1926 Duesenberg Model A Roadster

As World War I was coming to an end, Fred and Augie Duesenberg created plans for a revolutionary passenger car. They formed a new corporation called the Duesenberg Automobile and Motors Corporation and development was started in New Jersey. Eventually, the company was moved to a larger and more lavish factory in Indianapolis at the corner of Washington and Harding streets. Here, production of the new car, called the Duesenberg Eight, began. It was powered by a new single overhead cam straight eight engine. The prototype was introduced at the New York Auto Salon in November of 1920. The chassis was the first to use the revolutionary four-wheel hydraulic brakes, designed and patented by Fred Duesenberg.

By 1921 the Duesenberg Eight was being delivered to the public. This was the first production car produced with a straight eight-cylinder engine, with a power plant that produced 88 horsepower from 262 cubic inches. Duesenberg also designed the three-speed transmission and the ladder-type chassis. Aluminum was used extensively throughout to help reduce the weight of the chassis.

The initial plan was to produce around 2400 cars per year. However, production speed was never able to exceed one car per day. Standard, as well as custom bodies, were offered by coachbuilders such as Fleetwood, Bender, Milspaugh & Irish, Springfield, and many others.

This Model A Roadster was one of the last built and was the personal car of Augie Duesenberg. He still owned it when he died in 1955. The roadster was produced by the Charles G. Schutte Body Company of Lancaster PA.