Rare 1934 Duesenberg Model J to grace the Hawke’s Bay

19 January, 2015

An opportunity to see the southern hemisphere’s only 1934 Duesenberg Model J in real life doesn’t come around very often, but the HB Vintage Car Club (HBVCC) have ensured you’ll get this chance.

They’ve invited the vehicle to make a special guest appearance at Tremains Art Deco Weekend in Napier throughout February 20–28. Conveniently, if you’re not already in Napier and make the trip down for the event, you can check out the iconic Municipal Theatre as the car will be on display in its Pan Pac Foyer on Friday, February 20 from 3–9pm.

Originally owned by Hollywood actress Carole Lombard, who acted in such films as Vigil in the Night and My Man Godfrey, the Duesenberg Model J has gone through many famous Hollywood hands, including being owned by Greta Garbo, Delores Del Rio, and William Hirsch, before it found its way to New Zealand in 2011 and underwent a full restoration by local Wanaka craftsmen.

The Tremains Napier Art Deco parade will feature around 250 pre-1945 cars in commemoration of the anniversaries being celebrated in 2015 — it is the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli, and 75 years since the Battle of Britain. The parade will include in excess of 20 Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg automobiles.

Steve Trott, the organizer of the ACD (Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg) Rally, said everyone was looking forward to the Art Deco and HBVCC annual events as usual, but many were particularly excited to see the 1934 Model J Duesenberg up close for the first time.

“It’s great that we have the 1934 Duesenberg as the feature car at this year’s event. It’s a really special car and looks fantastic. People will be in awe of how stunning it is.”

To finish first, first, you must build a winner

Can-Am royalty
Only three M20s were built, including the car that was destroyed at Road Atlanta. This car was later rebuilt. All three cars were sold at the end of the 1972 season. One of the cars would score another Can-Am victory in 1974, driven by a privateer, but the M20’s day was done. Can-Am racing faded away at the end of that season and was replaced by Formula 5000.
These days the cars are valued in the millions. It was unlikely that I would ever have seen one in the flesh if it hadn’t been that one day my editor asked me if I would mind popping over to Taranaki and having a look at a pretty McLaren M20 that somebody had built in their shed.
That is how I came to be standing by the car owned and built by truck driver Leon Macdonald.

Lunch with … Roly Levis

Lunching was not allowed during Covid 19 Lockdowns so our correspondent recalled a lunch he had with legendary New Zealand racing driver Rollo Athol Levis shortly before he died on 1 October 2013 at the age of 88. Michael Clark caught up with Roly and members of his family over vegetable soup