Hello Durant club members. I'm helping my mother sell a 1931 DeVaux Sport Coupe, pictured here:


This car was restored by my grandfather, Harry Hoy. He was an accomplished restorer and body man. He spent much of his life running a garage and body shop in Chicago near Oakdale Woods. He retired to Eau Claire, WI in the 1960's, and spent his retirement restoring antique cars. He passed
away in the early 1980's, at which time the car became my father's. It has been in storage since at least 1980. My father was in the process of putting it back on the road when he passed away a couple of years ago. My mom would like to sell the car now.

The interior is in excellent condition, as is the body. The car needs to be cleaned and polished, and the engine will need to looked over thoroughly before running, but all in all, this car is a complete and solid example of the DeVaux make.

The good: The body is in excellent condition. I don't see anything wrong that a good cleaning and polishing wouldn't finish. The car is painted with lacquer, but I don't see any bubbling or cracking yet. All the glass is good and all windows work. Tires have new tubes, and one new tire was put on it a couple years ago. All tires appear to hold air well. Brakes work, although "steeldraulic" isn't exactly ABS. We have a clear Wisconsin title in hand. The engine is the correct Hall engine, and I have it on good authority that the block is probably sporting the original factory paint. Odometer shows 70,000 miles. Not sure how accurate that is.

Know issues: There is some rodent damage on the edges of the rumble seat. The brightwork will need some some serious polishing. The engine is free, but has not been run for 30 years. Compression seems good. One of the heater hoses is disconnected. There is some rodent smell in the interior, but no obvious damage. Nothing a good cleaning and airing out won't handle.

More pictures are available here


We are asking $9750 for the car, but will entertain reasonable offers. I can help with loading and shipping arrangements. The car is in an easily accessible shed with a large turnaround for trailers.

Located in Eau Claire, WI, Zip code 54703, just a few miles off Interstate 94. Please email me if you have questions about the car or are interested in viewing it.

Thanks
Matt Hoy

Where Are You From? Eau Claire, WI

HELLO
I REMEMBER TALKING TO YOUR GRANDPA WHILE HE WAS RESTORING THIS CAR,I WAS LOOKING FOR PARTS AT THE TIME FOR MY 31,VERY HELPFUL GUY AND ALL AROUND NICE PERSON,THIS WAS LATE 70S EARLY 80S,GLAD TO SEE THE CAR HAS SURVIVED

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1931 DEVAUX COUPE

Wow, thanks Dave. It's always nice to hear stories about my grandfather. I was very young when he passed away, so I never to got to know him. I appreciate your kind words.

thanks
Matt

Where Are You From? Eau Claire, WI

HELLO MATT
A FRIEND OF MINE TALKED TO YOUR MOM EARLIER THIS YEAR
TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS STILL IN THE FAMILY,DIDNT KNOW IT WAS GOING UP FOR SALE,THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE IS NOT GOOD FOR SELLING RIGHT NOW IF YOU CAN HOLD ON TO THE CAR A LITTLE LONGER I THINK IT WILL BE EASIER TO SELL,I HOPE A HOT RODDER DOESNT END UP WITH IT,POSSIBLY NEXT YEAR IF YOU STILL HAVE THE CAR I WILL BE IN A BETTER POSISTION TO TALK ABOUT PURCHASE,I HAVE PROMISED SOMEONE ABOUT THERES THAT WILL BE FIRST THEN WILL BE GLAD TO TALK WITH YOU,IN THE MEAN TIME TAKE CARE AN WILL BE TALKING TO YOU SOON,AND AGAIN YOUR GRANDPA WAS ALWAYS A GREAT SOURCE OF HELP AN JUST A GREAT GUY , DAVE

Where Are You From? SO CALIF

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1931 DEVAUX COUPE

My Father (Gene Frey) Purchased this car and have got it in running condition. We are very pleased to have found such a rare car.

Where Are You From? Columbus, WI

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1931 Devaux Coupe

Outstanding!!! Just watch the envy you get at a Model A gathering!!
Hope you can bring it to Kalamazoo next month.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tex

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Star C touring, 1927 Star M coupe

Do you have any of the paperwork regarding past/original ownership of your DeVaux? My grandfather sold DeVaux's out of Mason City, IA. I'm curious as to whether he originally sold your car.

Where Are You From? Johnston, IA

Do You own a car built by Durant? No

Being a DeVaux, I am interested in the car. Is the car still for sale? I have been searching for a DeVaux at a reasonable price. Let me know if you still have it and if you are still willing to sell it. Great pictures, looks great.

Where Are You From? Stratfird, CT

Do You own a car built by Durant? no

Chuck:
That DeVaux sold twice since then. Matt sold it to a man that kept it for almost two years and then sold it on E-Bay. Temporarly lost track of it.

I know of at least one DeVaux that is for sale in New Mexico. Good history on that car. Restored by George Ferris of Michigan and then to Jeff Cromeens of Texas. Then sold at auction to a well known collector in N.M.

I have maintained the Registry on DeVaux's for some years now. E-mail me:
garyyelle@msn.com. www.devauxregistry.com

Gary

Where Are You From? Washington State

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

I hope someone can be of help. Back in the 50's before I was born my father purchased a 31 De Vaux Coupe. It had the Original Philco Ford Radio, the original black paint with hand pinstriping in white and there were the Initials (If I remember correctly) C A S in a gothic style on the drivers and the passenger doors. The Initials were from the Chicago born Poet Carl Sandburg. My father and I in the 60's got the engine running and with a little loving care and no refinishing cleaned the car up and drove it on the weekends.

When my family moved to Missouri near Branson in 1978 they didn't want to drive or haul the car down here so they sold it. My father passed in 1983 wishing that he had not sold the car. I lost my mother in March of this year at the age of 97 and have been feeling very nostalgic. We lived in Bensenville Illinois when he sold the car and from what I remember they sold the car to someone in either Bensenville or Wooddale In Illinois.

Im not rich but I would really like to find the car. I hope that since this is such a small community there might be someone out there who might know where it is. If you do please email me the information so I can contact them

Paul

Where Are You From? Forsyth Missouri

Do You own a car built by Durant? Used To

That is a great story - did you have any luck finding the Carl Sandburg Devaux? I don't know how long my grandfather had the Devaux that we sold, although I suspect it was for some time prior to the time when you think your Dad sold his, so i don't think they could be the same one, but I almost wish they could be for the story! I am a poet and was trying to suss out some details for a poem I'm writing, which was how I came upon the listing for our ex-Devaux, so a Carl Sandburg car would be an interesting tidbit for me. The Bensenville/Wooddale piece of the puzzle did make me think they could be the same, as that is the area both my parents grew up in, so Grandpa would have been a known car guy entity there. I will ask at Thanksgiving and see if we know how long Grandpa had the Devaux and if they could be the same car done over!

Where Are You From? Eau claire, WI

Do You own a car built by Durant? not anymore:)

Hi: Your Grandfather was (I think ) Harry Hoy. He was a former DeVaux dealer. I have maintained the DeVaux Registry for many years. My records indicate he was the original owner.
When Matt contacted me about the car for sale, I was unable to consider buying it because of medical reasons.
The car has gone thru 2 other owners and now is in a private collection in Southern California.
Contact me if you want more information. Thanks, garyyelle@msn.com.

Where Are You From? Washington State

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

Gary - thanks for the info. Grandpa had a number of cars, including one he designed and fabricated himself, so I was unsure of the provenance of the Devaux. Which is OK - I had only stumbled across this thread while looking for something completely unrelated, but the previous posters story was interesting. Good to know Grandpa's Devaux dates back further - i was pretty sure it did, as by the late 70's he was out of full scale restoration work and was more of a noodler. And it gives me hope that somewhere out there Carl Sandburg's Devaux that the previous commenter is on the hunt for is waiting to be rediscovered and hasn't been painted over!

Where Are You From? Eau claire, WI

Do You own a car built by Durant? not anymore:)

see eBay 372972839467 for M 5511 and its 1932 675(2) Hayes plate 152-1307. 1931 675 vin 1001 - 4745 April 1931 to Dec 31 1931, 1932 675 vin 4746 to 5609 Jan 1 1932 to Mar 31 1932.

Wish we had the engine serial of the 40A and casting dates head / block to fully update its info.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont Canada

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan made by Dominion Motors