"Maharajah" Duesenberg SJ wins Best of the Best
By: Rex McAfee (Sports Car Digest)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
"Maharajah" Duesenberg SJ wins Best of the Best
Lyon Collection "Duesey" bests Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari and more
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
The "Maharajah" Deusy has graced the most renowned Concours in the world, including a win at this year's Villa d'Este Concours
Background
The "Maharajah " SJ Duesenberg is one of the many and renowned Duesenbergs of the Lyon Collection (one of the world's largest and most famous arrays of the famed Indianapolis marque). Commissioned in 1935 by the 28yr old Maharajah Holkar of Indore, this Deusy was built upon the 153.5" .25"walled/8" deep frame chassis #2614 (the highest numbered Duesenberg chassis) and is the last of the 36 SJ Duesenbergs (propelled by the supercharged 7ltr DOHC 4V I-8 320hp engine # J-585).
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
This chassis/drivetrain was shipped to the Gurney-Nutting coachbuilders of London for their spectacular one-of-a kind speedster design that included: a concealed top, dual fuel tanks, svelte single-bar bumpers, both an integrated rumble seat and a trunk, chrome pennant masts, wicker steering wheel trim, and red/blue fender marking lights (to indicate whether the Maharajah or Maharenee was at the wheel). Tipping the scales at over 5,500 lbs and measuring 19 feet in length, one would expect the car to appear massive and ungainly, but the flowing design is so captivating and proportionate that it exudes elegance from every angle.
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
The Best Car in the World starts with Optima Batteries
Sitting in the battery compartment of the Lyon Collection's "Maharajah" SJ Duesenberg Gurney-Nutting Speedster are two Optima Red Top 6V batteries. Similarly, Optima Batteries power the entire renowned Lyon Automobile Collection-which has garnered many concours top honors, including multiple Best of Shows.
Additionally, the Optima powered "Maharajah" Duesenberg SJ was just named by the ultimate car award event—the Peninsula Classics annual Best of the Best -as THE singular Best Car in the World for the 2023 Concours Season .
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
This evaluation was made by an esteemed panel of venerable car authorities which includes the likes of Nick Mason, Jay Leno, Flavio Manzoni, Gordon Wagner, Chris Bangel, Ralph Lauren, Anne Ansensio, Henry Ford III and Pete Brock. There were eight beautiful automobiles competing for this unique distinction, all winners of the top concours around the world in 2023.
Optima has been undertaking a multi-year project documenting the great cars that are powered by their batteries, entitled "The Best Cars in the World Start with Optima Batteries" and now that moniker has been independently, officially and objectively certified.
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
Stunning Pre-war Performance
The magnificent, graceful A. F. McNeil penned alloy speedster body, rendered in sunglow orange and black reinforces the 104 MPH in 2 nd gear and 140+MPH top end performance of this acclaimed ultimate Duesenberg SJ—and now of Best Car in the World fame. Upon accepting the spectacular award, Bill H. Lyon, the late General Lyon's son, remarked, "My family is so honored to participate in this car's incredible legacy. Witnessing Gurney Nutting's design being recognized just miles from where this work of art on wheels was constructed in Chelsea almost 90 years ago is a memory my family will cherish forever."
After completion, the car was displayed at the 1936 London Auto Show before being shipped from London to New York and then driven to Indianapolis by Duesenberg staff—and ultimately delivered to the Maharajah's American estate in Orange County, California (to avoid the WWII turmoil affecting India at the time). Lost for a number of postwar years it was rediscovered in Pakistan in 1959 and purchased by William Brester of Connecticut from its third owner for 6 pairs of socks, 3 neckties, 4 shirts, one new Chevrolet Impala, and some money. In 1988, it made its way into the burgeoning collection of Maj. Gen. William Lyon (USAF, Ret.) who purchased it from Tom Perkins with Tom Barratt as the broker.
Photo © 2024 Royce Rumsey
Under the Lyon Collection's doting care the "Maharajah" Duesy has graced the most renowned concours in the world with its most recent victory being Best of Show at the 2023 Concourso D'Eleganza Villa D'Este in Lake Como, Italy. And just when such a lofty award would seem impossible to beat, the Optima powered, Lyon Collection "Maharajah" Duesenberg is now officially proclaimed The Best Car in the World.
All content © 2024 Royce Rumsey. Special thanks to Bill Lyon of the Lyon Collection.
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All Photos © 2024 Royce Rumsey
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"The Best Car in the World"
I really had to laugh when I read this in the article:
"Lost for a number of postwar years it was rediscovered in Pakistan in 1959 and purchased by William Brester of Connecticut from its third owner for 6 pairs of socks, 3 neckties, 4 shirts, one new Chevrolet Impala, and some money. In 1988,"
Pretty impressive instrument panel for the age of the vehicle.
Yep, unusually elaborate - more gauges than most.
They don't build them like that anymore
No kidding!!!
Have the Mecum auto auction on TV for background
69 Hemi Roadrunner just sold for $245,000
Is this the baby?
A green one like that
More like this? The caption for this one said: "1969 Plymouth Hemi Road Runner for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions"
Out of curiosity, what is so special about that car for it to sell for almost a quarter of a million dollars?
Original condition, the original options and package, matching numbers (motor and transmission car was built with), scarcity and the HEMI motor.
Cars like this were raced, had the hell run out of them, were modified, and wrecked and tore up and not fixed like stock.
When these cars were young, they often got modified, motors changed. racing parts added and original parts that are now valuable got lost.
Okay, thanks, so it was very unusual to find such a specimen.