Mason Touring 1906
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Ražotājs : |
Mason |
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Modelis: |
Touring 1906 |
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Gads: |
1906 |
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Tips: |
Touring |
In the 1890s, Fred began building and racing bicycles with his brother August. In 1900, they began playing with gasoline engines and began building motorcycles. It was only natural that a wealthy backer would come to him in the early 1900s, seeking his help at building an automobile. The backer was Edward R. Mason, a Des Moines attorney, and the car that Fred created for him was the Mason, with an interesting overhead-valve twin-cylinder engine of square proportions (equal bore and stroke, 5 × 5 in.), good for 24 hp from 196 cu. in. It was installed in a beautifully engineered, heartily constructed car that achieved an excellent reputation for power and ruggedness. What it was not, however, was a big seller, and Mason eventually sold out to the Maytag washing machine family, which continued production (and employment of Fred Duesenberg) under their own name. In 1906 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, which manufactured two-cylinder cars.
Approximately 25 automobiles produced by the company in 1906, and is the earliest known automobile designed by the Duesenberg Brothers.
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.
Mr. Maytag formed the automobile company by purchasing the Mason Automobile Company of Des Moines, Iowa in 1909. That company, which had been created by Fred Duesenberg, August Duesenberg, and lawyer Edward R. Mason, had been producing an automobile called the Mason. Mr. Maytag renamed it to the Maytag and began producing it in 1910.
Mr. Maytag soon sold his interest in the company, and by 1912 the name had reverted to the Mason Motor Company. The company went bankrupt in 1915 and was totally out of business by 1917. Approximately 1,500 cars were built
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.
