1928 Durant M2 Coupe - enjoy the road in this 4-cylinder sweetheart.

Despite many mixed feelings I have decided to sell my 1928 Durant M2 coupe. I have enjoyed owning it and have learned so much while taking care of it. It is a cozy fun-to-drive car. There is nothing like rolling along a country road in this car on a Sunday morning in autumn when the world is sleepy and peaceful and the dew on the fields still gleams in the sun. The windshield pivots out and there is a vent in the cowl for plenty of fresh air. The sounds of the exhaust. the motor. and the whirl of the gears when accelerating keep you fully in touch with the car you command and become familiar music. The medium green with the tan canvas roof. accented with oak wheels and running boards. is a very sporty combination.

Before 1928 this model was called the Star. and was Durant's least expensive model. The Star and the M2 competed with the Model T and Model A Fords. This coupe seats two and has a large trunk. The engine is the Continental-made four cylinder that it came with from the factory. The three speed transmission predates synchromesh but is not too fussy.

Durant. both the man and the company have an interesting history. Briefly. and leaving out a lot of good stuff. Mr. Durant was the man who brought many companies together to create General Motors. He aggressively acquired other car companies when he saw an opportunity. These did not always work out. however. and when his acquisitive ways overextended the company's finances he was ousted. Soon thereafter he started up Chevrolet which grew to such popularity that he was able to leverage its success into a takeover of GM and get his old job back. He lost control of the company again in 1920 for similar reasons but went on to establish Durant Motors. By 1933. however. that enterprise was finished.

I have owned this car since November 2001. I had owned other older cars since I was in my teens. but this was the best of all the others. I still can't believe that I own a car this nice. This car had been restored in the late 1980s. At that time the engine was rebuilt. the chrome was plated and it had new paint. new roof. and a new interior at that time. It is all period appropriate. The gas tank was red-koted then too. The paint and chrome glow beautifully. the upholstery and carpet are clean. I have the receipts for the engine work and chrome.

In my care it has had a new clutch and ring gear. new wiring. new carburetor. a new float in the vacuum tank fuel delivery system. new hoses. belt. ignition items. starter spring. new rubber balls in the unusual Spicer universal joint. a new float for the gas gauge. a complete new exhaust system. and some new wheel bearings and seals. New tires. tubes and stem covers are less than 2 years old with less than 50 miles on them. The radiator was cleaned and tested. I added a steering stabilizer. Hardware was replaced as needed and minor nicks were touched up with perfectly matching paint. There is no rust on this car and I don't see any evidence that there ever was. The wood on this Hayes-built body is tight and strong.

Since I purchased the car it has traveled less than 300 miles. It starts dependably and drives like it should. These cars did not have a thermostat and take a bit to warm up; after that it will happily run all day. All regular maintenance is performed as it should be. including the valve adjustment. thorough lubrication with the correct oils and greases. and all the standard ignition/tune-up stuff. The standard points. rotor. cap and condenser can still be ordered through most parts stores. I last got them through the neighborhood Advance Auto. I do have the owner's and shop manuals to help you get to know the car. I scrub the whitewalls once a year and am very careful to not get the car wet. Regularly I dust it and use a waterless car wash for protection and a nice shine. Even when new this was a relatively low compression engine built before lead was routinely added to gasoline so I don't use any additives to the fuel other than a stabilizer.   I adjusted the brakes when I bought the car and they have been fine ever since. I like mechanical brakes; they don't leak. get filled with goo. or need bleeding. These are on all four wheels and always work as they should. After 85 years the car is entitled to drip and it does. Most of it would be cured by some RTV on the drain plug threads. but the motor. transmission and differential do still spot the cement over time. On a car this tall. however. it is really easy to slip underneath and check the levels. The crankcase does not have a dipstick. Instead. a float bobs on top of the oil and the level is indicated by a red rod attached to the float that rides in front of a scale that is cast into the side of the engine.  

The car is mostly as it came from the factory but there are some exceptions beyond the fresh interior. When I purchased the car it had a tired and weak Model A Ford carburetor. When that change was made they removed the throttle linkage that was controlled by a lever on the steering wheel hub. The linkage from the accelerator button on the floor to the carburetor was modified too. When I changed the carb to a new Zenith it was easy to use the same setup. There are two modern fuel filters in the line. The oak running boards are a handsome complement to the wooden wheels. but from the factory they probably were linoleum over wood. I get many compliments but I have always been tempted to change them back.   Some period appropriate pin-striping might look good too. Once upon a time some modern sealed beam headlights had been fitted. A dimmer switch was mounted in the floor and a highbeam indicator was mounted in the dash. I had to remove these. Otherwise the original woodgrain on the dash is in spectacular shape for an 85 year old car. The speedometer/odometer does not work and has been disconnected.   The pot metal components to the speedometer have warped so they won't move freely as they should. I use a GPS to calculate my speed. The wiper works but the motor leaks a bit so the vacuum line is plugged.   I hope this car never sees rain. so a wiper wasn't required by me.

A big plus to owning a Durant is a truly marvelous and supportive club. When I first bought the car I was online several times a day asking questions. Though I often felt guilty for this. I don't think I ever really wore out my welcome. Their active forum and the hints and specs posted are a great resource. The marque will never be forgotten and the cars will survive because of this club's enthusiasm.   I am not a joiner or an avid member of any club. but this group was tops.

I keep the car in a secure and dry garage a half mile from my house. You are welcome to come see it for yourself in good weather and with some advance notice. I have had a long-term phobia of exposing my old cars to moisture ever since I owned a rusty '54 Plymouth Plaza in the ‘70s so I won't risk taking this out in iffy weather.

I have had good and bad experiences buying on eBay and I want this transaction to be a good experience for everyone involved. Please look over the pictures as thoroughly as you can and ask all the questions you want. If any good information comes from this I'll add it to the listing so everyone can benefit. If I have missed an important piece of info or if you need a photograph of something specific then just ask.   Committing to buy a car is ultimately all your own decision so you must take all the precautions you need to feel confident in your purchase. The best way to reach me is through eBay's Ask-a-question link in the Seller Info section at the top right of this page. If you want to discuss the car then give me your phone number and a preferred time to call and I will get back to you. Evenings are best but I can sometimes do this on a lunch hour.

Many years ago I was burned by an all-talk but no-show bidder when I was selling a vintage scooter. It seemed then that I had no recourse at all but to let myself be jerked around for some time until eBay let me relist. To protect myself here I ask that no one bid unless they already have the means to pay for and pick up the car. I require a $500 non-refundable deposit within 2 days of the auction's end and full payment made and cleared before I will turn over the NYS transferable registration. New York does not provide a title for cars this old but uses a transferable registration instead. If you have iffy feedback I'll delete your bid unless I have a satisfactory sincere explanation. I think I am smart enough to be immune to scams so please don't waste my time with them.

For transport over any distance please use a professional and insured carrier that can keep the car inside.   Be choosey when you shop for a service.   I think the nature of that business has changed and the company you elect to trust with your car may have little or no connection with the trucker who will take on the job.  I know one company that I would recommend above all others and I'll be glad to share that story and if anyone needs advice.   I can assist with preparing and loading the car. but the buyer must make all the arrangements.   

Finally. this car is sold as-is and with no warranty of any kind. The car is 85 years old and it is a good car.   No car. whether new or ancient. is perfect and unexpected things happen with an old car.   It is all part of the adventure of driving an older car.   I have tried to describe it completely. The final responsibility for asking questions is yours. I also must retain the right to end the auction at any time for any reason.

Thank you and good luck.

Also published at eBay.com

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