I’m not sure why, but there is just something intriguing about old cars that have been left out for so long that bushes and trees are sprouting up around them. I’m not sure they are the best cars to buy, seeing as they have been left to the elements, but this find actually doesn’t look too terrible for an 86 year old car. It’s a rather rare DeVaux, which is a little known brand that was based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The founder had close ties to Durant Motors, so these cars used quite a few Durant parts. This project is going to need everything, but could be a cool machine. Find it here on eBay in Westminster, California with a BIN of $3,995 and the option to make an offer.
This sedan clearly hasn’t been on the road for a long time. The seller states that it has been outside in Huntington Beach, California for at least the last 25 years. There is a parking sticker on the rear bumper for the Huntington Beach Union High School that expired in 1993, so someone must have still be driving it the early ’90s. I don’t know too many high schoolers that would have wanted to drive a 1931 sedan to school, but I for one would have!
For having sat outside for so many years, it’s quite amazing that the engine isn’t seized, but the seller claims it turns over freely. Obviously it doesn’t run, but that’s not a big surprise. DeVaux sourced their engines from Continental Motor Company and are essentially modified model 22-A. They received a modified head with individual intake and exhaust ports for each cylinder. For a modestly priced car, they produced a decent amount of power, between 70 and 80 horse.
I’ll admit, I doubt this car is worth the seller’s asking price, but it really is an interesting piece of automotive history. They are quite rare and there just isn’t a huge market for them, but I’m sure someone out there would enjoy having it. Personally, I’d get it running, replace the rotted wood, put together a basic interior and just drive the heck out of it! But I’m curious to hear what you would do with it if you were to take it on?
Has been for sale for at least a year or longer…..price started higher. It is getting closer to the real value. I thought it was missing a lot of parts for the old asking price.
Interesting project. Owner should give it away so it can be saved
595$, the price when new would be a good deal.
Restoration of this car would require someone to be really DeVaux-ted.
I’d do a resto mod on this car using a drive Line out of of a 60’s gm pickup that had an inline engine and a manual transmission the rest of the car I’d keep stock. I’d do a nice driver quality resto and enjoy the car on nice days.
Probably driven to school by an old, eccentric, math or science teacher.
I like the wooden rifle on the lights
De Vaux was a Durant Motors car made only in 1931-1932. William Crapo Durant, at one time head of General Motors was a brilliant deal maker but poor businessman on his own. I own a 1928 Durant 4 dour sedan Model M2. These cars all had great for the time Continental engines, I can still get some parts at NAPA. They were well built but all had wood framing for the body and competed with Fords. Durant motors failed in 1932 and all is now automotive history. Durant built several cars under various names in the US and Canada. Many are still left in Australia and south america. It is a rare car for sure. Check the wood.
P.S. this car is worth maybe $1000 in parts. They are rare and to restore one in this condition puts you well over the line. There is a Durant Motors Automobile Club in California that would have a member that could use the parts.
In regard to the description of the engine, I assume there is a full stop or semi-colon missing in the text. Being a side valve engine, the head alone would not have provided individual intake and exhaust ports for each cylinder as these are cast in the clock.
In regard to the vintage engine manufacturers, I am unable to find specific web site articles about companies that made engine, gearbox and other parts only. There is a lot of mention of vehicle manufacturers but just about nothing on the component manufacturers. For instance, I tried to search about the Hercules engines in the recent Arrens-Fox fire engine article and the Seagrave (Pierce-Arrow) engine in another recent article and turned up nothing.
If anyone is aware of any web links where I can learn more about the component manufacturers can they post them here as I want to read more about them.
Hercules engines are common in industrial and marine use into the 70’s. they became White. Very common in forklifts, pumps, tractors, boats and early generators. A competitor of Continental with very similar product lines. I don’t understand the comment about valves either. I can tell a Hercules flathead engine by the raised cooling water connection cast into the head. Off course, they built both car and truck engines in the early years before specializing in the industrial side. Parts are available from industrial suppliers but like Continental, are expensive. I can’t imagine that a head would be that difficult to find. They are described by the bore and stroke in inches i.e. 3 1/2X4……
Continental is still in business called Teladyne Continental now. Very common in industrial and marine use too. We rebuilt one of my forklifts last year that has a Continental engine, Lincoln gas powered welders (SA200) use them…….half the welding in the country was done by them before the switch to diesel. My brother just bought a factory rebuilt one for his Champion Forklift. They are described by the displacement with many engines sharing the same bore and stroke but with more or fewer cylinders. Common 4 cylinder is F153, the same engine in a 6 cylinder is a F228….(I think)……they are great engines and one of the oldest engine manufacturers in the country.
Someone probably put that student parking sticker on as a joke. It’s too far gone to think it was actually roadworthy 24 years ago.
Shame on whoever left it outside
I use to drive up and down the old house alleys (detached garages) in Brownwood Texas looking for these old forgotten cars back in the late 70s early 80s. I found some really neat old cars, but the answer was always the same. No! my son, or grandson, is going to restore it. Right! Most of us have been there. What a shame they would not let them go…..
I have only seen one other DeVaux and it was a little yellow 2-seat roadster. VERY cute little thing. I have a pic around here somewhere if I can find it. This is quite a rare car deserving a complete restoration.
Wow! This is only the second one I have ever seen! Back in the late seventies a friend of mine unearthed one in Big Bear Ca.and bought it from the original owners family. Story was the parents bought it new for their honeymoon and drove around Big Bear before parking it in a garage by a lake on the property. Well the lake got bigger and marooned the car in the garage for years and left for dead. Somehow he found out about the car and brought it down the hill. It was only missing a few pieces, but hard to find! He found a hood ornament at a swap meet that the vender had no idea what it was and was happy to part with! I found 4 hub caps that a vendor dug out of a flooded junk yard in Arizona, again not knowing what they were for! Last great find was a complete dash with guages in a pile of junk for $10.00! It was fun!!
chop channel hemi. need I say more?
Sounds about right… instead of the channel, I would set that body down on a z’d 32 ford frame …
i can sympothize with texas tea with people having an antique car, truck, motorcycle etc, sitting in a field or aside of a house, whatever just rotting away not even trying to cover it up, jack it up of the ground and protect it from harsh weather, then when someone shows a real interest in it, they always say a family members going to restore it. hahaha. if the family members are really interested in it the vehicle would,nt be rotting beyound restoration. another scenerio is after it rusts beyound restoration, the owner expects to get a fortune for a rust bucket. i guess us car guys have all been through this.
The problem is that when we are young, we don’t have the money to invest in restoring a car that can only be driven on the best of days. We need a vehicle that can get us to work at the time of purchase. It is fun to restore vehicles, but could use the financial help of the older generation. Back in the 1980s I worked with my Great Uncle on my Great Grandfather’s 1932DeVaux, and was the first person to drive it since 1958 when he passed away. If it was not for my Great Uncle’s help, that car would have still been sitting in the same spot in the garage as where my Great Grandfather parked it. I really need to get back on the farm.to get that car on a trailer and bring it to my house and get it road worthy again. My boys would not be interested in working on it with me, because they have their own interests. I may just as well get it running again ,to sell it, and give the money to my mom towards her upkeep. In the 1990s I was offered $100,000 for the DeVaux by an old timer that was really interested in it at a car show that I drove it to. That made me think it may be worth more than that, so I didn’t sell it. I should have sold it then, because looking back, it was probably a good deal and I could have used that money to really get a better start on life. I could have restored many vehicles with that much money, or been the only 20something that owned a house with no payments.
id be intrested if the price was negotiable,ive already got 2 so 1 more couldnt hurt,ill make an offer when i find out the seller
Do you have a Durant?
Hello everyone, this is actually my 31 Devaux 6-75.. I’ve had it for a few years now and most likely going to rat rod it, or a resto-mod it. Unless I get the right offer for it, then I’d sell it. Yes it belonged to a interesting teacher for the school district by me, but he passed back in 2011 ish leaving a hoard of cars, bikes, etc.
I have a 1931 6-75 DeVaux deluxe sedan. My father in law found it in a barn, parked there since 1956, 100% complete with no rust. In fact much of the wood is in fine shape. It’s been tucked away in the back of my shop for the last 10 years. I could use a few random parts, if you decide to part it out. A couple hubcaps, drivers far rear window as examples.
Be a shame to rat rod such a rare piece.
Nice find! As for parting mine out, I won’t… I rather sell it complete like it is… If I don’t sell it the way it is, it’s getting rat rodded out… Thanks Brent