Duesenberg Model J Torpedo... - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MS Fowler · #16 01-07-2014, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

that and the $15,000 price for a chassis when a ford could be bought for $600.

....and used to mount a Brewster body on!

t walgamuth · #17 01-07-2014, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rscurtis

Take a look at this 1/6 scale model. I saw this in the flesh at Cabin Fever in York, PA several years ago. I understand the build time approached 20,000 hours.
Duesenberg SJ Miniature Engine Running by Louis Chenot, 1/6 scale model video - SmokStak

amazing!

nate300d · #18 01-07-2014, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Rebodying a car was pretty normal back in the day. Bentley, Bugatti, etc were all commonly rebodied.

A lot of times limo's were turned into more sport models.

This is actually a Duesenberg, when you wrote your big check to them that's all you got. Than you would take it to Murphy for example to have the body of your choosing fitted.

This is one with a very rare exhaust manifold that would be used after the exhaust heat exchange was capped off that went to the in take.

Not all bodies were made my Murphy. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with Murphy, but there were what you might consider the 'Ford' of coach builders. Murphy bodies were common and all of the ones that I have seen are rather generic compared to coaches from other builders.

nate300d · #19 01-07-2014, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle

Duesenberg was known far and wide to be a company that did not allow this practice. Perhaps that is why so few of them were sold?

The depression is what killed them. The market plan was to built 500 chassis a year. The depression hit and the factory stopped production after 485 chassis. All were built in 1929. You see Duesenbergs listed as all sorts of years. That year was when the chassis was 'bodied' and sold.

As well as the depression consider that in 1936 Auburn Automobile introduced the 810 'coffin nosed' Cord. It was WAY ahead of its time in looks and technology while the Duesenberg Model J was looking rather dated.

nate300d · #20 01-07-2014, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

that and the $15,000 price for a chassis when a ford could be bought for $600.

...mmmm...I am not sure of any Model J chassis that was $15,000. Common cost was between $8,000-$11,000. I will have to check with the current curator and former curator. The former curator knows the history of many Duesenbergs and what has been down with them.

Idle · #21 01-07-2014, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate300d

The depression is what killed them. The market plan was to built 500 chassis a year. The depression hit and the factory stopped production after 485 chassis. All were built in 1929. You see Duesenbergs listed as all sorts of years. That year was when the chassis was 'bodied' and sold.

As well as the depression consider that in 1936 Auburn Automobile introduced the 810 'coffin nosed' Cord. It was WAY ahead of its time in looks and technology while the Duesenberg Model J was looking rather dated.

A very good insight. It always pays to look at the big picture, and there is never a simple answer to a complex question.

t walgamuth · #22 01-07-2014, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate300d

...mmmm...I am not sure of any Model J chassis that was $15,000. Common cost was between $8,000-$11,000. I will have to check with the current curator and former curator. The former curator knows the history of many Duesenbergs and what has been down with them.

yeah, you're right. 15000 to 30000 for a completed car, per Wikipedia follows:
The chassis cost $8,500 ($9,500 after 1932); the completed base model cost between $13,000 and $19,000 (two of the American-bodied J's reached $25,000[12]), at a time when the average U.S. physician earned less than $3,000 a year. Figures are not available as to the prices charged by deluxe coachbuilders in Europe, but it is reasonable to assume that the final selling price of the products mounted on the costly imported chassis were considerably higher than their all-American-built counterparts.[12]

nate300d · #23 01-07-2014, 10:48 PM

One thing to look for as well are recreation bodies. It is not uncommon for a chassis to exist, but the body lost. At the ACD Museum there is a Stutz chassis missing its limousine body. There is also a 'Frankensteined' Duesenberg J. The body is a very poor Murphy roadster recreation. It was not even made for the top to disappear as it should. Also, the frame was reconstructed due to corrosion. The original content is the drive train, suspension, and firewall (cast aluminum).
In the early 1960's there were 3 (I believe is the count) recreated Durham touring bodies that are very accurate. Unfortunately, the ACD club will not recognize these cars because the bodies are not original. Thing is numerous 'restored' bodies are on the edge of being recreated due to their level of deterioration.
The longer I have been around all of these early cars the more I have trouble with the term 'restoration'. As Jay Leno says, "They are only original once".