In The Lap Of Luxury
black mamba
Registered Users Posts: 8,321 Major grins
In the world of American automobile history, no mark reached the heights that Duesenberg did. There were some worthy contenders for the crown, but Duesenberg was undeniably the King. It even spawned the term " It's a Duesy "....typically implying that, whatever the subject was, it was the best of its kind to be had.
From 1928 to 1935, only 485 of the cars were built in total. The pricing of these cars reflected their world-wide reputation. Some examples exceeded $20,000....a staggering sum in those days. Back then, that much money could buy you two nice houses and a whole gaggle of Model T Fords. But then the very wealthy buyers of these cars didn't care to see another one on every street corner. They got their wishes. Unfortunately, the Great Depression ultimately spelled doom for this market. The King and all the contenders disappeared.
Almost all of the Duesenberg Model J cars ( such as each of the 3 here ) were sold as a bare chassis and the body and other appointments were farmed out to various custom houses. Duesenberg, however, tightly controlled these custom houses in several key design concepts so that the finished product was clearly identified as a Duesenberg. Elements that were strictly controlled included the hood, radiator, lights and bumpers. Rest assured.....only the very best of the world's custom houses ever got their hands on a Duesenberg. In a very few cases, the Duesenberg factory supplied the body as well as the chassis.
This car is a 1930 Model J-243 Dual Cowl Phaeton. The custom body was handled by LeBaron
This is a 1929 Model J-237. Its custom fabricator was Derham. Obviously done in a " Town Car " approach. Opulent inside....as expected.
This is a 1929 Model J-147 with a custom body by Murphy
Comments
These are such beautiful cars and ride like a dream. There is a tech guy who lives around the corner from me who owns a 1930 Model J Torpedo Phaeton. Sadly they are much too valuable to see much driving, but there are few sights on the road that equal one if you get the chance to see it.
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It's great to hear from you, Steve.
You're dead right about the value of some collector cars severely restricting their road time. Some owners will exercise their cars ....prudently....a whole lot more won't. I have a friend who recently acquired a really nice Porsche 356 . I believe it's a 1964. He's scared to take it to the streets. I told him he's got to get over that or he'll miss all of the anticipated joy he had of tooling around in it. I might not have such a cavalier attitude, however, if the thing was worth some truly serious bucks.
Fortunately, I've been able to view several Duesenberg cars on the road as they travel some truly picturesque, oak tree over-hanging roads as they get around Amelia Island. It is something that does seem regal.
Tom
What can I say Tom.....your post is a Deusy!
Always delighted to learn something new, especially in historical context.
Gorgeous machines. But I don't understand why anyone would paint one bright green--seems like it ought to be black, or at most silver. I also think there's something a little perverse about not driving them--it's like owning a Rembrandt and keeping it in a bank vault instead of on the wall in your living room. If you're only concerned about the investment, buy Amazon stock instead. Dunno.
Oh Richard, don't be so stuffy
- people were a lot more liberated and individual about car colors then than they are now.
Great shots, Tom! What beauties.
Thanks for your support, Taz. It means a lot to me.
Some of the most colorful cars ever produced came from the period of the 20's and 30's....especially in the more expensive offerings. Expressing your personality differences was a much bigger thing then and a bright, garish car was just the thing for some folks.
See you, buddy,
Tom
I think that there are more weird colors being used on cars today (especially aftermarket) than ever before. Standing out in a crowd has always been a desire for some people.
Now this I mostly agree with.
The people that I know who own the mega expensive classic cars it is more a fear of not being to able to repair/replace it should something go wrong more than it is anything else. One car accident and history might go out the window. I can understand that. I would probably be the same way, but since I prefer to drive and drive hard, I limit myself to cars that don't have to be parked in a climate controlled garage 24/7 to preserve history.
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Thanks so much, Sara, for the nice comments. I know that you and I share the same affinity for these grand old rides.
Take care.
This is an excellent set, Tom, and I think the green is a lovely color.
I admire your car fotos because they reveal a true fanatic.
Thanks, my friend, for your comments. I was destined to be a car fanatic. Both of my parents were true gearheads. In fact, my mother was a holy terror at the dragstrip. She had some of the quickest off-the-line reflexes I've ever seen....man or woman. My fate was sealed the day she gifted me her '55 Chevy. From that point forward, I was lost to the world of high performance autos.
Take care,
Tom
This is such a great problem to have. I too grew up at the drag strip and have a deep affection for classic muscle cars and hot rods. There are so few photographers out there that get out to the car shows and show off that early steel. So I get to live vicariously through those who get to photograph these beauties.
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