5th restoration- rebodied Duesenberg

[landman]

I have a Duesenberg town car . I'd like to use the body to make a sedan out of something. So it has to be rebodied. How about a Duesenberg roadster by Henley or a sleek Bugatti T-50ish coupe?

Edited December 24, 2020 by landman

[wayne swayze]

Interested in seeing your progress....

[landman]

Interested in seeing your progress....

Any ideas?

[Art Anderson]

That Duesenberg Town Car would make a great sedan version!  (The Walter Murphy Company, which built the real prototype of that Town Car, also made a few sedan-type bodies using very much the same lines and shapes.

Art

[landman]

That Duesenberg Town Car would make a great sedan version!  (The Walter Murphy Company, which built the real prototype of that Town Car, also made a few sedan-type bodies using very much the same lines and shapes.

Art

Art, you are absolutely right and That is what I want to do with it, but with a Packard.

[landman]

Did these mockups this morning just to see. Both are definitely feasible but the Henley roadster would be somewhat more challenging.

Edited December 24, 2020 by landman
Forgot to insert photos.

[Art Anderson]

If you decide on the Bugati body--that would make a really neat looking Duesenber--I'd suggest you consider shortening the Duesenberg frame. running boards and splash aprons--as that would be quite realistic--Monogram's Duesenberg kits are all of cars built on the long, 153 1/2 inch wheelbase, but Duesenberg also offered the Model J with a shorter, 442 1/2 inch wheelbase.

The Henley body might not be as difficult to adapt as you might think.  You'd need to adapt the Town Car cowling to the Henley Roadster, as the Model J's firewall is coordinated with the hood shape, as a standard feature.  Some sheet styrene will fill in those rear fender opennings in the body quite well!

Art

[sjordan2]

I'd go with the Rolls, which seems more likely for a Deusenberg. That Bugatti roof is distinctively Bugatti.

[Art Anderson]

I'd go with the Rolls, which seems more likely for a Deusenberg. That Bugatti roof is distinctively Bugatti.

But if you were a wealthy prospect, living in Paris, and you wanted that styling for the Model J you are negotiating to buy--I'm pretty sure the coachbuider would put any style body on it that your heart desires!

Art

[landman]

I was also thinking of modifying the Bugatti body to the Atalante styling.

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by landman

[Art Anderson]

Well, the Atlantic could be a major project, for sure!

Art

[landman]

Atlantic would be too much work. But something like this could be had by shortening the Bugatti roof & using a shortened Henley deck

[landman]

I made a major executive decision and the Duesenberg will be rebodied with the Henley roadster body. First order of business was to investigate if the two could be mated. In order for the Duesenberg firewall to fit against the Henley interior a strip had to be cut off from the area which meets the toe board.

Then I checked the two bodies' taper to see if they would meet. Looks like they will with a bit of an extension.

Second decision was to stick with the Rolls rear fenders. It will be easier this way.

Edited December 24, 2020 by landman

[Eric Macleod]

You always come up with interesting projects.  I'll be watching your progress with interest. If you decide you should have gone with the Bugatti I'll donate a Duesenberg to the cause!

[landman]

On 7/25/2016 at 10:53 PM, Eric Macleod said:

You always come up with interesting projects.  I'll be watching your progress with interest. If you decide you should have gone with the Bugatti I'll donate a Duesenberg to the cause!

Thanks Eric. It's just that I can't bring myself to redo them the same.this way they "feel" like new models. As for your generous offer, I have the makings of several of these whimsical creations. Picked up a set of "parts" on eBay. Nice haul. The gray dual-cowl body is diecast. I wonder what it was.

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by landman

[Eric Macleod]

The gray body was a 31 Packard 840 Phaeton.  You could get a great Duesenberg LeBaron or Derham  Phaeton out of that one. You certainly keep things interesting. 

[Foxer]

This is pretty cool, custom bodywork like the 1:1 coach builders did back then. ))

[landman]

The gray body was a 31 Packard 840 Phaeton.  You could get a great Duesenberg LeBaron or Derham  Phaeton out of that one. You certainly keep things interesting. 

Eric, what I could do though, is trade one of these for a 33 Chrysler LeBaron.

[mustang1989]

That outta be enough to keep you going for a bit with this one Pat. Lookin' great so far BTW

[wayne swayze]

Don't want to steal your thunder, but because of this thread, I'm seriously considering getting back at my '33 Chrysler phaeton. I picked up a '32 Chrysler by AMT yesterday, and it has the tires I wanted for the '33, even though they're different scales..REALLY close! ( I'm no good at painting whitewalls!) After seeing your haul, I just got excited about another classic for my shelf! Told you I was interested in your build!

[landman]

That outta be enough to keep you going for a bit with this one Pat. Lookin' great so far BTW

Hey Joe, if you're talking about the stash,I'd say I have a lifetime supply with those along with the ones I already have.

[DrKerry]

I'll be watching to see what all you come up with!!!!

[landman]

The Rolls body sits well on the Duesenberg floor pan but it sits too high as you can see once the rolls fenders are on. Will sort that out next.

Spent the rest of the evening sorting out that pile. Binned many small parts before they fall through the cracks. Later, I'll attempt to sort them by make.

Edited December 25, 2020 by landman

[Art Anderson]

A thought here:   The bottom of the rumble seat interior is what appears to be holding the rear of the body too high, some file work there should cure that so that the body shell sits down evenly from front to rear.  As for mating the rear fenders to the body--some Evergreen sheet styrene ought to do that for you.

Art

[DeeCee]

Thanks Eric. It's just that I can't bring myself to redo them the same.this way they "feel" like new models. As for your generous offer, I have the makings of several of these whimsical creations. Picked up a set of "parts" on eBay. Nice haul. The gray dual-cowl body is diecast. I wonder what it was.

 

I have used these exact kits, and with imagination, you can come up with some amazingly wild creations, just keep trying different ideas,

they can look awesome.