1931 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupe

Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, Ca. was contracted by Duesenberg to build a plethora of body styles for the Model J series. Renowned for its elegant lines, Murphy was responsible for crafting the 'disappearing top' bestowed upon this vehicle. At the time, most convertibles had a stack of canvas piled on the rear deck when the top was down. Murphy designed a panel that enclosed the folded top within, creating a smooth and sophisticated silhouette. In addition, this design featured the thin-framed Clear Vision windshield, reverse hinged doors, and fully disappearing side windows. In recognition of its sporty aesthetic, this car was owned by Pacific Auto Rentals, which served the film industry, and as a result, it enjoyed significant screentime.

This Duesenberg with engine J-395 wears ''Disappearing Top' Convertible Coupe coachwork created by Murphy. The earliest known owner dated to 1936, when it was in the care of Blake Garner of Chicago. When it was photographed with owner Jim Talmadge in 1941, it wore a pale yellow and green paint scheme. The Duesenberg would remain in Mr. Talmadge's care for over four decades. The car's next owner was George Schweiger, Jr., for his company, Pacific Auto Rentals. Pacific Auto Rentals sold J-395 in May 1949, but after two brief ownerships in Coalinga, California, it returned to Pacific Auto Rentals in 1936 and served among its fleet for the duration of the company's existence. Among its silver screen appearances was the 1962 psychological thriller, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, starring alongside Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. During the 1970s, it became a regular in the television series Bring 'Em Back Alive, and in 1978, it made a cameo in the film Gable and Lombard.

The Pacific Auto Rentals fleet was later sold to the Imperial Palace of Las Vegas, keeping some of the vehicles and selling the rest at an auction on the lawn of the Ambassador Hotel on August 18, 1995. Mr. Oscar Davis was the winning bidder, and he enlisted Mike Fennel to repaint the car in cream with a maroon chassis. Mr. Davis later sold the Duesenberg back to the Imperial Palace, reportedly as the 50th Duesenberg in their vast collection. Soon thereafter it was inspected by the ACD Club and awarded Category 1 Certification.

At the dispersal of the Imperial Palace fleet in 1998, J-395 was acquired by Chris and Kathleen Koch and then treated to a restoration at the cost of around $500,000. Brian Joseph's Classic & Exotic Service of Troy, Michigan, performed a full mechanical rebuild, while Steve Cooley of Tavares, Florida, did a cosmetic restoration and final assembly. When the work was completed, the car was judged First in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2005. Approximately 18 victories would be achieved over the following two years.

The Andrews Collection in Texas acquired the Model J in 2008, selling it to the current caretaker in 2015. Since then, the car has been given comprehensive mechanical sorting and cosmetic improvements by Mr. Joseph's Classic & Exotic Service.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023

The Duesenberg J395 was born in 1931 and mated to chassis 2414. This is how the car remains today, with all its original components intact.

In the late 1930s, this car was acquired by Pacific Auto Rentals whose business it was to supply 'movie cars' to the motion picture industry in Hollywood, California. This car appeared in countless movies including 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane' and 'Gable and Lombard.'

This Convertible Coupe body, by the Walter J. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California has the rare 'disappearing top' option and is mounted on the short wheelbase chassis.

This car has won numerous awards and Best of Show. It won 'Best of Show' at the Vintage Weekend and Lake Mirror Classic in 2005, Best of Class at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2005, 'Best of Show:Fit and Finish' at Amelia Island, 'Best of Show - Classic' at the Indianapolis Concours, and Best of Show at Meadowbrook Concours in 2006. These are but a few of its achievements.

In 2008 this very rare automobile was brought to the Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $1.6 - $2.0 million. Those estimates proved to be very low, as the winning bid was an astonishing $2,640,000 for this sporty Duesenberg.

Many believe Murphy's best designs were the convertible coupes. Their trademark designs were the 'clear vision' pillar. On the convertible coupes, the windshields were made to be as slim as possible to accent the car's sporty appeal and improve visibility for the driver. The result were pillars that were 'narrower than the space between a man's eyes.'