A 1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy convertible coupe sold for $2,365,000.
Duesenberg was one of the great American automakers before the Great Depression wiped them out. [1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupe sold for $2,365,000 at Mecum's auction in Glendale, Arizona, in March.
Much of its fame rested on its engine, which was one of the most powerful and sophisticated of its time. The car's Lycoming 420 cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams, a novelty at the time, produced 265 hp, and a 3-speed manual transmission sent that power to the rear wheels.
The engine is housed in an alloy steel chassis with six cross members for reinforcement. The suspension consists of parallel elliptical leaf springs, front I-beams, and a semi-floating rear axle. Brakes are hydraulic drums with vacuum assist at all four corners. It is also equipped with a Bijur automatic chassis lubrication system.
Since those were the days of coachbuilding, Duesenberg supplied only the chassis to the customer and the bodywork was procured separately by the customer; in 1929, two wheelbases were available and this model was built on the shorter 142.5-inch wheelbase. The bodywork was done by Walter J. Murphy Coachbuilders, which built 116 of the 487 Model J Duesenbergs, according to the auction listing. The car is one of 60 with the convertible coupe body style, the seller stated.
The interior is trimmed in tan leather (the same as the cloth convertible top), and the engine-tipped dashboard is crammed with gauges.
The car - chassis 2165, engine J142 - has been fully restored and has won multiple awards. Its high price is no surprise: a 1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston convertible sold for about $3 million at auction in 2021, and a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for $22 million in 2018, setting a record for the highest American car sold at auction It set a record for the highest price ever paid for an American car sold at auction.
Another recent Mecum auction highlight was a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with only 182 miles on the odometer that sold for $2.2 million. A 2004 Carrera GT owned by Jerry Seinfeld also sold at auction this month, with the final bid coming in at $1,865,000.
