Duesenberg J
On the outbreak of war Duesenberg began contributing to the War-effort by working for the American Army and Air Force. He continued to produce 4-cylinder engines, which meanwhile had acquired 4 valves per cylinder and two camshafts (the Air Force used it in training aircraft). At the same time they introduced the 16-cylinder Bugatti, which the Duesenbergs and their chief designer, Charles B. King, had extensively modified, as well as a 16-cylinder of their own design. They designed a 12-cylinder engine, for Air Force use, and a 4-cylinder (160 bhp) engine for the Army. All their output during the war came from a factory at Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the Duesenbergs had moved before the outbreak of hostilities. The sale of this factory to Willys Motors, and that of the manufacturing rights on the 4-cylinder Model G to the Rochester Motor Company enabled the Duesenbergs to move once again. They chose Indianapolis and concentrated initially on a straight-s engine with overhead camshafts, of which four were made in 1920.
Three of these went into cars which came 3rd , 4th and 6th at their first showing in the 1920 500 Miles race. They then produced a 16-cylinder engine (two blocks of 8 coupled together) for a record-breaking car in which Tommy Milton reached more than 155 mph at Daytona. Car-racing occupied almost all their energies in these early years in Indianapolis, and made their name. Their cars won first prize in 1924 (Corum and Boyer , at over 98 mph), 1925 (Peter de Paolo at over 100 mph), and 1927 (Souders, averaging over 96 mph).
At this stage they produced a de luxe touring vehicle, that was introduced to the public inside the Commodore Hotel, New York, in October 1920. The engine in the Model A, as this first car was called, derived from the Duesenberg 3000 cc racing engine, but the cylinder capacity was raised from 3000 to 4200 cc. There was only one camshaft in the head, and two valves per cylinder as against three in the racing-car (one inlet, two exhaust). It developed 88 bhp at 3,600 revs, and could exceed 95 mph. The Model A was also the first American car with hydraulic brakes on all four wheels, and a tubular front axle; it incorporated the first balloon-type tires.
Car : Duesenberg J
Year : 1931
Engine : 8 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :95?120.5 mm
Cylinder capacity : 6882 cc
Gears : 3 forward
Brake horse power :265
Maximum speed : 115 mph
Wheelbase : 11 ft 10 ins (3.60 m)
Suspension : front and back :semi-elliptic leaf- springs
