1934 Auburn 1250 Twelve Phaeton Sedan

The V12 constituted a small percentage of the Auburn production. In 1933, a Salon edition was launched, the pinnacle of the range with special frame, lights, fenders, trim, rear body, grille and instruments. The model was named the 1250, and only 12 remain today.

Mr. Carter of Pensacola, Florida, paid $1,745 for this car and drove it for 25,000 miles before placing it in storage until 1979. The car was refreshed with new paint, upholstery, and chrome in the 1980s but remained largely unrestored. When the current owner took possession in 2022, the Auburn had its original wiring and door sills, wood, and instrumentation - and even some mud in the frame, possibly from the 1930s.

Auburn's 12-cylinder Salon models were launched for 1933 in hopes of boosting sales of the Auburn Twelve. The Salon Twelve had many unique features, including a vee'd grille, unique headlamp lenses, fenders edged in chrome, and 'ribbon' bumpers. It was built on a specially strengthened chassis with adjustable vacuum-boosted brakes. Sales were slow, being the most expensive and luxurious of the 12-cylinder Auburns, with production lasting into 1934.

This particular example has a known ownership history since it was created. The original owner was a Mr. Carter of Pensacola, Florida. The Carters passed away in the mid-1950s. The car, having accumulated around 25,000 miles, was inherited and put into storage by their three children. It remained in a Pensacola garage until 1979 when it was sold to the second owner, Arthur Griffin. It was then given a restoration in its present scarlet livery, with a tan interior and tan cloth top. Mr. Griffin retained the car for a decade.

The car is fitted with many accessories, including dual Pilot Ray steering driving lights and an original Auburn-Crosley radio.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2016