Duesenberg A Classic American Motorcar

Recall the images of the classic touring cars and automobiles that you have seen in the wonderful o fantasy musical movies of the 30’s and you will have the classic for ever touring buggy – the Dusenenberg fine motor vehicle. To this day may insist that due to its Germanic Teutonic name the “Duesy” must of course be a European automotive product of the highest pedigree and vintage.

What is seldom appreciated is that the mighty Duesenberg motor car clan was derived from rather more humble beginnings – an earlier more mundane production model – the much less glamorous Model “A” Duesenberg. Even though not considered such a classic of note as later Model J and the supercharged Model SJ 1932 Duesenbegs , was basically a very good car that introduced a later standard in the auto market – hydraulic brakes.

Sure there had been vehicles on the racing circuit and circuits that had used “in-line” 8 cylinder motors but these were largely test and experimental vehicles subject only the tinkering of automotive mechanics and their racing masters. Highly expensive and more temperamental, it was the American Duesenberg Motor Company that served to introduce this powerful automotive industry innovation to production vehicles. It was the Dusenberg Motor Company that introduced the “8″ to America not Henry Ford of the Ford Motor Company.

When E.I. Cord had purchased the Duesenberg factory works and company name the company had previously had a product – the lackluster Model A. Perhaps this name was a derivative of the standard of the time – the Ford “Model A’. Perhaps not. Still for any of a number of reasons the Duisenberg Model A had lackluster sales, and never really made much of an impact on the US auto market or export markets at all.

What happened to the Model A’s ? The Dusenberg company continued production well into the 1920’s while at the same time producing more exotic flagship J models. Approximately 650 were finished and delivered by the automotive works. It can be summarized and held that the car had an outstanding auto competition record – winning the French Grand Prix as well as fully three Indy 500’s during the decade of the 20’s. In addition the Model A actually had the world record for breaking the land speed record. The Dusenberg stable itself was the dominant name in American car racing during the 1920’s. No doubt that helped the market place reputation of the Duesnenberg clan product line . The Model A had the record of a full 3000 non stop endurance event at average speeds of greater than 60 miles per hour. Tires of course not being the steel belted radials that we take for granted on our highways today were not the norm , and had to be changed on the racing track auto repair pit. Still all in all in spite of the achievements and products gleaned from the racing expertise and experiences of the two Duesenberg racing brother team it is the luxury touring motor cars that are in the mind of most automotive minds and memories not the more humble Duesenberg Model A motorcars.

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