The Duesenberg

The Duesenberg is one of the oldest classic race carsand was considered to be quite advanced. Instead the
to be created. Two German born brothers, Augustbrothers' company went bankrupt and was closed.
Duesenberg and Fred Duesenberg, started theThe company was later absorbed by receiver
company that produced this type of vehicle in 1913 andmanagers in the year 1922 and was acquired from its
the company was known as Duesenberg Automobilecreditors by an investor group that was led by Fred
and Motors. This company was located in Des Moines,Duesenberg. They went ahead to form Duesenberg
Iowa, at eighth and Grand Avenue and startedMotors Co.
specifically to make sports cars. Fred DuesenbergErret Lobban Cord was the Auburn Automobile
was born in the year 1876 and his brother AugustCompany and Cord Automobile Company owner.
Duesenberg in 1879. They built many trial cars andThese firms that provided transport facilities, bought
were considered one of the best of cars despiteDuesenberg Company for the sole reason of the
being hand-built entirely. The 'duesy' participated in aengineering capabilities of the Duesenberg brothers
race in 1914 and was driven by Eddie Rickenbackerbetween 1925 and 1926. The company was bought
and finished 10th at the race held in Indianapolis. Latertogether with the trade name for the sole purpose of
on in the years of 1924, '25 and '27, a Duisenberg carproducing luxury cars. Fred Duesenberg was then
won these races. In 1923 at the Indianapolis 500, thehired to plan the engine and the chassis that was going
Duesenberg was used as the only pace car.to be among the most impressive all over the world.
In July 1921, the Duesenberg brothers moved theirModel 'J' was the first Duesenberg vehicle to be
company, Duesengerg Automobile & Motorsproduced after the revamping of the Duesenberg
Company from their New Jersey location to their newCompany and was available for the first time at the
headquarters in Indianapolis to start with the making of1928 car show in New York. It produced an enormous
traveler vehicles. It is in the same year that the first265 horsepower from a double slide camshaft and
American to win the French Grand Prix, Jimmymanaged a high speed of 119 mph (miles per hour) and
Murphy, accomplished this enormous task by piloting94 mph when in gear 2 when, it was not in a
the Duesenberg to formidable success in the Le Manssupercharged version. In a supercharged version, the
racetrack. The brothers, although being worldSJ as it was commonly referred could manage 104
acclaimed engineers, still could not sell their 'A' modelmph in second gear and a speed topping between 135
car, which was their first vehicle to be mass-produced,to 145 mph in third gear.