Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved: A Special Duesenberg SSJ
Did you identify this extremely rare Duesenberg?
Identify;
- The make, model, and year
1936 (some sources claim 1935) Duesenberg Model SSJ
- What makes this particular car so special?
The SSJ model ("S'hort' 'S'upercharged Model 'J') was substantially shorter than the two standard length Duesenbergs, hence, the extra 'S' in the model's nomenclature. The 'regular' short, and long, wheelbase Duesies were 142.5 inches and 153.5 inches respectively. However, the SSJ models were a very short 125 inches, 17.5 inches shorter than the standard short wheelbase chassis.
- How many were built?
Only 2 SSJ Duesenbergs were built.
- Who was the well-known person who first drove this car regularly?
Duesenberg, in an effort to sell more cars during the Great Depression, offered Clark Gable and Gary Cooper, 2 of Hollywood's biggest stars and 'car guys', 2 special Duesenbergs to drive around and be seen in to promote the brand. Gable and Cooper were also Duesenberg enthusiasts with each owning other Duesenbergs.
This car of the two was driven by Clark Gable.
- How much did it sell for in its last public auction?
While Gable's SSJ has been privately owned for over 40 years, the equally rare and special Cooper Duesenberg SSJ sold for 22 million a few years ago setting the record for the highest sale price of any American classic/antique automobile. No doubt the Gable Duesenberg would sell for the same.
Comments (6)
Congrats to Bob Barauskas, Hugh Nutting, Graham Scaife, and Steve Lucas for identifying the SSJ model.
Keep an eye out for a future post on these two special Duesenbergs.
Greg O.
Comments
Only two 1936 Duesenberg SSJ Speedsters were built: one for Clark Gable, the other for Gary Cooper. Riding a 125-inch wheelbase, 17-1/2 inches shorter than a standard Duesie, the SSJ Speedsters sported a lightweight open-roadster body produced by Central Manufacturing Company, an Auburn subsidiary in Connersville, Indiana.
Features of these 1936 models included the older-style open fenders, 17-inch wheels, and Duesenberg’s famed vertical-bar grille. The cockpit was cozy for two, but the dashboard carried comprehensive instrumentation, even a tachometer and an altimeter gauge. Note the five chrome strips on the rear fenders, a complement to the trim on the running boards
The heart of the SSJ Speedster was the 420-cubic-inch straight eight engine. It featured dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. With the centrifugal-type supercharger, 320 horsepower was on tap.
In August 2018, one Duesenberg SSJ was auctioned for a staggering $22 million, making it the most expensive prewar car ever sold at an American auction.
Looks like a 1930-31 Dusenberg model J disappearing roof. Maybe it was owned by Al Capone. Just a guess though.
There were 2 short wheelbase SSJ Duesenbergs built - most claim in 1935. The tu-tone gray one was first bought by Gary Cooper. It started out being Tan which Gary’s wife did not like. This car was in the Briggs Cunningham collection for many years. When it was sold to the Collier Rev Institute they displayed it for several years. Then they did some financial re-organization and sold it for $22 million. The red and silver one some claim Clark Gable owned it or maybe Tyrone Powers. Gable had a lot of publicity photo shot with cars did not own. A friend who was on the board of the ACD Museum told me he drove it and the body work was slightly different than the Cooper SSJ. In the 1980s several replicas were built using Dodge truck chassis and Bill Honda replica sheet metal. Some were painted red and silver like the real one. These cars are very good copies except they have hubcaps rather than wire wheels.
All I can say is the car is a Duesenberg. Other than that I can’t come up with any other answers. Rog
Howard,
Clark Gable’s Duesenberg SSJ. One of two made. Miles Collier had it in his Rev’s Institute collection.
You have company. I just ruptured my Achille’s tendon as well . Long road to recovery.
Graham
That’s a 1935 Duesenberg Model SSJ that was once regularly driven by Gary Cooper. It’s special because it is one of only two ever built, has had just two owners since 1949 (Briggs Cunningham & Miles Collier), and remains in basically unrestored condition. It sold for 22 million dollars at the Gooding & Co. auction in Pebble Beach in 2018. The other SSJ was once owned by Clark Gable.
The thing to remember about Duesenbergs is that they were basically all built less coach work in 1929. At that point there were no Super Charged cars, only the J model. Some of the early cars were fitted with Super Chargers later. Many at that point were customized or re-bodied. In California there were many Duesenbergs and after 1933 when Walter Murphy closed its doors many Murphy bodies were altered. Automobile styling had drifted away from the classic clam shell front fenders to the more modern shaped Cord 810 styled fenders. Like Rolls Royce, the Duesenberg out lasted there original styling. Hence shops survived updating the designs. There were still some of these active in 1960 when I started at Art Center School. It was great fun to visit them. It was about this time when Bill Harrah started bringing his classic cars to these old school craftsmen in So Cal to do the restoration work. It was kind of the best of two worlds in those days.
This is the Clark Gable’s Dusey! Note, the bumper is different, a couple of hood scoops on each side, regular wheels with hubcaps, rear fender skirts. The Friday Mystery Foto Solved? Most likely Gary Cooper’s Duesy?
A correction! this is Clark Gable’s 1935 Model JN, maybe SJN.10 were made in 1935, if this was a supercharge model, it would be known as SJN model.
There was 2 SSJ models, the first was sold to Gary Cooper in 1935, the other was LENT by the company to Clark Gable a good customer in 1936.
Mark- you’ll understand the full story when I do the specific SSJ post. But Gable and Cooper both had supercharged J’s before EL Cord gave them both Duesenberg SSJ’s to help promote Duesenberg which was having a depression sales problem by that time. And yes, while Gable never did pay for his, Copper did finally pay for his.
There are well known stories of traffic light drag races between Gable and Cooper often getting challenged by Groucho Marx in his Mercedes SSK. Cooper had his modified to beat Groucho.