1923 Duesenberg Model A

The Duesenberg Company solely produced racing cars and engines for the early part of its existance. Founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, by brothers Fred and August Duesenberg, the company began transitioning to road-going car production in the early 1920s with their Model A. Based on racing technology and endowed with the car's racing experience and expertese, they were fast and reliable, and exhibited innovations in nearly every component.

Attractively styled, with cutting-edge engineering for its time, such as an overhead cam engine and hydraulic four-wheel brakes, Model A Duesenbergs were available with custom coachwork and also a range of production bodies built by Millspaugh & Irish, another Indianapolis firm. The low chassis featured lightweight axles riding on knock-off wire wheels, and the overhead cam engine looked like an enlarged twin of the brother's 183 cubic-inch Grand Prix racing engine. At the front of the car was a racing-style radiator finish completing the sporty yet elegant look.

Despite the luster of important racing victories, the Model A's limited sales success - only about 600 were built in five years - had more to do with the high factory price more than anything else, for there was certainly nothing wrong with the design and engineering of the cars themselves.

The Model A is historically important as it paved the way for the Model J and demonstrated the Duesenbergs' exceptional engineering prowess and forward-thinking at a time when most cars' features, including the most costly marques, went little beyond pedestrian L-Head engines and primitive mechanical brakes.

Seven standard body styles were offered for the 1923 Duesenberg models, in price from $5,500 to $7,300.

The Duesenberg's impressive in-line eight featured a single overhead camshaft driven off the crankshaft via beveled gears. Displacement was a relatively small 260 cubic inches, but it developed impressive horsepower ratings and 170 foot-pounds of torque at 1500 RPM. An interesting induction system included a single Stromberg 1.5-inch updraft carburetor, utilizing a firewall-mounted vacuum tank. The fuel link ran up through the exhaust manifold to be preheated. The pistons would have been aluminum unless the customer ordered otherwise.

A bright spot in 1923 was an endurance run that took place at the Indianapolis Speedway in April. A fully-equipped standard-bodied touring car drove non-stop for 3,155 miles, took 50 hours and 21 minutes at an average speed of 62.7 mph, and required two tire changes.

All Duesenbergs were delivered with knock-off wire wheels mounted to 33 x 5-inch cord tires. The orthodox ladder frame featured Watson Stabilator shock absorbers hooked to semi-elliptic springs front and rear. Brakes were an industry-leading four-inch hydraulic system with 16-inch drums and circumferential cooling fins. Dual side lamps (Searchlight made by Stewart-Warner Speedometer Corp.) had mirrors designed into the back of each and were standard equipment.