I have a 22 Durant touring and the frame at the back is visible as apposed to the later Durant's, Devaux's and Frontenac's. My question, is the rear visible portion of the frame painted body colour or black. I have seen both on "AUTHENTIC RESTORATIONS". My dad has aquired several of the DURANT STANDARD'S from the early twenties and there is a recuring column showing a pair of guy's traveling in what appears to be a 22 durant standard touring that is painted a very light colour, possibly military tan (light creamy yellow) or light gray. In one of the photo's there is a good shot of the rear portion of the frame and it is body colour. Any thoughts? thanks Will

Per the article written in the November-December 1966 issue of the AACA , by Ray Keto...Irreguardless of what color the car was ordered in, the Fenders,splash aprons,trunk,rack, wheel rims and hubs, as well as the chassis were in black. This was in reference to the 23' Sport Touring....You have brought up an interesting question, When I restored my 1923 A-22 Standard Touring Durant I decided to paint the car Maroon with lighter red disc wheels and pinstriping,(one of the Sport Touring colors) All the information and brocures that I could find indicated that only the Sport models offered a choice in color, I have seen nothing to date indicating that their was a choice of color with Standard models and have always wondered if the Standard model could have been ordered in anything other than Black? Bill

Bill like I said the photo in question was printed in (I believe) the nov. 1922 issue of the DURANT STANDARD, the car is definitely a standard model with black windshield,rad shell and hedlight shells. No cowl lights and no door handles. What are the odds that somebody painted their brand new car, and don't give me "for twentfive dollars more". If I am not correct, twentyfive dollars was a lot of money in the twenties and very few people actually took tje dealers up on that offer, which by the way Durant informed his dealers to dicourage. thanks will

Will, It wouldn't be the first time someone painted a new car or maybe it was the first time but it wasn't the last.If someone wants it they will find the money.

Will....At our great Hood River West Coast Meet, Lance brought a ton of early Durant and Star advertizements, information and some Durant Standards...one evening I went through everything that Lance had brought and found early Durant Four(A-22) standard model full page newspaper adds, they priced the various standard models f.o.b. Lancing,Mich. then directly under this in smaller print was..."Special models in attractive colors, with balloon tires and 4 wheel brakes, at slight additional cost"....I also ran across the November 1922 issue of the Durant Standard and the full page article with 3 sequential pictures and as you mentioned it is a 1922 standard touring that was bought specificaly to set an altitude record for the California mountains, in the article they pulled 10 and 20% gradiant slopes and reached a record setting altitude of over 12,000 feet....Now here is what I think...Without 4 wheel brakes the two guys and their photographer would surly have commited suiside on their way back down, so I think they would have ordered a "special model" to make the trip, this would account for the lighter colored standard model touring and the white wall tires....Although in the small black and white pictures it looks like the rear frame horns (and fuel tank) are painted in a lighter color, I am still up in the air as to wheather it is paint or an accumilation of silt and dust...Anyway, I find this all very interesting....Bill

Will,The rear frame section, gas tank, springs, tire mount and hardware are all painted black.

Lew