1925 Duesenberg Eight Speedway Roadster

German-born brothers Fred and Augie Duesenberg were talented engineers who built race cars to contest events out of Des Moines, Iowa, under the banner of the Mason Motor Car Company. The Duesenberg Motor Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, was formed near the close of 1913, and by 1914 their four-cylinder, 360 cubic inch race cars were contesting races throughout the car. Their 'star' driver, Eddie Rickenbacker, placed tent at that year's Indianapolis 500 and would gain even more fame during World War I as a flying ace.

Wilbur D'Alene drove a Duesenberg to a second-place finish in the 1916 Indy 500. Its 300 cubic-inch 'Walking Beam' style engine had overhead valves that were directly activated by two-foot-long rocker arms. This design would become the standard for pre-WWI Duesenbergs and was later adopted for passenger car use.

In 1920, Indianapolis 500 officials decided to accept the European 3-liter (183 cubic inch) engine formula for the upcoming Indy 500. The attempt to bring more European competitors to the '500' set the stage for the Duesenberg race team to enter four 'Grand Prix' cars in the 1921 Grand Prix de l'ACF – the French Grand Prix – at Le Mans. The event was held over the LeMans course two years before the first running of the 24-hour race.

The SOHC 3-valve 183 cubic-inch inline eight-cylinder Duesenberg engines were powerful, but perhaps the car's largest advantage was its four-wheel hydraulic brakes. The Duesenberg driven by Jimmy Murphy won the race, followed by Andre Dubonnet and Albert Guyot in 4th and 6th place, respectively. The Duesenberg driven by Joe Boyer did not finish the race.

When Mr. Murphy returned home, he acquired the race car from the Duesenberg brothers and replaced the SOHC straight-eight engine with a DOHC straight-eight Miller and renamed it as the Murphy Special. In this guise, Murphy won the 1922 Indy 500 at a record 94.484 mph as the first ever to do so from the pole position.

Fred and August Duesenberg built over 30 race cars throughout the teens and 1920s. Duesenberg race cars won the Indy 500 in 1922, 1924, 1925, and 1927.

This 1925 Duesenberg is a re-creation of Pete DePaolo's Indianapolis 500-winning 'Immortal Banana Wagon.'

In 1923, the Duesenberg 122 cubic-inch engine gained a gear-driven, dual overhead-camshaft head with four valves per cylinder and pent-roof combustion chambers. The following year, it received simpler two-valve hemispherical combustion chambers and a supercharger. In this guise, the Duesenberg won the 1924 Indianapolis with driver Joe Boyer. Finishing 6th overall was Peter DePaolo, who returned in 1925 with a supercharged 122-cubic-inch Duesenberg and won a convincing victory, with a new average speed record of 101.13 mph that stood for seven years.

Numerous other victories by DePaolo and his Duesenberg led to an AAA National Championship for both himself and the manufacturer. DePaolo later dubbed his famous race car the 'Immortal Banana Wagon,' both because of its color and 'because I won so many bananas with it.'

This re-creation of the 'Immortal Banana Wagon' began with an original 3.0-liter Duesenberg aluminum block, crankcase, and gear tower, and a piece of an earlier Duesenberg twin-cam competition cylinder head owned by David Uihlein. Engineer E.J. Healy was commissioned to design an engine using these components, which were made into reality by casting experts in England. The final machining was performed by Uihlein's own Banner Welding Systems, and cams reground by Joe Gemsa. The engine was assembled by Chris Leydon, then mounted and finished by Paul Freehill of Indiana in a chassis and body recreated by Joe Silnes.

The 'Immortal Banana Wagon' recreation remained with Mr. Uihlein until 2007 when it joined a collection the American West. In 2011, it was purchased by Terence E. Adderley. In 2024, it was brought to auction where it found new ownership.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2025