1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster 851/852

This 1935 Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster has been in California since at least the 1950s and was owned for more than three decades by a collector who drove it to early Auburn Cord Duesenburg Club events on the West Coast. The car, chassis 33168, was then acquired by another collector who initiated a refurbishment but passed away before the project was completed. An Auburn restorer purchased the vehicle in a disassembled state in 2010 and completed the refurbishment in 2015. Finished in Swiss Green over Caramel Beige leather, the car is powered by a 280ci Lycoming straight-eight equipped with a Schwitzer-Cummins centrifugal supercharger. Additional features include a three-speed transmission, Columbia dual-ratio rear end, a Startix automatic starting system, hydraulic brakes, Caramel Beige wire wheels, a green soft top, and side curtains. Following completion of the refurbishment, this Auburn Speedster spent four years on display at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California. It is now offered on consignment in Emeryville, California, with historical photos, images from the refurbishment, an owner’s manual, and a clean Arizona title. Auburn began building boattial speedsters in the early 1930s, and the 851 was introduced for the 1935 model year with updated styling by Gordon Buerhig. Built for only two years before Auburn production was terminated at the end of 1936, the model featured pontoon fenders, a raked V-shape windscreen, and tapered “boattail” rear bodywork. Chassis 33168 was repainted during the 2010-2015 refurbishment in its current shade of Swiss Green, which is said to have been chosen from period Auburn color samples. Contrasting Caramel Beige double pinstripes run along the belt line, and the hood louvres and “Super-Charged” badges are painted to match. Closeups of the finish, trim, and lenses are presented in the photo gallery below. Wire 16” wheels are also finished in Caramel Beige and wear polished hubcaps and trim rings along with Goodyear blackwall tires. The pale green soft top features beige piping and is shown in the gallery below, as are the matching side curtains. The cabin has been reupholstered with Caramel Beige leather over the single bench seat and door panels. Each 851 Speedster came with a plaque affixed to the passenger side of the dash advertising that racing driver Ab Jenkins had driven an Auburn Speedster to a speed of over 100 mph. Painted dual dash panels house a 140-mph speedometer, 5k-rpm tachometer, and clock, as well as a combination gauge monitoring fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows just under 40 miles, reportedly reflecting distance driven since the 2015 refurbishment. The 280ci Lycoming straight-eight features an aluminum cylinder head, a single Stromberg downdraft carburetor, and a Lancaster vibration dampener. The Schwitzer-Cummins centrifugal supercharger was optional on eight-cylinder Auburns starting in 1935, but was standard on the Speedster. The engine was rated for 150 horsepower when new. A Bendix starting system provides automatic restarting in the event of an engine stall. The engine tag above shows number GH4438, which is also shown stamped on the firewall data tag pictured in the gallery below. The three-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels via a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle, which allows the driver to select either a 5.1:1 or 3.47:1 ratio via a switch on the steering wheel. Braking is handled by four-wheel hydraulic drums, while the suspension incorporates semi-elliptical leaf springs and hydraulic lever-arm shock absorbers. Photos of the car between the 1960s and 1990s while it was with its longterm owner are included in the gallery below, as are images from the refurbishment carried out by the previous owner. A pair of removed dash panels is also included, one of which is adorned with plaques from ACD Club West Coast Meets in the 1960s and 1970s. The car is currently titled using its engine number, GH4438, which is also listed on a registration card from 1992. A walk-around video can be watched below.