1930 Duesenberg Model J Town Cabriolet

This magnificent 1930 Duesenberg Model J Towncar was purchased by Nanaline Holt Inman Duke, widow of James Buchanan Duke, founder of the American Tobacco Company. Duke, the mother of Doris Duke, had the rolling chassis sent to Murphy in Pasadena, California to construct a town car. The car was completed quickly and sent to Ms. Duke on Halloween that same year. This is an incredibly special car to us, as it was used to transport Ms. Duke between her residences in New Jersey and Newport, surely making a statement when travelling up and down Bellevue Avenue.

Though they were built during the Great Depression and cost more than a Rolls-Royce or a Hispano-Suiza, the Model J Duesenberg had no problems attracting customers in the beginning. Among the rich and famous who drove Duesenbergs were film stars Greta Garbo, Al Jolson, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and Dolores del Rio, whose husband Cedric Gibbons, famed film art director and creator of the "Oscar" statuette, was also a keen Duesenberg owner. Among its remarkable features was a twin-cam race-bred engine – a purpose-built 32-valve Lycoming 419 C.I. DOHC straight-eight said to develop 265 horsepower. 

The Duesenberg’s race derived twin-cam engine boasted an incredible 265 horsepower, a number that was unimaginable from a large passenger car in the period. With light bodywork, it was possible to achieve 90 mph in second gear with a maximum speed in the region of 110 mph in high gear. Even with more substantial Town Car bodies, performance was impressive.  Ride and handling were exceptional for the period, matched by 15-inch hydraulic brakes all around. Every chassis built was tested for 500 miles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before being handed over to a leading coachbuilder for the construction of custom bodywork.

Specifications:

Configuration: Front Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
Engine: Straight Eight
Horsepower: 265 @ 4,250 RPM
Transmission: 3-Speed Manual