Tag Archives: 1929

Roosevelt Sedan

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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.

Duesenberg J-147

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | September 5, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

It’s amazing the history that can be found when you have the right car. It’s sort of like a royal bloodline – you can trace it all the way back. And this car has known ownership history from new.

This Model J (powered by the 6.9-liter straight-eight making 265 horsepower) is not wearing its original clothes. When it was new, it had a LeBaron Sweep Panel Phaeton body on it. The body you see here was originally on J-121, which was owned by one of Chicago’s Wrigleys.

Murphy was the most prolific of Duesenberg coachbuilders and this was their most popular two-door body style. Since its original owner (who owned a radio station in Chicago), this car has spent time at the Blackhawk Collection, the Imperial Palace Collection, and the collection of Dean Kruse. It’s been restored since 2007 and is immaculate. It should sell for between $1,500,000-$1,750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,402,500.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2017, $1,430,000.

H.E. Short-Chassis Six

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1929 H.E. 16/60 Short Chassis Sport Tourer

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 13, 2015

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

H.E. – which stands for Herbert Engineering – was a short-lived British car company that was founded shortly after World War One. It was a car with sporting intentions and was offered in a variety of styles and engines. Looking at it, it is decidedly Bentley-esque.

The engine is a 2.3-liter straight-six making about 60 horsepower. The introduction of this six-cylinder engine was a last ditch attempt to keep the company afloat, but they would close their doors anyway in 1931. This 80 mph tourer was the fastest car the firm built.

H.E. only built 61 six-cylinder cars and only three were Sport models like this. It’s the only short chassis 16/60 left and has known history since the 1950s. It’s really a fantastic car. Consider it a steal over a 3-Litre Bentley. Especially as this one is likely to go for between $135,000-$140,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update II: Sold, Bonhams Goodwood, June 2016 $131,338.

Duesenberg J-173

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 16-17, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Yay! Finally a Duesenberg at auction – it’s been a while. In fact, this is the only Duesenberg being offered during the Pebble Beach-weekend sales. What is fantastic about this Model J is that it is all-original.

The 6.9-liter straight-eight puts out 265 horsepower at a low-revving 4,200 rpm. This thing is just a big, tall-geared locomotive. And it was about the most luxurious thing you could buy in 1929. This car was bodied by Murphy, Duesenberg’s most-popular coachbuilder. The convertible sedan is both elegant and sporty, and it was the most-popular style.

First used as a demonstrator, J-173 has bounced between owners recently after spending 60 years in the same family. It’s remarkably original and a natural shoo-in for any preservation class awards you would want to win. You can buy it for between $1,350,000-$1,750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding & Company.

Update: Did not sell.

Aries CB 4

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1929 Aries CB 4 Cabriolet

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | June 22, 2014

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

Aries (which actually has an accent on the “e” but this lovely computer can’t handle that functionality) was a French auto manufacturer that got its start with cars in 1903. The company lasted until 1938, producing about 20,000 cars during its 35 years. The company was known as one of the first French manufacturers to produce their vehicles in left-hand drive.

The CB 4 model seems to have been built in 1929 and 1930 only, before giving way to a slightly larger model. The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four making 40 horsepower. Only about 290 CB 4 models were produced.

The restoration was carried out a few years ago, and it still looks nice. This is a fine chance to grab a rare French convertible from the 1920s. It will cost you between $34,000-$47,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $50,320.

More Awesome Classic Commercial Vehicles

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The Michael Banfield Collection

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

 1922 AEC S-Type Open Top Double Deck Bus

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

AEC is known as the double-decker bus company. Their Routemaster double-decker is one of the most famous of the type. But their double-deckers go back to before WWI. The S-Type was built between 1920 and 1927, with 849 (double-deckers) built for the London General Omnibus Company – for which this example was built.

The engine is a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four and it is said that this was as good as public transport got in London back in the day. It can transport up to 54 people – 26 inside and 28 up top in the weather.

This is thought to be one of only two S-Type double-deckers in existence. And it had a really cool story, which you can read more of here. The price? $130,000-$150,000.

Update: Sold $477,481.

1914 Hallford WD

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

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1929 Chevrolet Bus

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1929 Chevrolet LQ International 14-Seater Coach by Bush & Twiddy

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This Chevrolet is a British Chevrolet and a precursor to the Bedford marque (which would be GM’s British commercial vehicle marque the year after this was built). What’s the coolest thing about this 14-passenger bus? Yes, that’s a convertible roof you see. How sweet.

The engine is a 2.9-liter straight-six. Michael Banfield bought this for £25 in the early 1960s and restored it in 1962-63. It’s been used a fair amount since. It should bring between $25,000-$34,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $68,272.

1929 Bean Omnibus

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1929 Bean 14HP 14-Seat 30CWT Omnibus by Birch Brothers

Offered by Bonhams | Oxford, U.K. | June 7, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Here’s a bonus! It’s not from the Banfield Collection but from that collection of Bean automobiles we talked about in another recent post. The 14HP model was introduced in 1924. They were generally passenger cars.

But this is a commercial vehicle. It uses the 2.7-liter, 14 horsepower straight-four from the range, but the body was actually commissioned by an independent bus operator. The bus can seat 14 people and was displayed for a while at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum. It does run and drive and should sell for between $51,000-$59,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $42,574.

Awesome Classic Commercial Vehicles

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The Michael Banfield Collection

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

 1915 Peerless TC4 4-Ton Open Back

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This sale from Bonhams includes quite a number of really awesome commercial vehicles. I don’t have enough time to feature them individually, but because they’re so cool (and you so rarely see them at auction), I thought I’d do two posts that cover the coolest among them (which is pretty much all of them).

This truck is from one of America’s premier luxury car manufacturers. They started building trucks in 1911 and the U.S. Army loved them. The British government bought 12,000 of them between 1915 and 1918, during the First World War. This thing uses a 6.8-liter four-cylinder and was in service with the British government until 1956. It’s beautiful. And it should sell for between $34,000-$42,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $72,173.

1922 Tilling-Stevens TS3A Open Top Double Deck Bus

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

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Kissel White Eagle

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1929 Kissel Model 8-95 White Eagle Tourster

Offered by RM Auctions | Amelia Island, Florida | March 8, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Hartford, Wisconsin’s Kissel Motor Car Company built a variety of automobiles between 1906 and 1930, the most famous being the Gold Bug Speedster. In 1927, they introduced a four-seater version of the Gold Bug and called it the White Eagle.

Kissel’s were high quality, luxurious and sporty. I would liken them to Aston Martin today – not track-ready but quick, plush and stylish. The White Eagle was available with a few different engines and this one carries a 4.0-liter Lycoming straight-eight making 95 horsepower. The styling was updated for 1929 as Kissel tried to stay in business and fend off the Depression.

The Tourster body style is ultra sporty for a four-door convertible. Look at the long, pillar-less side – I bet this thing looks downright bitchin’ with the top down. This is the only known 1929 Tourster model known to exist and it was purchased new in Canada. The restoration is older than 1991 and has been freshened since. It’s a beautiful car and it should bring between $80,000-$120,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of RM’s Amelia Island lineup.

Update: Sold (or stolen) $60,500.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Auburn Fall 2019, $49,500.