Fred Duesenberg
Encyclopedia
Frederick Samuel Duesenberg (December 6, 1876–July 26, 1932) was a German-born American automobile
pioneer designer
, manufacturer and sportsman.
, Germany
and emigrated to the United States
with his parents and family when he was eight years old. The family settled in Rockford, Iowa
. He was actually born as Friedrich Simon Duesenberg, and not with the middle name of Samuel as most sources say. Samuel was the middle name of his brother, August Duesenberg.
. In 1900, they began playing with gasoline
engines and began building motorcycles. In 1906 the brothers got money from Edward Mason, an Iowa lawyer, to manufacture cars. Fred Maytag
, Maytag
washing machine
and appliance magnate, bought 60 percent of the company. The result was the Maytag-Mason Motor Company
in Waterloo, Iowa
. But neither Maytag nor Mason were experienced in the car business and the company gradually folded. The Duesenbergs went off to St. Paul, Minnesota to work on racing car engines. In 1913 the Duesenberg brothers founded Duesenberg
Automobile & Motors Company, Inc, in St. Paul to build engines and racing cars.
Having raced their bicycles and motorcycles, it was natural that, as with other automobile builders, Duesenberg would use the Indianapolis Speedway as a laboratory, and for nearly twenty years his own entries participated in races there. By World War I
their engines had made a good showing in the Indianapolis 500
. Eddie Rickenbacker
, World War aviation ace, drove cars powered by those motors before he flew in the war, piloting the first Duesenberg-powered automobile to prize money in 1914, finishing tenth.
engine. This straight-eight engine consisted of two straight-four engines. They were mounted in series on a common crankcase with two flat crankshafts which were both linked at 90 degrees to form a single shaft. The Duesenbergs were granted an American contract to produce the engine for the French government, and it was their experience with the Bugatti masterpiece that led to the design of the famous Duesenberg straight-eight engine. At the end of World War I, they ceased building aviation and marine engines in Elizabeth, New Jersey
, in 1919 the Duesenberg brothers sold their Minnesota and New Jersey factories to John Willys
and came to Indianapolis, Indiana
where the Duesenberg
Automobile and Motors Company was established in 1920. Fred was the manager and chief engineer and later president. The result was the Duesenberg Model A.
Although a self-made man lacking technical university training, Fred Duesenberg exerted a profound influence in the engineering development of the motor car. As a designer of racing models, he was internationally famous and many of his developments in this field were later incorporated in stock passenger automobiles. He was credited with the introduction in this country of the eight-cylinder
car and of the four-wheel hydraulic brake
and was instrumental in the perfecting of other mechanical advancements including overhead cams
and four valves
per cylinder. These were found in Indianapolis-manufactured cars (including the Stutz
as well as the Duesenberg) but didn't make the journey to Detroit for almost seventy years.
at Le Mans, France, in 1921. Driven by Jimmy Murphy
, the car established a new road record by outdistancing the entire field by fourteen minutes. Other Duesenbergs won Indianapolis 500 races three times in the 1920s, making the brothers the first to be three time winners of that race. The reputation of the unparalleled Duesenberg was founded on a brilliant racing heritage.
, indicating some level of financial concern. Duesenberg was only able to survive to the classic era because E. L. Cord wanted a "supercar" to round out his automotive duo of Auburn
and Cord
. Cord admired the Duesenberg Model A and in 1926 proposed a financial rescue, but it came with a price — Fred Duesenberg was to design the most extravagant car of its era. Cord insisted that the Model J be bigger (and heavier) than Fred would have liked, but the rest was pure Duesenberg. The Duesenberg Model J was the supercar Cord wanted. In October 1926, E. L. Cord told the Indianapolis Star, "The purchase of the Duesenberg factory is the culmination of my plans to be able to offer the world an automobile of undisputed rank. In fact, the finest thing on four wheels. Duesenberg cars will be strictly custom built, the owners selecting their own body styles, their own body makers and selecting their own colors. The price probably will be $18,000, no matter what model, from racer to limousine. We will give the buyer 120 mile-an-hour speed if desired. Naturally, the production of this type of automobile, which carries a warranty of fifteen years, will be limited and we are now taking orders..."
From that time on, Fred would cease to build racing cars and focus instead on passenger cars. Until his death, he served as vice president of Duesenberg, Inc., of Indianapolis, a subsidiary of the Cord Corporation. Early in 1927 the test board of the American Automobile Association
presented to Mr. Duesenberg a bronze tablet in recognition of the leading part he had played in the development of several fundamental improvements in automotive engineering. In June 1931, at a meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers, he predicted that speeds of 100 miles (160.9 km) an hour on the highways would soon be common. However, his prediction soon became an irony when his car overturned a year later during a high-speed attempt. Today, speeds of 100 miles (160.9 km) an hour are still considered as speeding
on most highways.
on Ligonier Mountain near Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
when his automobile overturned, apparently at high speed. Mr. Duesenberg was expected to fully recover from the spinal
injury and dislocation
of the shoulder when pleural pneumonia
developed. An oxygen tank brought from Pittsburgh
was employed and he again was thought out of danger. On July 25, he suffered a relapse and died. His wife and son were with him at the end.
Frederick Samuel Duesenberg is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery
, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
He was a member of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce and a member and councilor of the Society of Automotive Engineers, on several of whose committees he served.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
pioneer designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
, manufacturer and sportsman.
Life
Fred Duesenberg was born in LippeLippe
Lippe is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his parents and family when he was eight years old. The family settled in Rockford, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He was actually born as Friedrich Simon Duesenberg, and not with the middle name of Samuel as most sources say. Samuel was the middle name of his brother, August Duesenberg.
Entrance into engineering industry
In the 1890s, Fred began building and racing bicycles with his brother AugustAugust Duesenberg
August Samuel Duesenberg was a German-American automobile pioneer manufacturer.-Biography:Duesenberg was born in Kirchheide, Lippe-Detmold. His large family emigrated to the United States when he was five, settling in Rockford, Iowa.In the 1890s, August Duesenberg started building and racing...
. In 1900, they began playing with gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
engines and began building motorcycles. In 1906 the brothers got money from Edward Mason, an Iowa lawyer, to manufacture cars. Fred Maytag
F. L. Maytag
Frederick Louis Maytag I also known as F. L. Maytag, founded the Maytag Company, which eventually became the Maytag Corporation which was acquired by the Whirlpool Corporation in 2005.-Birth:...
, Maytag
Maytag
Maytag Corporation is an American home and commercial appliance company, headquartered in Newton, Iowa, that is a division of the Whirlpool Corporation.-Company history:...
washing machine
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
and appliance magnate, bought 60 percent of the company. The result was the Maytag-Mason Motor Company
Maytag-Mason Motor Company
The Maytag-Mason Motor Company of Waterloo, Iowa manufactured Maytag automobiles from 1910 to 1915. The company's founder was Frederick Louis Maytag I, who is better known for his development of the Maytag washing machine company....
in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
. But neither Maytag nor Mason were experienced in the car business and the company gradually folded. The Duesenbergs went off to St. Paul, Minnesota to work on racing car engines. In 1913 the Duesenberg brothers founded Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
Automobile & Motors Company, Inc, in St. Paul to build engines and racing cars.
Having raced their bicycles and motorcycles, it was natural that, as with other automobile builders, Duesenberg would use the Indianapolis Speedway as a laboratory, and for nearly twenty years his own entries participated in races there. By World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
their engines had made a good showing in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
, World War aviation ace, drove cars powered by those motors before he flew in the war, piloting the first Duesenberg-powered automobile to prize money in 1914, finishing tenth.
Design changes during World War I
With the coming of World War I the Duesenberg brothers had cause to change many of their engineering ideas. The catalyst was a BugattiBugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
engine. This straight-eight engine consisted of two straight-four engines. They were mounted in series on a common crankcase with two flat crankshafts which were both linked at 90 degrees to form a single shaft. The Duesenbergs were granted an American contract to produce the engine for the French government, and it was their experience with the Bugatti masterpiece that led to the design of the famous Duesenberg straight-eight engine. At the end of World War I, they ceased building aviation and marine engines in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, in 1919 the Duesenberg brothers sold their Minnesota and New Jersey factories to John Willys
John Willys
John North Willys was an American automotive pioneer and statesman.Born in Canandaigua, New York, as a young man he began selling bicycles in his hometown and within a few years eventually expanded into manufacturing his own line of bicycles...
and came to Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
where the Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
Automobile and Motors Company was established in 1920. Fred was the manager and chief engineer and later president. The result was the Duesenberg Model A.
Although a self-made man lacking technical university training, Fred Duesenberg exerted a profound influence in the engineering development of the motor car. As a designer of racing models, he was internationally famous and many of his developments in this field were later incorporated in stock passenger automobiles. He was credited with the introduction in this country of the eight-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
car and of the four-wheel hydraulic brake
Hydraulic brake
The hydraulic brake is an arrangement of braking mechanism which uses brake fluid, typically containing ethylene glycol, to transfer pressure from the controlling unit, which is usually near the operator of the vehicle, to the actual brake mechanism, which is usually at or near the wheel of the...
and was instrumental in the perfecting of other mechanical advancements including overhead cams
Overhead camshaft
Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods...
and four valves
Multi-valve
In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design...
per cylinder. These were found in Indianapolis-manufactured cars (including the Stutz
Stutz
Stutz may refer to:*Harry C. Stutz , American automobile pioneer and manufacturer of luxury cars and fire engines*Josef Stutz , Swiss Conservative politician*Stutz Motor Company, American luxury cars producer...
as well as the Duesenberg) but didn't make the journey to Detroit for almost seventy years.
Winning the Grand Prix
The Duesenberg was the first American car to win the famous Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
at Le Mans, France, in 1921. Driven by Jimmy Murphy
James Anthony Murphy
James Anthony Murphy was a race car driver who was the American Racing Champion in 1922 and 1924.-Background:...
, the car established a new road record by outdistancing the entire field by fourteen minutes. Other Duesenbergs won Indianapolis 500 races three times in the 1920s, making the brothers the first to be three time winners of that race. The reputation of the unparalleled Duesenberg was founded on a brilliant racing heritage.
Downfall and late days
Despite being world-class engineers, the Duesenbergs were unable sell their Model A car, their first mass produced vehicle. A minor shareholder unsuccessfully attempted to put the company into receivership in 1923 based on rumors. In 1926, the company was discussing merger with Du Pont MotorsDu Pont Motors
Du Pont Motors was founded by E. Paul du Pont to produce marine engines for the Allied nations in World War I. After the war, the Du Pont Motor Company produced extremely high-end automobiles....
, indicating some level of financial concern. Duesenberg was only able to survive to the classic era because E. L. Cord wanted a "supercar" to round out his automotive duo of Auburn
Auburn Automobile
Auburn was a brand name of American automobiles produced from 1900 through 1936.-Corporate history:The Auburn Automobile Company grew out of the Eckhart Carriage Company, founded in Auburn, Indiana, in 1875 by Charles Eckhart...
and Cord
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
. Cord admired the Duesenberg Model A and in 1926 proposed a financial rescue, but it came with a price — Fred Duesenberg was to design the most extravagant car of its era. Cord insisted that the Model J be bigger (and heavier) than Fred would have liked, but the rest was pure Duesenberg. The Duesenberg Model J was the supercar Cord wanted. In October 1926, E. L. Cord told the Indianapolis Star, "The purchase of the Duesenberg factory is the culmination of my plans to be able to offer the world an automobile of undisputed rank. In fact, the finest thing on four wheels. Duesenberg cars will be strictly custom built, the owners selecting their own body styles, their own body makers and selecting their own colors. The price probably will be $18,000, no matter what model, from racer to limousine. We will give the buyer 120 mile-an-hour speed if desired. Naturally, the production of this type of automobile, which carries a warranty of fifteen years, will be limited and we are now taking orders..."
From that time on, Fred would cease to build racing cars and focus instead on passenger cars. Until his death, he served as vice president of Duesenberg, Inc., of Indianapolis, a subsidiary of the Cord Corporation. Early in 1927 the test board of the American Automobile Association
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
presented to Mr. Duesenberg a bronze tablet in recognition of the leading part he had played in the development of several fundamental improvements in automotive engineering. In June 1931, at a meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers, he predicted that speeds of 100 miles (160.9 km) an hour on the highways would soon be common. However, his prediction soon became an irony when his car overturned a year later during a high-speed attempt. Today, speeds of 100 miles (160.9 km) an hour are still considered as speeding
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
on most highways.
Death
On July 2, 1932, Fred was driving his Duesenberg on a wet Lincoln HighwayLincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
on Ligonier Mountain near Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
Jennerstown, Pennsylvania
Jennerstown is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 714 at the 2000 census. The borough is the home of Jennerstown Speedway. The town was named for Edward Jenner.Jennerstown is located...
when his automobile overturned, apparently at high speed. Mr. Duesenberg was expected to fully recover from the spinal
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
injury and dislocation
Dislocation
In materials science, a dislocation is a crystallographic defect, or irregularity, within a crystal structure. The presence of dislocations strongly influences many of the properties of materials...
of the shoulder when pleural pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
developed. An oxygen tank brought from Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
was employed and he again was thought out of danger. On July 25, he suffered a relapse and died. His wife and son were with him at the end.
Frederick Samuel Duesenberg is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
He was a member of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce and a member and councilor of the Society of Automotive Engineers, on several of whose committees he served.
Awards
- In 1962, Frederick S. Duesenberg was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame (later renamed Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame).
- He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1990.
- He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaMotorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaThe Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
in 1997. - Duesenberg was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of FameNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame & MuseumThe National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in the first class in 1990.
External links
- Duesenberg History and Photos
- Frederick S. Duesenberg at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...