What did Gatsby drive?

[Rusty_OToole]

 

At nine o’clock, one morning late in July, Gatsby’s gorgeous car lurched up the rocky drive to my door and gave out a burst of melody from its three-noted horn. It was the first time he had called on me, though I had gone to two of his parties, mounted in his hydroplane, and, at his urgent invitation, made frequent use of his beach.

 

“Good morning, old sport. You’re having lunch with me to-day and I thought we’d ride up together.”

 

He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American—that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work or rigid sitting in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness. He was never quite still; there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand.

 

He saw me looking with admiration at his car.

 

“It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?” He jumped off to give me a better view. “Haven’t you ever seen it before?”

 

I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town.

 

From The Great Gatsby.  Some think it was a Rolls Royce, others that it was a Duesenberg. I'm not convinced.

 

What make of car do you think a rich young man like Gatsby, out to make an impression, would drive in the summer of 1922?

Edited July 6, 2017 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

Trying to make an impression - but not necessarily with the finesse needed? 

Maybe he should have had one of these?:

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

I don't think Fitzgerald was likely thinking of a Dusenberg. In 1922 the Model A had only been out about a year and may not have been as widely recognized as we tend to think, despite their racing history. RR is unlikely also... they didn't have a "sporty" car reputation. Many of the roadsters and the like are rebodies. In 1922 the overwhelming majority would have been sedans, limos, town cars and very conservative tourers. Hispano-Suiza is a possibility, especially given their WWI flying reputation and Jay Gatsby is supposedly an ex Army officer. A Locomobile sportif? Those were certainly racy looking... or a Stutz or Mercer coach built dual windshield tourer. I don't think the dual cowel was popular that early. American Fiat is also a possibility... I've seen a good photo of General Smedley Butler driving one. I'm not as keen on Packard... they were pretty plain and conservative in 1922, Much the same can be said for Cadillac... plus the car is described as being something everyone in that posh Long Island town noticed and I don't think either of those would fit that description. The fact is, in 1922 there were a large number to choose from, nearly none of which conform to the popular notion.

Edited July 6, 2017 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[Guest]

My vote is for Hispano-Suiza "with its labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns."

It was/is exotic, expensive and certainly made a statement.

[Digger914]

There is what Gatsby drove in the book and what Redford and Decaprio drove in the movie and remake. The only car I know for sure was in either movie was the 23 Chrysler I found rear gears for when you found what you needed by perseverance and luck. Lot easier to  find those things with Google and the internet, but I do miss seeing Cars and Parts on the news stand. Come to think of it, I also miss the news stand.

[keiser31]

8 hours ago, Digger914 said:

There is what Gatsby drove in the book and what Redford and Decaprio drove in the movie and remake. The only car I know for sure was in either movie was the 23 Chrysler I found rear gears for when you found what you needed by perseverance and luck. Lot easier to  find those things with Google and the internet, but I do miss seeing Cars and Parts on the news stand. Come to think of it, I also miss the news stand.

Maybe a 1924 Chrysler as there were no 1923 Chryslers.

[mercer09]

a Marmon speedster would get my vote................!

[Digger914]

14 minutes ago, keiser31 said:

Maybe a 1924 Chrysler as there were no 1923 Chryslers.

Might have been a 24 model, but it was built in 23. Have to believe the old guy that I got the parts from, not only did he have the right gears, he had a tub of wale sperm to lube the diff. Except for coming from the front end of the whale, it smells as nasty as it sounds.

[Graham Man]

Don't forget it was FAST

 

I still think it could have been a 1922 Model A Duesenberg

 

[Pilgrim65]

16 minutes ago, Graham Man said:

Don't forget it was FAST

 

I still think it could have been a 1922 Model A Duesenberg

 

Absolutely beutiful and flamboyant, certainly fits Gatsbys image 

[1912Staver]

Could even be a late teens/ early 20's Stutz Bulldog. Stutz had a good position in the sports /glamour market.

 

Greg in Canada

[8E45E]

Could have also been a Minerva from Belgium.  They were popular with the movie set at the time.

 

Craig

[PFitz]

16 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

 

At nine o’clock, one morning late in July, Gatsby’s gorgeous car lurched up the rocky drive to my door and gave out a burst of melody from its three-noted horn. It was the first time he had called on me, though I had gone to two of his parties, mounted in his hydroplane, and, at his urgent invitation, made frequent use of his beach.

 

“Good morning, old sport. You’re having lunch with me to-day and I thought we’d ride up together.”

 

He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American—that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work or rigid sitting in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness. He was never quite still; there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand.

 

He saw me looking with admiration at his car.

 

“It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?” He jumped off to give me a better view. “Haven’t you ever seen it before?”

 

I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town.

 

From The Great Gatsby.  Some think it was a Rolls Royce, others that it was a Duesenberg. I'm not convinced.

 

What make of car do you think a rich young man like Gatsby, out to make an impression, would drive in the summer of 1922?

 

Earlier in the book it mentions his Rolls Royce was seen a lot driving party guests to and from the estate. Many have assumed that early passage, combined with  the line above, "I'd seen it. Everybody had seen it." that meant Nick was describing the Rolls.

 

Paul

[motoringicons]

     What Gatsby-or Robert Redford-drove in the original movie was certainly a Rolls Royce. Specifically, it was a Springfield Phantom I Ascot tourer car #S304KP. S304KP was originally bodied as an Brewster Town Brougham and was later fitted with the sporty Ascot tourer body as seen in the movie. The car was sold new in New York City and delivered in 1929. 

     The Springfield Phantom I was a logical and historically correct choice for the movie and book as so many of them were sold new to wealthy clients who lived in New York City and had fashionable summer homes in the Hamptons. If you remember the movie, S304KP was involved in an accident. To make the accident scene, the original fenders were replaced with fiberglass replacements. Supposedly it took several takes to get the accident just right. This car sold about 10 years ago at a Bonhams auction (I think Greenwich?).  

 

    Here are some photos of the two Springfield Rolls Royce's used in original movie Gatsby. The other car is a Springfield Silver Ghost town car. These pictures are taken from the book The American Rolls Royce.

 

     Although unrelated, the sporty yet conservative Springfield Phantom I Tilbury sedan actually did spend the first thirty years of its live going back and forth between a prominent Manhattan residence and an equally prominent estate in the Hamptons. It now lives an active life in the midwest!

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by motoringicons (see edit history)

[mrcvs]

What a great topic for a thread!

 

And, what a marvelous book! They just don't make authors like F Scott Fitzgerald anymore!

 

Based on the description, realizing that the narrator is describing the events of the Summer of 1922 at a later date, he could have exaggerated the description of the car, in that it may not have contained a labyrinth of windshields, etc. E.g., artistic license.

 

Someone as flambuoyant would be unlikely to drive a car more than a year or, at most, 2 years old. So, it had to be a car produced between 1920 and 1922. (Obviously, it could not have been a car produced after 1922, which is my gripe with Hollywood adaptations of this Great novel!)

 

In my mind, it could have been nothing other than a Stutz Bearcat.

[8E45E]

And the 'wannabes' drove Roamers!! http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?51752-Orphan-of-the-Day-06-04-1920-Roamer-Touring

 

Craig

[60FlatTop]

 

1,000 words.

[Grimy]

3 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

1,000 words.

Aaarrrggghhh!  My eyes, my eyes!