SOLD: 1923 Model A Duesenberg Millspaugh & Irish 5-Passenger Touring

Exceptional 1923 Model A Duesenberg Millspaugh & Irish 5-Passenger Touring. Chassis number 786, engine number 1188.
 
Just 50 complete examples of the Model A remain and fewer still with documented history and with their original engine, chassis and coachwork. This stunning example is ACD Certified and a CCCA Classic.
 
The seller acquired this Duesy on November 30, 2002 from William A. Johnson of Burbank, California; he was then 92 years old.  The car was virtually untouched since he towed it from a shed in Gardena, California on Sunday morning February 29, 1948. The remarkable find had been placed there on January 28, 1940 by the previous owner, Lester Volney Stevens who moved from Los Angeles to Toledo, Washington to pursue a career in mineralogy. 
 
Thanks to marque expert Randy Ema, this Model A soon came into the possession of the California-based seller (Johnson owned two other Model A Duesenbergs and a Model X Duesenberg, the latter currently owned by Jay Leno in a purchase well documented on the TLC show “Rides” and Mr. Ema owns one of the other Model As). 
 
Mr. Ema’s assistance was invaluable throughout the restoration as he owns the majority of the remaining spare parts as well as all the original factory drawings and a wealth of literature. The bulk of the restoration was carried out by Greg Morrell whose skillful restoration of William Connors’ Talbot-Lago Goutte D’eau led to a Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours in 1997. The goal of the restoration process was to return the car to a condition as authentic as possible. Guided by known experts and over ten years of research of original factory drawings, photographs and literature.
 
This Duesenberg went on to a third-in-class at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance against the class-winning 1920 Stutz Series H Bearcat... no small feat indeed. Available in stunning concours condition and fully "on the button."

Model A Duesenbergs are experiencing a renaissance. Similar examples recently sold at auction include the January 17, 2018 sale at Worldwide in Scottsdale for $346,000, and the 2017 sale at RM-Sotheby's in Monterey for $407,000.