Josh Malks wrote: The following is an opinion. I am open to listening to contrary ones.
With all due respect, saying that the Mormon Meteor set a new price record for a Duesenberg is like saying that the sale of a Ford GT-40 at $557,500 last year set a new record for a Ford. Neither is a true example of the marque, and we really should not let the values (and certainly not the averages) be skewed in this fashion.
That is a fair opinion, by by your definition, what is a "Duesenberg?" Would that mean a Duesenberg, a Model J (or more speciafically supercharged SJ) in this case is really only a Murphy catolog car? Or is the only thing that truly defines a Duesenberg the grill, which the Mormon Meteor lacks? I would firmly argue that the MM is definitely a Duesenberg, it was specially built by August Duesenberg for Ab Jenkins, and represents a unique example of the make, a car that is unlike most any other Duesey, but still a Duesenberg through and through. The engine is slightly modified, by Augie, but the chassis, suspension, brakes, and all other workings of the car are actually bone stock. If this car had not been reconverted back from its short stint with a Curtis King airplane motor, I would say you are right, but being that this car is all original, and even eccentric designs, if originally equipped, are original, I would say that this is a true Duesenberg and does reflect the values of unique, one off Duesenbergs which hold the rarified air above the $1 million mark. A price record for a catolog Duesenberg would reflect the overall market for fairly common bodied cars, but this is not a common bodied car, yet it is still a Duesenberg.
