Fred and August Duesenberg were born in Germany in the 1870s, but their legacy as the creators of the Duesenberg automobile would be firmly rooted in America when they began production of their first sports cars in 1913 in Des Moines, Iowa. According to legend, when race car driver Eddie Rickenbacker crossed the finish line in 1914's Indy 500 race, he proclaimed that he was driving a "real Deusy," coining a term that is still in common use today.

Though the company's cars where far ahead of their time in terms of superior engineering and technology, the Duesenberg brothers struggled financially with numerous setbacks until 1926 when their company was purchased by auto magnate Errett Loban Cord who wanted them to produce luxury cars.

In 1928, the first Model J Duesenberg was revealed to the world at the New York Car Show, setting a standard in performance and luxury. The rare SJ - the S is for "supercharged" - model followed shortly after, and a 1932 SJ is a proud addition to Jay's collection at the Big Dog Garage.

Like all Duesenbergs, only the chassis was completed at the Duesenberg factory. Bodies were custom built to order after the fact by a separate coachbuilder; the bodywork on Jay's car was done by the renowned Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California.

The SJ's supercharged straight-eight engine provides 325 horsepower, letting drivers hit a top speed of 130 mph, though the car is a great cruiser and provides a comfortable ride at 70 mph for modern freeway driving. And with a great braking system, surprising fuel efficiency, and technology that was advanced for its day, the Duesenberg SJ can actually rival modern cars of a similar class.

Jay has kept his Duesenberg just the way it came from the factory with one small exception. He’s installed a check valve that runs oil to the bearings so they’re not spinning dry upon engine start.

According to Jay, the more you drive a Duesenberg, the better it runs. He was surprised to find that most owners don’t drive theirs because they’re considered “too valuable.” Finding parts can be tricky, too, as Jay recently learned when his head became damaged. Luckily Bernard was on hand to spend 40 hours setting the valves, and the SJ is now good as new.

Sadly, five years after Jay's 1932 SJ rolled out of the factory, production was stopped on all Duesenberg models, marking the end of an era in automotive history.