The legendary 1939 Duesenberg Coupé Simone Midnight Ghost

Oct 21, 2021 11:01 AM

SankariSuomi

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123028

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1935

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31

THE STORY

In 1939, French cosmetics magnate Gui De LaRouche contracted coach builder Emmett and Armand to create an exotic-bodied coupé on a Duesenberg Type J chassis. It was named 'Simone' after his lover, and painted in a colour called 'Midnight Ghost.'

This monster sports car was powered by a 32 valve 6.9 litre supercharged V8 that delivered 190 kW. Its maximum speed was ~200 Km/h.

Driven only once, the car was lost during WWII, and never seen again.

THE TRUTH

The 1939 Duesenberg Coupé Simone Midnight Ghost never existed. It was designed by Roger Hardnock and Raffi Minasian for Franklin Mint, and only ever produced as a 1:24 scale model. The backstory was created for marketing purposes.

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4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The Franklin Mint lied. This upsets me.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

This is the most exquisite Design Wank that I've ever seen.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I hear Bruce Wayne had one.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wasn't this post of the inspiration for the batmobile?

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Came looking for someone else who thought this had some Batman aesthetic to it. +1

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

A real duesy.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

There's just something about the aesthetics of the first half of the 20th century that tickles my fancy. Esp love Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Dirk Pitt intensifies

4 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Is that lady dimitrescu and her car

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

*BUMP* "what was that?" "I've no idea, I can't see a fucking thing out of these windows, hopefully not a child"

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Don’t understand why they don’t make cars like this. Modern style shit is so gross looking

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

aka: The rolling blind spot pedestrian squisher

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's pretty but would suck to drive, look at that windshield to hood angle you wouldn't be able to see shit

4 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

No rear window whatsoever either and the thing is HUGE. It would be a nightmare to drive on anything other than an empty highway.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Curvy as F

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

LOL marketing purses...

4 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

“Dr Freud to marketing department…”

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It was driven only once, by the thief.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Had us in the first half, not gonna lie

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Still cool looking

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I appreciate the spare tire at the back but how are you supposed to change it with those tirecovers?

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's just a model! But what a voluptuous, sexy model, yes?

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

200 Km/h ≈ 120 miles per hour

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 3

6.9 litre ≈ 1.82 us gallons or 1.52 imperial gallons

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 4

Curse you bot! Never convert metric to stupid imperial units!

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

190 kW = 254.794 hp

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

doesn't look enough like a penis for me to really like it though.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Still a stunning car!

4 years ago | Likes 277 Dislikes 0

This car is the sexiest vehicle I’ve ever seen

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

No wing mirrors and no real rear window. Looks good yes but if it was real it would be undriveable.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Its not a car!!!!!!!!! that's the point.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

All cars are stunning if they hit you hard enough.

4 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

But only for 1 d4 rounds

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah it is unbelievably gorgeous, they've beautifully captured the Art Deco style.

4 years ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 0

4 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

A lot of the compound shapes in the bodywork would not have been practical with coachbuilding techniques of the time.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

At least the Jonckheere Coupe was real https://heacockclassic.com/articles/the-round-door-rolls-1925-rolls-royce-phantom-i-jonckheere/

4 years ago | Likes 41 Dislikes 1

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Interesting read. Thanks.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That's amazing

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

would love to own something that sexy

4 years ago | Likes 60 Dislikes 2

Try turbosquid

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The car is nice too.

4 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 3

And the car as well

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Come on! You’re not allowed to own women. Or people in general. We fought a war about this. /s

4 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 4

woman? oh oh there is a woman in the image. didn't notice the 1st time or 5th.

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

A real slut, you can almost see her ankles under the pantyhose.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

4 years ago | Likes 37 Dislikes 1

fukn perfect.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

of course she is a model !

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Shh!

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I'm curious, how do you turn the front wheel without knocking into the panel cover?

4 years ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 1

They are cut out, so I suppose the covers turn with the wheels.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

If you had enough clearance inside the wheel well, you could put the cover on a hinge that moved with the tire

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

like any old boat design, there’s plenty of gap

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I would assume the panel cover moves, too. Hence the cutout. If it didn't, it'd be flat like the rear panel.

4 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 2

The cutout would be for changing tires.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

If that were true, it'd also be on the rear. Back tires blow out, too. I'm not saying it's good design, but come on. The intent is obvious.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

they are movable spats, vs static like most rear wheel spats

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I don't know but it must work somehow, because the 1940 Saab Ursaab had front wheel spats: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Saab_Ursaab

4 years ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 0

They kinda worked. Saab abandoned front spats because snow could get trapped, making the car impossible to turn.

4 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Well that would not be a problem in Australia, where I live. :D

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I dunno climate change might do some crazy shit in 50 years

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

And how do You park, without mirros?

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Driving in reverse is for plebes. The owner goes from porte-cochère to porte-cochère, and doesn't worry about the one parking his car.

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Or change lanes?!?

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You think someone who could afford this did their own parking?

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Just look out the rear window.. wait.. maybe they had backup cameras in 1939 (black and white of course) dead sexy but not practical

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Practicality does not seem to have been a prime consideration here.

4 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

250 BHP from 6.9 litre engine? At that sort of fuel consumption, I suspect you could probably just use the petrol as a rocket :|

4 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

The guys who designed this clearly didn't know bupkus about Dusey motors; the real 6.9L was a straight-8 that got to 400hp in the SSJ.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Back in those times, they had stuff like 100hp inline 16s, lol. Even in the 70s, musclecars would get like 200-250hp from huge V8s.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Now, you can throw some parts and get a 700hp inline 4, if you dont care about longevity.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Added to my collection

4 years ago | Likes 116 Dislikes 0

Not a scratch Doctor.

4 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

The fact that they put water in his glass in that scene instead of wine showed such incredible attention to cinematographic detail.

4 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Why?

4 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

His face is the only bright colour in the whole shot. The hangar, other characters – all muted greys and blacks. The focus stays 100% on >

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

< him, on his face. He's giving a speech at the time. Plus holding a glass of water and saying "hail hydra" is pretty funny.

4 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

But it is wine/supposed to be. Its just black.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This scene:

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0