This 1927 Duesenberg Model A/Y Phaeton Prototype is one of the most historically significant American automobiles ever built. Known as the original styling prototype for the legendary Model J, it represents the bridge between Duesenberg’s early engineering brilliance and the creation of what would become the ultimate American luxury car. Chassis number 912 and engine number 1598 remain intact, and the car is presented today much as it was when sold by August Duesenberg in 1932.
The story begins in 1926, when E.L. Cord acquired Duesenberg Motors with the vision of creating the world’s finest automobile. Working with Fred Duesenberg, Cord commissioned a prototype that would set the stage for the Model J. This experimental design, called the Model Y, was based on the Model A’s 134-inch wheelbase chassis but featured a prototype engine evolved from the A’s SOHC unit. The new engine was enlarged to 412 cubic inches, fitted with four valves per cylinder, and produced nearly 200 horsepower, a remarkable figure for the era. This design would later inspire the Lycoming-built 420-cubic-inch DOHC engine that powered the Model J.
Two Model Y prototypes were built: a sedan and a phaeton. The phaeton, bodied by McFarlan of Connersville, Indiana, carried styling by Alan Leamy, the young designer responsible for Auburn’s success. Leamy’s work introduced the elements that would define the Model J: a massive chromed radiator shell, large Ryanlite headlamps, and gracefully flared fenders. These features appeared almost unchanged on the production Model J.
The phaeton was sold in 1932 to August Duesenberg, who dismantled the prototype chassis as agreed but preserved the McFarlan body and Leamy’s styling. He mounted the body on a used Model A chassis, number 912, and sold the car to Indianapolis businessman Hugh R. Baylor. This act saved the styling prototype for future generations.
After Baylor’s passing, the car was inherited by his chauffeur and later by his sister, Lela Nichols, who kept it until 1951. It was then purchased by James T. Leeson, an early Duesenberg enthusiast, who restored it mechanically and cosmetically in the early 1950s. Leeson drove the car about 6,000 miles before selling it in 1957. Since then, it has remained in the same family for nearly seven decades.
The car retains its patinaed finishes from Leeson’s restoration, with only minor updates such as fresh leather seat covers. For many years, it was displayed at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Indiana, where it stood among other icons of American automotive history. Recently, it has been serviced and returned to running condition, ready for its next chapter.
This Model A/Y is more than a car, it is a cornerstone of Duesenberg history. Assembled in its final form by August Duesenberg himself, it embodies the transition from the early Model A to the mighty Model J. Its significance cannot be overstated: it is the styling prototype that shaped America’s greatest automobile, preserved through decades of careful stewardship. For collectors and historians alike, this is an opportunity to own one of the most important Duesenbergs in private hands.
