I don't know shit from shinola when it comes to Duesenbergs. I've always admired pictures of them and I've studied a few in person before, but I've never really gotten close and personal with one. I'm a pretty casual guy and always labeled Duesenberg... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Just imagine the depths of the depression with so many people broke homeless and suicidal and one of these magnificent behemoths rolls by.Just the cost of the chassis would have almost bought some small towns.Must have been an awe inspiring sight.
The present owners must be some cool guys. It's one thing to keep one in a climate controlled museum but it's another matter to take one out and drive it as it was meant to be driven. It's got to be awesome to be traveling down the road with the wind in your hair and a football field of a hood stretching out to that beautiful gleaming grill shell. They are truly works of mobile art. I've seen several in museums but never actually on the road. There really aren't too many people living today that can say that the actually saw a Duesy on the road.
Technically, they are all customs... as they are all coach built. That said, don't think the thought of doing some lowering and cleaning didn't come to mind when eying Clark's roadster.
Cool story. Thanks for sharing. You were lucky to see those out on the road! I loved going to the Imperial Palace to see their collection. I was curious about Carol Lombard: When the US entered World War II at the end of 1941, Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally. Just before boarding the plane, Lombard addressed her fans, saying: "Before I say goodbye to you all, come on and join me in a big cheer! V for Victory!" On January 16, 1942, Lombard and her mother boarded a Transcontinental and Western Airlines DC-3 airplane to return to California. After refueling in Las Vegas, TWA Flight 3 took off and 23 minutes later, crashed into "Double Up Peak" near the 8,300-foot (2500 m) level of Mount Potosi, 32 miles (52 km) southwest of Las Vegas. All aboard, 19 passengers and three crew, were killed. Shortly after her death at the age of 33, Gable (who was inconsolable and devastated by her loss) joined the United States Army Air Forces. After officers training, Gable headed a six-man motion picture unit attached to a B-17 bomb group in England to film aerial gunners in combat, flying five missions himself. Gable attended the launch of the Liberty ship SS Carole Lombard, named in her honor, on January 15, 1944.
Thats exactly where my mind was Ryan. I just want to see it down a lil bit. The bodies, like you said are gorgeous already. The disease we have though just wont allow us to leave well enough alone. We see something that is seemingly perfect, but unless we ourselves made it that way, it can always be bettered, haha, even if it really cant be bettered at all.
Wow. And I think I spy the Salt Lick parking lot... The detail of the skirt how it flares at the ends is pretty slick.
Cool, one of the best known of the breed running a 1000 mile rally in Central Texas with the rest of them. Way back in the early 70's Jean and I attended an antique/classic car show in down town Waco at the then brand new convention store. It was the very first outdoor parking lot show that I had ever attended. While the brass model T's were being carefully rolled out of their Lincoln town car towed enclosed trailers here was a big two tone green Duesenberg roaring up and down the street with the owner giving rides to people at the show. He far and away looked to be having the most fun of anyone at the event.
Just hav'ta mention the Auburn Cord Duesenburg Museum in Auburn Indiana.....It is a Must Stop for us annually on our trips to the U S Nationals!.......check it out! Theses wonderful cars in an Art Deco showroom. It is awesome!
Ryan, aren't you from Midland? Back in the late sixties/early seventies, a family in Midland (can't recall their name) owned at two Duesy's. My mother in law was in the insurance business then and they carried the insurance on each of them with the agency where she worked. They had each insured for a million dollars. Big premium back then.
I stereotylpically thought of Duesenbergs and similar "Pebble Beach cars" as those driven by dudes who drink Martini's with their pinky finger limply flailing in the wind. However, I have also come appreciate the craftsmanship and high quality of detail put into these cars. This past summer I was at a local carnival that had a small car show. The feature car was the below pictured 1930 Jordan Concept car. I had my 3 year old son with me in a stroller. As I was looking at the car the owner comes up to me and said my son could climb into the drivers seat so I could get a photo. Of course I jumped at the chance. I asked the owner a bunch of questions that he modestly answered. After my photo shoot was done, and I walked away, someone approached me and said the car had won Pebble Beach the year before, was one of two made, with this one being the only one left, and it was worth 10 million bucks. I just thought it was some other old fancy 1930's car. The quality of design and attention to detail on this thing was amazing. It cost 5 grand new in 1930! So, although I'll always be a simple Ford loving hot rodder I'll always appreciate cars like the Deusenberg and the Jordan.
I wonder if anyone knows the history of the car while it was in Canada, after Gable abandoned it there? My (now 81 year-old) Dad tried, but lost out on a chance to buy a Duesenberg he found sitting on a used car lot in Dundas Ontario in 1947 - because he was about $100 short of the $750(!) the dealer was asking for the car! I don't imagine there could have been more than a handful of Duesenbergs in Canada, ever, and I wonder if that car in Dundas could have been the 'Gable' Duesenberg??? Mart3406 =======================
Wasn't the Mabees. I know that family has lots of interesting cars and planes, but it wasn't them. My wife graduated with their daughter from Lee. I'll get her old high school annual and look. It has a pic of one of the cars.
let us not forget the women that come with it.curves ...what curves. oh, the car .kool kar , but not in my budget yet.
That was a very well written piece, Ryan. The prose actually overshadowed the cars, at least for me. Great way to start the morning!
Duesenberg! What more needs be said? Nothing. Period! The end! If you are into cars in any way and you can't appreciate a Duesenberg, then my friend, I am certain you are not a car person at all. The Duesy was displayed everything good about the ability of Americans to compete with and outshine anything that the European manufacturers could come up with. Everything on a Duesy was the best of the best. As I've said before, if my wife wins the lottery, provided it is a large sum, I will own one of these Holy Grails of Motordom. It just can't get any better...
They don't build em like that anymore. Those cars do emit some kind of aura. It the book "The American Hot Rod" chapter 2, there's great story about a 20 year old hot rodder named Bob Estes racing Clark Gable in 1933. Gable was driving a Packard convert. Estes races him in his hot rod '25 T roadster and beats him. Great story.
The Jalopy Journal
