Stevens-Duryea

US, 1902 – 1927

(1) J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co, Chicopee Falls, Mass., 1902 – 1906

(2) The Stevens-Duryea Co, Chicopee Falls, Mass., 1906 – 1923

(3) Stevens-Duryea Motors Inc, Chicopee Falls, Mass., 1923 – 1927

In 1900 J. Frank Duryea, one of the famous Duryea brothers, organized the Hampden Automobile & Launch Co at Springfield, Mass., to build a car called the Hampden. It is unlikely that it was ever built under this name, but late in 1901 Stevens-Duryea joined the Stevens company, a well-known armaments firm, and the Stevens-Duryea car was built by them in the former Overman plant at Chicopee Falls. The Stevens-Duryea car had a 6hp 2-cylinder horizontal engine, tubular frame and two-seater Stanhope body. Starting was from the driver’s seat, and the price of the Stevens-Duryea car was $1.200. A 4-cylinder Stevens-Duryea car was introduced in 1905, and the Stevens-Duryea car company’s first six in 1906. This Stevens-Duryea car was an enormous machine, with a capacity of 9.6-litres. The Stevens-Duryea car had shaft drive and 3-point engine support, and cost $5.000. From 1907 only 6-cylinder Stevens-Duryea cars were made; large, high quality conservative machines whose design changed little over the years. These Stevens-Duryea car were mostly touring and town cars, although a few two-seater roadster Stevens-Duryea cars were made around 1914. The last basically new model Stevens-Duryea car was the Model D of 1915, a 47.2hp six of 7.740cc which developed 80bhp at 1.800rpm. This Stevens-Duryea car was continued as the Model E in 1920, by which time inflation had brought the price for a Stevens-Duryea car as high as $9.500 for a limousine. Production of Stevens-Duryea cars continued until 1924 at about 100 Stevens-Duryea cars per year, and a few Stevens-Duryea cars were still being sold off as late as 1926 or 1927. In its final years the Stevens-Duryea car company was also manufacturing Raulang electric cars and taxicabs.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; 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