STORY LINE:  DUESENBERG-AN AMERICAN ICON  

DUESENBERG.     Driving one of the worlds finest and most famous of cars is a thrill. Being a passenger while tooling around historic Auburn, Indiana - where this car of cars was built - in this most famous of all American made classics, is truly a thrill. More so in the late hours of the day as the huge Duesenberg headlights bask the farmland countryside two-lane highway with a diluted light.   

Its a full moon lit night. The air is cool and its quiet, except for the din of merriment coming from the Historic Auburn Inn where revelers are verbally extolling the virtues of their Auburn built cars; Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg vehicles. This is the ACD Festival of Cars weekend where these awesome cars were built and the gathering of the faithful converge annually.  The Inn is open and the roadways around this historic downtown area- and the courthouse are closed to vehicular traffic-filled only with these really old and stunningly magnificent cars. Millions of dollars of  automotive sculpture. Its almost overwhelming.  

The term, “Its a Duesy” is endearing to all of us as the best and it originated from the car. Duesenberg. It has been written that of all American cars ever built in America, the one to be singled out as the greatest American automotive achievement … it is the legendary and awesome Duesenberg automobile.  

Early on, 1903, Fred Duesenberg had filed bankruptcy of and for his fledgling Iowa bicycle manufacturing business. Following the dissolution of the bicycle business, he and his brother Augie formed the Duesenberg Motor Company in 1913 to build … auto and marine engines similar in design as the engines Fred designed for the Mason race cars he was part of. Interesting to note is that the brothers Duesenberg were also part of the Maytag automobile, under the Mason automobile banner out of Waterloo, Iowa … that exists today as … Maytag washing machines.  

After WW1, the brothers became famous for their expertise in the manufacturing/building of precision racing engines and race cars. A 16-cylinder Duesenberg powered land speed record vehicle, was clocked at 158mph in 1919, during the ‘20s Duesenburg race cars won the Indianapolis 500 three times and, in 1921 a Duesenberg won the French Grand Prix-the only time an American car has won this event.  

The first production Duesenberg Model A automobile appeared in 1921, had four-wheel hydraulic brakes and was powered by a powerful 260CID OHV straight -eight capable of  delivering an 85mph top speed.  Reportedly, under 600 Model A cars were built and, in 1926 E.L.Cord bought the company, commissioning the brothers to build the greatest automobile the world has ever seen. The result was the Model J Duesenberg introduced in 1928 at the New York Automobile Salon.  

Duesenberg engines were virtually works of art in appearance and mechanics; DOHC designs with four-valves per cylinder, 420CID developing 265HP @ 4,250rpm from its Lycoming straight-eight, with supercharger they were rated at 320HP and called SJ models. Enamel finished in bright green with fittings of nickle plating, they were beautiful to view. The cars were very big at 142.5 to 153.5-inch wheelbase, 17 to 19-inch plated wire wheels and 5,200lb. plus weight. Yet the Duesenberg was capable of  90mph in second gear and 116 in high. The SJ models were capable of 104 in second gear and had a top speed of 140. Sort of the GTO or Cadillac Seville STS of yesteryear.  

Two special SSJ Duesenberg sport models were built, one owned by Gary Cooper and the other by Clark Gable … they both exist today and I have been in both. 10 model JN Duesenberg cars were built and, all told, only 480 Model J Duesenberg cars were ever built.  

Duesenberg cars were based on chassis from the brothers with custom made coach bodies by companies as; Murphy, Derham, Rollston, Fernandez & Darren, Brunn, Bohman & Schwartz, Weymann, LaGrande, LeBaron, Willoughby, Judkins and Holbrook. Chassis prices were around $9,500.00 in 1931, with supercharged chassis of 1932-35 at $11,500.00 and, bodies costing an additional  $3,500-$10,000.00. At $17,000-$25,000.00 a copy, the Duesenberg automobile was the most expensive American car produced in the ‘20s/’30s and popular among the worlds wealthiest.  

Riding in the backseat of a three-quarters of a million dollar 1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan … on the backroads of where the car was born … on a full moon night … pushing 70mph in second gear. Its a “Duesy” of a ride!!!  Thank you Brian Joseph.