1926 Duesenberg Model A

It was at the New York salon at the Hotel Commodore in November 1920 that the Duesenberg brothers displayed a passenger car bearing their name and built to their own design. Prior to this, they had birthed numerous successful racing cars and had been involved in various other road cars, with the most famous of them being the Mason and Maytag automobiles, where their career had begun.

Relocating to Saint Paul, Minnesota, the brothers established the Duesenberg Motors Company in 1913. Among the mechanical ingenuity that flowed from their shop was the so-called 'walking-beam' four-cylinder engine. The design incorporated overhead valves that were horizontal instead of vertical. It used long rocker arms (rather than pushrods), also known as 'walking beams,' that stretched from the camshaft in the block up to the valve stems at the top. Above the main combustion chamber was a small chamber that housed the spark plugs which ignited the mixture that would burn downward into a leaner mixture. This configuration used less fuel and created more power, a combination that made it very successful in racing. Despite its success, the brothers failed to find profitably demanded by their New York investors, so the rights to the walking-beam four were sold to the Rochester Motor Company. They, in turn, sold versions of the engine to ReVere, RoameR, Biddie, and others.

Duesenberg Automobiles and Motors Company

In 1919, the Duesenberg brothers sold their Saint Paul factories and relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1920, where they founded the Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company (the company was incorporated in Delaware). Their first road-going automobile was the Model A. It was the first automobile in series production in the United States with a straight-eight engine and the first in series production to employ hydraulic brakes. Following numerous design changes, production commenced in 1921 and continued through 1926 (from 1921 to 1925 by the Duesenberg Automobiles and Motors Company and from 1925 to 1926 at the same factory by the restructured Duesenberg Motor Company.)

The Duesenberg Automobiles and Motors Company produced and marketed the production car, while the Duesenberg Brothers Company built racing cars and engines.

The Duesenberg Straight Eight

The Duesenberg Model A, officially known as the Duesenberg Straight Eight, was introduced in late 1920 in New York City. Production commenced nearly a year later due to moving the company headquarters from New Jersey to Indiana and several substantial design changes to the car. Among the most significant of these changes was abandoning the horizontal overhead valves in favor of an overhead camshaft design.

Mechanical Specification

Chassis

The standard Model A (Straight Eight) chassis had a 134-inch wheelbase size, while the longer version measured 141 inches. It was a conventional pressed steel ladder frame reinforced with channel-section side members and fabricated and tubular cross members. At the front was a tubular beam axle and the rear relied on a live axle and radius rods.

The front and rear tracks both measured 56 inches wide. The center-locking wire wheels were wrapped with 5 x 33 tires. The suspension used semi-elliptic leaf springs and Watson Stabilator dampers. Lockheed Corporation Hydraulic brakes were located on all four wheels making it the first production automobile so equipped (history records the Rickenbacker and the one-off Colonial as also sharing in this honor). The brakes on the front wheels were 16 inches in diameter.

Engine

The prototype Straight Eight that was shown at the Hotel Commodore had horizontal valves of the type used in earlier Duesenberg-designed marine and racing engines.

The production straight-eight-cylinder engine was formed from a cast iron block that had a detachable cast iron cylinder head, an aluminum oil pan, and an aluminum lower crankcase that ran in three main bearings. It had a shaft-driven single overhead camshaft with rockers that operated two valves per cylinder in a hemispheric combustion chamber. Early examples breathed through a single Stromberg updraft carburetor, while later examples were given a Schebler unit. The ignition was via Delco coil and breaker points.

The engine bore measured 2.875 inches (73 mm), and the stroke was 5 inches (127 mm), resulting in a displacement size of 260 cubic inches (4.3 liters). With a standard compression ratio of five to one (5:1), the engine produced 88 horsepower at 3,600 RPM and 170 lb.-ft of torque at 1,500 RPM.

Transmission

The transmission was an unsynchronized three-speed unit that was bolted to the engine. It had a single dry-plate clutch and was operated with a central shift lever. The drive shaft was enclosed in a torque tube, operated a spiral bevel drive, and drove the live rear axle.

Production

The Model A was one of the most advanced automobiles on the road, and its generous platform and potent engine accommodated a variety of heavy and luxurious coachwork. Although a new company, the individuals behind the scene were highly skilled and experienced. Poised and ready for success, Model A would experience a fate similar to that of its future sibling, the famous Model J, and was a victim of market conditions. The Duesenberg Model J was introduced just prior to the onset of the Great Depression, and the Model A was introduced during a deflationary recession in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries that lasted from January 1920 to July 1921. The luxury car market suffered, and the intended production target of 100 Model A cars per month was not achieved. It took over a year before 150 Duesenberg Straight Eights had been built, falling far short of the initial production estimates. Market conditions would improve throughout the 1920s, but Duesenberg was unable to recover and entered receivership in January 1924. Restructured into the Duesenberg Motor Company in February 1925, the company was acquired by E.L. Cord in October 1926.

Approximately 650 examples of the Model A were produced between 1921 and 1926. Most examples were factory-cataloged coachwork built by well-known coachbuilders such as the Fleetwood Metal Body Company of Pennsylvania, Brunn, and Millspaugh & Irish of Indianapolis.

Financial success would illude the Model A, but its reputation would create a legacy, attracting the attention of E.L. Cord, who added it to his growing empire of companies. Under his direction, and with the mandate of creating a car to rival the size, power, and luxury of all other automobiles, the Model J was born.

Among the Duesenberg Company's accolades were placing 10th at the 1914 Indianapolis 500 and outright wins in 1924, 1925, and 1927.

by Dan Vaughan

Phaeton by Millspaugh & Irish

The straight eight-cylinder engine powering this car displaces 259.6 cubic inches and produces 88 horsepower. The wheelbase measures 134 inches and costs $6650 when new. It has four-wheel hydraulic brakes, a first time in an American production vehicle, and a custom-built phaeton body by Millspaugh and Irish.

The Model A was an important car in the company's history, as it was the first passenger vehicle to bear the Duesenberg name. Building on their success in racing and engine manufacture, a prototype Model A was introduced in November of 1920. Production would not hit full steam until 1922. This new model would be the company's first mass-produced vehicle with a straight eight engine.

by Dan Vaughan

7-Passenger Touring by Springfield

This vehicle rides on a 134-inch wheelbase frame and wears a seven-passenger body constructed by Springfield. The original owner of this car was the mayor of San Francisco. The current owner resides in Alaska and has graciously displayed it at the ACD Museum.

Over a five-year period, there were slightly more than 600 examples of the Duesenberg Model A produced.

by Dan Vaughan

Phaeton by Millspaugh & Irish
Chassis number: 1451
Engine number: 1453

The Duesenberg Model A featured a race-bred overhead cam eight-cylinder engine and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. These advancements far outshone other passenger cars of the era.

The overhead cam engine initially displaced 183 cubic inches to fit the Indy formula. This was later enlarged to 260 cubic inches for the production car, which debuted in November of 1920 at New York's Hotel Commodore. The car on display had a polished aluminum body and wore no paint - it was displayed that way because there had been no time to paint it.

Production was slow to start, as there were initial start-up problems. Once those were resolved, another issue arose - a cash flow problem, for the company was undercapitalized. The company's salvation came at the hands of Errett Lobban Cord, who purchased the business in 1926.

Despite the cash-flow issue, Duesenberg managed to build more than 500 examples of the Model A. Bodies were built by many of the traditional coachbuilders of the era, such as Fleetwood and Brunn, although a few sedan and phaeton styles were supplied in quantity by Millspaugh & Irish of Indianapolis.

This Duesenberg Model A Dual Windshield Phaeton was acquired by Mr. John O'Quinn from the Sterling McCall Old Car Museum Foundation in 2006. it was previously in the Jerry J. Moore Collection from the early 1980s.

The car is finished in shades of brown and it wears an older restoration and shows minor cosmetic issues. The odometer indicates the mileage is under 22,000. It is equipped with dual side-mounts, and it has wide whitewall tires and Pilot Ray driving lights.

In 2011, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's Arizona sale where it was estimated to sell for $120,000 - $160,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $275,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Charles G. Schutte Body Company
Chassis number: D61S

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.

Sedan
Chassis number: D64B
Engine number: 1646

The Duesenberg Model A was introduced in 1921. Power was from a straight-eight engine with aluminum pistons and the chassis was fitted with hydraulically operated four-wheel brakes - both were firsts for the American automobile industry.

This Duesenberg Model A Sedan has been in the care of just five owners since it left the Duesenberg factory in 1926. It was purchased new by George W. Bell of Marion, Indiana who kept the car for nearly four years. On February 4, 1930, records indicate that Mr. Bell traded the Duesenberg toward a new Packard 745 Convertible Coupe, receiving $1,200 in trade-in value. The Packard dealer, George C. Moeller of St. Augustine, Florida kept the car in storage for the next 35 years. In October of 1965, he sold it to Gaylord Rowe of Ellenberg, New York. Mr. Rowe had the car placed in storage for an additional 30 years before he sold it to Eric Killorin of Weybridge, Vermont, in 1995. In February 2002, the car was purchased by its current owner.

The Duesenberg retains all its original paint, plating, glass, instruments, carpets, and upholstery. It has a complete set of custom striped cloth seat covers that were apparently fitted shortly after the car was new. It has less than 32,000 total miles showing on the odometer. In 2002, the car was invited to compete in the Preservation Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it won Second in Class. In 2003, the car completed a trip from the San Francisco Bay Area, through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, to Carson City, Nevada, and back without incident.

Currently, this Model A is one of fewer than 60 known to survive. It is estimated that 600 were built.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Pebble Beach auction presented by Gooding & Company. The car was estimated to sell for $140,000 - $180,000 and was offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $176,000 inclusive of the buyer's premium.

As of 2021, this Model A Sedan is in good mechanical condition having traveled less than 32,000 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Brothers Fred and August Duesenberg will be remembered always for their outstanding motorcars. True perfectionists and genius engineers, the Duesenbergs were responsible for some of the very best racing and road-going cars in the world from the building of their first cars in 1913 until the last automobiles to bare their name was produced in 1937.

But while all Duesenberg cars were outstanding works of engineering excellence, not all are held in the same regard by automotive collectors and historians. The later Model J, and particularly the supercharged Model SJ, has all but eclipsed the first Duesenberg production car: the Model A.

Perhaps Models J and SJ have earned their greater fame. After all, they were utterly uncompromised cars—fast, fabulous, and enduringly fashionable thanks to beautiful coachwork by the likes of Rollston and Murphy, penned by such sensational designers as Howard Darrin and Gordon Buehrig. The J and SJ featured straight-eight engines with four valves per cylinder, operated by twin overhead camshafts. Built to win and dressed to kill, these later Duesenbergs have become highly-prized trophies for affluent car collectors.

Yet the Model A, at least for its time, was the equal of the later J and SJ in terms of innovation. It pioneered the use of hydraulic brakes and was the first production car powered by a straight-eight. With this in mind, it would seem that the Model A has been held back primarily by its sedate (though still handsome) looks. The Model A's staid appearance may very well be the reason why it has not become as collectible as the Model J, but looks alone cannot explain why the Model A, which was technologically advanced and attractive for its time, was a commercial failure.

In reality, the Model A's inability to realize sales expectations was no fault of the car's. Rather, its poor commercial performance was the result of issues within the Duesenberg firm itself.

The Duesenberg brothers' engineering prowess far outweighed their business skills, leading to the brothers' well-intentioned decision to sell the rights to their name and designs to more experienced businessmen on March 8, 1920. It was then that the Duesenberg Automobile and Motors Company, Inc. was established to transfer control of the brothers' small car company to people who could supposedly run the operation with greater proficiency. Newton E. VanZandt became president and Luther M. Rankin vice-president and general manager. Both Duesenbergs were given salaried positions, with Fred serving as vice-president in charge of engineering and August acting as assistant chief engineer.

The presumably competent VanZandt and Rankin were able to raise money quickly, but they spent far too much building and equipping a new plant in Indianapolis, leading to insufficient working capital by the time the Model A was ready for production. Further complicating matters, the Model A was first shown to the public in 1920, long before the car was ready for production. This proved to be a glaring mistake, as it prevented the new Duesenberg from taking advantage of the sensation caused upon its initial showing.

Deliveries of the Model A did not commence until December of 1921. The long delay could be traced directly to Fred Duesenberg who, in a defining moment that emphasized his perfectionist tendencies, decided that the production Model A must have an engine employing an overhead camshaft instead of the side-rocker arm arrangement used on the prototype. The advantages of the overhead camshaft had been proven by Duesenberg racing cars, and it had been decided even before the Model A prototypes were shown that the production cars would receive the benefit of such an arrangement. But the fact that the engine redesign was planned did not make it timely, as it delayed production by ten months.

Once underway, Model A production was limited to about one car per day. This slow rate was far behind the initial sales projections that hoped for 2,400 cars per year. Slow sales failed to generate the funding required to run Duesenberg Automobile and Motors sufficiently, and as production continued new problems emerged. After only a year as president, VanZandt was abdicated, replaced by B.A. Worthington. Also the president of a railroad, Worthington was unable to dedicate sufficient time to his Duesenberg duties. Though he remained president until 1923, the company was effectively being run by lower-ranking employees who had no business heading an automobile company. In July of 1922, Chester S. Ricker became general manager, which gave him substantial influence over the company due to Worthington's lack of involvement. Ricker proved to be a competent leader, but by then Duesenberg Automobile and Motors was in deep financial trouble. In 1924, the company went into receivership.

This, of course, was not the end of Duesenberg, or even of the Model A. By 1925, a new firm had been organized called the Duesenberg Motors Company, with Fred Duesenberg serving as president. Model A production resumed for 1925 and 1926.

The Duesenberg Model A, with the tumultuous business endeavors that backed it, was arguably a better representation of the Duesenberg brothers than were the later Models J and SJ. In the autumn of 1926, luxury car tycoon E.L. Cord arranged the purchase of Duesenberg Motors Company, leading to yet another reorganization of the company, finally named Duesenberg, Inc. Cord was a superb businessman, and under his guidance, the Duesenberg name was applied to America's most spectacular cars of the late-1920s and 1930s. These exemplary vehicles were created to act as halo cars for E.L. Cord's luxury motorcar empire, which also included Auburn and Cord. So while the cars of Duesenberg, Inc. featured the unbridled engineering magic of the Duesenbergs themselves, that company's splendid creations were perhaps too amply funded and well-thought-out to have been as true to the spirit of the Duesenberg brothers as the Model A had been. The Model A illustrated the struggles and triumphs of Fred and August, while the J and SJ cars spoke only of success.

The J and SJ Duesenbergs will in all likelihood remain far more collectible than the Model A. This cannot diminish the historical significance of the Model A, though. With roughly 650 produced, the Model A was the highest production Duesenberg ever created. It will remain an excellent collector car capable of delivering the genuine engineering excellence of the Duesenberg brothers in a more conservative and far more attainable package than a later Duesenberg.

Sources:

Roe, Fred. Duesenberg: The Pursuit of Perfection. 1st. London: Dalton Watson Ltd, 1982. 73-106. Print.

Vance, Bill. 'Motoring Memories: Duesenberg Model A .' CanadianDriver.com 15 Apr 2005: n. pag. Web. 27 Jul 2010. http://www.canadiandriver.com/2005/04/15/motoring-memories-duesenberg-model-a.htm.

by Evan Acuña