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Duesenberg History
"It's a doozy!" Ever heard that expression? Meaning
- a wonderful, or excellent thing?
Duesenberg Model J
It's a reference to one of the most remarkable automobiles
ever produced. The Duesenberg SJ.
Fred Duesenberg, who, together with his brother
August, was creator, designer and builder of the
car, was eight years old in 1885 when his family
emigrated from Germany to the United States, settling
in Rockford, Iowa.
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Fred left school at the age of 17.
As engineer, designer and manufacturer he was entirely
self-taught.
He possessed some kind of genius.
He could tell by looking at a mechanical part if
it would work or not. He could tell by listening
to the sound of an engine running on a test stand
whether it was OK or needed rebuilding.
Fred Duesenberg began his mechanical career by working
on farm machinery - reapers, binders, steam-tractors.
It wasn't long before his innate creativity led
him to start working on projects of his own.
He began by making bicycles.
Bicycles led logically to motorbikes.
By 1904 Fred was able, with his brother August,
to open his own garage in Iowa.
Here they built their first racing car, and were,
by their mid-twenties, already highly successful.
In 1913 they set up a company in their own name:
The Duesenberg Motor Company, in St Paul, Minnesota.
During World War 1 they produced military engines
of all kinds. Having fulfilled their patriotic duty,
they turned their energies once more to their true
goal: to produce motorcars. Not just any motorcar
- they wanted to produce the best motorcar in the
world.
There was one problem - money.
Like many genuinely creative people, Fred did not
have a good head for business. He gave an engine
design to his friend Harry Stutz. He didn't take
out a patent on his hydraulic four-wheel brake system,
which should have made him a millionaire many times
over.
To raise funds to build their perfect car, the Duesenbergs
sold their factory and moved to Indianapolis.
Their success with racing cars continued, and in
due course they introduced their first passenger
car, the Model A, which was to remain in production
until 1926.
The model A, a kind of preparation for what was
to follow, was extremely expensive for its day,
and, by 1926, the company was in financial difficulties.
The company was saved by one of the virtuosi of
American business - Erret Lobban Cord.
Cord's was not the greatest mechanical mind, but
he was in sympathy with the Duesenbergs' desire
to produce THE best automobile.
He said the magic words: "Never mind what it costs
- BUILD IT..."
The result was, indeed, the finest motorcar of its
day, lovingly assembled by a team of craftsmen working
for a company which never saw a cent of profit during
its entire corporate existence.
Most Duesenbergs, as was the custom in those days,
were delivered as a bare chassis, and the great
coachbuilders of the world were commissioned to
build custom bodies onto them.
The Model SJ, which appeared in 1932, had a maximum
speed of 130 mph, and could reach 100 mph within
17 seconds of a standing start.
The bare chassis, in 1932, cost $8500.
Who bought them? People who could afford anything
they wanted, money no object.
Owning a Duesenberg was essential for any movie
star who wanted to prove he had reached the top.
Two specials were produced with a shorter chassis
than normal, one for Clark Gable, the other for
Gary Cooper.
The Duesenberg SJ is a testament to the genius and
vision of three men - Fred and August Duesenberg
and E.L. Cord.
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