Tag Archives: 1929

Duesenberg J-259

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Berline by Murphy

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | June 24, 2017

Photo – Auctions America

To the knowing eye, it seems like this 1929 Model J is actually a little newer than it’s listed as being. Most 1929 Model Js are a little boxier and this one seems… well-rounded and a little smoother. That’s because the coachwork was updated in period by Bohman & Schwartz, the coachbuilder who did a lot of Duesenberg updating in the mid-1930s.

The Model J was built between 1929 and 1937… though the last engines and chassis were all built prior to then as it was difficult to sell the most glamorous automobile in American history at the height of the Great Depression. All Model Js were speedy, powered by a 265 horsepower Lycoming 6.9-liter straight-eight.

This numbers matching car was ordered new by an heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune. Bodied by Murphy with some one-off features, the coachwork was updated by Bohman & Schwartz in 1934 at the owner’s request. The second owner acquired the car in 1959 when it showed an impressive 66,000 miles. Well cared for its entire life, this car should bring between $800,000-$950,000 at auction. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $880,000.

Rover 10 by Weymann

Posted on by
1

1929 Rover 10/25 Saloon by Weymann

Offered by H&H Classics | Soilhull, England | June 2, 2017

Photo – H&H Classics

H&H Classics’ sale at the National Motorcycle Museum in Soilhull, West Midlands, features a quite a few interesting cars, but this Rover 10 was by far the most interesting looking. Rover was a British marque that built cars between 1904 and 2005. Technically Land Rover (and by proxy, Tata) owns the Rover marque, even though the “Roewe” marque is active in China.

The 10/25 was introduced by a still-independent Rover in 1927. It’s powered by a 1.2-liter straight-four making 25 horsepower. Different bodies were offered, including a few by coachbuilder Weymann. This car sports the four-door version with a body in fabric. The roof is fabric as well, and it can be pulled back like the world’s largest sunroof.

The first generation of the 10 lasted through 1933 with approximately 15,000 produced. This one looks really nice and can be yours for between $7,750-$10,350. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this sale’s lineup.

Update: Sold $7,464.

Cunningham Hearse

Posted on by
1

1929 Cunningham V-8 33286 Hearse

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | May 13, 2017

Photo – Auctions America

Some people think hearses in general are creepy. I don’t. But this one is. It’s that ornate, Victorian-like coachwork that makes it look like it should be driven by a ghost in a tuxedo and a top hat. Cunningham built attractive passenger cars from 1911 through 1929. From 1929 through 1936, they concentrated on hearses, ambulances and other car-based commercial vehicles (something they’d been building since practically day one).

This car is powered by a 45 horsepower, 7.2-liter V-8. That’s an embarrassing amount of power from such a big engine, considering Duesenberg’s eight-cylinder engine from 1929 was making 265 horses. But who cares, really, because as heavy as this car looks, it’s enough power to cruise at parade speed, which is really the only thing you’re going to do with it unless you own a funeral home and a time machine.

This car comes from a Detroit-area funeral home and before that it was used in Chicago. The wooden carvings on the side are very intricate. It’s an interesting enough automobile that it was on display for a time at the Henry Ford Museum. Only 5,600 Cunninghams were produced over 30 years – so good luck finding another one like this. It should bring between $80,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $137,500.

Gangloff-bodied Lorraine-Dietrich

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Lorraine-Dietrich Type B 3/6 Sport by Gangloff

Offered by Osenat | Obenheim, France | May 1, 2017

Photo – Osenat

Lorraine-Dietrich just sounds fancy, doesn’t it? This automotive marque began in 1896, founded by their namesake, a railway locomotive manufacturer. Cars were available through 1935, manufactured at two different plants in France. At one point, a young Ettore Bugatti worked there, designing engines.

They built racing cars (they won Le Mans with this model) as well as luxurious tourers like the one you see here. The Type B 3/6 is powered by a 115 horsepower 3.4-liter straight-six.

This car was bought new in Geneva and bodied by Gangloff in Bern. It was restored in 1993 – after nearly 50 years of sitting. The current owner acquired it in 2011 and has used it extensively. It is one of 65 Sport models built but only 15 remain – with this one being the only Cabriolet. It should bring between $543,000-$760,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Supercharged Stutz by Lancefield

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Stutz Model M Supercharged Coupe by Lancefield

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10-11, 2017

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1929 Stutz line consisted of a single model, the Model M, and ’29 was the only model year that the company built a car by that name. Quite a few body styles were offered, and I’m talking like more than 30, but this one carries very sporty Coupe coachwork by Lancefield of London.

Stutz’s standard straight-eight engine would be produced by the firm from 1928  through the end of production in 1934. All Model Ms were powered by this 5.3-liter unit – but a select few were equipped with a supercharger that bumped power up to 185. This supercharged power plant was the result of a 2nd place finish for the marque at Le Mans in 1928. Bentley upped their game for 1929 and Stutz couldn’t afford to build a new engine, so they strapped a centrifugal supercharger to the one they had and sent it back to Europe where the best result attained was 5th at Le Mans in 1929.

Only three supercharged Stutz cars are known to exist and I’ve managed to see two of them in person, this car included. It is a spectacular sight to behold. It’s been restored and freshened multiple times in the past 20 years and in that time has sported owners such as Skip Barber and John O’Quinn. It is being sold out of a prominent Stutz collection based in Texas. The best way to describe this car is that it’s just one of those cars – an incredible automobile that has the engine, chassis, and body it was delivered with. An award winner all over the U.S., it will remain a prized possession among whoever is lucky enough to acquire it next. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,705,000.

Duesenberg J-119

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 30, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This is one of the earliest Model J Duesenberg’s we’ve yet featured. The car that took the world by storm in late 1929 still gets people’s attention today. The Model J is undoubtedly one of America’s greatest automotive achievements.

This is a “Disappearing Top” Convertible Coupe, built by the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California. They built 60 Convertible Coupes, with only 25 of those being of the Disappearing Top variety. As a Model J, it is powered by a 265 horsepower, 6.9-liter straight-eight engine.

This car was sold new with a Derham Sedan body attached to it. The original owner in Chicago sent it back to Duesenberg to have this body installed. This happened in 1934 and then it was resold. It has had many owners, but the current owner has had it for many years and used it often. In fact, he has driven this car round trip from Florida to Auburn, Indiana. The car’s second restoration was completed under his care and is being sold to benefit a liberal arts college. Read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $1,540,000.

Citroen Kégresse

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Citroen P19 Kégresse

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 6, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Everything we’ve ever written about half-tracks on this site has become quite popular, so here you go: a 1929 non-military Citroen half-track. Or Snowcat. Citroen actually built half-tracks (or Kégresse, for the name of the man who patented the tracks) throughout the 1920s and 30s. The French Army used them, but they were also sold to anyone who wanted one. Andre Citroen used one to cross the Sahara.

This model is a P19 – it uses a 2.5-liter straight-six, making it more powerful than most other half-tracks built by Citroen. And rarer too. The rear end is a flatbed, which isn’t that exciting – but at least it’s functional.

In fact, this whole thing is very functional and could be a lot of fun. It’s certainly different. Strangely, Kégresse production ceased in 1940 (when Germany took over), but there are a number of these out there. Here’s your chance to get one for between $43,000-$65,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Artcurial’s auction lineup.

Update: Sold $40,068.

Duesenberg J-414

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 28-29, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We should all know by now that cars don’t get better than Duesenberg Model Js. The Walter M. Murphy Company was the most prolific body supplier for the Model J and their Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe is one of the most popular body styles. But this is a little different.

This is a Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupe. That means it is a convertible where the top is completely hidden when retracted and it has a pinched rear end like a boattail speedster. It even has a one-passenger rumble seat. It’s an awesome combination of design. And as this is a Model J, the 265 horsepower 6.9-liter straight-eight is standard.

This car originally was fitted with engine number J-178 but that engine was removed from the car at some point (likely in the 1940s as a source for parts). In the 1950s, the new owner acquired engine J-414 and put it in this car – that’s why the engine number is so high and the model year is so early. The body work had slight updates in the late-1930s to the “JN” style.

This car has been with its present owners for over 20 years. It is one of six Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupes ever built and one of four to actually still have their original coachwork. They never come up for sale and it should be pricey. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $3,000,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2021, $5,725,000. Updated look below.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby;s

1929 Rally

Posted on by
Reply

1929 Rally Type ABC

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 14, 2015

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Automobiles Rally is a little known marque from the Parisian suburbs. It was founded in 1921 by Eugene Affovard Asniere. Cycle cars were the first models the company produced before turning to sporty, low-chassis sports cars. The depression hit the company hard and they closed their doors in 1933.

The Type ABC was introduced in 1927 and lasted through the end of the company. They were the sports models and were campaigned by the factory in races such as the Mille Miglia. Three engines were offered (with a supercharger option on any of them). This car uses a naturally-aspirated 1.1-liter straight-four (the smallest of the three) making about 30 horsepower. Top speed was about 84 mph.

The “ABC” was a sort of abbreviation for the French word meaning “lowered.” These low slung cars are quite sporting and rarely seen. Legend is that MG bought one back in the day for competitive research. This numbers-matching example is quite nice and should bring between $120,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $125,910.

Five Cars from the 1920s

Posted on by
Reply

1927 Whippet Model 96 Sedan

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

General Motors wasn’t the only American automaker expanding its brands in the 1920s. Willys-Overland was one of a number of other companies to get in on the game. Whippet was a marque introduced for the 1926 model year. It didn’t last long – it was gone after 1930 – but it did have an impact: boosting Willys into third place in the U.S.

The Model 96 was the smaller option in the Whippet line and was produced in every model year. It is powered by a 30 horsepower 2.2-liter straight-four. This car looks great. It was formerly part of the AACA Museum and has been used in Boardwalk Empire – which is something we’ve talked about in other posts. Interesting. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $23,100.

1929 Roosevelt Eight Sedan by Hayes

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Roosevelt is a very rare American automobile make. It was built by Marmon and introduced in 1929 – great timing. It was a smaller version of the larger Marmons and was the first American car with a straight-eight engine to be offered for sale for less than $1,000. The engine is actually a 3.3-liter straight-eight, making 77 horsepower.

The Eight (Roosevelt’s only model) was offered in four body styles with the Sedan being the cheapest and least fanciful. Named for Teddy Roosevelt, this rare survivor would be an awesome addition to a collection. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $10,450.

1924 Oldsmobile Model 30-B Turtle Deck Speedster by Schutte

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The 1924 Oldsmobile line consisted of a single model offered in a range of factory body styles and apparently coachbuilt ones as well. The engine is a 2.8-liter straight-six making 42 horsepower.

The story here is this awesome bod. The aluminium radiator looks like it was milled out of a solid block of metal. The solid metal wheels are amazing. The car only has a single door – on the passenger side of the car. It is full of special one-off features with an unusual body style from a smaller coachbuilder. It is thought that less than 10 Schutte-bodied cars exist and we’ve now featured two of them. Check out more on RM’s site.

Update: Sold $71,500.

1923 Wills Sainte Claire B-68 Gray Goose Special

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Like Roosevelt, Wills Sainte Claire was another short-lived American automobile manufacturer of respectable quality. This car, which is all-original, is a 68-series car. The variations of the Model 68 were built from 1922 through 1926. 1927 was the only year it wasn’t built.

It was Wills Sainte Claire’s largest model, using a 4.4-liter V-8 making 67 horsepower. In 1924, the Model 68 was offered in a bunch of body styles with the most interesting being the Gray Goose Special seen here (which is essentially a four-door touring car). This one has known ownership history from new and has only been owned by two different families in that time. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $57,200.

1920 Rauch & Lang Electric Model C-45 Dual Drive Coach

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 8-9, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Rauch & Lang traces its history back to Jacob Rauch, a blacksmith in Cleveland who opened his shop in 1853. Charles Lang was a real estate man from nearby and moved the company toward wagon building. In 1905, they turned to electric cars and became one of America’s premier electric car builders in the early days of automobiles.

They built cars through 1928 and this 1920 Model C-45 is how most of them looked. The company moved from Cleveland to Massachusetts in 1920 (after having merged with Baker Electric in 1917) and this car was the final example produced in Cleveland. It uses a three horsepower electric motor. This car can be driven from the left hand seat either in the front or rear, which is pretty interesting. Try that in your Buick. Click here to see more about this car.

Update: Sold $66,000.