Duesenberg J-137 Judkins Coupe

Duesenberg J-137 (chassis 2162) bodied by Judkins (from the authors collection)

This car, chassis 2162 (engine number J-137), is one of two fixed-top coupes bodied by Judkins for Duesenberg. To my eye it is one of the most handsome bodies to grace the model J chassis. This car was originally purchased by Joseph Pilling Wright (or J. P. Wright as he was known) - the other fixed-top couple is said to have gone to Frank Yount, however this car is not thought to have survived.

J. B. Judkins Company was located in Merrimac, MA and had evolved from the carriage trade to focus exclusively on automobiles around 1910. Judkins prospered during the 1920s and was one of the largest coachworks tuning out roughly 500 series-built and full custom bodies annually. The most likely person responsible for this striking coupe was Judkin's chief designer John Dobben who had come over from J. M. Quinby & Sons. Judkins build a total of 27 custom bodies for Duesenberg (on the model J chassis) covering 5 different body styles.

J.P. Wright assumed the presidency of Continental Diamond Fiber Company of Newark, Delaware and soon after acquired a Murphy bodied convertible coupe which he sent to Judkins to rebody in 1932 - resulting in the car you see here which survives to this day. Wright was in the automobile trade, the son of the founders of the National Vulcanized Fiber Company, he started his own firm in 1906 producing fibers used in the manufacturing of tires. His firm was sold to Budd in 1952.

For reasons unknown to me, the car was sold soon after completion to Shreve M. Archer. Shreve Archer, the son of George Archer, became president of Archer, Daniels, Midland Company in 1925. The car traded hands numerous times over the years, but has been beautifully restored in the last decade and is shown on occasion.

The Duesenberg Model Y

The Duesenberg Model Y test car bodied by McFarlan (from the collection of the author).

Upon E.L. Cord's acquisition of the Duesenberg company in 1926, Cord waisted no time in sitting down with Fred Duesenberg and sharing his plan for building the greatest car in the world. The Straight Eight Duesenberg (both the Model A and Model X) was discontinued and Fred went to work fulfilling Cord's directive.

Fred Duesenberg was once of America's most successful race car designers and he had ideas on how a "great" and fast car should be built. He started with a 134 inch Straight Eight Duesenberg chassis. He then increased the bore of the eight-cylinder engine, increasing displacement considerably - to 385 cubic inches. Fred experimented with different cylinder head configurations until settling on a single overhead cam with "link belt" set up to appease Cord who wanted to reduce camshaft noise.

They turned to McFarlan, who Cord had recently purchased, to provide a touring style body. Mcfarland had ceased production of their own vehicles, but continued to produce bodies for Auburn. This test vehicle became known as the Model Y - only one car was ever built - Chassis 912 / Engine No. 1594. The experimental car ended up having a significant influence on the creation and look of the now famous Model J. 

As the Model J emerged, Cord asked that the Model Y be destroyed and August Duesenberg was given the job. He is said to have destroyed the engine and chassis - saving the body and mounting it on a different Model A chassis. It is this car that survives to this day. Owned by the Kershaw family of Alabama since the 1950s, the car was on display at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum for many years. This photo may show August Duesenberg driving the car (not sure if this is before or after chassis swap). Humorously, the writing on the photos says "Old million bucks himself", referring to the amount the Duesenberg brothers were paid by Cord for their business.

The Duesenberg Model X

Duesenberg Model X speedster with body by McFarlan (from the collection of the author).

The Duesenberg brothers introduced their first production road car in 1920. The Straight Eight (later called the Model A) an innovative and well-made machine. Regardless, the Duesenberg (under-funded from the start) struggled to find enough customers to keep the company viable. When E.L. Cord (through Auburn) purchased the bankrupt Duesenberg company in 1926, Fred Duesenberg was already experimenting with a new iteration of the Straight Eight. It is thought that about dozen Model X chassis had been manufactured by the time of Cord's acquisition. Cord would put a stop to the Model X as he had bigger plans - the future Model J. The Model X featured a re-worked Model A suspension and a larger displacement (260 cubic inches) mono-block straight eight-cylinder engine. 

Only 4 Model X Duesenberg's are thought to have survived and the most well-known of the group is the car pictured here. Chassis X1954-D96E which was built for Duesenberg's race team sponsor, Arnold Kirkeby (1901-1962). Bodied by the McFarlan Motor Car company of Connersville, Indiana, the speedster body created for this Model X would influence the Auburn speedsters introduced in 1928. McFarlan Motor Car company is best remembered for their unique luxury automobiles favored by some of Hollywood's elite. However, the company also supplemented its income by providing bodies to other manufacturers - Auburn among them. Cord actually purchased the assets of the bankrupt McFarlan company in 1927 and their facility would continue to supply bodies to Auburn.

This looks as though it may very well be Kirkeby pictured in the car. A hotelier (he owned the Drake in Chicago and later the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles) and real estate investor, Kirkeby owned a mansion in Beverly Hills (used as the location for Beverly Hillbillies TV show) and a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Tampa, FL (Tampania). This photo could have been taken in either location - Kirkeby parted with car after a few years use and passed away in a commercial airplane crash in 1962. Thankfully the car survives to this day.

1939 Indianapolis 500 Winner

Wilber Shaw in the Maserati 8CTF - Winner of the 1939 Indianapolis 500

In 1938, Ernesto Maserati developed the Maserati 8CTF to compete with the likes of Mercedes and Auto Union on the European GP circuit. Although not particularly successful on the continent, the car gained fame stateside with victory in the Indianapolis 500. 

Michael Joseph Boyle (1881-1958) had been campaigning cars at Indy for over a decade. "Umbrella Mike" was the powerful business manager of local 134 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Chicago, and is said to have gotten his nickname due to receiving payoffs dropped into his open umbrella. When not brokering pardons for Governor Len Small, Boyle was building a well funded race team. By 1938, that team included the respected mechanic Cotton Henning and driver Wilber Shaw. It is said that Shaw and Boyle attended the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup revival at Roosevelt race track and were impressed with the foreign cars. Henning contacted Maserati who was very open to establishing a foothold in America. Boyle paid the considerable sum of $15,000 in 1938 and Maserati shipped a new eight-cylinder, 3.0 liter, twin super-charged 8CTF. Apparently   during the Atlantic crossing, the water in the cooling system froze and cracked the block which Henning repaired. 

"Umbrella" Mike Boyle circa 1917 - photo credit: The Chicago Tribune

The Maserati was not the most powerful or fastest car entered in 1939 - it qualified third. However, it had an advantage over the American built specials, in the form of superior handling and braking. Wilber Shaw, who had won his first Indy 500 in 1937 (and came 2nd in 1938), would use this advantage to brake later and accelerate out of the turn ahead of the pack. The Maserati would deliver both Shaw and Boyle their 2nd Indy 500 victory. The same car delivered victory to Shaw and Boyle again in 1940 (wearing the #1 it shows today) and Shaw would lead the race with the car, yet again in 1941, until he lost a wheel and crashed - ending his driving career.

The car lived on and continued to be competitive in the hands of Ted Horn and Lee Wallard right up through 1950! Today the car is one of the stars of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum's collection.

Mike Boyle would continue to hold power over the union until his death in Miami Beach Florida in 1958. Wilber Shaw would be instrumental in saving the Indianapolis track - bringing in Tony Hulman to purchase it and serving as president of the track until his death in 1954.

The 1939 & 1940 Indy 500 winning Maserati today - from the author's collection

Duesenberg and the Charles Schutte Body Company

Duesenderg Straight Eight with body by Charles Schutte (from the collection of the author)

The Charles Schutte Body Company was founded in 1910 in Lancaster, PA. Although not one of the largest body companies, they earned a reputation for their commercial work - mostly buses. In 1918, after bodying the prototype, Schutte would provide all the coachwork for the short-lived Argonne car from Jersey City, New Jersey over the next two years. This expose to automobile bodies lead to the opportunity to produce a small run of production bodies for the newly introduced Duesenberg Straight Eight. 

Later known as the Model A (after the introduction of the Model J), The Automobile Trade Journal of July 1, 1920 wrote, "The Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Corp. has bought a factory site in Indianapolis and plans 2400 cars the first year of operation. In addition to a special Duesenberg engine the car will be equipped with four wheel brakes and an axle designed by Fred S. Duesenberg. The new car is stated to be 400 lbs lighter than those of similar power and will obtain from 18 to 22 miles on a gallon of gasoline." 

The Duesenberg Straight Eight would be introduced in November of 1920 at the New York Automobile Salon and would be the first American production car to employ a straight eight cylinder engine and four-wheel brakes. Schutte would provide primarily closed bodies, making these unique and handsome Coupes and Sedans - though it is unknown exactly how many were produced. Other companies would body the Straight Eight as well as - one of the most prolific being Leon Ruby producing a number of attractive open cars. The car would be sold between 1921 and 1926 with roughly 650 being produced – well short of original estimates.

In 1926, seeing an opportunity, Charles Schutte entered into negotiations to merge with the Blue Ribbon Body Company of Bridgeport, CT - who's business had declined when Locomobile, it's largest customer, went bankrupt. Unfortunately for Schutte, his investors took him to court to stop the merger when it was learned that the lancaster, PA plant might be closed if the deal went through. Untimely, Schutte was found guilty of stock manipulation and the company went bankrupt.

Duesenderg Straight Eight with body by Charles Schutte (from the collection of the author)

RM Auction's Hershey sale - favorite picks

With the AACA's Hershey meet come the RM Auction's Hershey sale. Looking past the mountain of Fords, RM has assembled an interesting group of cars - as they always do. Tailored to the crowd at Hershey, the sale has many unique early cars and these are always favorites of mine.

The following are a few of my picks for the sale. I just wish I had a suitcase full of money and more garage space.

1911 Braiser (photo credit: RM Auctions)

Lot 108 is the 1911 Brasier Runabout. The inline monobloc four-cylinder engine is rated at 11/15 hp (that's taxable horsepower). Yes, it's a smaller horsepower car, but a great make and very handsome. The car has a wonderful history of being purchased new by the family of the consigners from the Manhattan dealership of Flandreau & Company, importers of French automobiles. The car is estimated to bring between $30,000 and $50,000.

1930 Cadillac Model 452 (photo credit: RM Auctions)

Lot 109 is the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood. Body style 4302 is possibly the most striking of the all the bodies offered in 1930. The car was ordered originally by the Whittalls family through Fizhenry Cadillac of Worcester, MA. I grew up around the corner from Worcester and would love to have such a magnificent piece of local history stay in the area - we'll see. This car is expected to sell for $450,000 to $650,000.

1902 Covert (photo credit: RM Auctions)

Lot 142 is the 1902 Covert Runabout. Ok, this is not the most practical motorcar as it's tiller steering and has a single-cylinder engine rated at 3 hp. However, it's history of Miss Woodard (a librarian) purchasing the car new in 1901 at the Lockport, NY factory is wonderful. She drove the car for a decade and it's largely as it was was she owned it. The Covert is expected to sell for $30,000 to $50,000 (I think it might do more).

1922 Duesenberg Model A Coupe (photo credit: RM Auctions)

Lot 156 is the 1922 Duesenberg Model A Fleetwood Coupe. One of only about 60 Model A Duesenbergs to survive, this is the only known Fleetwood bodied "Doctor's Coupe". In fact, it was originally purchased by Pennsylvania physician Doctor C.E. Beals. The car is expected to bring between $220,000 and $260,000.

1905 Fiat Quinby bodied touring car (photo credit: RM Auctions)

Lot 257 is the 1905 Fiat Quinby Touring car - the star of the sale. Bonhams Simeone sale just featured a Springfield Rolls-Royce owned by the Anheuser Busch family and here's another. This car, chassis 3003, is the third of twenty 60 horsepower chassis built in 1905. August Anheuser Busch Sr., of the legendary brewing company, purchased the car from Hollander and Tangeman - the American importer for Fiat located in Manhattan. The car was bodied here in America by Quinby & Company and the family kept the car until 1934 when it was purchased by legendary collector James Melton. The car is expected to bring between $800,000 and $1,200,000 (I'm confident will do over a million) - fantastic!

Bonhams' Simeone Sale - Preserving the Automobile

I'm off to the AACA National Fall Meet - better know as Hershey. The team at Bonhams as been working to establish a sale, in association with the fantastic Simeone Museum, that starts the week and features preservation cars. As with any new event, the first couple of years have been challenging, but they seem to have a pulled together a wonderful group of cars for this year's sale.

The following are a few of my picks of the sale. It should interesting to see how these cars do over the block. Which are your favorites?

1917 Packard Model 2-25 (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions)

Lot 305 is the 1917 Packard 2-25 Twin-Six Brougham with coachwork by Chauncey Thomas & Co. (a rather obscure coachworks from Boston). Not much seems to be know about it's early life, but it is a fascinating Packard. It is expected to sell for between $70,000 and $90,000.

1925 Cunningham Phaeton (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions)

Lot 322 is the 1925 Cunningham Series V-6 Phaeton with factory coachwork. The James Cunningham, Son & Company out of Syracuse, NY made a small number of extraordinary cars through the classic era. Regardless, of the model designation, this car is driven by the companies own 442ci L-Head V8 engine and is expected to bring between $135,000 to $160,000 - an absolute bargain in my humble opinion.

1927 Springfield Rolls-Royce Phantom I (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions)

Lot 326 is the the 1927 Rolls-Royce PI Dinsdale Limousine with Brewster coachwork originally delivered to Mrs. August Anheuser Busch, wife of August Anheuser Busch Sr, of the famed brewing company. This car appears to have only 13,500 original miles and has spent all but the last three years in the hands of two owners. It is expected to bring between $75,000 to $95,000.

1907 American Underslung Roadster (photo credit: Bonhams Auctions)

Lot 341 is the famed 1907 American Underslung Roadster of F.C. Deemer. Ok, this car really isn't a preservation car having been restored twice, but it is an amazing car with an incredible history. Written up back in 1979 in the Antique Automobile, the car was purchased by Deemer, an oil tycoon, to take her bride on their honeymoon. This car is probably one of the first Underslungs to be produced by the factory and the earliest to survive today. It was found in the early 1960s in the Deemer homestead with the three other American Underslungs the family had owned. This car is expected to fetch between $900,000 and 1.3 million - I expect that it will do better than $1 million.