Duesenberg Model J 2185 / J‑156 is a striking demonstration of the Model J’s dramatic impact on American automotive design. Originally delivered as a long‑wheelbase chassis fitted with LeBaron’s Dual‑Cowl Sweep Panel Phaeton coachwork, it represented one of the most sporting and visually exciting body styles available in the early Model J era. Noted marque historians, including Fred Roe, Josh Malks, and J. L. Elbert, confirm that 2185 was delivered new with this handsome, low‑roof, dual‑cowl design.
As one of the early Model Js, 2185 was equipped with the distinctive black honeycomb radiator, lacking the later vertical chrome slats. This detail gives the car a more purposeful, subtly aggressive front appearance that suits LeBaron’s streamlined, sweep-panel coachwork beautifully.
In the early 1930s, 2185 suffered a road accident, an event not uncommon for new owners discovering firsthand the impressive performance of Duesenberg’s 265‑horsepower straight‑eight. The damage was significant enough that the car was deemed too costly to repair during the Depression years. While some records refer to it as “scrapped,” the chassis was never dismantled; instead, the entire car was simply parked and forgotten, remaining untouched in storage for nearly fifty years.
In the early 1980s, the long‑neglected Duesenberg was discovered by the late Rick Carroll, one of the most active collectors of Duesenberg Model Js of that era. By this time, the historical importance of any surviving Model J was well understood, and Carroll committed to returning 2185 to its original splendor.
Upon disassembly, it was determined that the original chassis was too damaged to be safely restored, and a correct replacement chassis was sourced. The original LeBaron body, also too far gone, was recreated faithfully and accurately in the style of the original Sweep Panel Dual‑Cowl Phaeton. The recreation included all key LeBaron hallmarks: a raked windshield, a low roofline, and the sweeping accent panel that runs gracefully along the sides.
Carroll’s team chose a particularly attractive paint scheme: medium blue on the body and fenders, accented with light blue sweep panels, divided by a delicate silver stripe. The car is outfitted with period‑appropriate features, including:
- Dual side‑mount spares with body‑color metal covers
- Dual Pilot Ray driving lamps
- Chrome wire wheels with double‑sided whitewall tires
- A rear trunk rack with leather trunk
- Beautifully varnished wood slats on the running boards
The interior is trimmed in dark blue leather, and the tan canvas top, piped in matching blue, emphasizes the elegant, nautical character reminiscent of fashionable 1930s coastal motoring.
After Rick Carroll’s death, 2185/J‑156 was sold in 1990 during the Sotheby’s dispersal of his collection. The car’s restoration quality earned it an AACA Senior National Award that same year, and it was subsequently featured in the AACA Antique Automobile magazine.
Since then, the car has remained in private hands, where it has been carefully maintained. The restoration, though older, shows the benefit of expert stewardship. Signs of gentle use, such as light creasing in the leather, give the car an inviting, lived‑in authenticity without diminishing its impressive overall condition.
