To say that John Alinder has a love for antique classic cars would be a huge understatement.

For six years he spent more 5,000 hours restoring one vehicle that came off of the assembly line in 1932, and is said to be among the rarest of collector cars ever produced in the United States. Alinder’s 1932 Auburn Speedster is only one of 25 believed to still be in existence today.

The Prior Lake area resident always had a penchant for refurbishing classic cars. The first he bought and began restoring at age 15 was a 1930 Model A Coupe. Over the years, he has restored 20 other classic cars of different makes and models. His quest to acquire and refurbish an Auburn, however, was his most ambitious, both in terms of time commitment and difficulty in finding car parts created nearly a century ago.

It also proved to be the most fulfilling of his lifetime hobby.

Auburn automobiles were produced from 1900 to 1937, and the Speedster was reportedly the most popular model produced. It was among the fastest at that time, had a stunning appearance and was part of the luxury class of cars produced pre-World War II. In 1926 a partnership formed between E.L. Cord, owner of Auburn, and the Duesenberg Corporation, known for its racing cars. The stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent depression years signaled the beginning of the end of the parent corporation’s manufacturing of Auburn, Duesenberg and Cord vehicles, considered among the most expensive cars ever produced. Historical reports state the company ceased production in 1937, but Cord also owned 50 other companies, some of which were turned into manufacturing centers of products used by the U.S. government in World War II.

“Many believe these were among the greatest cars and styles ever produced,” Alinder said of his Speedster. “The Auburn wasn’t a practical car if you had a family. There was no space to put a family and few could afford such a car during the depression.”

After searching for nearly 40 years, he found the vehicle of his dreams that had been in storage for years in California. The Auburn was shipped to Minnesota in 2017, and thus began Alinder’s search for the many parts that needed to be replaced.

He eventually joined the Auburn Duesenberg Club headquartered in Indiana to meet other owners who shared information on how to acquire what was needed for the restoration project. Over the next few years, parts were located and purchased from other car enthusiasts in Canada, California and Oklahoma.

Finding the parts, he said, was actually easier than getting them to fit together correctly as the project progressed.

He hired a few experts to help with the project, but completed most of the restoration work himself. Years of studying everything about the Auburn allows him to rattle off facts and figures about the vehicle. He is quick to share details related to the car’s restoration, with much of his knowledge gained through the significant time spent researching custom paint colors, fabrics, leather grains, metals and other products that were used in producing the original models.

Alinder’s vehicle is a two-door, two-seater that can travel up to 70 miles per hour. Its top can fold back into what would be considered the trunk area today, provided there are at least two people to lend a hand with that task. It has a self-oiling system and unique features that haven’t been included on vehicles for decades. One such example is a small exterior door located on the rear passenger side that leads to a storage compartment for golf clubs used in a sport usually reserved for only the wealthy of that era.

He and his wife, Jackie, just returned from the Auburn-Duesenberg Car Festival held in Auburn, Indiana, where his vehicle took first place honors. The couple brings the car out for an occasional summer parade, and he plans to show the Auburn at select events for the next few years. After that, Alinder says he’s just going to enjoy driving it.

For now, Alinder says he is done restoring antique cars. He can’t imagine working on another vehicle that would command so much time and effort — or bring greater satisfaction now that restoration of the vehicle has been completed.

“This one is a keeper,” he said, adding “and, yes, it’s my last big restoration project.”

Alinder’s Auburn will be one of 200 cars featured at the 10,000 Lakes Concours d’Elegance being held Sunday, Sept. 14, at Canterbury Park. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will showcase the history of automobiles, motorcycles and tractors that will be on display.

A special exhibit, “100 Years of Chrysler,” and a collection of Stutz automobiles will also be part of the event. Judges will choose “Best in Class,” “Best in Show” and “People’s Choice” awards at 3:30 p.m. during the Winner’s Parade.

For more information on the event, use this link.