Meteors l & lll... [PIC]

Duesenberg was always looking to promote their cars as luxury performance. They launched their short wheelbase SSJs with the promotional help of Gary Cooper and Clark Gable who received the first two. Gary Cooper actually rejected the first streamlined design in favor of a more classical look. Powering the cars was their new supercharged 420 cid straight 8 that produced a massive 400 HP. Eager to make their mark as a land speed car, mechanic and race driver Ab Jenkins designed and built the the Duesenberg SJ 557 Special in 1935 on a stock long wheelbase (SJ) chassis. Later called the Mormon Meteor l for the very religious Mormon Jenkins, it set many records for top speed and endurance racing. In 1936, the car was fitted with a huge 1570 cid Curtiss Conquest V12 aircraft engine producing some 600 HP, known later as the Meteor ll. It became evident that the stock SJ chassis couldn't handle the torque so Jenkins and Augie Duesenberg began from the ground up to build the Mormon Meteor lll. Finished in 1938, the 21' long car was painted orange and blue, the colors of their primary sponsor, the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.. With speeds in excess of 170 mph, it set 21 records logging 2000 miles. Both the Meteor l and Meteor lll still exist today restored to their original LSR condition.

The Mormon Meteor l:

The Mormon Meteor lll: