1930 Ruxton Model C Phaeton

The Ruxton, a low-production front-drive vehicle built by the New Era Automobile Company, had a fascinating and complicated history. Its use of front-wheel drive allowed for a dramatically lower stance than most cars of its era, and that low stance is especially noticeable in this rare Phaeton body type. This Phaeton is one of just two known survivors of perhaps five initial production examples.

The tangled history of the Ruxton is echoed in that of the Ruxton phaeton. According to Wil Kissel, the phaeton was priced at $8,700, almost twice the price of the roadster. Recently located lawsuit records from body builder Baker-Raulang filed against Ruxton's parent company indicated that Baker-Raulang built ten complete phaeton bodies and shipped five for assembly. The other five bodies were held awaiting payment on the first, which did not occur. The company only assembled two complete phaetons. The remaining eight phaeton bodies were caught up in Ruxton's bankruptcy; due to the higher skill level required to produce a completed phaeton, the bankruptcy agent opted not to assemble any phaeton. This original Ruxton Phaeton body (568) was sold loose to well-known St. Louis-based body builder Frank J. Mueck, who placed it on an original Ruxton chassis (10C68). It is one of just two original surviving Ruxton phaeton bodies. When purchased by its current owners in 2003, the body wand and its appointments were so original that it was used to correct the second surviving car.