Durant Motors - Classic Cars From The 1920's - Car Club — RedlineArchive

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Durant Motors - Classic Cars From The 1920's - Car Club

2000s 2005youtube

Durant Motors Inc. was established in 1921 by former General Motors CEO William "Billy" Durant following his termination by the GM board of directors and the New York bankers that financed GM. Durant Motors attempted to be a full-line automobile producer of cars and fielded the Flint, Durant, and Star brands which were designed to meet Buick, Oldsmobile, Oakland and Chevrolet price points. Billy Durant also acquired luxury car maker Locomobile of Bridgeport, Connecticut, at its liquidation sale in 1922; in theory Locomobile gave him a product that would compete against Rolls Royce and Pierce-Arrow. Durant Motors had a relationship with the Dort, Frontenac and DeVaux automobile name badges. The Rugby line was the export name for Durant's Star Car line. However, from 1928 to 1931 Durant marketed trucks in the US and Canadian markets under the badge Rugby Trucks. The Princeton, a model aimed at the Packard and Cadillac price point was planned, but never realized; also planned was the Eagle car line but it never made it off the drafting tables. Durant co-founded a truck-making subsidiary, Mason Truck, and also acquired numerous ancillary companies to support Durant Motors. In 1927 the Durant line was shut down to retool for a brand new modernised car for 1928, re-emerging in 1928 with Durant, Locomobile and Rugby lines in place, and dropping the Mason Truck and Flint automobile lines and top-selling Star car in April 1928. In 1929 Locomobile went out of production. Initially, Durant Motors enjoyed success based upon Billy Durant's track record at General Motors where he assembled independent makes Chevrolet, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac. However when sales failed to meet volumes sufficient to sustain Durant Motors holdings, the firm's financial footing began to slip. As a result, Durant Motors began losing market share and dealers. The final models, produced under the Durant brand, rolled off the assembly line in 1931 but continued in Canada as Durant Frontenac. The Lansing, Michigan, Durant plant on Verlinden Avenue opened in 1920. After the demise of Durant, it remained closed until GM purchased it in 1935. It restarted production for GM's Fisher Body division, later becoming the Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac factory. It was finally combined with another Lansing plant to become Lansing Car Assembly. That factory was closed on May 6, 2005. Durant's former plant in Elizabeth, New Jersey housed one of the first supermarkets in the 1930's, then was used as a cookie bakery by Burry Biscuits for many years. It was in use as a warehouse when it was destroyed by fire in December 2011. Billy Durant died nearly broke at age 85 in 1947, the same year as Henry Ford, age 83. Brought To You By: Blog Planet http://www.BlogPlanet.tv http://www.FaceBook.com/BlogPlanet http://www.Twitter.com/BlogPlanet All Rights Reserved - Copyright 2012

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About This Footage

This 2005 footage from the "Durant Motors - Classic Cars From The 1920's - Car Club" is a fascinating glimpse into the history of American automobile manufacturing. The clip, which clocks in at 4:27 minutes, provides an intriguing look at Durant Motors, a company that was once a major player in the industry.

Established by William "Billy" Durant in 1921, after his termination from General Motors, Durant Motors attempted to be a full-line automobile producer, fielding several brands including Flint, Durant, and Star. These models were designed to compete with other popular makes of the time, such as Buick, Oldsmobile, Oakland, and Chevrolet. The company's relationship with Locomobile, a luxury car maker acquired by Durant in 1922, was also notable, as it gave them a product that could rival Rolls Royce and Pierce-Arrow.

The footage itself is likely to be of interest to classic car enthusiasts and historians alike. It provides a unique opportunity to see some of the lesser-known models from the 1920s, including the Durant, Locomobile, and Rugby lines. These cars are often overlooked in favor of more popular makes, but they played an important role in the development of the American automobile industry.

One of the most interesting aspects of this footage is its historical significance. The clip provides a snapshot of Durant Motors at a time when the company was still trying to establish itself as a major player in the industry. However, as the description notes, sales failed to meet volumes sufficient to sustain Durant Motors holdings, and the firm's financial footing began to slip.

The decline of Durant Motors is a cautionary tale about the challenges faced by automobile manufacturers during this period. The company's inability to compete with more established brands ultimately led to its downfall. Despite its initial success, based on Billy Durant's track record at General Motors, the company was unable to sustain itself in the long term.

For car enthusiasts and historians, this footage is a valuable resource that provides insight into the history of American automobile manufacturing. It offers a unique perspective on the development of the industry during the 1920s and highlights the challenges faced by companies like Durant Motors as they attempted to establish themselves in a highly competitive market.

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