1931 Duesenberg tops Ironstone Concours

MURPHYS, Calif. _ A 1931 Duesenberg Model J roadster was awarded Best of Show at this year’s Ironstone Concours d’Elegance. The Duesenberg was originally given to its first owner as a gift from his mother. Twenty-one-year-old S.C. Burden, great grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, proudly drove his roadster for three years.
The car’s current owners are Rob and Jeannie Hilarides, dairy farmers from Visalia, Calif. They bought it in 2015 from a collector in Denmark. The Hilarides own another Duesenberg and a barn full of Packards.

Duesenberg 2346/J330 is one of about 60 roadsters built by the Walter M. Murphy Co. of Pasadena.

This example is unmolested and retains virtually all of its original parts. Although various components have been restored, the body has never been off the chassis.The odometer currently shows 49,500 miles.

This year’s Ironstone Concours d’Elegance attracted some 315 vehicles, including antique and classic cars and trucks, vintage race cars, veteran motorcycles, antique housecars and trailers.

Best of Show:
1931 Duesenberg J Murphy Roadster Rob & Jeannie Hilarides, Visalia CA

Most Elegant Car:
1929 Cadillac 341b Town Sedan Tom Johnson, Ballico CA

Most Exciting Car:
1955 Lancia Nardi Blue Ray 1 Blackhawk Museum, Danville CA

Best Unrestored Car:
1929 Ford Model A Standard Sedan Paul Shinn, Valley Springs CA

Martin Swig Award:
1957 Aston Martin Tickford Racer Steven Lawrence, Alamo CA

Ironstone Foundation Award:
1961 Chrysler 300G Hardtop Steve Simon, Gardnerville NV

Ironstone Sponsors’ Award:
1905 Studebaker Electric Stanhope Norman Schwartz, Lafayette CA

A, Antiques: 1911 Chalmers 30 Touring Mike & Sharon Silvera, Minden NV

B, Vintage: 1934 Ford DeLuxe Phaeton Frank C. Weiler, Sunnyvale CA

C, Open Classic: 1931 Duesenberg J Murphy Roadster Rob & Jeannie Hilarides, Visalia CA

D, Closed Classic 1929 Cadillac 341b Town Sedan Tom Johnson, Ballico CA

E, Pierce-Arrow 1936 Pierce-Arrow 1236 Sedan Richard & Janet Lange, Los Altos CA

F, Packard 1934 Packard Super 8 Dual Cowl Phaeton Larry & Susan Nannini, Pine Grove CA

G, Streamlined Cars 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow Sedan Academy of Art Museum, SF CA

G1, Wood Bodied 1942 Ford Marmon-Herrington Wagon Terrence O'Connor, Santa Rosa CA

I: Vintage Racers Non Judged Class

J, Dodge 1930 Dodge Brothers DC8 Coupe Elaine Gong, Richmond CA

J1, Studebaker 1929 Studebaker Dictator Coupe Kevin Wise, Elk Grove CA

K, Unrestored 1929 Ford Model A Standard Sedan Paul Shinn, Valley Springs CA

L, Unrestored 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Wendell Haley, Stockton

M, Micro/Mini 1959 Fiat Autobianchina Transformable Joe Maranello, David Nier,

Cupertino CA

N, American 46-54 1953 Oldsmobile 98 Convertible Guy Valverde, Arnold CA

O, American 55-57 1957 Chevrolet BelAir Hardtop Coupe Richard & Lorraine Bianchi,

Calistoga CA

O1, American 58-65 1958 Edsel Villager 9 pass Wagon Ted Downer, Morgan Hill CA

P, American 66-74 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Coupe Bob Schepman, Danville CA

P1, Ford Mustang 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fastback Tom & Terry Machado, Stockton CA

Q, Sports Cars 1953 Morgan +4 Roadster Robert LaMar, Half Moon Bay CA

Q1, Jaguar 1956 Jaguar XK140 Coupe Bill & Darlene Lyons, Santa Clarita

Q2, MG Autos 1953 MG TD Roadster Karl & Renorise Krause, Sonora CA

Q3, Triumph 1970 Triumph TR6 Roadster AnnaBelle Pugh, Wallace CA

Q4, Porsche 1972 Porsche 911 Coupe Bill Beckers, Murphys CA

Q5, Austin-Healey 1957 Austin-Healey 100-6 Roadster Steve Rudy, Gold River CA

S, Corvette 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster Barry Tedmus, Pleasant Hill CA

T, Ford Model A 1929 Ford Model A Roadster Kevin Enderby, Redwood City

U, Thunderbird 1967 Ford Thunderbird Landau Steve Ulrich, Redding CA

V, Commercial 1942 Willys MB Jeep Shore Patrol Paul Turounet, Murphys CA

W, Motorcycles 1969 Kawasaki HiMachIII 500 Merrill Vanderslice, Modesto CA

X, Trailers 1951 Fallon Palace Trailer Michael & Debbie Smith, Sparks NV

Y, DeTomaso 1972 DeTomaso Pantera Garth & Leslie Rodericks, San Jose CA