I don’t get to build every car I dream up. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to take all the wild ideas (and even some of the slow-burning inspirations) that I imagine—and create them in glass, aluminum and steel. I’m lucky that I get to bring as many unique projects into the world as I do, because there are legions of design fanatics and backyard builders who don’t have access to half the resources I have in my shop.
That bring me to the “Deucenberg,” my dream project that combines two strange bedfellows: a ’32 Ford Roadster and a Duesenberg. If I ever get the time to stop for just long enough to squeeze in a personal project that’s been lurking at the back of my mind for several years now, it would be the Deucenberg. See my drawing of the idea at the top of this page.
You know how people claim that opposites attract? In the world of design, it’s not so much that vehicles at different ends of the scale are complementary, but rather that the potential exists to highlight their individual beauty by way of juxtaposition. The long, and elegant lines of a Duesenberg are the pinnacle of class and style for its era. It’s a car that is still relevant today—overlaid onto the abrupt, more industrial angles of a 1932 Ford to create the kind of visual effect that you can’t ignore.
I have worked on Ford Roadsters. In fact, I customized this ’32 Roadster (called “0032”) not once, but twice. On the second pass, I restyled it black.
The contrast between the Deucenberg—which was available only to the most elite well-healed buyer—stands in stark contrast with the Ford ‘32 Roadster. Henry Ford wanted every family to be able to afford his cars. Those extreme differences between the demographic profiles of the owners gives a deeper meaning to the contrast in the design elements for the two cars.
This is a 1969 lithograph of a 1933 Duesenberg SJ Arlington Sedan.
What’s more is that this project would be a way to squeeze something new out of a design trope that’s long been part of the bedrock of hot rodding. The ’32 Ford Roadster has inspired so many different people over the years that it’s common to see as many as a dozen or more of these popular rides at any major show. Combining the Duesenberg’s unique cues with the familiarity of the Ford puts people in a different headspace—giving them a better perspective to understand and enjoy the popular hot rodding icon, as well as an icon of early automotive elegance.
