Photo: Auction from Mecum.com
In 1926, three years before the Great Depression hit, Fred Duesenberg was ordered to create the greatest automobile America had ever seen. Depending on who you ask, that came true on December 1st, 1928, with the Model J.
Our topic of the day pertains to the glorious 1929 Duesenberg Model J LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham. Try to say that five times fast.
Even though the chassis is the shorter one of the two original available, the wheelbase still comes in at an impressive 142.5-inch (361.95 cm). The size allowed the car to rock a dining room table-long hood. Under it, sitting snuggly, is a 420 CI DOHC straight-8 Lycoming engine that produces 265 HP (268.6 PS).
The car underwent a mechanical restoration in 1994 by Libby’s Classic Car Restoration Center. Also, this isn’t their only incursion into restoring Duesenberg models. The Massachusetts-based company prides itself on working on a 1930 and 1933 Duesenberg J, along with SJ models.
Of course, on the track, this 1929 one is no match for the 320 HP (324.4 PS) 1930 SJ model, but as far as looks go, if one had to make a choice between these two models based purely on aesthetics, it would be a grueling task for anyone.
The 3-speed transmission vehicle was first delivered on a hot summer’s day in August 1929 to Alice Paddock of the Illinois Paddocks. She kept in the family until 1933 when the old-timey “pink slip” switched hands.
An interesting fact is that the second owner wasn’t quite happy with the original look of the Model J and had it sent back to the Duesenberg factory for a makeover.
Initially, it came with a Weymann sedan body number 208, which is nothing to scoff at either. None but perhaps tears of joy were shed after the car’s body upgrade to the LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham style.
In total, the 1929 Duesenberg Model J had no less than fourteen owners. At the time of writing it's still looking for lucky number fifteen.
Even though the chassis is the shorter one of the two original available, the wheelbase still comes in at an impressive 142.5-inch (361.95 cm). The size allowed the car to rock a dining room table-long hood. Under it, sitting snuggly, is a 420 CI DOHC straight-8 Lycoming engine that produces 265 HP (268.6 PS).
The car underwent a mechanical restoration in 1994 by Libby’s Classic Car Restoration Center. Also, this isn’t their only incursion into restoring Duesenberg models. The Massachusetts-based company prides itself on working on a 1930 and 1933 Duesenberg J, along with SJ models.
Of course, on the track, this 1929 one is no match for the 320 HP (324.4 PS) 1930 SJ model, but as far as looks go, if one had to make a choice between these two models based purely on aesthetics, it would be a grueling task for anyone.
The 3-speed transmission vehicle was first delivered on a hot summer’s day in August 1929 to Alice Paddock of the Illinois Paddocks. She kept in the family until 1933 when the old-timey “pink slip” switched hands.
An interesting fact is that the second owner wasn’t quite happy with the original look of the Model J and had it sent back to the Duesenberg factory for a makeover.
Initially, it came with a Weymann sedan body number 208, which is nothing to scoff at either. None but perhaps tears of joy were shed after the car’s body upgrade to the LaGrande Blind Quarter Brougham style.
In total, the 1929 Duesenberg Model J had no less than fourteen owners. At the time of writing it's still looking for lucky number fifteen.
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