Update 7/10/16: 1932 Duesenberg Model J, Berline coachwork by Le Rouge (Interior is all test fitted)

[Richard Bartrop]

Thanks!  Definitely looking forward to seeing how this one turns out!  I have the Torpedo Phaeton in my build pile.  My inclination is duplicate the original car, though I'm still undecided as to which stage in its life I want to duplicate.

[Spex84]

I used not to be a fan of these kinds of cars...but lately, I've just been liking them more and more. They have so much swagger, so much opulent style, such gorgeous craftsmanship, such incredible engines for their day.

And this resin body ( a very nice, clean-looking one at that) simply makes the car even more dramatic...can't wait to see where this project goes!

 

[Foxer]

got my popcorn ...

[GTJUNIOR]

I'll be following this build for sure. 

[imatt88]

Ok Art,  where do I get that resin body for my Duesy's?  I love it!  

 

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

Cheers,   Ian

[Art Anderson]

Ok Art,  where do I get that resin body for my Duesy's?  I love it!  

 

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

Cheers,   Ian

LONG out of production, unfortunately.  I stopped resin casting in late 1999, when I reluctantly took on a full time job at the University here.

[imatt88]

Oh that's a serious bummer.  I would love to see someone go crazy with the aftermarket resin for the old Monogram classics!

 

[LDO]

Ian-

 Check with Aardvark Models. They have a hood and engine parts for a naturally aspirated Duesenberg J. It has the arc-shaped louvers on the hood sides like Greta Garbo's J. There's one on ebay right now. Just misspell the name as "Deusenberg" and you'll find it. I believe he has a couple of bodies for Duesenbergs in the works.

Edited April 25, 2016 by LDO

[Rider]

Nice casting. Good luck with the rest of the build.

[Foxer]

Nice casting.

Wonder how that happened? 

[John Goschke]

"Le Rouge!" Very clever, Art! I have a feeling Edsel would've got a kick out of this. Ol' Henry, not so much.

I wonder if "Le Rouge" did a coupe body for Duesenberg?

 

[Art Anderson]

"Le Rouge!" Very clever, Art! I have a feeling Edsel would've got a kick out of this. Ol' Henry, not so much.

I wonder if "Le Rouge" did a coupe body for Duesenberg?

 

No, not directly!     I did cast, from a Lee Baker master,  the Judkins 3-window Model J coupe, and for that one, Lee used a Monogram '30 Model A coupe "greenhouse" as the basis for that portion of the Judkins body--but it bears no clear resemblance to anything Ford ever did.

Art

[Art Anderson]

Did some work on the engine this week:  First up was to correct some deficiencies in my exhaust manifold casting (note: the original Model J exhaust manifold is quite different from the SJ supercharger manifold, and different from later-year manifold as well--having it's "exit" at the center rather than at the rear end of the casting)  Done, but not visible in this picture of the unpainted engine is my "defining" of the cam covers.  

Even though a DOHC engine, a Model J straight 8 has THREE cam covers, due to the distributor being driven off the middle of the intake camshaft, and non of the cam covers are at all defined on the model engine.  So, my trusty razor saw to the rescue, to scribe the joints between cam covers and cylinder head, which will show up once the engine is painted (Apple Green for all the cast iron parts, varying shades of silver for the aluminum parts.

[Eric Macleod]

This looks great so far Art. My kind of model as you know.  I have always wanted to really do a Duesenberg to the nines. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.

[imatt88]

Cool!!!

 

Lee, thanks for the heads up.....

 

Cheers,   Ian

[Art Anderson]

I've not had a lot of time to work on this Duesenberg since I started the topic (work, plus some free-lance stuff) but here goes: As the car is to be non-supercharged, I had to plug the exhaust ports in the Monogram kit's right front fender.  While I used chunks of thick Evergreen, glued in with Zap-A-Gap, filing and sanding those to shape gave me fits due to making for a very thin section where the fender meets the splash apron--hence the putty work there. In this process, the thin chrome bead around each spare tire well had to go, which is unlamented, as this Berline is to be a bit understated as to brightwork.

The body presented some problems, mostly due to my inattention when I received the master from Lee--I really should have tested the master on a mule kit, made sure that the cowling and front quarters mated up and blended into the hood as they needed to--but no matter now!  After some filling, filing and sanding, and corrections to body moldings, it all blends well together, even though you cannot see it in this picture.  I did add raised moldings to the hood top panels and at the bottom of the side panels, to carry those lines from the body forward to the radiator shell. Fiddly, tedious work, but I think I am going to like the end result!

[bbowser]

Watching with interest Art.  Great start.

[GTJUNIOR]

Looking good. 

[Brizio]

Nice car, can't wait to see more of it.

[Art Anderson]

While studying this project, I had a very uncomfortable thought:  As the resin body already had its firewall installed and I had cut it out, when I mounted a fresh firewall, I realized that the firewall on these kits attaches TO THE FRONT of the cowling not "inside of it", thus making the overall bodyshell a good 1/16" longer.  What if this made fitting the hood in between the body and radiator shell?

Fortunately, I have a new badly deteriorated Duesenberg Convertible Coupe model on which the body had come loose, along with many other parts--why not test fit the Berline body and non-supercharged hood on that, see what gives?   Phew!  body and hood fit perfectly for length,   

 

[Harry P.]

Art... I know it's early in the process, but any thoughts on color scheme?

[Art Anderson]

Art... I know it's early in the process, but any thoughts on color scheme?

Haven't really made a decision yet, but I'm thinking of two possibilities:  Metallic charcoal grey lower body, with a division at the belt line molding, then metallic silver above (one of the George Whittell Dusenbergs --body by the Walter Murphy Company -- has that color combo), the other is a medium green body (muted green though), with darker green fenders & splash aprons.

Any suggestions?

[sjordan2]

I think these are very elegant. The bottom one seems like what you describe with metallic gray/silver.

[Harry P.]

Haven't really made a decision yet, but I'm thinking of two possibilities:  Metallic charcoal grey lower body, with a division at the belt line molding, then metallic silver above...

That sounds good.

[Eric Macleod]

Personally I like to see Duesenbergs in mono-chromatic, non-metallic color schemes most of the time though the Whittell Sedan certainly is an attractive car. Obviously this is a very subjective opinion, I have seen the car in person and last time I saw it, it was like all other Whittell cars, black with the understides of the fenders and the chassis in red. Several of his cars have since been restored, or re-restored and they do lend themselves to other color schemes. This is a long winded version of saying I would vote for shades of green with a very subtle variation between colors. Just my 2 cents worth.

I really like what you are doing with this one Art. I really look forward to seeing the progress on this car as you go. One small suggestion; any time I have built up a Duesenberg and have not filled the holes on the fender where the hood panel fits (passenger side under the exhaust pipes) I have regretted it.I think the little slots for the tabs is an unsightly detail.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Eric