The phaeton body on this Duesenberg was designed by the legendary stylist Gordon Buehrig, whose work helped define the visual identity of the Model J.
In 1936, the car received an experimental supercharger, making it one of the earliest supercharged Duesenbergs outside the later factory‑built SJ models.

Its first owner was John R. Oishei, founder of Trico, one of the most influential suppliers of automotive windshield wiper systems. Decades later, in 1979, the car was purchased by Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s Pizza. That sale marked a milestone in collector‑car history: this became the first automobile to publicly sell for $1,000,000.

Over the years, chassis 2131 has passed through several prominent hands, including Oishei, Dick Gold in the 1970s, Monaghan, and later the respected collectors Arturo and Deborah Keller.