Vehicle Description
Upon the Duesenberg Model J's grand unveiling at the New York Auto
Show on December 1, 1928, the world's business moguls, movie stars,
and social elite lined up for their chance to own one of these
glamorous new "supercars" from Indianapolis. At the heart of the
Model J lay a 420 cubic-inch, Lycoming-built inline eight-cylinder
engine featuring twin overhead camshafts and four valves per
cylinder, rated at an astonishing 265 horsepower in naturally
aspirated form. The Duesenberg brothers paired their magnificent
engine with a highly advanced chassis featuring powerful,
cockpit-adjustable hydraulic drum brakes and fully automatic
chassis lubrication that operated every 30-60 miles - features
years ahead of their time. The Model J vanquished nearly everything
else on the road and was the fastest, most exclusive, and most
expensive car in America. Unfortunately for E.L. Cord, the car
arrived on the eve of the Great Depression, and at nearly $10,000
for a chassis alone, Cord's dream of 500 vehicles per year was
shattered. In reality, production topped off at just 481 cars in
total, and sales gradually trickled on through the late 1930s.
Today, the Model J and its derivatives are the Gold Standard of
Classic Era automobiles. They hold a place of pride among the most
iconic and desirable motorcars ever produced in America and are an
enduring symbol of the style and grandeur of the 1930s. Coachwork
on Duesenberg J's varied as wildly as the respective buyer's
tastes. Sedans and Limousines made up the bulk of styles, while
roadsters, convertible sedans, and coupes also featured - with
designs and details ranging from conservative to ultra-flamboyant.
Indianapolis-based Weymann America was already well-established as
a high-end coachbuilder, particularly among Stutz customers.
Weymann bodies were unique in their aircraft-style construction,
utilizing a wooden "skeleton" skinned in lacquered fabric or
aluminum panels. Thanks to carefully isolated joints, Weymann
bodies were exceptionally quiet and, above all - lightweight. The
patented Weymann Method was licensed to other coachbuilders, most
notably to Vanden Plas, whose bodies graced many a great sporting
Cricklewood Bentley. Weymann America was eager to get a piece of
the market and develop a "custom catalog" body for the Model J, and
they designed a striking four-door sports saloon body specifically
for the mighty Duesenberg, which they namedSt. Cloud. Chassis
number 2259, also known by its engine number J-251, is one of
approximately thirteen Duesenberg J chassis originally clothed with
Weymann coachwork. While precise Weymann production records do not
exist, this sum is believed to include the famous Weymann
"Tapertail" and "fishtail" speedsters, several traditional
metal-paneled sedans, a torpedo phaeton, and three fabric-bodied
St. Cloud Sports Sedans. Through the efforts of marque historians,
including Fred Roe, it is accepted that two of the three documented
St. Clouds were rebodied many years ago, making it highly likely
that 2259/J-251 is the only surviving Duesenberg J with the
stylish, European-inspired Weymann St. Cloud coachwork. Records
show that 2259/J-251 was first sold in November 1929 to Thos. L.
Morrison of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Features included a V-core
radiator, 3.75 rear axle ratio, and 19-inch chrome wheels. Along
the way, 2259/J-251 was refinished from its original green livery
to black and passed through the hands of several enthusiastic
owners. Ray Wolff and Dan Lang co-owned it for a time, and it is
said that this Duesenberg was used as intended - with the
lightweight body undoubtedly contributing to its outstanding
performance. In the early 60s, while Joe Kaufmann was
enthusiastically driving the car, a failed muffler ignited a
portion of the body, but the quick-thinking driver pointed the car
into a snow bank and quenched the fire! With that, Wolff and Lang
parked the car until Dan Lang's death, and in 1972, it was acquired
by the noted St. Louis-based collector, the late Fred Guyton. He
disassembled the car for restoration but soon sold it in 1975 to a
fellow enthusiast, who would go on to own J-251 for the next
forty-seven years. As soon as he acquired it, the owner set to work
on a lengthy and comprehensive restoration, stripping the car to a
bare chassis while carefully restoring the wood body structure and
reupholstering the body in authentic leatherette material. After
removing the black-painted fabric, he discovered evidence of the
original green color in the folds, so he returned the car to what
is believed to be its original green and cream livery over a green
goatskin leather interior. The restoration was completed by the
1990s, and the car was shown and toured in CCCA and A-C-D Club
events. Today, the Weymann St. Cloud is offered with an appealing
patina from gentle use, with the restoration holding up well
through the years. The body is finished in medium green with cream
side panels, green fenders and chassis, and it has an honest and
charming character. Details include six chrome wire wheels, an
upholstered trunk, a correct early-style V-core radiator without
shutters, and more. Critically, it retains its original chassis,
firewall, coachwork, engine, and crankshaft, with numbers
corresponding with published records. It runs and drives well, and
the engine has been updated with steel rods for worry-free touring,
though it has recently come out of a period of storage and may
require additional sorting. Alternatively, its rarity and
significance undoubtedly warrant a re-restoration to contemporary
concours standards. The availability of 2259/J-251 presents a
one-off opportunity to acquire a genuinely unique and significant
sporting Duesenberg. Stylish, rakish, and beautifully proportioned,
it is one of the best-looking closed sedans on the Model J chassis,
and the lightweight construction extracts maximum performance from
the mighty Lycoming twin-cam eight. Now, after nearly 50 years in
the stewardship of one passionate owner, the fabulous Weymann St.
Cloud is again ready for its next custodian. Offers welcome and
trades considered For additional details please view this listing
directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7348-1929-duesenberg-j-weymann-st-cloud/
