Du Pont Motors was founded by

E. Paul du Pont Eleuthère Paul du Pont (April 24, 1887 – September 26, 1950) was an American business magnate and the son of Francis Gurney du Pont. He founded Du Pont Motors, a manufacturer of automobiles and marine engines, and later bought and became p ...

to produce

marine engines Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a watercraft through water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting of an electri ...

for the

Allied nations The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy. ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. After the war, Du Pont Motors produced extremely high-end automobiles. The cars were manufactured in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

. E. Paul du Pont's resources allowed him to hire top-quality automotive and management talent. The company's first product, the Model A, was introduced at the 1919 International Salon at the Commodore Hotel in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

(an event for the wealthy by invitation only, along with the finest manufacturers and coach builders). The Model G was introduced in 1928, with a 5.3 liter side-valve straight eight engine of . Between 1919 and 1931, the company produced approximately 625 automobiles,. They were compared to such luxury cars as

Packard Packard or Packard Motor Car Company was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana in 1958. One of the "Thr ...

Cadillac The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...

and even

Stutz The Stutz Motor Car Company, was an American producer of high-end sports and luxury cars based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Production began in 1911 and ended in 1935. Stutz was known as a producer of fast cars including America's first spo ...

, and

Duesenberg Duesenberg Automobile and Motors Company, Inc. was an American race car, racing and luxury car, luxury automobile manufacturer founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, by brothers Fred Duesenberg, Fred and August Duesenberg in 1920. The company is ...

, and were known for their quality and style. Customers included

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

and Douglas Fairbanks,

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

, and Jack Dempsey. The company went bankrupt in 1932 and merged into the

Indian Motorcycle Company Indian Motorcycle (or ''Indian'') is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.

Du Pont model G

The Du Pont Model G was the first 8 cylinder model from Du Pont Motors in Wilmington, Delaware. The car was powered by a Continental 12-K side-valve straight eight cylinder engine with a displacement of 321.8 c.i. (5.3 litre), delivering 125 bhp. Du Pont added an aluminum cover over the distributor, spark plugs and wiring for water and dust protection. There was a 3 speed transmission. Included were four-wheel hydraulic brakes, and hydraulic shock absorbers. Standard wheelbase was 136 in., with 141 in. available for formal coachwork, and a speedster with 125 in. There were 12 factory body styles to choose from, manufactured for Du Pont by Merrimac, Derham, and Waterhouse. The rolling chassis was available for other coachbuilders. Prices ranged from US$4,360 ($ in dollars ) to US$5,750 ($ in dollars ), with Speedsters up to US$6,125 ($ in dollars ).

Du Pont model H

The Du Pont Model H was the last motor car line for Du Pont Motors. In 1930 the Model H was introduced, which was basically a Model G but with a longer wheelbase that measured 146-inches. A total of three were built consisting of a two car and two sport models. The sports chassis were later bodied as a sport phaeton and a closed-coupled sedan by Dietrich. The other received a formal Berline body and a flat radiator.

Gallery

Du Pont Model G at Concours d'Elegance (20614555606).jpg, 1929 Du Pont Model G Waterhouse Roadster 1929 Du Pont Model G Merrimac Club Coupe, front right (Lime Rock).jpg, 1929 Du Pont Model G Merrimac Club Coupe Du Pont Model H at Carmel Tour d'Elegance (19937762943).jpg, 1931 Du Pont Model H Sport Phaeton by Merrimac-Marshall

Notes and references

{{- DuPont subsidiaries Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Companies based in Wilmington, Delaware 1919 establishments in Delaware 1932 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1919 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1932 Defunct manufacturing companies based in Delaware Vintage vehicles 1920s cars 1930s cars

Du Pont model G

Du Pont model H

Gallery

See also

Notes and references