A Brief History of Durant Vehicles

Someday, perhaps, I will write the definitive history of the Durant Vehicles. For now, however, all I can offer is a time line, a bit of model information and a list of links to sites that have at least some mention of Durant and his cars….. Terry

Timeline at a glance

Timeline of Durant Motors and its makes, 1921 to 1933 Bars show the years each make was produced; dots mark model introductions; flags at the top mark key company events. The same information is in the time line text below. Durant Motors and its makes, 1921–1933 Bars: years in production · dots: new models · flags: key events 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1921 Jan: Durant Motors incorporatedDurant Motors incorporated 1921 May: Muncie plant bought from GMMuncie plant bought from GM 1922 Feb: Star announcedStar announced 1922 Jun: Elizabeth, NJ plant boughtElizabeth, NJ plant bought 1922 Jul: Locomobile bought at auctionLocomobile bought at auction 1926 Summer: Flint, Michigan plant soldFlint, Michigan plant sold 1927: No Durant cars builtNo Durant cars built 1928 Apr: Star production endsStar production ends 1928 Sep: Trucks sold as RugbyTrucks sold as Rugby 1930 Dec: Oakland plant stopsOakland plant stops 1931 May: Dominion Motors takes over CanadaDominion Motors takes over Canada 1931 Late summer: Lansing production stopsLansing production stops 1932 Jan: Receiver for Durant of MichiganReceiver for Durant of Michigan 1932 Feb: Continental buys De VauxContinental buys De Vaux 1932 Jun: Receivers for Durant Motors, Inc.Receivers for Durant Motors, Inc. 1933 Dec: Dominion Motors ceases productionDominion Motors ceases production Durant Durant: 1921 May to 1927 Durant: 1928 to 1932 Jan Durant: 1932 Jan to 1933 Dec (Canada only) Canada only 1921 May: A-22 A-22 1922 Jan: B-22 B-22 1928 Jan: 55, 65, 75 55, 65, 75 1928 Late Oct: M-4, 60 M-4, 60 1929 Jan: 63, 66, 70 1930 Jan: 614, 617 614, 617 1930 Sep: 610, 612 610, 612 1931 May: 619 619 1932 Jan: 621, 622 621, 622 Star Star: 1922 Feb to 1928 Apr 1922 Feb: C C 1924: F F 1926: M, R M, R 1928 Apr: → Durant M-2 → Durant M-2 Rugby Rugby: 1923 Jul to 1928 Sep (export) export Rugby: 1928 Sep to 1932 Jan (export + trucks) export + trucks Rugby: 1932 Jan to 1933 Dec (Canada only) Canada only 1923 Jul: Australia Australia 1928 Sep: trucks trucks Flint Flint: 1923 Jun to 1928 1923 Jun: E-55 E-55 1924 Mar: H-40 H-40 1926: 60, 80 60, 80 Locomobile Locomobile: 1922 Jul to 1929 1922 Jul: acquired acquired Mason Truck Mason Truck: 1923 to 1928 De Vaux De Vaux: 1931 Jan to 1932 Feb 1931 Mar: 6-75 6-75 1932 Jan: 80 80 Continental Continental: 1932 Apr to 1933 Dec 1932 Apr: De Vaux 80 De Vaux 80 Frontenac Frontenac: 1931 Aug to 1933 Dec (Canada) Canada Princeton 1923 Jan: Princeton announced, never built under its own name announced, never built under its own name Mathis 1930 Aug: Mathis plan announced, never built plan announced, never built in production built in Canada only (Dominion Motors) new model announced but not built Dates are approximate where only a season is known.

The chart summarizes the time line below. On a phone, scroll the chart sideways. Frontenac and Continental dates come from their catalog pages.

Time line

1921

Product Line: Durant

  • January 12 – Durant Motors is incorporated in New York. It would later be reincorporated in Delaware. [Kulchycki] [Star 1932-01-27] [Herald 1921-01-14]
  • March 1 – A prototype of the first car (A-22) had been designed, built, and demonstrated. In mid-February, the New York Herald reported that a model of the car was being built at Long Island City, with production expected in August. [Kulchycki] [Herald 1921-02-17]
  • March – Durant buys the Long Island City, New York, plant, a former Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company factory (reported March 27; the price was said to be $2,000,000). [Kulchycki] [Tribune 1921-03-27]
  • May 25 – Durant’s purchase of the Sheridan Motor Car Company plant in Muncie, Indiana, from General Motors is announced. This is the plant where GM had produced the Sheridan automobile. (Earlier versions of this page said April.) [Kulchycki] [Tribune 1921-05-26]
  • August – The Durant Motor Company of Indiana is organized, with a capital of $3,000,000. (Earlier versions of this page said April.) [Kulchycki] [Herald 1921-08-21]
  • May – Durant Motors of Michigan is established (announced May 25, with its main plant at Lansing). [Kulchycki] [Tribune 1921-05-26]
  • Summer – Durant Motors of California is established. Ground was broken for its Oakland factory on November 12. [Kulchycki] [Ariz. Republican 1921-11-27]
  • Summer – Durant Motors of Canada is established. Its incorporation in Ontario, and the purchase of a former munitions plant at Leaside, were reported on September 17. [Kulchycki] [Times 1921-09-17]
  • Reports vary: some say availability of the new four-cylinder Durant (A-22) is in May; others say it is available late fall of the year. A statement by W. C. Durant in November 1921 gives November 1, 1921, as the start of deliveries under dealers’ contracts. [Kulchycki] [Omaha Bee 1921-11-13]
  • By the end of 1921, Durant has established facilities in New York (Long Island City), New Jersey (Elizabeth), Indiana (Muncie), Michigan (Lansing), California (Oakland), and Canada (Leaside). [Kulchycki]

1922

Product Lines: Star, Durant

  • January – A new six-cylinder Durant, the B-22, is introduced. The car is built in the Sheridan plant (Muncie, Indiana) bought from GM, but the press reports that it is not the Sheridan. Production of the Durant Six began at Muncie on February 1. [Kulchycki] [Evening World 1922-02-01]
  • February 1 – The Locomobile Company is placed in receivership, paving the way for Durant’s acquisition. [Kulchycki] [Bridgeport Times 1922-02-01]
  • February 15 – Star car is announced as a competitor to the Ford Model T. [Kulchycki]
  • March 1 – First car built at Leaside, Canada, plant. [Kulchycki]
  • March 9 – First Star car shown in Washington; nearly 27,000 people came to see it. (Earlier versions of this page said March 8.) [Kulchycki] [Bemidji Pioneer 1922-03-14]
  • June – Durant purchases the Willys-Overland Elizabeth, NJ, plant. The purchase includes the pilot model of a car that became the Flint 6 (model E-55). [Kulchycki] [Ariz. Republican 1922-06-25]
  • July 28 – Durant is the sole bidder at a receivership sale of the Locomobile Company. The Locomobile Company of America Inc. is established. Durant’s contract for Locomobile was signed by July 22, and the new Locomobile Company of America announced its officers on July 28. [Kulchycki] [Bridgeport Times 1922-07-22] [Tribune 1922-07-29]
  • July – Flint Motor Car Company is established (its charter application was filed at Lansing in late July). [Kulchycki] [Brownsville Herald 1922-07-30]

1923

Product Lines: Star, Durant, Rugby, Flint, Locomobile, Mason Motor Trucks

  • January – The Princeton is announced, and a prototype is displayed at the New York Automobile show. The car is to be built in the Muncie plant. [Kulchycki] [Leader 1923-01-26]
  • The Mason Truck Company is established (the Mason truck was already listed among Durant’s products in February 1923). [Kulchycki] [Birmingham Age-Herald 1923-02-04]
  • June – Production of the Flint E-55 begins. The new Flint was reaching dealers by July. [Kulchycki] [Seattle Star 1923-07-14]
  • July – Sales of Rugby cars begin in Australia. An advertisement of the time explains that Durant was unable to use the Star name for cars sold in the British Empire, as a company in Wolverhampton had the rights to the name. [Kulchycki]
  • Summer – Durant announces the Princeton will be built at the Locomobile Bridgeport plant. The car is eventually produced under the Flint name rather than the Princeton name. [Kulchycki]

1924

Product Lines: Star, Durant, Rugby, Flint, Locomobile, Mason Motor Trucks

1925

Product Lines: Star, Durant, Rugby, Flint, Locomobile, Mason Motor Trucks

1926

Product Lines: Star, Durant, Rugby, Flint, Locomobile, Mason Motor Trucks

1927

Product Lines: Star, Flint, Locomobile, Mason Motor Trucks

1928

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby, Locomobile

1929

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby

1930

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby

1931

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby

  • December 1930 – Norman De Vaux and Col. E. J. Hall form the De Vaux-Hall Motors Corporation to build a new six-cylinder car at Grand Rapids, Michigan, and at the Oakland plant De Vaux had bought from Durant. (Earlier versions of this page said Durant Motors of California was renamed De Vaux-Hall on January 3, 1931.) [Kulchycki] [Star 1930-12-21] [Star 1930-12-16]
  • January 3 – The De Vaux car is introduced (the new car was first announced on December 15, 1930). [Kulchycki] [Imperial Valley Press 1930-12-15]
  • January 6 – The first De Vaux is completed at Grand Rapids.
  • January 12 – The first De Vaux is shown at the Chicago auto show.
  • January 26 – The same car is shown at the Los Angeles auto show.
  • March 13 – A plan is announced for a new company, Dominion Motors Ltd., to take over all the assets of Durant Motors of Canada, with Nash Motors as a partner; Nash cars were to be built at Leaside alongside a new Canadian car. [Star 1931-03-13]
  • March 14 – Charter granted to Dominion Motors Ltd. [Kulchycki]
  • March 24 – De Vaux-Hall orders 8,000 bodies from the Hayes Body Corporation.
  • March 31 – The first De Vaux 6-75 is built at the Grand Rapids plant; production at Oakland was to follow in April. (Earlier versions of this page said April 1.) [Kulchycki] [Times 1931-04-01]
  • April 6 – Series production is recorded as starting at Grand Rapids, with car number M-1001.
  • April 15 – Production begins at Oakland, with car number C-1001.
  • April – Durant Motors, Inc. obtains an injunction to stop the transfer of Durant Motors of Canada’s assets to Dominion Motors; the Canadian shareholders’ meeting is postponed to May 7. [Star 1931-04-12]
  • May – Durant Motors of Canada is dissolved and replaced by Dominion Motors Ltd. Its shareholders approved the share-for-share sale at a meeting postponed to May 7, as reported from Toronto on May 9. (Earlier versions of this page said May 4.) [Kulchycki] [Times 1931-05-11] [Star 1931-04-12]
  • May – The Durant 619 is introduced. [Kulchycki]
  • Late summer – All production of Durant vehicles at the Lansing plant had stopped. [Kulchycki]
  • Late summer – An “improved” De Vaux 6-75 is announced, offering “free-wheeling” as standard equipment. [Kulchycki]
  • September 25 – De Vaux production at Oakland stops and never resumes.

1932

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby

  • January 1 to March 31 – Grand Rapids goes on building the De Vaux 6-75 into 1932 (car numbers M-4746 to M-5609).
  • January – The Durant 621 is introduced. [Kulchycki]
  • January – The Durant 622 is introduced. [Kulchycki]
  • January – The De Vaux 80 is announced. [Kulchycki] [Star 1932-01-31]
  • By January 26 – A federal court in Detroit appoints the Central Trust Co. of Lansing as equity receiver of Durant Motor Co. of Michigan, on the petition of the City Auto Stamping Co. of Toledo. Some newspapers reported it as a receivership of Durant Motors, Inc.; W. C. Durant said that only the Michigan subsidiary was affected and that it had consented. This was a receivership, not a bankruptcy. (Earlier versions of this page said “January 30 – Durant Motors files for bankruptcy.”) [Star 1932-01-26] [Star 1932-01-27] [Leader 1932-01-27]
  • February 10 – De Vaux-Hall Motors Corp. files for bankruptcy. [Kulchycki]
  • By February 13 – Continental Motors Corp. purchases the De Vaux name and the Michigan assets of the De Vaux-Hall company, as reported February 13. (Earlier versions of this page gave February 18.) [Kulchycki] [Star 1932-02-14]
  • March – The Continental De Vaux Company is incorporated. [Kulchycki]
  • April – The Continental-De Vaux model 80 is introduced. [Kulchycki]
  • June – Receivers are appointed for the parent company, Durant Motors, Inc. [Star 1932-06-24]
  • October 1 – A second run of the 6-80 begins as the 1932 Continental (De Vaux) 680 (car numbers M-6469 to M-7038).

1933

Product Lines: Durant, Rugby

  • Durant Motors, Inc., in receivership since June 1932, goes into liquidation. [Wikipedia]
  • January 31 – The last Continental (De Vaux) 680 is built.
  • December – Dominion Motors ceases production. [Kulchycki]

References