1932 Auburn 12-160A Speedster

This Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster has a history that dates back to 1957, when it was owned by Earl Grey of Columbus, Ohio. He later sold it to Frank Cek, who owned it for nearly four decades. It received Category 1 Certification in 2000 and was soon after acquired by Ron Monte of New Jersey, with whom it remained until the current owner acquired it in 2015. A restoration began not long after, with the work commissioned to Steve Babinsky's Automotive Restorations of Lebanon, New Jersey. After the work was completed, it was shown at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it received a class award in the American Classic Open class, and received the Briggs Cunningham Trophy, recognizing it as the Most Elegant Open Car. It also received the Roy Faulkner Trophy for Best Auburn and the Harold Ames Trophy for Best of Show at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club's 2016 National Reunion; scored at a perfect 100 points at the Classic Car Club of America's Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, in early 2017; and achieved a Junior First Prize and the National Auburn Cord Duesenberg Trophy in Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) competition.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2019

Alan Leamy designed the Auburn speedster at the young age of 28, and George Kublin, Auburn's chief engineer, designed its 160 horsepower Lycoming V12 engine. The engine featured dual Stromberg downdraft carburetors and dual exhausts. To highlight the new engine, an October 26, 1931 announcement heralded the revival of the Auburn Speedster. In V-12 guise, lightweight speedsters could reach 110 mph, helped along by a 'dual-ratio' two-speed rear axle from Cord's Columbia Axle Company, which enabled the engine to cruise along with little effort at speeds far above the legal limit.

Twelve new records were set, including the fastest speed recorded by any strictly stock American car at 100.774 mph for one mile and an average 88.953 mph for 500 miles. Fitted with a sharply raked V-shaped windshield, a boattail deck, and a top that disappeared behind the cockpit, the Speedster was sleek in an era when most cars weren't.

The car was very advanced for its day, yet it was quite reasonably priced at $1,425. It featured Auburn's newly developed Columbia 2-speed differential, which effectively gave the car six forward speeds as well as cockpit-adjustable shock absorbers and a Startix system that automatically restarted the engine if it stalled. Auburn reportedly built 84 Speedsters for 1932, of which less than 20 were equipped with V-12 engines like this example.

This car's history can be traced back to the late 1950s, but it has recently been restored.