Makes › Duesenberg › SSJ Speedster · Coachbuilt · 1935 Ultra Rare
Duesenberg
SSJ Speedster
Short-wheelbase supercharged Duesenberg chassis with speedster body designed by J. Herbert Newport Jr., built by Central Manufacturing; loaned to Gary Cooper and Clark Gable
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 2 Built
- Years
- 1935
- Engine
- Front-mounted supercharged Model J straight-eight, twin carburettors · 6,880 cc / 6.9 LFactory: 420 cu in · converted
- Power
- 298 kW / 406 PSFactory: 400 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 225 km/hFactory: 140 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- J. Herbert Newport Jr.
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
Only two SSJs were built, short-wheelbase supercharged Duesenbergs with open speedster bodies loaned to Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. Cooper's car set a world record for an American car at auction in 2018.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionSSJs produced | 21 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Designed by Duesenberg chief designer J. Herbert Newport Jr. and bodied by Central Manufacturing (a Cord company, using the LaGrande name), the two SSJs sat on a 125-in. wheelbase with a supercharged Model J engine. They were lent for six months to Cooper and Gable; Gable declined to buy his, while Cooper bought his and traded in his Derham Tourster. Cooper's car later passed to Briggs Cunningham in 1949 and Miles Collier in 1986, and sold at Gooding's Pebble Beach auction in August 2018 for $22 million including fees.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard SSJ Speedster.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Front-mounted supercharged Model J straight-eight, twin carburettors2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 6,880 cc / 6.9 LFactory: 420 cu in · converted3 |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, 32 valves3 |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 298 kW / 406 PSFactory: 400 hp · converted2 Independently researched |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | four-wheel hydraulic drum3 |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 3,180 mmFactory: 125 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 225 km/hFactory: 140 mph · converted4 Independently researchedQuote attributed to owner Miles Collier in the Gooding release, not a measured figure. |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
The two cars differed only in colour and taillight design. Cooper's car is chassis 2594, stamped on the left frame rail; engine numbers appear on the bell housing and connecting rods. The 'SSJ' name was not an official factory designation.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Sports Car Market – 1935 Duesenberg SSJ (Gary Cooper car) analysis Level B
- 2 SSJs produced
-
2
1935 Duesenberg SSJ Level B Carl Bomstead · Sports Car Market · 2018-09-21
- supercharged Model J engine with twin carburetors
- rated at 400 horsepower
- Short, 125 inches
-
3
1935 Duesenberg SSJ (Pebble Beach 2018, lot) Level C Gooding & Company · 2018-08-24
- 420 CID DOHC 32-Valve Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
- 420 CID DOHC 32-Valve Inline 8-Cylinder
- 4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
-
4
Stunning Automotive Masterpiece ... Once Owned by Legendary Actor Gary Cooper Level C Gooding & Company · 2018-07-10
- Peaking at 140mph in 1935
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