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 

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Rosengart

France, 1928 – 1955

(1) Automobiles L. Rosengart, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1928 – 1937

(2) Société Industrielle de l’Ouest Parisienne, Paris, 1937 – 1955

The first Rosengart cars were made in the old Bellanger factory under the direction of Lucien Rosengart and Jules Salomon (the designer of the original Citroëns). The Rosengart cars were Austin Sevens built under licence, and differed from their British prototypes mainly in matters of styling: for example the ribbon radiator shells, not adopted by Birmingham until late 1930. Production had reached 28 Rosengart cars a day by the summer of 1930, and the Austin theme was continued by Rosengart cars until the end of pre-World War 2 production, though 1932 and subsequent Rosengart cars had a longer wheelbase and semi-elliptic rear suspension. By 1939, when a roadster Rosengart car could be bought for the equivalent of £78, the chassis had channel-section side members. In the 1932 range of Rosengart cars there was also a 1.100cc 20bhp 6-cylinder, which Rosengart car was virtually an elongated 5CV with 3-speed gearbox and vacuum-servo brakes. A line of fwd 4-cylinder sv Rosengart cars began in 1933, with transverse independent front suspensions, built under Adler licence and based on the German company’s 1.6-litre Trumpf. A more conventional rear-driven Rosengart car was sold ast he ‘8/40’.

Fwd Rosengart cars were still marketed in 1939, but by this time the Rosengart cars were based on the 11CV Citroën, from which they derived their 1.9-litre ohv engines, 3-speed synchromesh gearboxes, and hydraulic brakes. Sporting 2-door saloon Rosengart car and cabriolet bodies were mounted on a platform-type chassis. Similar bodies were used on the 1947 Super-Trahuit, but the Super-Traction fwd structure now housed a 95bhp 3.9-litre sv Mercury engine. Such a car was an unrealistic proposition in the prevailing economic climate, and 1952 brought Rosengart cars a return to the Austin Seven theme – the sv 747cc engine now gave 21bhp, and the Rosengart Ariette and Rosengart Artisane saloons had modern styling, transverse independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. Speeds of 60mph were claimed on these Rosengart cars.

The last of the line of Rosengart cars, the Rosengart Sagaie of 1954, abandoned the old sv four in favour of a 40bhp, 750cc, ohv air-cooled flat-twin engine. Saloon and convertible models Rosengart cars were made, and it was said to do 70mph, but failed to compete with Renault and Panhard.

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