Cars From The Good New Days

Brock Yates did his usual excellent job, condensing the story of the mighty Duesenberg into a single fine magazine article, but I’d offer one correction. On page 94 there are two photos of the same Duesenberg, 2585/J-560. A JN convertible coupe with body by Rollston, it was later modified by Bohman & Schwartz. Despite what the caption says, Clark Gable did own this car.

Gable’s name has also been associated with another Duesenberg, 2595/J-567, a short-wheelbase supercharged roadster later labeled “SSJ.” It is this roadster that was probably never owned by Gable. It was lent to him by Duesenberg’s Los Angeles distributor, but after the original two-month loan period stretched into six, the dealer retrieved the car, refurbished it, and sold it to the MGM musical director Géorgie Stoll.

A near-twin to this roadster was owned by Gable’s friendly rival in exotic car one-upmanship, his fellow movie star Gary Cooper.