1925 Duesenberg Eight Speedway Roadster Up for Grabs

Powered by what is believed to be the only known surviving three-liter Duesenberg straight-eight, a 1925 Duesenberg Eight Speedway Roadster is to be auctioned at the forthcoming Amelia Island sale on March 12. This recreation of Pete De Paolo’s 1925 Indianapolis winner is estimated at $200,000-$275,000.

Technical wise, the vehicle in question is fitted with a 225 bhp, 121.3 cu. in. supercharged DOHC inline eight-cylinder engine, three-speed manual transmission, live axle suspension with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and hydraulic rear-wheel-only drum brakes.

The car was formerly part of the collection of the late Dave Uihlein until August 2007. “E.J. Healy, an Allis-Chalmers turbine designer by trade, and an Offy midget man by avocation and hobby … made a layout using the block and gear tower, plus a piece of an earlier Duesenberg head. That’s all we had to work with! The late Hugh Conway, Chairman of the Board of Rolls-Royce Jet Engine, found a patternmaker in the UK,” Uihlein said.

“Joe Gemsa reground the cams. When all these parts were machined, I sent the entire collection to Chris Leydon … for assembly. He re-welded the crankcase and meticulously assembled the engine,” he added.

“Joe Silnes of Indianapolis fame reconstructed the body virtually from scratch with assistance from the Indianapolis Museum who had very kindly provided the original frame drawings and blueprints available. Paul Freehill of Stutz Specialty finished installing the engine and did very nice cosmetic work on the spring hanger assembly, shock absorber mounts and a myriad of other details,” concluded Uihlein.