1932 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton

• Engine No. J-463, Chassis No. 2480
• Upgraded to Model SJ specifications
• Dual Cowl Phaeton coachwork built in the style of LaGrande
• Factory fitted with a Rollston limousine body on a long wheelbase chassis
• Early in life it was converted to open configuration with a Dietrich Convertible Berline body
• The Dietrich body was No. 1946 from car J-389
• Dietrich Body No. 1946 was lost in garage fire, but the original chassis and engine survived
• Upgraded to current coachwork in the 1970s
• SJ centrifugal supercharger
• 420 CI 32 valve DOHC straight 8 engine
• 3-speed transmission
• Adjustable power brakes
• Automatic chassis lubrication
• Formerly part of the Al Wiseman Collection

It is necessary to consider the era in which Duesenberg produced the magnificent Model J to truly appreciate its impact on the automotive landscape. Only one other car—the steam-powered Doble—was in the same price class as the Duesenberg. The most powerful engines were those in the Auburn and Pierce Arrow at 125 horsepower, and most were of the L-head design that was cheap to produce and a smooth and quiet runner. Two valves per cylinder was the convention, and a 50 to 60 MPH top speed was merely theoretical to most motorists. Enter the Duesenberg Model J, whose 420 CI inline-8 engine used twin overhead cams and four valves per cylinder to generate 265 horses, enough to take a Phaeton-bodied J to 116 MPH at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The price? $8,500, making it not only the fastest but also the most expensive car made in America. From the December 1928 unveiling at the New York Car Show to the last one built in 1937, Duesenberg produced approximately 480 Model Js. Several coachbuilders contributed a wide variety of bodies, but the drivetrains remained virtually unchanged with one exception: a centrifugal supercharger was made available beginning in 1932. Advertising claimed 320 HP in the so-called SJ models, which also included an exhaust cutout that was perfect for rousing the locals while passing through town at 100 miles an hour.

This imposing long-wheelbase 1932 Duesenberg Model J carries chassis number 2480 and engine number J-463. Delivered new with formal limousine coachwork by Rollston of New York, it was later fitted with a Deitrich convertible Berline body sourced from Duesenberg chassis number 2415. Sometime between 1946 and 1956 the car was involved in a garage fire and the Dietrich body was destroyed; however the born-together engine and chassis survived. It remained in that condition until the 1970s, when a restoration was started. J-463/2415 was adorned with an elegant new body built in the style of a LaGrande dual-cowl phaeton, and in that same period the engine was rebuilt and upgraded to SJ specification.