Still More on the Yount Duesenberg

Hi,

Do we know what the correct J /Chassis Number for the second Judkins Ladies Berline that Frank Yount bought?

It is being erroneously identified here as J-149 - the only problem with that is J-149 is a LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton

Thanks,

~ Brian

Thanks for asking! Actually we have made slow but steady progress. I expect to make a major announcement late in January regarding the future of the house.

I was wondering how the restoration was coming?

That house looks beautiful.

It will look even MORE beautiful when restored.

And it will look STUNNING with one of John O'Quinn's Duesies parked in front of it!

Looks like your going to be busy for a while...

Thats a neat looking old house, Any shots of the inside?

This only has a very tenuous connection to the Yount's, but what the heck! Today I purchased the historic 1896 Polk Mansion at 1315 Calder Avenue in Beaumont, Texas.

It is across the street from where the Yount home stood at 1376 Calder, and is less than one block from the historic Mildred Building built by Yount.

As soon as we can make the sagging porches safe we'll invite all of our ACD friends, and those from the numerous other cultural, historical organizations, and car clubs we belong to for a weenie roast and pre-restoration peek.

Although the house looks big in the picutres it is even more so in person. It has six bedrooms, a paneled study, four bath rooms, four fire places, front and rear staircases, a huge parlor, over 2,000 sq ft of porches, beautiful arched interior doors, leaded glass windows, etc, etc.

We are very fortunate in that Calder Avenue is about to receive a $47MM historic makeover and we will be in the thick of things. This will include burying all of the power lines, new storm sewers, hike and bike paths, historic lighting, and victorian landscaping.

Thanks for the info! If I was financially in the Duesenberg class, I would have to buy the Judkins from Blackhawk. We think we have some additional images of the Yount Duesenberg's on 40 rolls of film we discovered in the Yount family archives. This film is currently being restored and should be ready in a couple of weeks.

The neat Buehrig sketch, that you found in the Yount papers, of the Coupe that Yount owned is again according to Roe one of two built. One well known the other lost. Conjecture is that the one that was lost was 2145/J125. It will be interesting if you can find anything further about Mr Yount's Judkins Coupe. Perhaps his wife donated it to a scrap drive as she did with the Judkins Berline.

The remaining coupe, of the same design, is well known and is currently for sale by the Blackhawk Collection. www.blackhawkcollection.com They have excellent photos on their website with much history. I also have photos from their Expo at Pebble Beach this year. Below is the history of this car:

2004 August Expo PB: On the field with asking price of $925,000. JRA photos
2004 Auto Collection Las Vegas web site: For sale 1932 Duesenberg J Judkins fixed-top coupe chassis# 2162 - engine# j-137 1 of 2 Judkins fixed-top coupes built this beautiful car was originally purchased by Joseph p. Wright (President of Continental diamond Fiber company) on June 1, 1929. Shortly there after the car was purchased by Shreve Archer (Archer Daniels Midland Company). Very few coupes were built on a Duesenberg chassis and this is the only one known to survive. A twin is said to have been built but has never been numerically identified. Mr. Joe Folladori of Indianapolis purchased this car march of 1986 and completed a complete nut & bolt restoration, which was finished in 1989. The quality of the workmanship and the striking color scheme captures attention wherever it is shown. This car has received many first place awards including the Gordon Buehrig award at the 1990 Meadow Brook Concours d'?l?gance for the best Duesenberg of the show. This car has many custom features including a roll-out cabinet that holds Waterford crystal goblets and decanters. No asking price. Web photos saved.
1999 August 29 Pebble Beach: Entered by Donald Williams. No award. Didn't get #. Assume this is car.
1999 March. CCCA Mag, Kims article on J391 p6. Folladori sold J137, the Buehrig designed Judkins coupe, to Ritchie Clyne in 1991
1999 January,PB Expo cat p30: Shows 2162/J137 but not at PB or Hershey. Only Judkins Coupe known to survive.
1993 Malks p86: This was a new Buehrig-designed body mounted in 1930 on a chassis from which a Murphy convertible coupe body was removed. A 2nd identical body was mounted on a new SWB chassis which may have been 2145/J125
1990, Kims book: Joe Folladori, Indianapolis now owns. Removed Murphy convertible coupe body replaced by rumble seat coupe designed by Buehrig, built by Judkins. Only 2 of these coupes made, second one lost.
1982 Roe, The Pursuit of Perfection p184 Period photo of J137/2162 Judkins records show the delivery of 2 of these rumble seat coupes to Duesenberg in 1930 The design was created by Buehrig to the special order of a customer. But a second was probably ordered to reduce the cost of the body. This one was mounted on a chassis which originally carried a Murphy convertible coupe and still exists, but there is no trace of the second car.
1975 Elbert says J137/2162, Murphy convertible coupe changed to Judkins coupe. (Conjecture, could this Murphy CC be on J428/2525??)

I know Josh Malks is a moderator on this site. How about Fred Roe? Getting at least one picture of the Arden Judkins Berline would be invaluable to our book.
Can anyone help with a photo?

Thanks for the photo of the "tireless" but beautiful looking condition Duesenberg on the junk yard scale. Comparing it with the Judkins Berline 2500/J479 in Roe's book p153, there is no doubt that it is one of these specia Judkins Berlines. The fenders, windshield trim, the winshield wiper placement, the position of the door handles and hinges are all identical. Even the side mount cover, chrome, and the position of the mirror are identical to the Roe photo. So until someone comes up with a chassisengine number for the second Judkins Berline , I would assume that the Judkins that Mrs Yount donated to the WW II scrap drive was 2500/J149

Now Randy Ema or Fred Roe will have to tell us whether a second car ever existed, what number it was and what became of it.

John Apen

Since I made the last post we have discovered two original Buehrig sketches (lithos?) in the Yount family files for proposals for the coupe Yount bought in 1929.
I'll try and post both of those sketches and a scan of the Berline on the scap scales later tonight.
Thanks for the info! I've been in touch with Randy Ema, and I'll run both J #'s by him and see what he says. It certainly sounds like the second one is the Yount car. They took delivery in 11/11/33. Frank Yount died two days later.
Greg

Reading Malks and Roe, see below, maybe tells the number of one of the special Judkins Berlines, could either one of these be the Yount car?

1993 Malks p85: 2500/J479 This was one of two "Ladies Berlines" believed to have been built. This one created for Elizabeth Arden and was lavishly equipped with vanities and cabininetry, interior photo p85. no numbers are available for the other one It Had the same body, but with a different interior.
1982, Roe p154: Car 2500/J479 Judkins body #12394, a berline of more modern styling which had special interior fittings and decorations designed by Elizabeth Arden. It was displayed at the last New York Salon late in 1931 where this photo was taken, but no trace of its history since then has been found. Judkins delivered a second body of this style, 1263, which had a different interior, to Duesenberg in 1932, but again it is a lost car. John Apen

Where is the photo of the car without tires in the junkyard?

Guys,
I posted a photo of Frank Yount's Duesenberg and Cord L-29 in the photo area. We have uncovered a newpaper article that states that Yount took delivery of these cars the same day that the New York Auto show opend in 1929.
How likely is it that this actually happened? We have been unable to find serial numbers or other identifying information for these two cars or the other two Duesenberg's that Yount owned. At the time of his death he also owned a Pierce Arrow coupe, Austin Bantam, and a 1918 Locomobile Limousine.
I'm interested in finding out if any of his cars still exist and also "color" about what it was like to own and drive these cars in 1929. I am working on a book about his life and the Famous Spindletop Farms in Lexington, KY.
His wife is the lady who famously donated the Judkins Berline to a WWII scrap drive. There is apparently another photo besides the one that has been widely circulated. If I get a copy of it I will post it.
Any help would be appreciated.
Greg the Corvair Guy