For Sale on Ebay - 1936 Cord Experimental LeBaron - Duesenberg Prototype

[classiclines]

Not mine --- Just saw this on Ebay - searched the Forum and I cannot find a previous discussion - write up is very long - and price has a lot of zeroes. Has anyone seen this in person?    

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305816186325?itmmeta=01J9N6VHE4QP496KG5RFK36VNP&hash=item473410add5:g:92gAAOSwevNm~BRO&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4Mxmj%2BiGvOveHXEBClPb29gTKYfCWQuZrShryaJJ3YgELW1twKnaFbYfGJeRQ8nMjuXRXfR0zcilQgnM3CvrMCCulPr%2B6v2Wpptt%2FrEX4i0vUQdm5Ndex%2B9SEEl1tMoGII6E2Fqsq1GljRu3rzQnZ%2FtpNlAFPq%2FuFy%2BKvi3oyacG2LtxFWGRYD5PRN%2FOXwvma8PSza8vF%2FFIyp%2FlpUwBg%2BHG6m4LXZ8g48HWA9wG9WLPCWflTOEO3QkF26%2BzFkZ7ut45gjYJHnGSx%2F7MfWemthKPXlreQTIkR1H7d0dVLKzO|tkp%3ABk9SR46X7qbNZA

 

EBAY Ad Copy:  (sorry - it's long - but capturing for future reference)

Look closely at this vehicle! 

This is NOT an 810 or 812 Cord.  Rather, this is the 1936 Cord, Experimental LeBaron-Cabriolet (Convertible Coupe) – a Prototype originally intended to be part of the 1938 Small Duesenberg lineup – otherwise known as the “Baby Duesenberg”.  This is the ONE AND ONLY Cabriolet, an original Baby Duesenberg Prototype.

 

Many have heard stories and rumors of the existence of this car, and old pictures of the car in its unrestored condition have circulated among enthusiasts and on the Internet for many years.  However, only a select few individuals have ever had the opportunity to actually see or drive this vehicle – even fewer have had that opportunity since the professional restoration was completed in 2021.  This car is currently part of a private collection. It has never been taken to or entered in any car show, judged for points, certified by the ACD Club, or otherwise revealed to the general public since restoration.  The buyer of this car will have the opportunity to take those actions and claim any and all of those awards and accolades as his or her own. 

 

This vehicle started life in 1934 as the E300, Plan 12, Experimental Duesenberg Project.  Gordon Buehrig and J. Herbert Newport Jr., created the initial front-end designs, and Herbert T. Snow worked on the initial drivetrain designs.  The Auburn Automobile Co. (parent company of Duesenberg at the time) outsourced the body designs to LeBaron Body Co. where Philip O. Wright created five (5) different body styles for the E300 Duesenberg Project: a Limousine; a Berline Sedan; a Fastback Sedan; a Phaeton Sedan; and a Cabriolet.  By the time LeBaron delivered the five (5) completed Duesenberg Prototype bodies (one of each), Buehrig and Snow had already left Auburn, and the Auburn company was in no financial position to continue work on the new Duesenberg Prototypes.  The E300 Duesenberg Project was placed on hold, and the LeBaron bodies were placed in storage.

 

In 1936, Errett L. Cord, owner of the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg companies, was touring the Connersville facility.  He saw the unused LeBaron bodies, and he instructed Roy Falkner, President of Auburn, and Alex Tremulis, Chief Stylist and Designer, to finish the project using the best features of the Auburns and Cords. Falkner then resurrected the E300 Duesenberg Project, but with a few significant changes. 

To save development time and costs, the LeBaron body would be placed onto the rear 2/3 section of an Auburn frame, and that section would then be welded to a Cord 812 front-wheel-drive sub-frame and drive train. Lloyd H. “Slim” Davidson, Head of Central Manufacturing’s Experimental Garage, fabricated and assembled the chassis.  The vehicle was then fitted with a Supercharged Lycoming V8 engine.  

Tremulis was put in charge of redesigning the car’s front end from the cowl forward.  This required new grill, hood and side panel designs.  Some say the radiator shell and grill was intentionally designed to mimic the nose of the Duesenberg cars that won the Indianapolis 500. Cord front fenders (including hidden headlights), hubcaps, bumpers, and transaxle covers were used. Cord rear fenders were reworked and elongated to fit the LeBaron body, and running boards were added to give the Baby Duesenberg Prototype a more upscale, Duesenberg look. The instrument cluster on the dash was made functionally similar to but arranged differently from the instrument cluster on an 810 or 812 Cord. An Auburn Automobile Co. name plate contained the Serial No. and Engine No.  All of these custom elements were designed and completed at the factory while the E300 Duesenberg Prototype was taking shape.

 

Tremulis also designed a new, artistic hood ornament. Some believe the hood ornament looks like a dollar sign, or a hash tag symbol; others see it as a stylistic rendering of the letters E L C when viewed from the driver’s side – perhaps a small gesture of respect or a “nod” to E. L. Cord for resurrecting the E300Duesenberg Project. Ultimately, interpretation of such artwork lies with the viewer.   None of the E300 Experimental Duesenberg Prototypes were ever sold to the public, and only the Berline and the Cabriolet are known to still exist. E. L. Cord took possession of the Berline in 1936. Lucius B. Manning, then President of Cord Corp., took possession of the Cabriolet in 1937 when he placed the Cord Corp. in receivership and ceased all operations of Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg.

 

Because the final configuration of the E300 Duesenberg Prototype cars shared many components with the Cord 810/812’s some automotive historians designated these Prototypes as Cord LeBaron, rather than Duesenberg. Others firmly believe the Prototypes should be considered Duesenberg because the whole purpose of the E300 Project was to create a new, smaller, Baby Duesenberg.  Harrah’s Automobile Collection of Reno, NV acquired the Prototype Berline in 1962, and E. L. Cord himself assisted Harrah’s in restoring the Prototype to its original condition.  After restoration was complete, Harrah’s designated their Prototype as a 1936 Cord Experimental LeBaron.  Because Harrah’s considers its Prototype to be a 1936 Cord, Experimental LeBaron-Berline, the owner of the Cabriolet followed suit and recently obtained an Indiana Title for this Prototype as a 1936 Cord, Experimental LeBaron-Cabriolet.

 

The current owners of the Cabriolet purchased this Baby Duesenberg Prototype from John Baeke in July of 2013.  They then had it professionally restored to its original body and drive train configuration, exterior color, and interior designs to be exactly like it was when it left the Connersville facility in 1937. During the restoration process, the paint color was carefully researched to ensure that it matched the original color of the car when it left the factory. Based on clear evidence of the paint color observed from underneath the LeBaron body tag, hinges, and other parts covering and preserving the original paint, it is believed the car left the factory in the same dark red color which you see now. The interior leather, carpet, and finishes are also in original color and form.  The restoration was completed in February of 2021, and numerous before and after photographs were taken during the research and restoration process. All photographs and historical, research files will go with the car.  Price on Ebay $1.9 million

 

[edinmass]

Interesting car……..but the number they are looking for will buy a real numbers matching open MODEL J. Call it whatever you like, but Duesenberg? The tag on the firewall says Auburn. At least it’s semi attractive compared to the others. Interesting disclaimers in the text……that doesn’t inspire confidence. Where are the photos of it when new? That would surely help justify the asking price.

Edited October 8 by edinmass (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

3 hours ago, edinmass said:

Interesting car……..but the number they are looking for will buy a real numbers matching open MODEL J. Call it whatever you like, but Duesenberg? The tag on the firewall says Auburn. At least it’s semi attractive compared to the others. Interesting disclaimers in the text……that doesn’t inspire confidence. Where are the photos of it when new? That would surely help justify the asking price.

I was wondering your thoughts on this car were when I first saw it listed a few days ago.  If I was selling it,  and it was legit,  I would have a period photo of it in the listing.   As you say, looks better than many,  but some things seem a little off to me,  though I am far from an expert.

[classiclines]

The Ebay ad has a link to the following site:

http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/t/tremulis/tremulis.htm

 

Unfortunately the quantity and quality of the photos are lacking - but, there are some interesting shots, including these two - for what it's worth.

I agree the Seller should be providing more, if seriously looking for a serious buyer  (no mention if there are fender skirts for the car for sale)

Edited October 8 by classiclines
Forgot details (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

Articles in various magazines have used the term "Au-Du-Cord" to describe these prototypes bodied by LeBaron.  Nice to see this one finally is restored, though there was a better color choice than 'resale red'. 

[edinmass]

7 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

I was wondering your thoughts on this car were when I first saw it listed a few days ago.  If I was selling it,  and it was legit,  I would have a period photo of it in the listing.   As you say, looks better than many,  but some things seem a little off to me,  though I am far from an expert.

My thoughts are…….What imbecile lists a car like this on EBay? If it truly was worth 2 miles, one of the top auction houses would be chasing it to list it. My expectation is they asked some of the auction houses and got answers that were pennies on the dollar. Also……a big question? Why aren’t any of these so called “special baby Duesenbergs” already in the big import collections. 🤔

 

 

 

[58L-Y8]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

. Also……a big question? Why aren’t any of these so called “special baby Duesenbergs” already in the big import collections. 🤔

It's a curious historic anomaly with nice coachwork created by the dying E.L. Cord empire, essentially dead-end assembled from leftovers.  No stellar design, notwithstanding Alex Tremulis' involvement.