Mosel 12-160 Speedster

And according to the comment (from Josh Kruse), Cranston later sold it to a third party, cheap, by the sounds of it. Sad that now being associated with Kruse taints a car.

The car was featured in a Hemmings Blog post this morning in preparation for its upcoming auction.

blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2010 ... refer=news

According to one of the comments the car was actually owned by Bill Cranston and on loan to the Kruse Museum, and that Cranston was the one offering it at the Kruse sales.

Since the Jack O'Lantern Speedster is going over the block again, I think it's time to refresh this thread. Did anyone ever nail down whether or not it is a rebody?

craig, i was not at the auction when the car went through but arrived a few moments later. my understanding is that the high bid was $300,000 and it did not sell across the block. i got this information from a lady in the seats who was keeping track of the prices.

maybe it sold afterwards. you never know at kruse quite what is going on. ha ha.

i asked a few questions myself of a person that said he owned the car many years ago and he understood it not to be an original.


like you, i would be interested to know exactly what it is. does anyone know??? or at least know the history of the car?

does it have a correct speedster body and 12 engine and frame? is it just a body switch or is there something more serious at issue?

this price seems to me to be a bit low, if everything was correct and it was just not original. i have seen them go for over $500,000 in newly restored condition even if not original. maybe the difference is the fact that this car had an older restoration.

or maybe it was the halloween colours.........

Does anybody know how high the fake cantaloupe 12-160 Speedster was bid up to on Sunday and whether it sold? Craig Birkhold

Well, although the mystery is already solved, there are still some afterthoughts left <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> .
"Mosel" is not only a misspelt "model", but also a German wine growing region (northwest of Frankfurt, roughly), where the best vintners make light, but intense-flavored whites (usually Riesling). Typically they are rather low in alcohol and show a slight sweetness even if not "Auslese" or higher grade.
Go for e. g. van Volxem, J. J. Pr?m, Markus Molitor; recent outstanding vintages are 2005 and 2007

<!-- s:idea: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_idea.gif" alt=":idea:" title="Idea" /><!-- s:idea: --> A bottle of a good Mosel wine might be a good idea to conclude a nice day out in an ACD car; it goes well with Asian or Cajun dishes, especially if they're based on sea food.

The $500,000-$600,000 seems a bit high but who knows. Kruse tends to put a towering estimate on his own cars, doesn't he?

I would certainly like to own the car, leaving the Woodlites and chucking the LaLique hood ornament. Hopefully it will be purchased by a Club member and continue to make appearances in Auburn.

Well, it has come to light that there is a question about the history and originality of the V-12 Auburn Speedster that I mentioned in a previous post. As always, it is important to check with Paul Bryant about the certification of originality. When I spoke with the previous owner several years ago he told me that it was an original, but that has been called in to question now. This is yet another situation of an Auburn with a murky past with a less that honest representation of its history. If anyone out there is serious about purchasing this car next weekend; please do your homework so you know what your taking home to your garage. I apoligize if I helped spread any misinformation. Craig Birkhold

I saw the car myself at the Kruse Museum two summers ago. Overrrestored and overaccessorized to a scary level (hello, LaLique hood ornament!) but it looked high-quality. No clue whether it's a genuine speedster or not, but as Jack says, that's what the historians and technicians are for.

P.S. Glaring typos in Kruse catalogs are a grand old American tradition, like Mom's apple pie and baseball.

Mr. Richards,
Thank you very much for taking the time to send your excellent reply. I am a one week member and do not have a newsletter yet so I appreciate your kindness and information very much.
I hope I can return the favor.

John Norcia

Dear Mr. John Norcia of Columbia , S.C. :
I would recommend that you contact the ACD Club Auburn Technicians
in order to obtain an authoritative answer to your inquiry as to how many
Auburn 12 cylinder model automobiles were produced. These persons are
shown at Page 2 of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Membership Direc-
tory. Since it would appear you are not yet a member of the ACD Club I
will list these persons. I would highly recommend you join the club if you
have interest in these automobiles. Ownership of an ACD vehicle is NOT
a prerequisite to membership. The Club Technicians for Auburn generally
for years 1931-1936 are Jay Engler of Fremont, OH // Area Code 419 -
332-6684 and John Ehresman of Ansonia, CT // Area Code 203 -735-5580.
Web contact for Mr. Ehresman is <a href="mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url] . Please withhold a
contact with Mr. Engler for an appropriate period of time because his wife
Marilyn has passed away just this week. The Club Technicians specific to
Auburn 12 cylinder models are three in number : Jim Beauchamp from
Annapolis, MD // Area Code 410 - 490-8000 ; Frank Cek of Euclid, OH //
Area Code 216 - 486-3177 and Mike Pingatori of Seattle, WA // Area Code
206 - 246-3682. Regretably we lost to a tragic residential accident last fall
another club member Bill Bools of Cincinnati, OH who was also extremely
well informed on issues involving the Auburn 12 cylinder models.
The Auburn speedster shown in the recently released tri-folded color
prospectus for the 38th Annual Auburn Fall Auction ( 8-28 / 9-2-2008 ) at
Auburn, Indiana APPEARS TO BE a 1932 Model 12-160 in black color with
orange reveal color and stripe and black interior leather. If the vehicle is
as represented , it is a Standard model speedster for 1932 This was the
first of three years for production of the Auburn 12 cylinder models and
was initially priced at $1,145 ( vs. the Custom model designated as the
Model 12-160A at $1,275 ). Both models utilized the BB Series Lycoming
V-12 engine with 391.2 cu. in. displacement producing 160 h.p.at 3,500
rpm and had Lockheed hydraulic brakes. I believe all 12 cylinder vehicles
were equipped with the LGS freewheeling system and had a Bijur chassis
lubrication system installed. The Custon model 12-160As were equipped
with a Dual-Ration rear differential , a Startix automatic engine starting
system and adjustable shock absorbers. I cannot tell you the total number
of 1932 Model 12-160s and 12-160As produced , I leave that to be answer-
ed by the technicians referenced above. However, I can assure you that
the speedster models are the rarest of the rare. As to the Wood Lites on
the subject vehicle, they are of the period but were not installed at the
Auburn factory as the vehicle was produced.
In closing I hope you will be able to obtain accurate answers to your
various inquiries from the Club Technicians enumerated above AND I do
encourage you to join the ACD Club. To this end contact Membership
Secretaries Vincent and Barbara Pietracatella at Area Code 718 / 981-0549 or by E-mail at <a href="mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]
Sincerely, Jonathan (Jack) Richards at Red Oak, Iowa aka <a href="mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url].

Woodlights are an add-on by a former owner. Kinda ugly, if you ask me, but easily corrected.

Mark

That makes sense .
OK. Model 12160 is correct. I asked Kruse. What about those headlamps. Wood Lites ? Original or not ?

Anybody know how many 1932 Model 12160 cars were produced ?

John

I would be willing to bet that this is a spelling error and really should say Model 12160.

Mosel. Is that a particular model, style , or version for the 32 Auburn Speedster ?
Was it a special model for 32 ?
I see one in the fall Kruse Auction. It has Woodlite headlamps ?
Was this car produced by Auburn or was it built or modified by someone else ?

Thanks for answering.
John

So what is what? A picture would be helpful. What amI missing here?

So..... What is it? Real or knock off?

Thanks. J.Norcia AKA Auburn Moron