Last original owner, "unrestored" Duesenberg checks into Jay Leno's Garage

It would be great to have a garage so large that entire sections were devoted to specific makes or models. Jay Leno has such a place, and, as befitting one of the best-known car junkies in the world, one section of his Big Dog Garage is home to nothing but Duesenbergs.

In case you're not familiar with the marque, the Duesenberg was (and still is by some) regarded as the absolute pinnacle of automotive engineering. One vehicle in particular has an interesting story, as it was discovered unrestored in a Manhattan garage. Suffice it to say – and you knew this was coming, right? – it's a Duesy.

This 1931 Duesenberg Model J was parked in New York City with just a few thousand miles on the odometer. The original owner's son attempted to restore the car sometime in the 1950s, but the car was returned to its parking spot, and left to rot. After that, Leno became the second owner when he acquired the car in 2005.

It may have come to him as the last original owner, unrestored Duesy, but per Jay, the car was too trashed to be left in that condition. So, the Model J underwent a complete restoration, and is now in better shape than when it was originally parked in that Manhattan garage. Click past the jump to learn more about the car, and how Leno's team brought it back to life.

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