My Grandfather Sold Motorcars (1920s)

Durant automobiles, to be exact. All the photos in this presentation are from an album that my grandfather Gus Martens assembled in the 1920s. (The following information comes from MyChurchGrowth.com) : William Durant founded Durant Motors Corporation of New York City, New York in 1921 after he was removed from his position with General Motors again. This was his third attempt to build an automotive empire. Durant's intent for Durant Motor Company was to challenge General Motors. Durant Motors Corporation built the Durant, directed at the Oakland automobile price point. Production of the vehicle was suspended for the 1926 and 1927 model years, but they still produced other vehicles. When the Durant was brought back in 1928, the car was redesigned and powered by a six cylinder Continental engine instead of a four. Budd Company supplied the bodies for the Durant automobile, and in 1930, all steel bodies were used. The Durant automobile is considered to be an "assembled" automobile because so many components were obtained from outside suppliers. (From Wikipedia): The Long Island Motor Parkway (LIMP), also known as the Vanderbilt Parkway and Motor Parkway, was the first roadway designed for automobile use only. It was privately built by William Kissam Vanderbilt with overpasses and bridges to remove intersections. It opened in 1908 as a toll road and closed in 1938 when it was taken over by the State of New York in lieu of back taxes. Parts of the parkway survive today in sections of other roadways and as a bicycle trail in Queens, New York. - - - - - Stay tuned to this YouTube channel for a future presentation on my grandparents' sightseeing adventures with their Durant, "a real cool car." Robert W. Martens 2011 youtube.com/RobertWMartens

Added 2 Apr 2026