Meet the Vintage Car Collection of Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper was one of the most famous American actors, winning multiple awards and nominations for his roles. He was one of the top ten film personalities for 23 consecutive years, and he was also hailed as the top money-making star for 18 long years. This was during a time when actors like Cary Grant, Paul Newman, and Laurence Oliver existed. Gary had leading roles in as many as 84 movies, and he was considered the ideal American hero. The actor had a humble start as a stunt rider, but he slowly worked his way up to the top, where he garnered accolades from the global audience. He suffered from cancer and took his last breath at the age of 60, but his style and performance are still respected in the industry. But that is not all; he also had an eye for speedsters and got himself some unique and exclusive cars. The Duesenberg SSJ has been permanently linked to his name, and he was also the proud owner of the Cadillac Sixteen and the Cadillac Coupe DeVille, some of the most exquisite cars of his time. So without further ado, here is a look at Gary Cooper's car collection. 

3. 1938 Cadillac Sixteen Convertible

The Cadillac V-16, also known as the Cadillac Sixteen was the brand’s top-of-the-line model for over a decade starting from 1930. Gary Cooper was one of the proud owners of the expensive and exclusive roadster. The full-size luxury convertible was high in sales until the Second World War ultimately caused its demise.

The popularity of the model made the brand create a concept car based on it named “Sixteen” which has a 13.6L V16 engine with a power output of 1,000 hp.

The Cadillac Sixteen had a price tag of $2,090 at that time and the 7.1L naturally aspirated engine was able to generate 185 hp of horsepower. The maximum torque was 320 lb.-ft and the manual transmission was adequate for a roadster. The top speed of the vehicle was 93 MPH.

2. 1954 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Cooper owned one of the most coveted ranges from Cadillac, the Coupe DeVille from its first generation. The full-size luxury coupe was not just a fast vehicle, it was rather a statement. The stylish design, the jewel-like grille, the unorthodox rear - everything made the car stand out from the crowd.

The powerful V8 offered great performance and the handling was incredible as well. The luxury cabin and the standard features made it a dream car at that time.

The $3,840 Coupe had a naturally aspirated V8 engine and the Cadillac was able to produce 230 hp of horsepower. The maximum torque was 332 lb.-ft and the automatic transmission allowed the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH within 13.3 seconds. The top speed of the luxury car was 105 MPH.

1. 1935 Duesenberg SSJ

The Duesenberg SSJ is the first American Supercar and Gary Cooper made one of them his own. But to be honest, the car was as big of a hype as Gary buying one for himself.

He primarily had the J Derham Tourster which he swapped to get this. The SSJ became permanently linked to his name and is often termed Gary Cooper’s Duesenberg SSJ. The convertible however has been auctioned and sold after his death.

SSJ had a price tag of $5,000 at that time and came with a massive 7.0L supercharged flat 8 engine. The horsepower of 320 hp and the torque output of 425 lb.-ft was incredible. The Warner Hy-Flew 3-Speed manual transmission was impressively smooth and the vehicle had a top speed of 135 MPH.

Honorable Mentions

1930 Duesenberg J Derham Tourster

The $8,500 Tourster was once Gary’s prized possession but he could not overcome his greed for owning the SSJ. He ultimately replaced the J Derham Tourster for the Duesenberg SSJ and the Tourster has been auctioned and sold as well.