This 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster was one of only eight Toursters ever built, all by the Derham Body Company in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. This particular car was the third in that exclusive series, and its first owner was comedian and actor Joe E. Brown, who kept it for seven years.

After passing through a few hands, the car ended up with Hughes Aircraft, the company founded by aviator Howard Hughes. In a surprising twist, Hughes had the rear body section removed so the powerful Model J could tow gliders into the air. Thanks to its immense torque, it could even launch the largest aircraft. Later, the car continued this unusual duty with Briegleb Aircraft after being sold to them in 1945.

In 1948, Robert Straede of Santa Monica bought the car, followed by Lassiter Hoyle. In June 1949, Hoyle sold it to Fred Buess Jr. who kept it for 11 years. By then, the car was missing its rear body and had already donated many parts. He bought it as a parts car, and it became a “hangar queen” for J-118, giving up its radiator and other components to keep the big sedan running daily. He often mentioned that the front section of the Tourster had been mounted on another chassis and would occasionally be seen driving around Glendale, California. During his ownership, the cylinder head was removed. The front fenders stayed with the car when it was sold to Nate Derus in 1960.

Eventually, the car passed to Phil Renick and then Lewis Landoli, who commissioned restorer Harry Andrews to reconstruct the original body. The work was completed in the mid-1970s under new owner Frank McGowan. McGowan later sold the finished car to Otis Chandler, who kept it for a decade. In 2007, it joined the John O’Quinn collection, and in 2013 it crossed the block at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction, selling for $825,000.