Duesenberg SSJ Roadster

[Ace-Garageguy]

I fell in love with Gary Cooper's SSJ many years ago when it went through a local vintage and exotic dealer's showroom that I did occasional work for. Since then, it's been in the back of my mind, and having acquired several built-up Duesenberg models cheap over the years, I decided to see about doing one in scale. Far as I know, only two 1:1s were ever built, and they're on a 125" wheelbase, much shorter than the standard 142.5" and 153.5", and a lot more nimble. It was expensive back then, but nothing like the crazy money it's worth now...and I got to drive it. Not far, but enough.

I like the stronger color separation of this one better though, and will probably go that route, with some other not "correct" mods for Coop's car, including disc wheel covers.

                                                                                                               

The starting point is a not-too-bad g-bomb dual-cowl phaeton I picked up at the last local NNL thing for a very few bucks. It's this kit. 

First order of business was to get the body and fenders off the frame, and separate them with minimal damage. Then, to measure the wheelbase and decide how much to cut out of the chassis and where.

 

Edited July 17, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[cobraman]

One can't have too many projects eh Bill ?  : )  This should be another cool project.

[Harry P.]

What a beautiful car.

[Eric Macleod]

I would encourage you to check out the current photos of the Cooper car. If you PM your address I can get a very good article about the two short wheelbase Duesenbergs, AKA (but not from the factory ) the SSJ cars.

[Ace-Garageguy]

One can't have too many projects eh Bill ?  : ) 

Well, see...I get to sticking or stopping places on just about everything from time to time, and sometimes it takes months or years of not touching something for my subconscious to figure out how to handle a problem...or on a project like this, once the frame rails are cut down to the right wheelbase, the frame will need to set up and then be reinforced before I can do anything else to it, so I'll work on something else.

I don't much care if I ever finish anything, much, because I enjoy the building and problem solving more than seeing a completed model on the shelf.

In real life, I HAVE to finish things, and there, being stuck on one project all the way through gets to feel like slavery towards the end (one of the reasons I sub to two different companies now, and have three fairly complex projects running simultaneously). Spend two or three years, day in, day out, on only one car and see if you don't agree. 

Having multiple model projects going, with no pressure to complete any, is a sort of safety valve for my tiny little brain.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

What a beautiful car.

Yes, it certainly is. The black and white one is a Weyman body on a longer SJ chassis, and has more 'pontoon' style fenders and a boat tail. I'd like to do one of those as well, but it's a lot more sculpture-intensive. Cutting the phaeton down to the SSJ proportions, filling the spare-tire wells on the fenders and adding the sculpted side slash really ought to be pretty easy.

[sjordan2]

Yes, it certainly is. The black and white one is a Weyman body on a longer SJ chassis, and has more 'pontoon' style fenders and a boat tail. I'd like to do one of those as well, but it's a lot more sculpture-intensive. Cutting the phaeton down to the SSJ proportions, filling the spare-tire wells on the fenders and adding the sculpted side slash really ought to be pretty easy.

Why not do the 1/16 Weymann?

[Eric Macleod]

I did a build up of the Gable car J-567 (Clark Gable never actually owned the cat but used it extenively) about 30 years ago. It came out well though much of the filler has shrunk. Keep in mind all I had at the time was good old green stuff. The way you describe doing your work is exactly what I did years ago. I look forward to seeing your progress,  even if you abandon the project.  This is coming from a guy who took 15 years to build a Judkins Victoria!  Best of luck. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I did a build up of the Gable car J-567 (Clark Gable never actually owned the cat but used it extenively) about 30 years ago. It came out well though much of the filler has shrunk. Keep in mind all I had at the time was good old green stuff. The way you describe doing your work is exactly what I did years ago. I look forward to seeing your progress,  even if you abandon the project.  This is coming from a guy who took 15 years to build a Judkins Victoria!  Best of luck. 

Thanks for your interest. I'd love to see your model of the Gable car. If you have any photos, please feel free to post in this thread. Just make sure it has your name on it...big...so nobody thinks I built it. 

Far as abandoning this one goes, unless I die, I'll try to finish it...at some point. I have "in progress" models on the shelves that go back several years already (not abandoned, just resting ) 

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Why not do the 1/16 Weymann?

Wow. I didn't even know that existed. Beautiful kit, seems to be. Have you built it? I wonder if Harry has. I have a very few 1/16 models...I'll have to have a look and see just what. I'd really like to have the Weyman in 1/24 though (if I ever finish this one).

[Harry P.]

I have built it, but for some reason I can't access PB right now. I'll try later.

[Harry P.]

Here ya go...

[Spex84]

Wow, what a beautiful beast. Look how tiny that roof is...really drives home how massive these cars were. And four hinges on each door?? That's how you know yer gettin' quality

Very handsome and striking paint scheme, too.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wow, what a beautiful beast.

[Art Anderson]

I kitbashed the Gable "SSJ" back about 1979-80 or thereabouts, and yes, the Weymann Torpedo Phaeton's rear "deck" combined with the forward "cockpit" of the Torpedo Phaeton is a great place to start on the project!    I also have a couple of Danbury Mint's SS-J's, which are the Gable Car (Gary Cooper's car has more "bobbed" rear fenders).   FWIW, the engines in those two 125" cars were the same as Augie Duesenberg built up for Ab Jenkins'  'Mormon Meteor--having a two-stage supercharger coupled with dual carburetors on "rams horn" intake pipes---for a HP rating of 425hp from 420cid, making the two SSJ's and the Meteor (which was streetable with fenders, bumpers, lights and windshield installed) the first production automobiles with engines producing more than 1hp per cubic inch--22 years before Chevrolet tried to claim that title for their 283 Fuelie!.

Art

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I kitbashed the Gable "SSJ" back about 1979-80 or thereabouts, and yes, the Weymann Torpedo Phaeton's rear "deck" combined with the forward "cockpit" of the Torpedo Phaeton is a great place to start on the project!  

I'd love to see photos of your kitbash if you happen to have any easily available, Art.. Please feel free to put them in this thread if you do.  

[jaymcminn]

The Cooper car resides locally at the Revs Institute, formerly the Collier Automotive Museum. It is breathtaking in person.

 

 

 

Note the lack of any sort of ropes or barriers to keep you away from the cars. You can really get up close and personal with some of the most important performance cars of the last 115 years. Cant wait to see how this one turns out... great start so far!