Throughout American automotive history, Duesenberg automobiles always had a great reputation for craftsmanship. Some automotive historians over the years have called the Duesenberg automobiles a synonym for scientific pioneering.
Duesenbergs became some of the most prestigious automobiles in the world. The first production automobiles carrying the Duesenberg nameplate were introduced to the public in 1920.
The two brothers who started the Duesenberg Company were Frederick Duesenberg (1876-1932) and August Duesenberg (1879-1955), who were both born in Lippe, Germany. They were known as Fred and Augie. In the beginning, the two brothers were well known for repairing farm machinery, which opened the door later for making bicycles during the early 1900s. Later, they would develop a rotary valve engine that became a part of their bicycle design.
In 1905, Fred Duesenberg designed a two-cylinder automobile, and the Mason Motor Car Co. of Des Moines, Iowa was formed to manufacture it. Later in 1916, the brothers joined J. R. Harbeck, managing director of Loew-Victor Manufacturing Company in Chicago.
The Duesenberg Motors Company was later developed, a tribute to the brother’s great reputation for making race cars, however, neither brother had a financial stake in the venture. Both brothers were under contract to Duesenberg Motors until well into the year 1919. During this time, the company's manufacturing plant offered its workers 187,000 square feet of space in Newark, NJ. Men and women were employed in various manufacturing jobs, including building auto parts like the crankshaft.
From 1921 to 1937, Duesenbergs were manufactured in Indianapolis Indiana. Both brothers were now under contract to a new company called “Duesenberg Auto & Motors Inc.," to which they sold the rights to build cars and engines under the Duesenberg name plate. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Duesenberg was the king of the American road.
Throughout the 1920s and early 1930s, the brothers divided their time between developing great-looking classic models like the A, X and J, as well as new racing cars. [1] Their racing cars became very popular at the Indianapolis 500.
In July 1932, Fred Duesenberg was involved in an accident on the Lincoln Highway and would later die of pneumonia. After Fred’s death, Augie continued to work, contributing to the design of the famous Auburn Cord Duesenberg name plate until 1937.
…there were plans to bring back the Duesenberg name plate after World War II, but the car would have been too costly to manufacture. In 1955, Augie passed away.
Today, the contributions of the Duesenberg brothers to the auto industry and its history will be celebrated for many generations to come.[2]
Together, they designed what remains arguably the most beautiful American cars ever to grace the road.
The 1935 Duesenberg Special Speedster Model J
Clark Gable drove one. So did Gary Cooper.
At the depth of the Great Depression, when over 20% of America’s workforce was unemployed, those who were employed earned an average of $474 per year. [3]
The SSJ was Duesenberg’s least expensive model. Its cost was estimated at $15,000, while other “Duesy” models fetched as much as $35,000. [4] In contrast, the 1935 Ford Deluxe Roadster—with rumble seat—sold for $550.
Only two SSJ’s were constructed, and both found their way to Hollywood royalty. One was loaned to Clark Gable, while the other went to actor Gary Cooper. After about six months, the actors could purchase their vehicles for the reduced price of $5,000. Cooper bought his; Gable did not.
Designed in late 1935, the Speedster lived up to its name. It was the fastest, pre-World War II American automobile ever made for the open road. It boasted a supercharged 420 cubic inch DOHC eight cylinder engine producing 400 horse power at 5,000 revolutions per minute. It remained the fastest American production car into the 1950s.
In 2018, Gary Cooper’s Duesenberg SSJ found its way onto the Gooding & Company auction block during the Monterey Car Week. The car sold for $20 million, with an additional $2 million as the buyer’s premium. The SSJ currently (at this time) holds the record as the most expensive pre-WWII car ever sold.
[1] According to Mark Ewing, Senior Contributor to Forbes Magazine, “…the Dusenberg brothers failed to create a profitable line of road cars and in 1925 entrepreneur E.L. Cord bought them out, adding Duesenberg to his Auburn and Cord brands.”
revsinstitute.org/news/forbes-writer-mark-ewing-celebrates-the-duesenberg-ssj Accessed 4/24/2021. [2] www.motorcities.org/story-of-the-week/2019/a-brief-history-of-duesenberg Accessed 4/22/2021. [3] www.thebalance.com/unemployment-rate-by-year Accessed 04/22/2021. [4] $15,000 in 1935 is equal to $275,000 today; $35,000 in 1935 is equal to $641,690 today.
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