1931 Duesenberg Model J was hidden in garage

Steve Staysko said:
Not a Ford but who doesn't love a story about a Duesenberg!

https://journal.classiccars.com/202...rg-model-j-was-hidden-in-garage-for-56-years/
Click to expand...
1931-duesenberg-model-j-garage-find_100875377_h-696x392.jpg


1931-duesenberg-model-j-garage-find_100875376_h-1280x720.jpg
 
Steve, I saw that the other day and it brought back great memories. My brother and I pulled a '35 Duesenberg out of a garage in Racine back in 1971 or '72. Nice car, solid, nothing missing. Just "tired" and dirty from sitting for a long, long time.
We'd scraped $5000 together and brought that beast home. Dad, as always "blew his mind" and threatened to kick me and my brother out if we didn't get rid of "that old car".
Well, we did. Made darn near $10k within a month. Not bad in 1972!
Car went to a collector out west. I can no longer recall his name. Leo Gephart? He was known at that time for his Duesenberg's.
 
What put you onto the car in Racine? Word of mouth? Thanks for sharing that story!
Great for you, but that is about the exact time I made my WORST car deal. I sold a 63 split window for $2k thinking i was making a lot of money. At that time, they were just an $1800 used car.
 
The mention of Leo Gephart along with Duesenberg brought back the memory of when in 1968 I bought the '32 station wagon that is in my avatar photo. Leo was then located in the Dayton, Ohio area and he had two unrestored '32 woodies for sale. While I was at his place deciding on which of the two to purchase, Leo said he had a better idea. Apparently he was a little short of cash at the time and he took me over to another one of his buildings and said "you should buy this instead". "This" was a mint original Derham-bodied '29 Model J convertible sedan, far too nice to restore. For a mere $25,000 I could drive it home instead of towing a trailer home with a worn out '32 Ford station wagon on board. I did drive the Duesenberg around the block thinking I will never be offered the chance again in my lifetime and that proved to be true. The station wagon was $1,200 and the difference between that and $25,000 was like night and day for someone who just borrowed money from his parents to buy his first home.
 
Last edited:
DavidG said:
The mention of Leo Gephart along with Duesenberg brought back the memory of when in 1968 I bought the '32 station wagon that is in my avatar photo. Leo was then located in the Dayton, Ohio area and he had two unrestored '32 woodies for sale. While I was at his place deciding on which to the two to purchase, Leo said he had a better idea. Apparently he was a little short of cash at the time and he took me over to another one of his buildings and said "you should buy this instead". "This" was a mint original Derham-bodied '29 Model J convertible sedan, far too nice to restore. For a mere $25,000 I could drive it home instead of towing a trailer home with a worn out '32 Ford station wagon on board. I did drive the Duesenberg around the block thinking I will never be offered the chance again in my lifetime and that proved to be true. The station wagon was $1,200 and the difference between that and $25,000 was like night and day for someone who just borrowed money from his parents to buy his first home.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing, David! Wow, neat memories, huh? Ya know, at the time of that Duesenberg "flip", my share of the profit, $5000, was a lot. I was making $1.10 / hour at the local burger place.
 
deuce_roadster said:
What put you onto the car in Racine? Word of mouth? Thanks for sharing that story!
Great for you, but that is about the exact time I made my WORST car deal. I sold a 63 split window for $2k thinking i was making a lot of money. At that time, they were just an $1800 used car.
Click to expand...

My brother, six years older than me, got me into these old cars when I was a mere twelve years old.
We would drive around Racine and Milwaukee just searching for old cars. My brother was the "Buick guy". Me? Well, you know.
Anyway, we'd find cars on a regular basis and drag one home after the other. Mostly, working man cars. Chevy's, Ford's, etc. Still, we were not looking away when the errant V16 Cadillac was a good deal or a V12 Lincoln, etc.
One after the other; for years this went on.
There were MANY mistakes made thinking we were making great profits.
Bought a custom bodied (aluminum) '34 Pierce Arrow for $1200. Sight unseen. Car was delivered with a cracked head. We sent the car back and got a refund. That's when I probably should have started wearing a special helmet.
My brother brought home a one-year-old Shelby Cobra big block. He paid $5000 for that car. After my dad (figuratively) threatened his life, he brought the car back.

Kinda funny in retrospect but every car we brought home began a new battle.
"Get that junk outta here" (Dad) and the typical response "Dad, c'mon, we're gonna do good on this one".
We'd kept dragging them home, flipping them and arguing. Dad passed way too young in 1974. I pray he can see the opportunities this flipping stage of my life later afforded me.
Hey David... I bought my first house when I was 19. $35k. I was terrified at the time. $35k? Yikes! I clearly recall wondering how could I possibly ever pay for that?
I owned that house in less than three years. Old cars were good to me :)
 
During one of my many travels around the Western States many years ago I encountered a Duesenberg in Eastern Idaho.
The man that had the car had quite a collection of old vehicles, most of which were parts cars.. The owner of the Duesy had found the car in an old mine in Montana, the car had been used as a power source to run the mine, surprisingly the car was in very good shape. having been protected from the elements by the mine tunnel. The rear portion of the body had been cut off which left the rear portion of the chassis exposed, which allowed for a drive belt to be attached to a rear hub to run mine machinery.
The owner claimed the car would run, he said he would start the engine from time to time. The car was for sale, however, at a price far beyond my means.
Never will forget the grille on the car and the chrome pipes coming out of the hood side panel.
 
blucar said:
During one of my many travels around the Western States many years ago I encountered a Duesenberg in Eastern Idaho.
The man that had the car had quite a collection of old vehicles, most of which were parts cars.. The owner of the Duesy had found the car in an old mine in Montana, the car had been used as a power source to run the mine, surprisingly the car was in very good shape. having been protected from the elements by the mine tunnel. The rear portion of the body had been cut off which left the rear portion of the chassis exposed, which allowed for a drive belt to be attached to a rear hub to run mine machinery.
The owner claimed the car would run, he said he would start the engine from time to time. The car was for sale, however, at a price far beyond my means.
Never will forget the grille on the car and the chrome pipes coming out of the hood side panel.
Click to expand...

Seems to me that car, well, what was left of it, did go on to be restored. I no longer recall just where, but there was a lengthy article published many years ago about that vehicle.
 
Not many old finds left. I remember a friend told me in the early 60's he scrapped out a 55 and 56 convertible, just flipped them over because easier to get transmission out. Said they were ok but needed new tops. Got $35 for them at scrapyard. I told co worker in the 70's they were crazy for having a new ranch style house built. Just the way it was. I filled out order form for a 351CJ 73 triple black Mustang convertible but didn't sign, it was going to be $4000.
 
Back in the 80's there were 2 Duesenbergs in a barn near me. They were earlier than the celebrated J models, but still a big car. One had the back cut off and a very nice home made wrecker body in its place. The other just a big unrestored sedan. I wanted the wrecker, but neither was for sale, they were "dads" cars. Dad was long gone, and these were not car people, yet not for sale. The place sold in about 2000 and I always wonder what happened to the Duzzy's
 
I found a Dusie here in Knoxville back in the early 60s setting out in the open in a back yard with chicken crates pile on it. If I remember right it had Willobuy 4dr body. Was complete less the intake. Fellow that had it also had a v12 Packard and said he had the Dusie so he could belong to the Classic Car Club of America. He moved shortly after that and I never could find him again.
 
My dad dropped out of high school to become a mechanic for Firestone in Minneapolis. In the winter, his main job was to come in at 4 AM and put kerosene heaters under all of the Model "T" delivery trucks to ensure they could get them started. He soon realized that he had made a major mistake and went back and finished his schooling. After that, there was no way any of his sons were going to be involved in mechanics. Of course. my older brother and I were in constant conflict with him during our teen age years.
 
Kube, if your Dad and my mother weren't brother and sister they were at least cousins. My brother and I were constantly threatened with eviction for bring old cars home. Years latter Mom asked why we didn't keep some of the old cars we had. She couldn't recall the conversation of "You kids are not going to turn this place into a god%&#n junkyard. Either you get that junk out of here or you are leaving!".
 
My Dad was dead set against my interest in old Fords until he became a senior citizen and then he gradually bought into it and accompanied me several times to the Hershey extravaganza. He was a tool & die maker and his skills were a huge asset to me. Unlike many of us, he became more open minded with the passing years, a rare quality.
 
Kube said:
Steve, I saw that the other day and it brought back great memories. My brother and I pulled a '35 Duesenberg out of a garage in Racine back in 1971 or '72. Nice car, solid, nothing missing. Just "tired" and dirty from sitting for a long, long time.
We'd scraped $5000 together and brought that beast home. Dad, as always "blew his mind" and threatened to kick me and my brother out if we didn't get rid of "that old car".
Well, we did. Made darn near $10k within a month. Not bad in 1972!
Car went to a collector out west. I can no longer recall his name. Leo Gephart? He was known at that time for his Duesenberg's.
Click to expand...

Leo resided in AZ later in life, he restored the stainless 36 Tudor too. A relative that existed before my time bought a Model J new. My grandmother remembered riding in the car, and I’ve seen it. It’s well known in the Duesenberg circles but an otherwise plain J.
 
The man I knew in Eastern Idaho, (Idaho Falls) that had the ' Mine Found' Duesenburg in a shed had a radiator repair business with a large collection of Stuff in sheds, etc., behind his business.
I can't remember his name, he had somewhat of an unusual personality, if he liked you you were in, if not he was liable to sick the dogs on you.
I bought a '51 Chevy 2dr sdn from him that had been in a garage fire which damaged the trunk area. The car was actually in excellent condition forward of the trunk. I bought the car to repair a '51 Chevy BelAire hard top that some lame brain cut the running gear off of for scrap.
I put the complete chassis from the 2dr under the BelAire which made it into a running/driving car.
The man I sold the car to was very happy with it, paint and upholstery made it into a very nice car.
 
Wonderful stories. My parents thought I was nuts when I bought my first Model A. They didn't pitch a fit, but I didn't get much support, either.

Kube, you should write an article about all the ones you brought home.

I did find a 1924 Model T Ford that had been stored in a garage in Washington, DC since around 1962. It's in my garage now. I am going to pick up a 1910 Model T in a situation similar to the Duesenberg. Not forgotten, but stored by the granddaughter who inherited it.
 
Last edited:
My mother was born in 1910. When she saw my 1932 Roadster in 2000 she said her father gave her a new Ford Roadster when she graduated from college. She added that her's was blue not black like mine. She graduated 22 years old in 1932. At age 90, still knew her cars.

About 1963 a friend told me about a 1957 Olds convertible for sale. Black paint, black leather, black roof. Price $250.00 One condition before he would give me contact info he wanted the roof for his own car. In fact he would buy the roof for $125.00 I would end up with the rest of the car for $125. And, I forgot to mention, the prior owner installed a 37 Cad LaSalle top shifter trans in the car. Try and sell a car without a roof. I had a Model A Coupe waiting for that drive train. My mother financed the deal.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top