Steven Butler
The early 20th century introduction of the legendary Auburn automobiles is intertwined with the history of the Butler family of Auburn, Indiana, who were involved with the car’s creation. As one of the earliest employees of the fledging Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, the author Dr. Butler relates secrets of the museum’s restoration and how it functioned in the early years after its inception. His journey through history culminates with his personal search for, purchase of, and exhaustive restoration of an iconic Auburn Boattail Speedster. Notably, the specimen being a car that his grandfather had upholstered on at least two occasions.An engaging read for anyone with a zeal for automotive history, and especially for those familiar with Auburn Cord or Duesenberg brands. The book reads as a first person narrative highlighted by rare photographs of the naked Auburn Speedster and what really lived underneath the paint and chrome of one of the world’s most copied automobiles, His 1935, 851 model automobile, (body number 32922-E) was awarded the coveted Roy Faulkner Award for best Auburn at the annual Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club reunion in September 2022. This designation identifies his speedster as one of, if not the best example of, its kind in the world.
