Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.222209
EAN num: 9780873493888
ISBN number: 0873493885
Label: Krause Publications
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 276
Printing Date: July 25, 2004
Publishing house: Krause Publications
Sale Popularity Level: 660361
Studio: Krause Publications
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Product Description:
With only 435 cars still in existence, the Duesenberg--'the Rolls Royce of American automobiles,' is demanding a hefty price tag, selling for upwards of $1 million! Many of these surviving cars--each custom crafted, a unique statement of elegance, luxury, and hand-built quality--are captured here in full-color, landscape photography by leading professional photographer and widely recognized author, Dennis Adler. This book is a high-end, top quality treatment of the timeless style of the 1930's most expensive car. It features the entire history of the car company, from its beginnings in 1899, when Fred and Autie Duesenberg built their very first bicycle, up until 1937, the time when E.C Cord was forced to sell the nearly bankrupt company. Plus, includes archival photos of the people, places, factories, celebrities, and racing cars that helped make the Duesenberg a legendary automobile.
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Rated by buyers 
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While it is rare that an author must defned his work, it is worthy of note that a great deal of time went into the research and preparation of this book, including digital re-mastering of over 100 archival photos from the ACD museum archives. The content is based on 30 years of articles, and while there is no doubt that a few historical errors handed down over the years have been perpetuated here, and facts that have been in question for decades brought to the attention of critics once more, the work stands on its own as the very first book of its kind in over a quarter of a century. It is also worthy of note that the author had the entire manuscript read and checked by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum research staff before it went to print. As a reference, there are other equally informative sources regarding Duesenberg (with their own errors). As an archival and graphic history, there has never been a book done on Duesenberg of this type.
Rated by buyers 
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Adler's book is so full of technical errors that it is only worth buying for the glitzy photos.
Examples: The Duesenberg racing cars at Indy did not use Roots blowers as he states and goes on to describe in faulty detail, they used centrifugal superchargers. Hundreds of photos exist of these cars and engines.
Also used on some Model A cars, which he doesn't mention.
The Model A gets very short representation.
The stock J engine never developed 265 hp, more like 165-182 hp on observed dyno tests of four engines.
The SJ also never put our anything like 320 hp, even with the dual carburetor setup. 215 hp on a personally observed dyno test of a perfectly restored engine.
There is a decided lack of photos of WW-I aircraft engines and the plant interiors, which are available.
The engineering aspects of the Duesenberg cars, race engines, and their good engineering, gets short shift.
There is a notable lack of any accurate technical information, only the gee-whiz factor.
This book need some very serious editing and revisions by someone who really knows what the Duesenberg cars were all about. As a history book on the Duesenberg cars, it is sadly lacking.
Rated by buyers 
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Dennis Adler's Duesenberg follows his basic formula for a book, a very competent photo album with little or nothing in the way of historical insight. He regurgitates information found in other sources and often repeats erroneous information. He performs no primary research nor provides information to make this book an important addition to an automotive library.
Rated by buyers 
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While a number of books have been done on this most classic of all American cars, this is surely the best. Adler does fine photographic work as is abundantly evident here, and the combination of wonderful colour photos and a solid text provides a good record of the Duesenberg output, from the little-remembered Model A of the early 1920s to the quintessential Model J (and later SJ) of 1929 to 1937 when the whole firm was shut down as part of the wrapping up of E.L. Cord's auto empire. While they would probably be bears to drive compared to the power-everything we have these days, no current car has the cachet of these huge and heavy but lovingly designed and built motorcars. And they could move---over 100 mph with motors seemingly offering too little horsepower. The handsome coach work pictured on these pages (none of it, of course, the product of the Indanapolis-based Duesenberg factory which provided only the chasis---and that for about $8,000 pre-Depression dollars) really underlines what bygone days these are. In all, a handsome record of a glorious car . . .
Rated by buyers -
Quite a heavy and cumbersome (due to its shape) book to read whilst sitting in an armchair. Some superb photos, lots of info on Fred & Augie, EL Cord and the personalities involved, the coachbuilders, etc. But nowhere does it tell us aspiring Duesy owners what they're like to drive, is the gearbox really a pig, are the controls light, and how quick they are, etc. Or does nobody actually dare to drive them these days ?
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