning in many respects but just a bit off in a way that's difficult to describe.

[Walt G]

Stan Smith's book was the pioneer journal for facts on DuPont cars. Regarding painted chassis the term "painted chassis" did refer in the era that the chassis was painted fender color and not the "normal" black color. This painted chassis was usually on cars that were on display in auto shows , auto salons, or on the rare occasion was requested by the dealer for a special showroom display. The Derham bodied brougham I owned ( Franklin chassis) that was on display in Chicago and New York at the salons there had the chassis painted the fender color, so were the axles, springs etc. I restored the car that way and after about 5 years repainted the springs,axles, chassis black just because it was so hard to keep the light color clean and I got weary of laying under the car for days wiping it off.  I drove the car often not just to an occasional car show The original owner of that car kept it well but never took the effort to clean the chassis etc.

[alsancle]

1929 Dupont Model G Waterhouse Convertible Coupe $539,500

 

https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6952-1929-dupont-model-g-waterhouse-convertible-coupe/

 

A striking example from this prestigious, yet short-lived marque, featuring its original coachwork, and superbly restored to a high standard. The final chassis from a run of eighteen with this lovely Convertible Coupe body style by Waterhouse Co. of Webster, Massachusetts. Sold new to the popular 1920s/1930s recording artist Nick Lucas, who is known to have owned several DuPonts in the period. Featured in a special class of DuPont automobiles at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. A rare opportunity to acquire a beautifully restored DuPont, ready to tour or compete on the concours field. This vehicle just arrived, and a full description is coming soon. Please contact Hyman Ltd for more details.