Mystery Car

The Duesenberg Model J was a luxury automobile made by Duesenberg Motor Company from 1928 to 1937, and was intended to compete with the most luxurious and powerful cars in the world. The 420 cu in/6.9 litre straight eight Model J motor was based on the company’s successful racing engines of the 1920s, and though designed by Duesenberg were manufactured by Lycoming (both part of the same corporation that also owned Cord, Auburn and Checker Cabs). In normally-aspirated form with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder it produced 265hp/198kW and had a top speed of 91mph/146kmh and 79mph/127kmh in second gear.

The 320hp/239kW supercharged Model SJ was released in 1932. The SJ’s top speed was reported to be 135-140mph/217-225kmh and its 0-100mph/161kmh
time 17 seconds, despite its unsynchronized transmission and weight of around two and a half tonnes. Other cars had bigger engines, but none surpassed the
Model J’s power. It was both the fastest and most expensive American automobile on the market.

As was common practice among the luxury car brands, only the chassis and engine were advertised; the body and interior trim would be custom-made to the owner’s specifications by a third-party coachbuilder.

Many brilliant ideas have failed because of poor timing. The Model J was introduced in 1928, the year before the stock market crash which lead to the Great
Depression, and Duesenberg went bankrupt in 1937.

Source : “The Bayside Vehicle Restorers Club Inc. Magazine”