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1979 / 1980 Duesenberg


WQ59B

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I KNOW this one-off revival attempt was unilaterally panned when unveiled.  What intrigues me however, is that seemingly it is Missing In Action.

An ACD forum post stated a Special interest Autos issue on Duesenbergs from "a few years ago" (from 2008) claimed it was 'seen languishing in a Chicago parking lot'.

It's a shame to me when ANY dedicated automotive production effort that results in a functional finished vehicle, is lost to history / the crusher.

 

Anyone have any info as to this car's fate?  Has is survived?

 

Screen Shot 2019-02-12 at 8.28.32 PM.png

Edited by WQ59B (see edit history)
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Lincoln Town Car just not quite grotesque enough? Need overhangs like Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water? Are right angles your favorite angles? Do you like cars that look like they're trying to kiss you? Is brown just about the prettiest color ever? Are other cars' hood ornaments just not sufficiently deadly for your tastes? Looking for a car that combines the very best of Plymouth and AMC styling?

 

The all-new 1980 Duesenberg is the answer!

  • Haha 2
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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.

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In a few special garages they are still used and maintained every day. Three passed through my hands during my shift today. They just needed a little bit of attention. The P2 on the other hand was a lot of work.

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18 hours ago, edinmass said:

In a few special garages they are still used and maintained every day. Three passed through my hands during my shift today. They just needed a little bit of attention. The P2 on the other hand was a lot of work.

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎2‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 9:28 PM, WQ59B said:

I KNOW this one-off revival attempt was unilaterally panned when unveiled.  What intrigues me however, is that seemingly it is Missing In Action.

An ACD forum post stated a Special interest Autos issue on Duesenbergs from "a few years ago" (from 2008) claimed it was 'seen languishing in a Chicago parking lot'.

It's a shame to me when ANY dedicated automotive production effort that results in a functional finished vehicle, is lost to history / the crusher.

 

Anyone have any info as to this car's fate?  Has is survived?

 

Screen Shot 2019-02-12 at 8.28.32 PM.png

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

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On 2/20/2019 at 10:45 AM, Bob Roller said:

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...

Can't argue with that in the least, so as a comparison to the original Duesenbergs, this isn't.
However, as a functioning, finished, immense luxury sedan, it still has some degree of interest, I would think. 133" wheelbase, 233" overall length is imposing. And if it was still 'out there', I would think it'd at least be possible to be pretty affordable (especially, obviously, vs. an original).

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  • 1 year later...
On 2/21/2019 at 12:56 PM, Bob Roller said:

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.

My grandfather was a Lincoln-Mercury guy and it is a mixed bad of comments from my dad - for example on the 61 he is "Ford was great for putting the distributor in the front finally where it belongs and then they made the hood open in the wrong direction" and he refers to them as a serviceable products.  He loves the styling and then will say that not a month went buy without some issue as to something.  So, every-time we look at a Lincoln or Mercury we come close and then no cigar. 

 

As to P1's and P2's they are just incredibly overly complicated, but if you want some real excitement go for a P3 - double the pleasure double the fun. 

 

And as to Packard's - they come and they go, but the go pretty quick - fine cars as long as someone else is taking care of them and dad is convinced they designed by bulk and getting around other companies patents (that said, the engineering is in the Brass Era cars, the first generation Twin Six, the Front-Wheel-Drive prototype, the second generation Twin Six, the Twelve, the Torsion Bar suspension, and the V-8 (though V-8's do not breath as well as they should).  I recently looked at a 1953 Carribean and you would have thought I was sticking him with a pin, but at least we go to the point of "do they still make the kit to change out the Ultramatic . 

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