THE AUBURN SPEEDSTER

In the days when Bugattis crossed France and 4½-Litre Bentleys tore through the British countryside, the American equivalent was the Auburn Speedster. Indiana’s Auburn Automobile Company revealed its first version of this dashing body style, inspired by a Duesenberg show car, for the 1928 model year and would offer variations on the theme through to the end of production in 1936.

The 1935 to 1936 Speedsters were designed by the legendary Gordon Buehrig. Audacious by the standards of their time, they featured curvaceous bodywork with a straight hood line shooting back from the radiator to a V-shaped windshield, down between pontoon fenders, over gently sloping doors, and descending in a graceful taper to the rear bumper. It was this distinctive rear design, elegantly outlined by chrome and striping, which gave the Speedster its everlasting nickname, “the boattail.”

Underneath, the Speedster shared the same exciting mechanicals as other supercharged Auburn models. The glistening chrome side exhaust heralded the presence of a Schwitzer-Cummins blower, which boosted the horsepower of the Auburn straight-eight to 150 from a normally aspirated reading of 115. The 150 horsepower was sent to a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle—standard equipment on the supercharged models—which provided two ratios for each gear, one low and one high. The ratios could be changed as often as desired while at very low speeds or at a stop by moving the switch in the center of the steering wheel. This provided the supercharged Auburn with much greater flexibility, making it a true driver’s car, ideal for both purring through crowded cities and roaring down country lanes.

Each Speedster bore on its dashboard a plaque inscribed, “This certifies that this Auburn Automobile has been driven 100.8 miles per hour before shipment.” It was signed by David “Ab” Jenkins, the speed-record driver who achieved some of his greatest successes at Bonneville behind the wheel of a late Auburn Speedster. Of course, the plaques were merely factory decoration installed on the production line. Then again, no one who has driven these cars since has ever complained about a lack of speed.

SERIAL NUMBER 851 33108 E

The Speedster offered here has a known ownership history back to the prolific “Greatest Name in Classic Cars,” Tom Barrett of Arizona, believed to have been its owner during the 1970s. It was subsequently owned in the late 1980s and early 1990s by Jerry J. Moore of Houston, Texas, probably the most active American collector with one of the most vast and comprehensive stables, famously with a focus on Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg. Mr. Moore exchanged the car with the Blackhawk Collection in 1995 and it was sold by them to Tony Aragola of Port Washington, New York. In early 1999 it was acquired by longtime collector and enthusiast Chuck Spielman of California, then by 2003 had been purchased by Frank Giglioni of Alameda, California.

Acquired by the present owner in 2021, in his ownership the car has been Certified by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club as a Category 1 original example, recording it with the present engine, a correct replacement unit from later in the production run. It presents in very nice condition throughout, with its restoration still very attractive in this classic combination of black with red interior—among the most fetching for any Auburn Speedster—accented by correct side curtains, wire wheels with chrome discs, and blackwall tires. Further, according to the consignor it has been extremely well-sorted—both cosmetically and mechanically, including resealing the engine—to use and enjoy. With its Dual Ratio rear axle and supercharged engine, it promises excellent performance on the road for a new caretaker, showing off just what a wonderful machine the blown Auburn was and remains, a classic of both design and engineering.