To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Guyton
Collection event, 4 - 5 May 2019.
Estimate:
$350,000 - $450,000
- Originally owned by Ruxton President George Kissel
- Formerly of the D. Cameron Peck Collection from 1939-1959
- Part of the Guyton Collection for over two decades
- One of 12 Baker-Raulang-bodied roadsters; seven exist
today
- Presented in the special Ruxton class at the 2014 Pebble Beach
Concours d'Elegance
- Awarded the prestigious FIVA Pre-war Trophy
THE RUXTON AUTOMOBILE
Described as the "most turbulent tale in automotive history," the
story of America's first front-drive automobile is a saga worthy of
a major motion picture. Launched at the onset of the Great
Depression, author Jeffrey Godshall described the Ruxton as "a
superb automobile that never had a chance."
The car was designed by William J. Muller, an engineering wizard
who spent his early life on the race tracks of America. At age 18,
in 1912, Muller set a land speed record on Galveston beach driving
an Excelsior motorcycle to 103 mph. He was an intuitive driver,
crack-shot mechanic, and eventually crewed with�or managed race
teams for�the finest drivers piloting the most exceptional machines
of the era.
In 1913, Muller was given the opportunity to pilot the famous
front-wheel-drive Gila Monster race car, an event that forever
changed his mind on the best way to propel automobiles. He later
explained, "I will never forget the sensation of being pulled"
(versus pushed by rear-wheel drive). This was an historic time
where competitors like Harry Miller were building, campaigning, and
winning with innovative front-drive race cars; the technology was
changing the game. Although publicly denouncing front-wheel drive,
several high-end automakers were quietly building their own
prototypes, sensing a possible market shift ahead.
After obtaining a formal engineering education, Muller found
himself working for the Budd Company in Philadelphia, as an
engineering problem-solver for President Edward G Budd. Muller
pitched the idea of building a high-end, revolutionary front-drive
road car for sale to the public. Mr. Budd ultimately agreed,
thinking that another firm could produce the chassis and Budd would
build the bodies for the majority of the models produced.
Enter pitchman Archie M. Andrews. Andrews was well known and feared
throughout the automotive industry for praying on companies by
manipulating their stock and then raiding their balance sheets
through outright liquidation. He was on several automotive boards
and happened to be the Budd Company's largest shareholder. While
Mr. Budd was in Europe on a business trip, Andrews convinced the
second in command that Mr. Budd had sold him the front-drive
project and he quickly absconded with the prototypes, tooling, and
even Mr. Muller himself, who had no idea that this was a complete
ruse.
The journey only became more twisted as they placed the project
under a holding company, New Era Motors, in 1929 and moved through
a series of financial and legal battles, corporate takeovers, and
production machinations to get the car built. Plagued by shortages
of transmissions and front-drive axles, production was intermittent
and chaotic and spanned three assembly locations (Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania [11 cars]; St. Louis, Missouri [65 cars]; and
Hartford, Wisconsin [20 cars]). With the economy in tatters and no
market for high-end cars, they filed for bankruptcy in 1930.
The least expensive Ruxton, the sedan, sold for $4,500, or nine
times the price of a new Ford and was priced 40 percent higher than
the Cord L-29, Ruxton's U.S.-based competitor. Despite the
company's abrupt end in 1930, the lawsuits against it continued
into the mid-1960s! In the end, for every 50 Cord L-29s built,
fewer than one Ruxton was produced. Although historical production
accounts range from 60 to 500 units, more recent research and
records indicate that about 96 total Ruxtons were built, 10 of
which were assembled by the bankruptcy agent well after the company
had folded. Of the total production, only 12 were the
Baker-Raulang-bodied roadsters, of which seven, including this car,
exist today.
The Ruxton is the rarest of the top 20 U.S. luxury cars registered
between 1927 and 1934 Unfortunately, the Depression wiped out the
front-drive innovators and there would be an historic gap of nearly
30 years before GM launched the front-drive Oldsmobile Tornado in
1966. Despite the long journey toward front-drive acceptance in the
industry, today over 70 percent of the cars on U.S. roads are
front-drive; it is undeniably the preferred way to move an
automobile.
THE RUXTON ROADSTER
This car has a very well-known history and is body no. 11 of the 12
Ruxton roadsters produced. It is fitted with Continental engine no.
18S-162 and chassis no. 11005, making it the sixth car assembled at
the Kissel Motor Car facility. Kissel had earlier taken on
assembling the Ruxton transmissions under contract and later agreed
to assemble complete Ruxton cars. The company was run by George
Kissell, President, and his brother, Wil Kissell. Wil owned a
Ruxton phaeton, and the very roadster offered here was George's
personal Ruxton. Despite a hostile takeover attempt by Mr. Andrews,
which resulted in Kissel's bankruptcy, the brothers kept their
Ruxtons long term and would sing the marque's praise to whomever
listened.
Mr. Kissel ultimately sold this Ruxton in 1939 to the notable
collector D. Cameron Peck of Chicago, Illinois. The Peck Collection
would retain the Ruxton for two more decades, selling it in 1959 to
Jim Watson of Houston, Texas. Mr. Watson, surely fond of his rare
Ruxton, held on to the car for a further 10 years. Beginning in
1969, the roadster would trade hands several more times, including
A.N. Rodway Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio, M.H. "Tiny" Gould of
Pennsylvania, and then Terry Radey in Ontario, Canada. In 1978 the
Ruxton found another long-term home with Floyd DuVall of Davenport,
Iowa. Mr. DuVall maintained the highly original Ruxton until 1996
when it was acquired by Mr. Guyton, for his growing collection of
rare and unusual American Classics.
Restored over the years only as necessary, this very honest Ruxton
has been shown extensively at many concours and CCCA events during
its ownership by Mr. Guyton, including in the special Ruxton class
at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it was awarded
the prestigious FIVA Pre-war Trophy. It is a proud tradition sure
to be continued by its new owner at the wheel of a true piece of
Classic Era motoring history.To view this car and others currently
consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/gc19.
