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Duesenberg F.R. Wood Town Car Being the story of how Jay Leno successfully tracked down the "last undiscovered Dusenberg." From "Special Presentation" episode DCRD-S

The Woods Body Duesenberg Town Car — a.k.a., the "Last Duesenberg" — will be the featured restoration in DIY's Celebrity Rides series on Jay Leno's Duesenberg collection.

Jay Leno Duesenberg Collection, Automobile #7: Duesenberg F.R. Wood Town Car

Statistics:

• Model: J
  
• Year built: 1931
  
• Original owner: Hubert Straus
  
• Original mileage: 107,085
  
• Price new: unknown
  
• Number in Leno's collection: 7th

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The Woods Body Duesenberg was discovered by Jay Leno in a New York parking garage where it had been parked since the 1930s.
The car was in quite a sad state after sitting in a garage for over 70 years. It will require a full restoration.

The Last Duesenberg

Thought to be the last undiscovered Duesenburg, this Woodsbody model was trapped away for years, hidden and shrouded in rumors. Up for a challenge, Jay Leno decided he would knock on doors during a Manhattan vacation to see if he could find this mystery car. At the 10th or so garage he went to, he was lead upstairs to a room that held many vintage vehicles — and to his surprise, the very one he was searching for.

It had been parked since 1951, a memory to most who ever knew it existed. Originally built for the owner Macy's department store Herbert Straus, this Duesenberg was definitely one of a kind. The coachbuilder was F.R. Woods, a craftsman who built vehicles for the White House. These vehicles included the one that drove President Lincoln to the famous Ford Theatre. This was the only Duesenberg Woods would ever build, becoming a distinct vehicle within the hundreds of Duesenbergs created.

This Duesenberg was kept within one family from the time it was built. Straus's wife, Katherine, was believed to be the actual owner of the vehicle, and eventually sold it to her son for $100 in 1951. He sent the car to Connecticut to be revamped for the road after purchasing it, and then took it to a classic car club meet. Eventually, he ended up parking it at the Windsor Garage around the corner from his Park Avenue home. There it sat until Leno's treasure hunt discovered it under the dust. Seventh in his collection, it is the only town car in the group.

	When the Duesenberg Town Car was found, it was being used to store old tires.

Restoration Process

Stored in a garage for over 50 years, the weather and dirty environment took its toll on this Duesenberg. Water had been leaking on the body for years, causing wood rot and rusted fenders. An effort to stop the deterioration — covering the top with a sheet of tin — was in vain. There were tires stored inside the body, thus ruining the interior, and the engine did not run. The only thing that was still in good condition was the chassis.

A full restoration was necessary. Restoration specialist Randy Ema and his team have taken this on as their current project. The completion of the project will most likely take over a yea, but the results should be well worth the wait.

Brief History of the Model J

After the popular Model A was discontinued and the Model X prototypes were completed, the Duesenberg Company needed some guidance in the business aspect of the automotive world. Engineering skills would not be enough to make the company a success. E. L. Cord bought the company and took on the challenge — proving to be the man for the job.

Cord was an excellent businessman, and after refocusing the company's efforts, he lifted the Duesenberg Company into the realm of elite automotive companies of the time. Fred Duesenberg focused on building a new type of luxury vehicle — one that would surpass all others in both speed and design.

Out came the Model J, a vehicle dubbed "the world's finest motorcar" by many in the automotive industry. It was displayed at the New York Car Show in 1928, boasting 265 horsepower and speeds up to 120 mph. The chassis and engine would be engineered at the Duesenberg factory, while the body and interior would be customized by a coachbuilder of the customer's choice.

Of the 481 Model J's were built between 1928 and 1937, only 378 still exist today. Each one is a piece of history, with a past that most likely includes some important or famous person of that time. Such a unique and elegant vehicle has yet to be created that could compare to the famous Duesenberg automobile.

Go back to the Celebrity Rides Special page for the full list of Jay Leno's Duesenbergs featured in this episode.