I could use some help. A while back I wrote an article on the Vanderbilt Cup history in San Francisco and as a result I was contacted in a effort to help identify the amazing car in this photo. Even more amazing is who the gentleman is sitting in the passenger seat. If anyone has any information about this car whatsoever please contact me at gfaules44@aol.com.
Ms TL Thousand is the owner of the photo and it was said to have been taken in Dubuque Iowa. TL is the grandchild of the driver in the photo. I was asked to help identify the brand or type of car as they suspected the car might have some connection to the “Maytag” Mason Hill Climber or Goat. Ms TL Thousand wrote, “My grandfather (a German immigrant and mechanical engineer) used to be a chauffeur for Fred Dusenberg circa 1916-1918. I have an absolutely fabulous photo of my grandfather and Fred seated in an unidentified racing car — a car whose lines look very much like it could be a non-stripped down version of the Maytag “Goat” 2-cylinder racer.”
Duesenberg and Maytag had a collaboration going on with the Mason Car Company so there may be a connection. Fred Duesenberg may have either had a hand in this car or simply knew the fellow that owned it and just wanted a picture of himself in it.
5 comments ↓
Gary
The straight frame rails and chain drive remind me of the 1908 Mercedes GP car, which also raced at Indy (not the 500), though the wheelbase looks a bit longer on this car.
Amazing photo …
Cheers!
Paul
I had noticed that too and it really does have some similarities.
Gary
I stand corrected … the 1908 Mercedes did compete in the 1912 Indy 500 (dropped out in the last 2 laps), but won the Elgin Road Races and the Vanderbilt Cup Race in that year with Ralph DePalma driving.
My reference mentions that the Duesenburgs built some racers called Masons which ran the 1913 Indy 500. In 1914, the Duesenburgs built cars under their own name. At that point, the Mason became the Maytag, setting their factory up in Waterloo, Iowa.
That racer in the pic could possibly be a Duesenburg or a Mason.
… my 2 cents worth …
Paul
The car is not Mason or a Maytag. The “goat” was a striped down chassis. They had a 2 cylinder motor. The attached website is my car on the same chassis. In 1912 the Duesenbergs developed their 4 cylinder engine. There never was a Duesenberg 4 cylinder in a Maytag car. When Maytag got out of the Maytag-Mason car company in 1912 the company went back to Mason and some of the cars in 1914-15 may have had the Duesenberg designed. Most Maytag-Masons and Masons had either Excelsior or Atlas engines. Email me and I will send you a picture of the 1912 Duesenberg 4 cylinder, I would also like to see your picture of Fred and your grandfather.
George,
Ms TL Thousand says that photo is her grandfather and Fred.
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