On Saturday 30 July RM-Sotheby's are holding their next auction at Motor City in Plymouth, Michigan and there are some impressive vehicles.We like the description 'A Drivers Duesenberg' for the 1929 Model J 'Disappearing Top' Convertible Coupé. All the way through its life this car has had enthusiastic owners who drove it, and hats off to Mr. Bardeen from Florida who owned it for 25 years and was known for offering other enthusiasts the opportunity to “test drive” his beloved Model J at the speeds for which it had been intended.
The 7 litre engine straight eight has 16 valves, twin overhead cams and is four feet long from fan to flywheel. Duesenberg experimented with automatic gearboxes but rejected them - ' inefficient and non-sporting.'
One of just 25 original examples of this coachwork by Murphy, it has graced 2 chassis in its life as owners would often send their cars back for upgrading. And who were these owners? Movie stars, debutantes, captains of industry, Royalty, diplomats and gangsters - the car had universal appeal as long as you had money and were at the top of your calling.
'He/She Drives a Duesenberg' was the only line in the adverts for the Model J - nothing else needed to be said.
The other cars on offer are awash with white-wall tyres, and the most spectacular is the 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet. Truly loved by its previous owner who drove it for 69 years after first admiring one as a very small boy.
The 1933 Packard, the 1930 Lincoln, the 1937 Cord, and the 1927 Pierce-Arrow all have an immaculate appearance and offer temptation.
The 1937 Ford V-8 has just more than 60,000 miles on the clock and has a friendly feel about it but what do you make of the 1920 Detroit Electric Model 82 Brougham? We see new electric cars more and more. Perhaps they will be the future? Now's your chance!
We are already hearing people say, 'He/She drives an Electric Car!'
Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy RM Sotheby's.