Armstrong Siddeley

GB, 1919 – 1960

Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire

The Armstrong-Siddeley firm came into being through the fusion of Armstrong-Whitworth’s carmaking activities with Siddeley-Deasy of Coventry. Apart from the abortive Stoneleigh light car of 1922, their products were always solidly-built family vehicles emphasizing good workmanship, comfort and ease of driving rather than high high performance. Up to 1939 the Armstrong-Siddeley cars for sale were readily identifiable by their massive V-radiators (except on certain smaller and cheaper versions), multi-stud disc wheels (though wire was also used in the 1930s) and Sphinx mascots. The first Armstrong-Siddeley design was a 5-litre ohv bi-block six of 30hp. This was joined by a smaller but equally massive 2.3-litre ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 18’ in 1922, and by a 2-litre 4-cylinder ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 14’ – also ohv, but with the first of the flat radiators – late in 1923; this was quite cheap at £360. Front-wheel brakes were available on the 6-cylinder Armstrong-Siddeley cars in 1924, and these also had Monobloc engines by 1926. In 1928 a sv 1.9-litre 15hp six was introduced, followed by an even smaller one of 12hp and 1236cc in1929. Also in 1929 the Wilson preselector gearbox (already tried by Vauxhall) made its debut, first as an optional extra adding £35-£50 to the price, but as standard equipment on all types from 1933 on. The 1930 range consisted of the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 12’, the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 15’, a 2.9-litre ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 20’ in owner- and chauffeur-driven versions from £485, an the big ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 30’, now listed with formal coachwork only at £1450.
Armstrong Siddeley production was always on a modest scale, running at about 1.000 a year; one of the best seasons was 1932, at the height of the Depression. An interesting departure for 1933 was the sporting 5-litre Siddeley Special with hiduminium alloy engine. This 90mph machine was catalogued from £950 upward, and some 140 Armstrong-Siddeley cars were sold over the next four seasons, while in 1934 there was a handsome Armstrong-Siddeley sports coupé on the latter (1.4-litre) 12hp chassis for ‘daughters of gentlemen’. After the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 12’ was dropped at the end of 1936, all Armstrong Siddeleys were ohv sixes and in 1939 these came in 1.7-litre, 2-litre, 2.4-litre, 2.9-litre and 3.7-litre sizes, generally with formal saloon or limousine bodywork. Despite the ‘unsporting’ character of the Armstrong-Siddeley cars, he company’s preselector boxes found many applications on competition machines, noted users being E.R.A., H.W.M. and Connaught. The last Burney Streamlines of 1932-33 used the 20hp Armstrong Siddeley engine.  
Armstrong Siddeley were among the first makers to announce a programme after World War 2. These Armstrong-Siddeley cars used the pre-war 16hp 2-litre (enlarged to 2.3 litres in 1949) engine in a new independent front suspension chassis with advanced and attractive styling. For the first time in many years a sliding-type gearbox (with synchromesh) was available as an alternative to the Wilson. The various models were named after famous aircraft produced during the war by the parent Hawker Siddeley Group: Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane, Armstrong-Siddeley Lancaster, Armstrong-Siddeley Typhoon and, from 1949-1950, the Armstrong-Siddeley Whitley. In 1953 the firm went over to a square 3.4-litre engine with hemispherical head, the result being the Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire with a choice of synchromesh or electrically-selected preselector. A twin-carburetor 100mph version followed in 1954, automatic transmission was optional on the 1955 Armstrong-Siddeley models for sale and power-assisted steering in 1956 when the range was extended by a brace of smaller Armstrong-Siddeley models. These were the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 234’ for sale with a 4-cylinder 2.3-litre engine based on the Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire, and the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley 236’ for sale using the old long-stroke six of similar capacity. Neither sold (or looked) well and they lasted only a couple of seasons. Last of all came the 4-litre Armstrong-Siddeley  Star Sapphire, made only with automatic gearbox, though like the latter 3.4-litre cars, it was offered as a limousine as well as a saloon. In the meantime, Hawker Siddeley had amalgamated with another aircraft group, Bristol. The Bristol cars were taken over by an independent company, but Armstrong Siddeley were less fortunate and the last Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire left the works in the summer of 1960.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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Duesenberg

US, 1920 – 1937, 1966

(1) Duesenberg Motor Co, Indianapolis, Ind., 1920 – 1937

(2) Duesenberg Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., 1966

Fred Duesenberg began by making bicycles and designed his first Duesenberg car, the Mason, in 1904. He and his brother August made engines with horizontal overhead valves for the 1912 Mason racing cars, and founded Duesenberg Motors in the following year in order to produce marine engines and complete racing cars bearing the Duesenberg name. The most famous of the latter appeared in 1920: a 3-litre Bugatti-inspired Duesenberg straight-8 with single overhead camshaft and three (vertical) valves per cylinder. This Duesenberg won the 1921 French Grand Grand Prix. In the 1920s the Duesenberg racing cars were the great rivals of the Millers at Indianapolis, and victory was assured in 1924 by the adoption of a centrifugal blower on Duesenberg cars. Though a two-stroke 1½-litre 8-cylinder racing engine capable of 7.000rpm was made in 1926, this was not proceeded with. The horizontal-valve Duesenberg engine was taken over in 1920 by the Rochester Motor Manufacturing Co Inc and was used in various sporting and luxury cars.

Meanwhile, at the end of 1920, the first Duesenberg production car made its debut. This Duesenberg Model A was an extremely expensive, if very advanced, luxury car, embodying an 8-cylinder in-line engine – the first to be seen in an American production car – of 4.2 litres, basically similar to the Duesenberg racing unit, but with only two valves per cylinder and developing about 100bhp. There were also hydraulically-operated front wheel brakes – another ‘first’ as far as America was concerned. The Model A was current until 1926. A handful of its little-altered successor, the Duesenberg Model X, was made in 1926-1927, but in the former year E.L. Cord of Auburn acquired control of the Duesenberg company. He stipulated that Fred Duesenberg’s next car should be completely new, and a quite exceptional machine. In fact, the Duesenberg Model J, which made its bow at the end of 1928, was the most remarkable automobile in America: bigger, faster, more elaborate and more expensive than any other, yet also superior to them in refinement and good looks. Its 6.9-litre, 8-cylinder engine, made by Lycoming (a firm which Cord had also bought), had two chain-driven overhead camshafts operating four valves per cylinder; a layout of racing type unique among American cars at the time and said to develop 265bhp at 4250rpm – more than double the output of any rival. Although the complete Duesenberg car weighed more than 4980lb, it was claimed to be capable of 116mph in top gear and 89mph in second. Only Duesenberg Model J chassis were made for which $8500 was asked in 1929. Immensely long and strong and lowbuilt, Duesenberg cars were very popular with all the leading coachbuilders. The Duesenberg company preferred to sell cars complete with bodies designed by them but made by approved builders, such as Murphy, Bohman & Schwarts, Judkins, Derham and Le Baron. In this form, catalogued Duesenberg models cost up to $17.950. The transmission – apart form the double dry-plate clutch – was conventional, as was the suspension by half-elliptic springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. The brakes, of course, were hydraulic, with vacuum servo assistance from late 1929.

In 1932 a supercharged version of the Model J, the Duesenberg SJ, was added. To cope with the 320bhp now alleged to be available, bearings, reciprocating parts and valve springs were strengthened. Usually, the shortest Duesenberg J chassis was used, with the highest axle ratio and stronger front springs. A maximum speed of 129mph was attributed to the Duesenberg SJ, with an acceleration figure of 0-100mph in 17 seconds.

Duesenberg survived the Depression, but died in the collapse of the Cord Corporation in 1937. Attempts to revive the Duesenberg name were made in 1947 and in 1966. The first Duesenberg was unsuccessful, and in 1966 only one Duesenberg car was actually made, powered by a 7-litre V8 Chrysler engine with push-rod overhead valves, developing 431bhp at 5.000rpm. Transmission was automatic, front suspension was independent, and there were disc brakes. Body styling was by Ghia. This Duesenberg venture, too, collapsed.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN 

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