1930 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupe

In 1913, the Duesenberg brothers, Fred and August, founded Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa, to build sports cars. Born in Germany, the two brothers were self-taught engineers and built many experimental cars. Duesenberg cars were considered some of the very best cars of the time and were built entirely by hand. In 1914 Eddie Rickenbacker drove a 'Duesy' to finish in 10th place at the Indianapolis 500, and a Duesenberg car won the race in 1924, 1925, and 1927.

E.L. Cord, the owner of Cord and Auburn, bought the company in 1926, acquiring the Duesenberg brothers' engineering skills and the brand name to produce luxury cars. Hiring Fred Duesenberg to design the chassis and an engine that would be the best in the world, the newly revived Duesenberg Company set about to produce the Model J. The Model J Duesenberg was first shown at the New York Auto Show in 1928. In unsupercharged form it produced a whopping 265 horsepower from a straight-8 engine with dual overhead camshafts, and was capable of a top speed of 119 mph, hitting 94 mph in 2nd gear. Duisenberg's generally weighed around 2.5 to 3 tons with custom coachwork.

It is believed that Murphy Coachbuilders of Pasadena built 125 Duesenberg bodies or roughly a quarter of the Duesenberg Model J's produced.

The speedometer on these cars showed an improbable 150 miles per hour.

This Duesenberg is one of approximately 25 Murphy convertible coupes built with a convertible folding top. It was originally used by Duesenberg as a demonstrator and carried a host of celebrities, captains of industry, etc. Its first owner was Jake 'The Barber' Factor, the half-brother of cosmetic king Max Factor. He acquired this Duesenberg during the time he was the chief attorney and right-hand man to Al Capone.

the Duesenberg remained with 'the Barber' for only a few months prior to trading up to the 'disappearing top' torpedo convertible coupe J-249. The car was resold in July 1932 by the Duesenberg factory branch in Los Angeles to Mrs. Reginald Parsons III, wife of a Seattle architect, himself a Model J owner. It was later acquired by a G.I. and driven into the Midwest. After World War II it was sold by Duesenberg dealer John Troka.

The car had two short-term intervening owners before it was returned to Troka, who sold it in 1951 to Dan Lang of Racine, Wisconsin. Mr. Lang retained the car in partially restored condition until his passing in 1972. J-143 was then purchased from his estate by Charles Johnson, who shortly traded it to Joe Kaufmann of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. While in Mr. Kaufmann's care, the car was meticulously restored, installing the engine from J-174 but retaining the original engine's bell housing. After the work was completed, the car appeared as the cover feature, ''Doc' Duesenberg's Cover Girl,' of the ACD Club Newsletter, No. 9 1977, and as a color plate in Griffith Borgeson's book Errett Lobban Cord.

In 1978, the car was sold to Ben Caskey of Flordia, who sold it in 1983 to Rick Carroll, from whom it was acquired in 1984 by S. Ray Miller of Elkhart, Indiana. For two decades it was displayed in the S. Ray Miller Museum. Mr. Miller had the car fully restored by LaVine Restorations of nearby Nappanee, with the work beginning in 1993 and ending in 1995. It emerged in its dark green livery with a tan interior.

After the restoration, the car received several ACD Club awards, an AACA National First Prize, CCCA Senior First Prize (reaching Emeritus status), and Best Duesenberg at the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance.

The Duesenberg remained in the Miller Museum until 2004 when the collection was sold following its owner's passing. It was then acquired by the present owner and has remained in his care for the past 16 years. Since that it has been shown occasionally, winning Second in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2006 and appearing at the Concours d'Elegance of America in 2014 and 2017, receiving a Lion Award in the latter.

The car has been driven 255 miles since its restoration was completed in 1995.