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1934
Duesenberg
Some history & technical specifications
www.supercars.net
www.vintagecarsource.com
www.bluemoongear.com
Duesenberg:
the joy of driving. From early on, the company established itself
with a rich heritage in motor sports. Works driver, Jimmy Murphy,
was the first driver to race an American car to victory at the 1921
Lemans. This helped elevate Duesenberg name which was already associated
as a world-class supercar.
Enter the Model J
During the early 1920s, racing efforts and the Duesenberg Model
A caught the attention of Errett Loban Cord. He purchased Duesenberg
Inc. of Indianapolis in bankruptcy court then set out to revive
the marque. His first major step was commission one of the brothers,
Frank Duesenberg, to design a grand touring chassis that would be
American alternative to Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini,
Mercedes-Benz and Minerva.
First seen at the 1928 New York Auto Show was the hulking Model
J chassis. It weighted in at 2000 lbs without coachwork. Such a
large chassis was grand enough to capture the car's intended market,
America 's elite.
It was sold at $8 500 USD which would have been $90 000 in 2002.
Prices for a bodied car varied from $15 000 to $20 000 USD.
Most cars were sold as a bare chassis to be fitted with an interior
and body by a third party. Such artisans included LeBaron, Murphy,
Derham with Rollston and LaGrande bodying later cars. In 1929 Gordon
M. Buehrig became the chief designer and started to standardize
the Duesenberg design language. His work included designing standard
hoods, lights, radiators and bumpers.
Especially among the press, initial impression of the Model J chassis
was favorable. With the boisterous figures released with the car,
it was the fastest and most powerful American product. It was also
one of the first American cars to have an engine compartment as
finely detailed and worked over as it's exterior.
Model J In Detail
The engine was the technical highlight of the Model J. When Fred
Duesenberg started the Model J project, he used developments learnt
with the sucessful Indianapolis cars. Such refinements included
four valves per cylinder and twin camshafts. The resulting engine
was far more powerful than any engine built in America , with little
roads that could satisfy the cars 265 horse power. Infact, the closest
American engine to Duesenberg's was the 115 horse power Pierce Arrow
unit.
It should be noted that the power figure of the Model J was based
off a factory experimental car which was timed to offer a decent
amount of peak horsepower. Most of the chassis received a conservative
timing favoring low end toque and engine reliability. For most applications
the Model J was a 205 to 210 horsepower vehicle with an impressive
torque output of 335 ft lbs (454nm) at low 500 rpm! More specifics
on the output can be found in Robert Dearborn's Technical Ramblings
found in the 1953 May Road & Track.
Introduced in 1932, a supercharged variant of the Model J was offered
called the SJ. This forced induction version raised power to 320
horses and increased the 116 mph top speed to 129 mph. The supercharger
itself offered eight psi of boost @ 4000 rpm. Because the supercharger
sat in the way of the exhaust manifold, all supercharged cars featured
the well distinguished external exhaust system. This exhaust system
featured chromium flex-pipe headers which could be ordered as an
option on the standard Model J for $927 USD.
Both the chassis and suspension were quite conventional in design.
Two deep pressed chassis side members, measuring eight inches tall,
were sufficient to support any custom coachwork that would adorn
it.
Special attention was paid to the handling and braking of the Model
J. Specifically, the spring rates were equalized to provide a smooth
ride and hydraulic assistance on the braking made stopping an ease.
A knob on the dashboard could modify the level of assistance based
on dry, rain, snow or ice conditions. For the period, this was remarkable
technology.
Conclusion
Duesenberg's Model J was responsible for a starting a trend of powerful
luxury cars in America . Other manufacturers attempted to attract
the same market, with much larger engines, but failed to produce
a product that was as refined and extraordinary as the Model J.
Owning a Duesenberg was [and still is] a popular symbol of wealth
and luxury. As such, 472 Model Js were produced, supporting the
firm through the depression until the Cord empire collapsed in 1937.
References:
www.supercars.net
www.vintagecarsource.com
www.bluemoongear.com
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