PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (July 19, 2004) – The Duesenberg Special, a streamlined 400-horsepower supercar that charged into land speed and endurance record books in the ‘30s, has been consigned to be sold by Gooding & Company at the Aug. 15 Pebble Beach Concours Auction. Also known as the “Mormon Meteor,” the supercharged speedster that was raced by Utah’s Ab Jenkins and then driven on the streets of Salt Lake City, will have its first new owner in more than four decades.
“The Mormon Meteor is the most important, well-known vehicle in the history of the American automobile,” says David Gooding, president and founder of Gooding & Company, who will be conducting the 2004 Pebble Beach Auction. “Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House the last time the Mormon Meteor changed hands, and we’re honored that the long time owner has chosen the Pebble Beach Auction to represent this important piece of automotive history.
Designed by Herbert Newport and built by Augie Duesenberg and Ab Jenkins in 1935, the Mormon Meteor, which features a large un-muffled exhaust pipe that emits a distinctive loud growl, first gained fame by attacking Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. The Duesey established a litany of records at the Flats, including covering 153.96 miles in one hour, a total of 3,253.619 miles in 24 hours and a 24-hour average speed of 135.57…with the same engine that is in the car today.
“Jenkins, who eventually became Mayor of Salt Lake City (1940 – 1943), drove it around town after setting the records,” says Gooding. “And it’s still a great road car. It doesn’t even overheat in traffic.”
The Sunday, Aug. 15 Pebble Beach Auction, which follows the day-long Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, begins at 6 p.m. at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Approximately 60 of the most desirable cars in the world will be available at auction, including a Centenary Edition of the new Rolls-Royce Phantom (one of only 35 such cars being produced to celebrate the marque’s 100th anniversary), which is being made available to directly benefit Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance charities.
- more -
2-2-2-2-2
A sampling of some other rare vehicles being auctioned by Gooding & Company includes:
n 1921 Farman A6B Super Sport Torpedo originally owned by the Maharajah of Idar
n 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Sypder first owned by race car pioneer and sailing champ Briggs Cunningham and raced by John Fitch and Phil Walters
n 1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupé that won a class award at the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours
n 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS that was the factory prototype for the subsequent SL Roadster
n 1989 Jaguar XJ-S Coupé owned by Frank Sinatra
“There will be dozens and dozens of extraordinary cars at the Pebble Beach auction, but the fabled Mormon Meteor, once driven by Ab Jenkins, ‘Utah’s Son of Speed,’ is the star attraction,” says Pebble Beach Concours Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger, who has logged nearly 1,000 miles behind the wheel of the speedster. “It’s very handy, responsive and a thrill to drive. “It’s the ultimate American sports car.”
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will once again feature a Tour d’Elegance, which kicks-off the Pebble Beach Weekend festivities on Thurs., Aug. 12. The Tour, now in its 7th year, winds around Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Laguna Seca and Carmel and is open only to cars participating in Sunday’s Concours.
Now in its 54th year, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the premier gathering of the finest and rarest collector automobiles in the world. Held annually on the third Sunday in August at The Lodge at Pebble Beach™, the event brings car aficionados from around the globe to the Monterey Peninsula. The event has contributed more than $7.5 million to charities, including the United Way of Monterey County, Natividad Medical Research Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County, Kinship Center, the Wheelchair Foundation and the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. Beginning this year, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is adding the international UNICEF to its list of charities.
Tickets for the Concours are $100 if purchased in advance at www.pebblebeachconcours.net or by calling 877-693-0009 toll-free. Tickets sold onsite are $125. Children under 12 are admitted free.
