Chassis No. 2951598
Engine No. MD26239
Body No. A1435

Under the stewardship of the visionary E.L. Cord, Auburn transformed from a struggling manufacturer into a paragon of Depression-era style and performance. Central to this turnaround was the robust and powerful straight-eight engine supplied by Lycoming, and its proximity to the Indy 500-winning racing engines of Fred and Augie Duesenberg. However, it was the genius of designer Alan Leamy that earned Auburn marque its renown for speed and elegance. Hired at Cord's suggestion, Leamy penned a dramatic wind-swept design that took direct inspiration from the McFarlan-built Duesenberg “Model X” Boattail Roadster concept of 1927. With its raked V-windshield, and a tapered rear deck inspired by the racing hydroplanes of the Jazz Age, the “Boattail” Speedster became the first true American sports car.

Auburn's Speedster's windswept appearance was not merely theater. It quickly proved its competition credentials on both sides of the Atlantic, with models finishing competitively against Stutz in Atlantic City stock car races and besting supercharged Mercedes entries at Salem. In November 1928, an Auburn Speedster conquered the demanding Pikes Peak climb in under 22 minutes. The December 1928 introduction of the “Big Eight” 120—with its 130-inch wheelbase and massive 298.6 cubic-inch Lycoming engine producing 120 horsepower—elevated the breed further. Only 55 examples were produced before June 1929, and these powerful machines became favorites among racing enthusiasts from Argentina to Europe, competing against the likes of Mercedes and Bugatti. The stature of the Big Eight 120 Auburn Speedster was celebrated in international postage stamps and a silver coin series.

Known as “The Boxer's Speedster,” this particular 120 Eight Speedster was reportedly purchased new by Cleveland-based heavyweight Johnny Risko, the “Cleveland Rubber Man,” a Slovak-born immigrant who became an international ring celebrity and a fan favorite among the era's elite heavyweights. Risko's Madison Square Garden fight in February 1929 against German Champion Max Schmeling was labeled by The Ring magazine as the “Fight of the Year.” Period accounts associate Risko closely with his Auburns, and the story of this “Big Eight” begins after he famously wrecked an earlier 1928 Speedster in a widely reported accident, only to return shortly thereafter with a new Boattail, chassis 2951598. Evidently enamored with the car's performance, Risko drove the Speedster until his passing in 1953, using it to tour celebrities around Cleveland and even street-racing much newer machinery well into the post-war years. In 1956, the car was sold to Harvey Mace, who subsequently sequestered it in his family barn in Lodi, Ohio, where it remained for six decades.

Acquired by the current caretaker in 2016, the Speedster was found to retain its original radiator shell, discovered by the consignor beneath an aftermarket cowl fitted by Risko in 1940 after his final professional fight. It remains complete with its engine and vehicle tags, while the body tag documents its manufacture in Connersville, Indiana. This rare Speedster was treated to a concours-level restoration by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company. As the de facto authority on Auburn and Cord restorations, the restoration was executed to the highest standard.

Beautifully finished in a period-correct livery, the body and fenders wear royal blue, complemented by silver accents along the tail section, door crowns, and upper hood panels, which frame the light gray leather upholstery. The burgundy-finished wire wheels, side-mounted spares, and dramatically raked V-shaped windscreen enhance the early Speedster's sporting stance. Completed in August 2018, this meticulous restoration garnered immediate recognition, securing an ACD Club First Junior in the same year and subsequent First Senior in 2021. The accolades continued on the AACA circuit, where it claimed a First Junior at the 2021 Fall Hershey Meet, followed by a First Senior at the 2024 Western Fall Nationals. Most recently, the Speedster achieved its Grand National First at Tucson in May 2025, and the coveted Grand National Senior First at Dayton in July 2025.

Exceptionally rare, concealed for decades, and selectively shown since its expert restoration, this “Big Eight” Auburn offers the chance to proudly show and tour this desirable Full Classic future at ACD Club, AACA, and CCCA events, where it is sure to excel.