For those who have ever
Relished the Auburn
Speedster

Auburn Speedsters.com was created due to my seemingly life long love of the Auburn 851 and 852 Speedsters. The flowing lines of a Boattail Speedster, whether it be an original 1935/1936 or one of the Second Generation Cars, is the quintessential example of Classic Automobile Art and Design. Since I would never have the $300-$500 thousand needed  to purchase an original 1935/1936 Auburn Speedster, I went with Plan B... I purchased a wonderful "Second Generation" Speedster in the winter of 2000. It is a great car and is still a pleasure to own, drive and maintain today.

The Love Affair started for me in 1974, at that time I was a Junior in High School. I ran across a series of ads depicting Classic Cars for Walkers De Luxe Straight 8. One of the cars used in the ad campaign was a Cigarette Cream 1935 Auburn Speedster. I thought that car was the most beautiful automobile that I had ever seen in my short 17 years of existence. I had never heard of an Auburn automobile nor had I ever seen one. "Rip", the ad came out of the magazine and was immediately posted on my bedroom wall. Believe it or not I still have that ad. In the fall of that same year, while at the Hoosier Auto Show and Swap Meet, I actually saw an Auburn Speedster, or at least a very close facsimile. It was a Replica / Recreation. There were several Speedsters being displayed. They were produced by Elegant Motors of Indianapolis, Indiana. I could not get enough of them that day. I had nothing but a photo ad from Walkers De Luxe to compare them with, but I was very impressed with the Elegant Motors cars. I always was, and still am, a Sucker for Free Stuff. I put quite a dent in their box of sales catalogs that day.

It was not long before I decided that I needed another Boattail Speedster Fix. With my stash of sales catalogs I now had a company's name and an address of a place that was building Auburn Speedsters. I called my buddy, Dave, and talked him into taking a two hour drive with me to visit Elegant Motors. At that time Elegant Motors was operating out of an original Stutz Showroom in downtown Indianapolis on Meridian Street. I remember the showroom as being large and very impressive. The showroom had several cars on display. The salesman was great, knowing that two seventeen year old kids definitely would not be buying an Auburn that day. He took us through the showroom answering all of our questions. He then showed us their shop where Auburns were being assembled. My buddy and I had quite a day with plenty to discuss on the drive back.

Once home, I immediately sent a letter off to Elegant Motors requesting to be put on their mailing list. Their sales information started arriving on a regular basis... I was totally Hooked. By the mid seventies the Replicar industry was Big. More than just Auburns were being offered, but that is another story. Replicar company ads started popping up in all of the car collecting magazines. I stayed busy for the next several years pretending to be a potential buyer so that I could be placed on all of the Auburn Speedster manufacturers mailing list. Needless to say, my collection of sales catalogs took off. Company's such as California Custom Coach, Glenn Prays Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company, Southeastern Replicar and The Classic Factory to drop a few names filled my parents mailbox with wonderful material to Read and Dream about.

Fast Forward 26 years to September of 2000. After returning from the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Clubs National Meet in Auburn, Indiana, I couldn't wait any longer. I started searching for a car. After a lot of research I decided that I wanted a Glenn Pray built car. I called Glenn and he told me of a few cars that he knew of that were for sale. I studied Hemming's Motor News and Surfed the Internet in search of the right car. I narrowed my search to two cars, both Red, one in Detroit Michigan and one in Turlock California. The Detroit car was a four speed car and the California car was an automatic. Being six foot two and knowing how little cabin space is available in a Speedster I opted for the California trip. Again I talked my buddy Dave into going with me... he is always easy when it comes to a Road Trip. Twenty six years later and boxes full of Auburn Speedster catalogs I was finally able to purchase my  Auburn Speedster.

Enjoy the Drive,

Mark Tyra

New Web Page
Speedster Projects

We will be adding a new page to our website. It will be along the lines of our Auburn Speedster Photo Gallery only this one will feature the photo's of the cars we love in various stages of build and restoration... before they are ready for the car shows and photo galleries. We are asking for photo's of your current and or past Auburn projects. Please include a short description of your car and what work is being performed. We can all learn from your shared experiences.
 

Jim Brockman Collection
ACD Club website

Browsing through the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club website over the Holidays, I ran across a couple of items of interest. The first being the wonderful collection of vintage ACD photographs that were so generously donated by  Joyce Brockman. The photo collection belonged to her late husband and long time Canadian ACD Club member, Jim Brockman. Jim was known as the ACD Canadian Historian. The collection of photo's date back almost 50 years. ACD Club member, Mike Huffman was kind enough to scan the hundreds of vintage photo's so that they could be posted on the club website. Actually Jim has earned his own page, The Jim Brockman Collection. Use this link to view all of his photo's.

Another new addition to the ACD Club's website is the Reunion and Meets page. It takes on a totally new look with great graphics and photo's. I hope this is a preview for the future look of the entire website. From this page you can read about the ACD clubs history, view photo's from last years meet, keep track of up coming ACD events and more. Nice work Guys!

 

This Month's 856 Auburn Speedster belongs to Harry Floyd of ShelBill, Indiana. This is his second Elegant Motors Auburn. Harry at one time had his own body and paint shop. From viewing the Fit and Finish on this car he must have run a 1st rate shop. I saw Harry's car for the first time at last years Auburn Labor Day Meet.

View last years Speedsters of the Month

Glenn Prays ACD Factory Celebrates 50 years in 2010

Glenn Pray’s Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company will be celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this year. In May 1960 Glenn Pray made the trip to Auburn, Indiana and bought the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company from Dallas Winslow. Mr. Winslow had owned it since Auburn ended production in 1936. Glenn had no idea how he was going to pay for it, how it was going to be moved or even where he was going to put it, but that did not stop him. Glenn eventually moved all of the parts from the original Auburn Factory, including the parts bins, to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He immediately started supplying parts to owners of Auburns and Cords and offering restoration work. Within a few short years he would put Modernized versions of the Cord and the Auburn Speedster back into production.

To celebrate this 50^th Anniversary, Glenn Pray will have an Open House and Car Show at his ACD Factory, May 7^th - 8^th 2010. The Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce has asked Glenn to be the Honorary Parade Marshall for the 2010 Annual Rooster Day Parade. Felix DeGeyter, Glenn’s long time friend and Auburn-Cord Historian, is looking for at least 25 ACD cars to carry the Miss Chick contestants. I was there in 2005 and used my car to carry one of the lovely contestants through the parade. It was definitely a Good Time.

This should be a Fun and Historical Weekend. Consider making the trip and DRIVE YOUR CAR. The Factory with all of it's History and the Parts Inventory is worth the trip alone. Glenn celebrated his  84th Birthday in December. He still owns the Oldest Automobile Company in the United States. The Auburn Automobile Company was established in 1900. Glenn has been quite the Ambassador for the Collector Car Hobby. Make Plans to attend this unique event in May and help celebrate 50 years at Glenn’s Factory. More information about the event will follow in the next few month’s.

If you need any Auburn or Cord Parts contact Felix DeGeyter, he is running the Parts Department again. Glenn estimates he still has another 300,000 pounds of New Old Stock (N.O.S) and Used Parts available. Felix DeGeyter’s contact information, email: felixdegeyter@yahoo.com  ACD Factory telephone: 918-251-3161. Felix says to let it ring a while, he is a Busy Guy!

Advertise your Auburn Speedster in our "Speedster Market Place". Cost per ad is $39.00 for three months or $59.00 for a Run until you Sell listing. Advertise your Auburn, Cord or Duesenberg Car and or your Parts today. If you are looking for an ACD Car or part try a Want ad.  Visit The Speedster Market Place

Auburn Speedster - Hot eBay item

While surfing eBay the other day I found a Second Generation Auburn Speedster being offered for auction with an opening bid of a Hundred Bucks. "Click" I wanted to see more. There were plenty of pictures to view. Unfortunately the Speedster had been on fire at one time.  The eBay seller was kind enough to let me use some of his photo's of the car. There are a few parts of interest that could be salvaged... but what a shame.  Click Here!  More photo's are available

Photo Gallery Pictures Needed

Be sure to send us photo's of your Auburn Speedster for the Photo Gallery. We need some new additions. Everyone enjoys viewing photo's of the Auburn Speedster. You do or you would not be on the website right now. Show Cars, Drivers, Projects Started,  Projects Abandoned, Wrecks... We love them all. If you have an Un-Usual Auburn related item that would work in the AUBURNmobilia Gallery send us photo's of it too! Your Auburn Speedster me be selected as the next Speedster of the Month!

Road Trip Worthy Museums

Not exactly ACD related, but definitely of Interest... We recently visited two Car Museums honoring two American Icons. One being The Citizens Motorcar Company - America's Packard Museum located in Dayton, Ohio. The Birth Place of Aviation is Dayton’s Claim to Fame, but to the Classic Car enthusiast, Dayton is home to America’s Packard Museum. At the corner of Ludlow and Franklin Streets the Packard Motor Car Company lives again.  The Museum building was a former Packard dealership in 1917.

We also visited The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The National Corvette Museum celebrated it's 15th Anniversary this past September. The Museum tells the story of the Corvette and the Love Affair with America's Sports Car through the use of Beautifully detailed exhibits and displays. Earlier this year the Museum completed a 46,000 square foot expansion, which included the long awaited Corvette Research Center, Library and the Corvette Cafe.

Both Museums are quite impressive and worthy of your next Road Trip. To view photo's and read more about these Great Museums  visit our Road Trips and Travel pages. 

New Website Honoring Glenn Pray

A New Glenn Pray website, www.glennpray.com, has just been launched. Greg Bennett is the webmaster. It is still being developed but it is worth the visit. The site will include an Events page, About Glenn Pray, Cars for Sale and the The Glenn Pray Auburn Cord Group’s Registry.  The Registry is still looking for owners of Glenn Pray Built Cars. Many cars have already been located. The Registry includes 79 of the 113 Auburn 866 Speedsters, 71 of the 97 Cord 810’s and 11 of the 17 Auburn 874 Dual Cowl Phaetons, including the Prototype. If you own a Glenn Pray Built Auburn or Cord and are not included in the Registry please contact  Felix DeGeyter, he is the registry’s Auburn Cord Historian. Email him at felixdegeyter@yahoo.com

For Archived News of Interest Relating to ACD Cars  "Click Here"

"Back in Stock! - Reproduction Speedster Parts"

Back in Stock! Reproduction Front and Rear Bumper Bracket Grommets for the 1935 and 1936 Auburn Speedsters. For Second Generation Speedster owners who want an Original Look these are a must. I converted my Glenn Pray Speedster to use the Bracket Grommets (pictured). We also have Gaskets for Door Handles, Headlight and Taillight Bases and the 3 piece Windshield Pads. Visit the Swap Meet's Auburn Building or The Speedster Market Place for pricing.

The Man Who Brought Legends to Life

Glenn Pray's book, "The Man Who Brought Legends to Life", has is now into it's third printing. This new edition has added a collage of photo's depicting Glenn, his family, his cars and his airplanes to the inside front and rear covers. The Book is a Great read for anyone with an interest the Glenn Pray Story; his purchase of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company and putting the Cord and Auburn Speedster back into production. These Books are now available on our website. They are $60, includes shipping and insurance within the Continental USA. email us for your copy.