Auburn’s 12-cylinder speedster of 1932–1933 is widely regarded as one of the few true American sports cars of its era.

The Twelve chassis provided for extraordinary proportions, with a very long nose concealing the potent 491-cubic-inch V-12, followed by a two-passenger compartment that wrapped and swept around into the blunted curve of a “boattail.” With a two-tone color scheme and dazzling Art Deco detailing, it looked quick, and for its era it was, with one famous example actually competing in early SCCA events.

It is among the most sought-after automobiles of its time, and, like its corporate stablemate the mighty Duesenberg, has the distinction of having always been fiercely desirable, even in the 1940s and 1950s when most of its generation were still “used cars.” In that period, the rarity of 12-cylinder Auburn speedsters forced early enthusiasts seeking such a model to act creatively.

Harold A.

Smith of Westlake, Ohio, a very early member of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club a...