Auburn

US, 1900 – 1937

Auburn Automobile Co, Auburn, Ind.

One of the most famous of all American cars, the Auburn first appeared in 1900 when Frank and Morris Eckhart of the Eckhart Carriage Co, in Auburn, Ind., began experimenting with hand-built cars, selling them in and around Auburn. The first production Auburn car for sale appeared in 1903 as a single-cylinder chain-driven runabout with the engine under the body and the fuel tank under the bonnet. A touring Auburn model was added in 1904 and in 1905, 2-cylinder Auburn cars were introduced and continued until 1910, in which year a 4-cylinder type with a Mercedes-shaped radiator and a Rutenber engine was introduced. Both open and closed bodies were available on this larger chassis. In 1911 Auburn bought the Zimmerman Manufacturing Co, which had been producing high wheelers under that name, and continued to manufacture them. Auburn introduced a 6-cylinder car with electric lights as standard equipment in 1912. Right- or left-hand steering was optional in 1914 on Auburn cars for sale, and from 1914 to 1919, 4- and 6-cylinder Auburn cars were available with Teetor, Rutenber and Continental engines. In 1919, the company introduced its Auburn Beauty Six model featuring streamlined bodies with beveled edges on the sides. In 1921 this became the Auburn 6-51 sports model with cycle-type mudguards, step-plates instead of running-boards, disc wheels and a small luggage compartment behind the front bumper. Nickel trim was also featured, as well as leather upholstery and an abundance of bright colour schemes. The Auburn for sale in 1923 were powered by a Continental engine for the 6-43 or a Weidely ohv six for the larger model Auburn 6-63, or Auburn Supreme. In 1924, balloon low-pressure tyres were available on Auburn at extra cost. Up to now production figures had seldom exceeded 4000 units per year.
In 1924 E.L. Cord bought the Auburn company and from that point on, the Auburn took a leading position in the American automobile business. Cord had the entire range redesigned by J.M. Crawford, and the 1925 Auburn line consisted of 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder models. The new car had two-tone colour schemes and a novel belt moulding which extended at the cowl over the top of the bonnet with its apex at the radiator cap. The Auburn cars for sale were handsome and well built, although some of the larger models had ugly 6-spokes iron wheels more suited to truck design. These were soon discontinued and normal spoke or wire wheels became standard. The basic lines of the 1925 Auburn model were so advanced that the design remained practically the same until 1930. The 4-cylinder Auburn for sale was dropped in 1927 and sales climbed steadily. The 1931 Auburn was perhaps the sleekest car in the company’s history and sales reached a peak of 28.103 Auburn cars that year. The 1931 Auburn Straight-Eight was augmented in 1932 with a new 6.4-litre V12, both cars being equipped with a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle. This Auburn V12 was the first 12-cylinder car to sell under $1.000, and probably the only one, too. These lines were continued in 1933. In 1934 a new design replaced the basic 1931 type and a six was added to the range. In 1935 a new and handsome sports design was announced and a supercharged line of Auburns augmented the Auburn 653 six for sale and Auburn 851 eight for sale. The pointed-tail 150bhp Auburn speedster models were guaranteed to have been test driven at more than 100mph. The cars remained unchanged for 1936 and although a new range of Auburns had been planned for 1937, no cars were produced.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; KM, GNG

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

DeSoto

US, 1913 – 1916

DeSoto Motro Car Co, Auburn, Ind.

The DeSoto appears to have succeeded the Zimmerman. This was a large car with a 55hp, 6-cylinder engine, which was furnished with a compressed-air starter. The DeSoto model Six-55 five-seater touring car sold for $2185.

US, 1928 – 1960

Chrysler Motors Corp, Detroit, Mich.

The DeSoto was launched in 1928 as a 3.2-litre side valve six to compete with Oldsmobile, Pontiac and the cheaper Nashes. Styling and general design of the DeSoto were in line with the 1929 Chryslers, and at $885 for a DeSoto sedan 90.000 were sold in the first twelve months. A 3.4-litre straight-8 DeSoto on a 9ft 6in wheelbase was announced for 1930 as the world’s cheapest 8-cylinder car. However, DeSoto suffered badly in the Depression, and in 1932, when flexible rubber engine mountings and free wheels were made available, sales dropped to 26.000 DeSoto cars.
The DeSoto disappeared from the British market about this time, though certain ‘Chrysler’ models listed in England (the Mortlake, Croydon, and some of the Richmonds) were in fact DeSoto cars in all but name. A 6-cylinder version of Chrysler’s advanced unitary-construction Airflow, the SE-type with a 4-litre engine, was brought out in 1934, but was an unsuccessful as its bigger sister. Later DeSotos followed regular Chrysler lines closely though in later years there was a tendency for DeSoto to move into a higher price class than Dodge; by 1952 DeSotos started $300 higher than the companion make.
By 1939 the DeSoto cars for sale were being made with independent front suspension, hypoid back axles and column change. There was a choice at DeSoto of two 6-cylinder engines and three wheelbase lengths, the longest of these being reserved for seven-seater bodywork – DeSoto continued to offer a really roomy family car right up to 1954. A 4-speed semi-automatic Vacumatic transmission became an option in 1941, but DeSoto’s big post-war change of models did not take place until 1952, when the division followed Chrysler’s lead in adopting the oversquare ohv V8; the DeSoto version was of 4½-litre capcity and developed 16-bhp. With the advent of Chrysler’s ‘flight sweep’ styling in 1955, the side-valve sixes were dropped and the standard engine in a DeSoto was now a 4.8-litre eight, giving 185bhp in Firedome guise, and 200bhp in Fireflite form. Though this redesigning saved Chrysler sales generally, the slump in the medium-price class had an adverse effect on DeSoto and in 1959 the DeSoto division was merged with Plymouth. Last of the DeSotos were the 1961 models, unitary-construction cars with a choice of three engines: Plymouth’s 145bhp ohv ‘slant six’ as used in the Valiant, and V8s of 230 and 265bhp, the two former only in Canadian DeSotos. Production of DeSoto cars ceased in November 1960 after only a few had been delivered.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS
The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com