Was surfing the web and came upon Bonhams auctioning a 1926 Star Model F Touring. Says it is/was part of the Evergreen Collection. The listing is 1926 Star Model F Touring Chassis no. L-202557, Engine no. 372427. Here's the link:

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22793/lot/229/


I purchased my 26 Star Coupe from Mary Taylor here in Grand Junction. Her husband passed away about three years ago and she is clearing out the car stuff. I was lucky enough to purchase the Star.

Where Are You From? Grand Junction, CO

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Star Coupe

Hi Tom .. having trouble finding the Star using that link or just going into Bonhams.

Based on the vin number its a 1924 Star F. Lansing vin range Nov 1923 to July 31 1924 is L-200,000 to L-230,712. Its not in the Registry.

We will be in touch re your 1926 Star M coupe to see if that is in the Registry (not seeing it presently) you bought from Mary Taylor.

Found it finally under Preserving the Automobile ... the Philadelphia, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum auction Oct 5th Lot of nice cars and even a Dort before the Star.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? Dominion built 1932 614 Sedan

I looked at the pictures, it has an "M" radiator emblem, dash, and a W5 engine. However, the rear spring shackles are the type used on "F" and "C" models. This may be a very end of production "F" morphing into an "M", or a piece together job.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tx

Do You own a car built by Durant? several

Like a lot of our vehicles, we wish we could undo the years to see what has happened to them since leaving the factory.
Perhaps this car is what we call a Bennett buggy, where engine and rad was removed to be replaced by a horse pulling it. Someone found this car and just added parts again to make it sort of whole ?

Bob Reid's 633 when found, has a C-600 engine instead of the 32A, unknown screw top rad the orig half twist Swallow cap won't fit, one wheel doesn't match the others, etc.

We know of a 1928 truck in DMAC photos that was authenticated by some car expert as being correct. Then why does it have a 1924 Star W4 engine and other incorrect items. Durant crest when it should have Rugby. Owner admitted he had the hood name plates made up to stick on it. Not knocking it as its a neat truck, just saying its not factory and made up of parts.

Museums are not known for correctness in all cases but rather that it appear correct to the public. Good example is that so called 31 / 32 ? Durant in Poland / Germany museum with doors in hood that float around, tractor for rad crest, lights that don't match. Rick and a few of us have tried to get info on that thing but they don't reply. A number of their vehicles are not correct when you look at them.

We are guilty ourselves for not using period correct parts, swapping engines, altering bodies and so on. Was a snap in the past with so many of our cars everywhere, to alter / upgrade them back then as well.

All part of the fun of owning a vintage vehicle to enjoy our way in the hobby as purist or just have fun with it altered.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? Dominion built 1932 614 Sedan

I emailed Eric Minoff, with Bonhams, Specialist - Motor Cars New York, eric.minoff@bonhams.com to see if I could get copies of the pictures up on the site. He got back to me right away and I now have copies of the pictures from the site. He requested that they be only used for personal use (which I would expect). If anyone would like copies for their use, email me.

Where Are You From? Grand Junction, CO

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Star Coupe

No thank you, I can save pic off the site or snip and save as jpg as well. They print full 8 1/2 x 11 down to wallet size. Just tried it.

Mentioned the Dort above that to my friend in NB who has a 1919 Dort touring, wondering if Stan Uher knew about this one. He replied probably, also that he had personally seen the Dort at Harrah's and was rough.

Sure have a lot of interesting parts to full cars on that auction.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? Dominion built 1932 614 Sedan

I started saving the pictures off of the site and realized that the viewer they are using keeps re-sampling the picture resolution. What happens is that if you save the picture to your computer and then try to zoom in the detail is lost. I consider myself pretty computer savvy and this is the first time I have run across this kind of thing. The pictures they gave me all have a resolution of ~10 mega pixels and I can zoom in on details just like on the site. Like I said I haven't run across this before thinking that if I saved a picture from a website I got the whole picture. In this case I didn't.

Where Are You From? Grand Junction, CO

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Star Coupe

Yes interesting I see what you mean. Tried enlarging the head pics from left side to see if I could see the casting date and W4A xx or W5A xx but no go. Sure brings up the engine serial clearly.

Looking from right side of motor I can see some casting info on the front of the head but ? Same on rear behind 2nd stud. Also on block under the distributor. As they say close but no cigar, grin.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? Dominion built 1932 614 Sedan

Spent some time with the pictures, and after doing various enhancements, I am pretty sure the engine number is W5A801B. The best that I could do on the date was XX-29-26. I couldn't get the month.

Tom

Where Are You From? Grand Junction, CO

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Star Coupe

Thanks Tom .. I tried a few times but just couldn't get it. Will inform Steve and add that to the Registry info on this car.

VIN is definitely 1924 model and Steve also noted engine serial is later like Don mentioned. Few inconsistences on this 1924 to 1926 Star F. Bits and pieces of various Stars to make a complete car ?? Beginning to sound like Johnny Cash's song One Piece at a time. grin.

Just doing a quick and dirty I scanned durantcar on DMAC and each plant has 37xxxx under M model. Eliz 1927 M 374729, 1926 M Lansing 372841, Leaside 1926 M 373526. Looking through Steve's Registry under F model no 37 anything.

One in Steve's under M has wrong serial but close, Star M 1926 touring E-363886 with serial 37253 and head casting date of Jan 30 1926. That's only one day more than the date you have assuming what you can't read was 01.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? Dominion built 1932 614 Sedan

Just a FYI to close this out. The car apparently went for $5,500 inc. premium.

Where Are You From? Grand Junction, CO

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Star Coupe