| Duesenberg Museum
Brothers Fred and August Duesenberg founded Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, Inc. in 1913, in Garner, Iowa. The two German brothers were self-taught engineers and built many experimental cars. Duesenberg cars were completely built by hand and considered among the very best cars of their era. In 1921 Jimmy Murphy became the first American to win the French Grand Prix at Le Mans when he drove a Duesenberg to victory at the racetrack. A Duesenberg car won the Indianapolis 500 in 1924, 1925, and 1927. Duesenberg Automobiles and Motors Company moved from New Jersey to a new headquarters and factory in Indianapolis in July of 1921 to begin production of passenger vehicles. Although the Duesenberg brothers were world-class engineers, they were unable to sell their Model A car, their first "mass-produced" vehicle (just 667 were ever made). It was considered extremely advanced, offering features such as dual overhead cams, four-valve cylinder heads and the first hydraulic brakes offered on a passenger car. The company went into receivership in 1922 after they were unable to sell their first mass-produced Model A car. Fred Duesenberg led an investor group to finally acquire the company from creditors in 1925 and the Duesenberg Motors Company was formed. E.L.Cord, who owned Cord Automobile, Auburn Automobile, and other transportation firms, bought Duesenberg in 1926 for the brothers' engineering skills and brand name, to enter the luxury automobile market. The model J followed, and the supercharged version impressed with a 140mph top speed when other cars could not do 100mph. Only the chassis and engine were revealed at the New York Auto Show, since the interior and body of the car would be custom-made by an experienced coachbuilder to the owner's specifications. Duesenberg production ceased in 1937 after Cord's financial empire collapsed. After World War II, August Duesenberg tried to revive the Duesenberg name, but was unsuccessful. Several later attempts were also unsuccessful, although an attempt in the mid-1960s with August's son Fritz Duesenberg at the helm and Virgil Exner as the stylist was close. One of Exner's Duesenberg designs later became the modern Stutz Bearcat. A 1970s Duesenberg creation was based on a modernized Cadillac Fleetwood with modern styling, but production was low. Today the classic Duesenbergs are considered among the ultimate in collector cars.
http://www.acdmuseum.org/
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