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Originally posted by Hemi Joel
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Dan, yes I got both trucks home.
The Maytag car is a fascinating story, and when you hear it you will know why I have one.
The car has nothing to do with the washing machine, except for 1 link. In 1903 Fred Duesenberg moved to Wisconsin and worked at the Rambler factory. After about a year, he came home to Iowa and announced that he was going to design and manufacture his own brand of car. By late 1904, the prototype car was done, with a robust horizontally opposed 2 cylinder, (dig it Barry) overhead valve 5" x 5" mill and a 2 speed planetary transmission. He called it the Marvel, and sought financing to begin production. A successful local attorney, Ed Mason joined Fred by purchasing 2/3 of the company, thus funding the start up, and re-naming the car the Mason. Fred used his best efforts to promote the car by winning numerous prestigious races and hill climbs with it, and inviting the press to cover many publicity stunts.
In mid 1909 Mason sold his interest to Senator Fred Maytag, who had already made a fortune in farm equipment, and was just beginning his soon to be famous washing machine company. Maytag moved the factory from Mason City to Waterloo, and re-named the car after himself. Since 1904, small changes were made to the car as technology was developed, but by 1910 a 2 cylinder, chain drive, open valve train car designed 6 years earlier was almost obsolete, and the company was losing money. Maytag sold out after only 1 year, and the company soon fell to the investment banker crowd and the name was changed to Mason-Maytag. In what seemed to cast a pattern to be repeated throughout his future, Fred Duesenberg was in over his head trying to swim among these sharks, and lost all control of the company that he started. He was designing the famed walking beam 4 cylinder engine in an attempt to introduce a high tech, powerful new car, but his design was rejected in favor of a cheaper 4 banger purchased from an outside vendor. Plus, the bean counters prohibited all racing. That was enuff for Fred and Augie, and they left for St. Paul, where they set up building their new engine, which went on to be one of the most successful racing engines of the decade. Mason-Maytags reputation for quality was soon ruined. Not by the engine they were purchasing, but by a faulty worm drive rear axle, which suffered an exceedingly high failure rate. By 1914 all production had ceased, and the company folded soon after. There are no known surviving 4 cylinder Mason-Maytags, and 17 two cylinder Masons and Maytags, about half of each.
The Maytag car is a fascinating story, and when you hear it you will know why I have one.
The car has nothing to do with the washing machine, except for 1 link. In 1903 Fred Duesenberg moved to Wisconsin and worked at the Rambler factory. After about a year, he came home to Iowa and announced that he was going to design and manufacture his own brand of car. By late 1904, the prototype car was done, with a robust horizontally opposed 2 cylinder, (dig it Barry) overhead valve 5" x 5" mill and a 2 speed planetary transmission. He called it the Marvel, and sought financing to begin production. A successful local attorney, Ed Mason joined Fred by purchasing 2/3 of the company, thus funding the start up, and re-naming the car the Mason. Fred used his best efforts to promote the car by winning numerous prestigious races and hill climbs with it, and inviting the press to cover many publicity stunts.
In mid 1909 Mason sold his interest to Senator Fred Maytag, who had already made a fortune in farm equipment, and was just beginning his soon to be famous washing machine company. Maytag moved the factory from Mason City to Waterloo, and re-named the car after himself. Since 1904, small changes were made to the car as technology was developed, but by 1910 a 2 cylinder, chain drive, open valve train car designed 6 years earlier was almost obsolete, and the company was losing money. Maytag sold out after only 1 year, and the company soon fell to the investment banker crowd and the name was changed to Mason-Maytag. In what seemed to cast a pattern to be repeated throughout his future, Fred Duesenberg was in over his head trying to swim among these sharks, and lost all control of the company that he started. He was designing the famed walking beam 4 cylinder engine in an attempt to introduce a high tech, powerful new car, but his design was rejected in favor of a cheaper 4 banger purchased from an outside vendor. Plus, the bean counters prohibited all racing. That was enuff for Fred and Augie, and they left for St. Paul, where they set up building their new engine, which went on to be one of the most successful racing engines of the decade. Mason-Maytags reputation for quality was soon ruined. Not by the engine they were purchasing, but by a faulty worm drive rear axle, which suffered an exceedingly high failure rate. By 1914 all production had ceased, and the company folded soon after. There are no known surviving 4 cylinder Mason-Maytags, and 17 two cylinder Masons and Maytags, about half of each.
I picked the right midget engine to stay a direct fan of... I bet that is a pun.
what was the four cyl made out of?
Sears was another one that did some unlikely chores..
the coal hauler, 2 cyl boxer.
measured in tons.
keeping up to date (not to go off subject too far)
the porsche 718, 4cyl boxer.. is the sixth fastest car ran by motor trends test driver at willow springs.
2.5 liters, actual production weights, no modifications.
I was waiting for the little boxers revenge...it is happening. Subaru nearly killed it for all of us.
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