Answer this question;

How did you find your Durant/Star/Rugby/Locomobile/Flint motorcar?
If you don't own a Durant product, then how did you learn of Durant and/or his company?

Rick

Found it riding my bicycle in Chicago in 1963. I was 12. It was sitting on a street for sale. My Dad bought it for $225. He drove it home where it sat on blocks for 42 years. He was a mechanic and became ill, gave it to me in 2003. It took me 5 months to bring it back to an original survivor and driver. I took him for rides as much as possible until he passed in 2007. I also have a 1939 LaSalle opera coupe.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 M2 Sedan

Peg and I have told this story many times, but since Rick asked, let me tell it again.

In July 2002, Peg and I were looking to purchase a vacation house in San Diego. Without getting into that story, let me say that we were staying in the Gaslamp section of San Diego. In that section of San Diego is a Classic Car show room. I was looking at a 1957 Chevy, and Peg was looking at this old car called a Durant. There was about $1000 difference in the purchase price. Up until that time we never owned a classic car, so this would be a new adventure.

Well, we purchased the 1929 Durant and had it shipped to NJ.

Now we started on the research to find out who, what, where, and when is or was a Durant. Thanks to the interned, the job was easy.

One of the first things that we learned was that William C. Durant lived in Deal NJ during the 1920-30's. That was very interesting, since I lived in a town that bordered Deal for about 45 years, and I had never heard of this Durant person. Once we got back to NJ, I drove to Deal, all of a few miles, to see that there was a sign "Durant Square" in front of the Deal town hall. I went inside and talked to the town administrator and learned a lot more about Billy Durant.

As most of you know, Peg and I hosted the 2004 DMAC in NJ and those that attended got to visit the Deal town hall, as well as the Elizabeth NJ plant.

Since purchasing the first Durant, we now have three in our collection.

Oh, yes, we finally did get the house that we wanted in San Diego.

Charlie

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

first learned of Durant, Stars, Flints and DeVaux when I was ten years old from a book by Tad Burness titled Auto Album. Many years later, I was in a parade driving my 1930 Model A Ford Coupe when a Star was positioned in front of me. Remembering the Star from the book I went over to speak to the driver a very nice man named Bob Abrata and he told me it was a 1925 Star Touring car he purchased from the Harrah's collection way back in the early 1960's. I met him again while on a local Model A tour and he told me about the DFR and others who owned Star cars, next I joined the DFR and learned more about the company.

Fast forward to 2001, as webmaster of the DMAC I had just added a button to the website that would insert Hemmings ads into the main page. While testing to insure the new button worked correctly, it brought up an ad for a 1929 Deluxe model 60 Roadster. Well I always wanted an open car, but since the company I worked for had recently gone bankrupt I didn't move on it. After posting the updates, Lance Haynes called and talked me into buying the Durant. I then sold my Model A and never looked back and if all goes well my roadster will come back from the paint shop in about 4 weeks. It will then be very close to a finished restoration, with only the soft top to complete.


Rick

Ok you asked for boring. In June 1962, I'd just turned 18 and was to do my final test for my Queens Scout in Scouting. That part was a hike from home out into the country ,make your supper and stay over night in a farmers field. You were allowed one other lad to go with you for company. Having survived the overnight we walked out to Leitrum (Bank St) to be picked up. This pick up point was Bob Kemps BP service station. There sitting off to one side was this 1930 614 sedan. I looked it over waiting for my ride and fell in love with it. Might look ratty and junk for most but not in my eyes. Asked Bob how much and was told $75. Talked it over with mum and my neighbour across the road. The neighbour had a 29 Studibaker commander sedan, which he drove to Baker Bros when he got tired with it. So many cars ended up there. Paul agreed to go out with me to see the car unknown to mum. One of the battery connections was broke in half but vice grips fixed that. I had already paid Bob a down payment, the day I saw it, so paid the balance, but Bob screwed it up and I ended up paying $65 for it. Now picture this. Its night time, busy holiday weekend, I had never driven a car in my life, no license, no plates, insurance, etc. Lights on the Durant shone about 5 ft in front of you so almost useless. I didn't care, it was my car and it was coming home, come hell or high water. You know your 1st car.
We fired her up and Paul drove her out on the hwy and I followed Paul in his automatic, using those lights to help shine ahead of the Durant. We drove down the busy hwy to Ottawa in tandem, then Alta Vista Drive and finally to home. You think I didn't get heck from mum ???? Guess again. Park the thing in the front yard and get to bed. Tomorrow move it to the back yard so neighbours couldn't see it. She got used to me bringing home cars after. 31 Chevy truck the next year. My pride and joy and is now in Hawaii as a store display to sell sun glasses to surfers. That owner threw out all its history, rebuilt motor and tranny. Next was 1929 Durant on the back of a wrecker. Stupid ass dragged it across Ottawa on its rims instead of putting dolly wheels under her. You could follow the ruts in the pavement right back to where it had been picked up. Wonder some city official hadn't made comment about destroying the pavement. Of course the rims were now pancakes and useless. That ended up at my High School taken apart to show how various parts worked. Next was a 25 Dodge touring the farmer gave me for taking it away. That ended up out in BC when the owner trucked a lot of his cars out there, to live. Made the mistake of selling my 30 D mid 70's along with my 31 Chevy Canopy express truck and 1909 Ford. Mums 2nd hubby wanted the cars out of her yard and I had no place to store them. I found the 30 again outside Ottawa about 2 yrs ago and wished I hadn't. Its outside falling to pieces. Same lad I sold it to and drove it to his home with new paint job, new tires / tubes, rebuilt motor and rechomed bumpers. Now no rad cap so lord knows what's inside or damage, hood rusted shut, crest, handles, hub caps, parking lights lost ,rain going through the roof and I could tell you more. I actually went over to it and said I was sorry, I had allowed that to happen to it. Have to be an old car nut to understand.

Now Dorothy ... I mentioned to the Ford A club president, I thought a member had a Ford TT truck as I had a TT spark plug wrench I'd had for 40 + years and other car parts. Next I know he says there are two Durant's near me. Oh ? 1929 and 1931. I contacted the owner of the 29 and got a pic of his car, and one of the 31. Asked if the 31 rear left fender was double. Sure was. Was the 1931 plate CT 249 on the front ? Yes again. Then that's my chum's 1931 of the 60's and we drove it everywhere and it wasn't babied. That's Stephan's car now in Photo's. The 29 I also knew about in the 60's as being in a garage outside Aylmer PQ. You can see this car in Photos under Steve's 60. Got connected to a 407 up in Forester's Falls and this is under Ron's 407 in Photo's. Knew that car also from the 60's as coming from Cornwall Ont.
Well Steve, Stephan and Ron insisted I needed another Durant, again. I didn't think so after all these years. We had heard rumors about this 618 / 614, 31 / 32 sedan out in the country. Gord Curl can confirm the back and forth over what the car was without pictures. Unknown to me Steve went out and found the car summer of 2006. He sent me a pic a day and said he wasn't teasing me. Ya sure he wasn't. Once I saw the 1st pic I knew it was a 1932 614 by Dominion Motors. After a couple of months back and forth with the owner we picked it up Dec 17 2006, near Prescott Ont (See Photo's section) Owner had her 40 years and saved it from a junk yard near Brockville. VIN verified it was 32 / 614 etc. Only went down once in the pouring rain to see her. Once I sat behind the wheel I was a teen again with my 1st car. Dec 17th we winched her up on the trailor and blew one tire. Switched wheels and chained her down. Earl a collector of Chev's 1916 - 38 trailored it home for me with Steve following behind. She sat up there on the trailor like a grand old lady out for a drive, passing motorists honking and waving all the way home. Me .. lord proud as peacock and "that's my car", like I had stepped back in time again. Reality set in once be unloaded her here. What have I done ? Steve was bound we were going to have her running before I took off for the summer in April 2007. I'd already changed oil / plugs etc etc. 1st Sunday we tried and tried and it seemed to want to. Next Sunday we took the carb apart again and I had missed two small jets .Reassembled the carb and tried again. Putt a putt. Steve did you hear that ? Well putt a putt became a roar and she ran. Holy cow after 40 years she's alive again. Drove it a car length and back again after. No blue smoke or residue on the new plugs after. That surprised me with 72 000 miles on her and sitting that long. Former owner had hand cranked the motor every now and then to keep it free. Now its to find the missing bits if they even exist. Very few Dominion cars exist now. Needs a lot of TLC but seems 90 + % complete.

There I said boring at the start ,ha ha.
Norm

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

OK

There have been 66 looks at these posts, and only 4 responses......I know that some of you have good stories to tell....

Post them.....

charlie

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

Having owned many funeral homes in Greater Los Angeles, I learned from a colleague that having a functional restored antique car on the premises, and used for errands was an amazing attraction in the community, and was directly responsible for attracting business. I assisted a friend in purchasing a very nice but under utilized funeral home in another city, and suggested he look for an attractive antique car to draw attention to his new place. While trying to assist him, I was probing the internet and found this 1926 Star 2 door coach on a dealer's showroom in Canton, OH. He said it was near perfect, and it is. I located the son of the couple that took it on as a complete ground-up dis-assemble, re-assemble "puzzle" in their retirement, (a six year project) and he said his father was a perfectionist and the car reflected it. A casket company's truck picked it up as a favor and delivered it to me in California. It is a pure gem! My greatest discovery in this process is this wonderful Durant website forum; supportive, kind colleagues who own and care about Durant's. On the few occasions I have wanted or needed directions for help or parts, it seems much easier to solve problems here than any dealerships servicing current model cars. This car is driven often and is pure delight -- in near flawless condition.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 26 Star "R" 2 door coach

My 2 oldest grandkids are twins, 17 year old boys,(then 17). For years they have heard me talk about our Durant we had when I was a kid. They also heard me talk about someday getting one myself, although I really didn't think I would. One day I got the following e-mail message from Adam. "Hey Grandpa, There's a 29 Durant for sale on ebay. they only want $2500 for it and it looks pretty good." By the time I read the message and got on the web site it was gone. However, that revived my interest with greater enthusiam than ever. I then joined the Durant Club which I had talked about doing for a long time, even though I didn't have a car or seriously intend to get one. I put out a message on the Durant site and got some replys that got me to where I am now.The rest is history. I bought the Durant from Bob Krause in Nov of 2007. I am just now getting started on restoration and am very enthused about it. I am very happy that I took the big step. Thanks to all of you that have helped me this far, especially Bob.
Dave

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

My 1925 Star Model F Touring car has been in the family since 1959 when my father and uncle drug it out an abandoned mining camp near Lake Isabella, CA. I wrote an article about it that ran the Durant Partner a couple years ago. My uncle had a friend that remembered seeing some old car at an abandoned mine when he was in the California Conservation Corps in 1933. He and my uncle went to see if they could find them. During the week between the time they relocated them and the time they drug it out, some one had followed their tracks and taken the radiators from all the cars up there. It took my Dad 6 years to find the correct radiator. Fast foreword 45 some odd years. The Star sat in my Dad’s barn for years while he got into Square Birds and Mercury’s. One day I told my dad I’m taking my inheritance and its been in my garage ever since. A couple of months age I set a movie of it recovery to the forum. You can see some before and after pictures of it in the photo section online. The movie is post on youtube as well. I hope to have it back on the road soon. Chuck Faulkner

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star Model F Touring

Some stories are meant to be told over and over again. We never get tired of listening to them - at least I don't.
My story starts back in 1960 or 61. At that time I wasn't aware of Car clubs or folk that restored old cars. People were still driving cars of the late 20's and 30's, but not as much as in the 50's.
I was still a single chap at the time. One night whilst reading the local newspaper, the Oshawa Times Gazette, I noticed the following ad - 1932 Frontenac, 24000 miles - and followed by a phone number. I thought to my self, I would like to get that car - as a regular driver!!!. However, I didn't follow up on the ad - chicken I guess. Now fast forward to 1967 - 68 - I met a beautiful girl who lived on the outskirts of Oshawa (that is another story, how we came to meet) After being with this girl and meeting her family, I found out that her dad had many old cars - his pride and joy - a 1934 LaSalle Cabriolet. He also had several other cars in a big garage - 1930 7 Pass V16 Cadillac, 1938 62 series Cadillac, 1939 LaSalle Sedan, 1937 LaSalle Opera Coupe, 1936 Westchester sedan Cord and lo and behold a 1932 Frontenac sedan and parked out in the backyard a 1932 Durant sedan, and 2 1934 -35 LaSalle parts cars. I really did like that 1932 Frontenac but was told by the family that it was not repairable - The transmission case was broken, and they could not find anything that would fit - the Durant was not the same, I was told. I was not sure about that. Summer turned to winter, winter turned to summer and the beautiful daughter, Mary Carolyne, and I were wed on June 1, 1968 (40 years this coming June) Now I still had my eyes on that Frontenac. There was eventually to be a car for each of her brothers and one for her.
Mary Carolyne's pick of the lot was the 32 Frontenac also. She convinced her dad to put it in her name and that I would get it going. He wasn't sure, but gave in. I immediately got both the transmissions out of the back seat where they had lain for several years . The gears from the Frontenac would NOT fit the Durant case. However, when I took the freewheeling unit off the Frontenac case and put it on the Durant, everything hooked right up. Next to get it going - a little gas and a pull - and we were off. The odometer at that time read 43300 miles or so. Today it has turned 100,000.
The car has never had a total body off restoration - several sets of new tires, engine rebuilt 3 times, painted in 1973 (in the backyard) and reupholstered in the summer of 2007.
The car is an absolute dream to drive. Will drive at 50 mph all day - 17 - 20 miles per Cdn gallon. We have taken it on the Antique & Classic Car Club of Canada week long tour over 37 times, it was at the first DFR meet in Dearborn 1981,, 2nd DFR meet in Milwaukee, Wis. 1986, in Freemont, Nebraska for 3rd meet in 1994 and led the first day tour in the 1999 Jeff Gillis Memorial tour in Kitchener, Ontario and every time was driven to the meet with no backup. Truly a reliable car. If it hadn't been at the upholsterers last year I would have driven it to Auburn.
So as they say, NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY.

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

Durant members

OK...keep the stories coming....love them all.

There are several hundred members of the DMAC....we have heard from a handful of them, anymore stories? Frank? Gary? Reggie? Mike?

Carol, is there an article here? How I acquired my first Durant?

Charlie

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

Don't be shy, tell us how you came to own your Durant made motorcar.


Rick

my how i got my durant story will be put up in a day or two..gary k

Bought my Star of a guy I used to work for.
The only reason was because it was rare and I liked the story of the Durant Car.

Franz Fraitzl

When I was 16 I spotted a 1916 Ford Milk Truck sitting in front of an antique store for sale. The owner only wanted $600.00 for it at the time. My Dad and I stopped to look at it at my request and after we looked it over we talked off an on all weekend about it. My Dad was a Pattern Maker and worked with wood all his life and agreed to do the woodwork to rebuild the body if I would do the mechanic work. He hated that part. Well don't you know that we went back Monday morning to buy it and it was sold. A real disapointment since I was looking for the father-son bonding. Fast forward to the mid 1980's and I purchased my first two antique cars and started to restore them, one a 1947 Packard Taxi-Cab and the other a 1950 Pontiac Ambulance/Hearse. Had to sell them but always regretted it. Jump ahead to around 2001 and I purchased my 1971 Triumph TR6 as a driver and enjoyed the car, but still had a longing for another car in the 20's or 30's. I was always facinated by them. One day I was browsing the internet and low and behold I found this site on Durants. I joined the club and decided to get involved and look for a car. I absorbed all I could from everyone and found myself checking the web site several times a day. Never knew why I was attracted to Durants, but had to have one. I've been a member of the club for over 5 years now and finally purchased my 28 model 65 from a person in Atlanta. Frank W. had sent me a picture of it over a year prior, putting the email out to see if Yates or I were interested. She needs a total restoration, but I don't regret it a day and enjoy working on it in the garage. A funny coincidence happened about a year and a half ago. I visited an aunt of mine who was 93 several days before she died. I talked to her and mentioned the Durant. She perked up and said "oh my dad had one of those". So I found out that my grandfather had one back in the 1920's now. Coincidence or fate? Who knows? The best thing I've found out about the Durant automobile is that it brings the finest people in the world together with a common interest.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Model 65 4dr

Here's my story.....

I was looking around for a fun project car to build with my 7 year old son. I was searching the internet, eBay, craigslist, etc. I saw many cars I liked, but none matched my slim budget. I was searching craigslist in Phoenix and came across a 1930 Durant. It was advertised as a 407, but upon further inspection I came to find that it is a 614. I had never seen or heard of a Durant before. I looked them up on the internet and saw many of your (the club's) cars. I was impressed. What a sharp looking car. I set my mind on this car and had to have it. I soon found out that this would be a truly unique and challenging project to take on.

This car had gone through Dave Puhl's House of Kustoms. At the shop, they raised the roof 7" all the way around, and installed mirrors instead of glass for windows. They cut and removed the frame just behind the rear axle and removed the section all the way up to the cowl. Only the fuel tank section and front end including operational steering was left of the frame. There was no floor. They welded all the doors shut, and welded a thick steel plate across the inside of the cowl so it was enclosed. They mounted 3 neon transformers on the plate that ran neon lights up in the headlamps. The crazy(est)part is the crescent moon they carved out as the rear window. Supposedly, it was used as a billboard for many years.

I went to get it and found that it had been cut at the windshield post in the middle of the section that was added at the custom shop. So, it was in two pieces; front and rear. I shrugged and brought it home.

All of the fenders are in great shape. The tail light is in great shape. The grille shell is in great shape. Both bumpers are in great shape. They all have surface rust, but that's it, just surface rust. When I wire brushed both doors and the cowl, they came out as shiny new steel.

I started removing the paint around the back where they inserted that hideous moon. Boy did I hit bondo. The entire back of the car is bondo right where the roof comes up from the body, almost to the roof. Now the car is actually in 3 sections. This is a little more than I bargained for. Then I was thinking... make it a convertible?? Make it a ??? I'm going to make a running car out of it, but I'm going to get really creative in my design. I apologize to the purists, but I think anything for this car at this point would be an accomplishment. I'll keep anyone who is interested posted on my progress.

This leads me to my next post...... I'm going to use the money from parts to help finance my fabrication. I'm keeping the hood, cowl, doors, body and headlights and going from there.

--------------------------------

1930 Durant 614 Sedan Parts for Sale, Make Offer. Email me at mjordan13@gmail.com for pictures and inquiries.

List:

Front Fenders (one passenger, one driver) - great shape minus surface rust.

Driver Rear Fender - great shape minus surface rust.

Driver mount taillight - great shape minus some surface rust. Lens is in great shape too.

Passenger rear fender - good except the rear is crunched a little.

Grille Shell with top and bottom emblems. - Great shape but needs re-plating.

Front and Rear bumpers - Very straight, hinges move freely, need blasting and plating

Steering gear and front end - working order, rusty but turns freely, still attached to frame.

Running boards - wood is rotted, but trim is ok.

Short body section below passenger door - good shape

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 614 Standard Sedan

Summer 1965, I was sixteen and looking for a Model A Ford pickup. Came across a old brick house with a 86 year old man(Bill)sitting on the front porch, asked if he had the model A, No but I have a old car, We walked back to the barn and passed a shed with three Chevys 29,36,39 and huge steam tractor. Then he told me these are my brothers, we kept on walking to top of the hill a small shed between two apple trees. He opened the doors there it sat. He asked me if I would like to buy it,Sure would. We came up with a price of two hundred and promise not to make it into a hotrod. The next morning I came with a tow truck, Bill said why the tow truck you can drive it home. Drove it home now it's my retirement project. Bill was part owner in Durant dealership and was orignal owner of the 1929 Durant Model 60 coupe.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1929 Durant Coupe

When I grew up in the 60's my transportation was a small Harley motorcycle. Income in junior high was a 20 mile paper-route. At age 16 my parents said I could have a car when I could afford to buy both the car and insurance. Starting with a bare frame I built a tri-powered Pontiac v-8 in a Model A-coupe. I sold the coupe for the down payment on a house when Cheryl and I got married in 1972. At heart I am a hot rod fabricator, builder / mechanic. We lived in Bakersfield, Calif. (car capital of the universe) for 6 years in the 80's. The hot rods we have built over the years were not restorable vehicles. I know valuable antiques when I see them and do not appreciate butcher shops that destroy antique cars that are not replaceable. So in our collection we had one Model A original all steel boat-tail track roadster.
In 2000 we were at the Great Southwest Swap meet at Ranger Stadium in Arlington, Tx. and I was mostly looking for Chevy speed parts and a touring body to street rod. We stumbled across this touring body that had a Durant name tag. At first I did not realize what it was but only that it was mostly a complete car and the 4 cyl engine was not frozen. The seller was a very nice senior citizen who had driven from Arizona to sell the Durant. It was a 1923 Sport Touring. After much conversation I made a low offer, not sure if I even wanted the Durant and threw in that he would have to deliver it to deliver it 200 miles to our home near Houston. As expected he passed on the offer and indicated that he was going to try to get a little closer to his asking price. We exchanged phone numbers and he said that if he didn't sell it by the week end he might call us. That night when we got back to our daughter's house a message was waiting. The seller had not sold the Durant. He was not going back to the swap meet the next day and if we still wanted the Durant he would deliver it to Houston. When I got home the Durant was in my carport and the seller was waiting to go.
One story he told us was that a previous owner in Arizona who was wealthy enough to collect several cars attempted to start his own musieum. The Durant was painted and cleaned and looked good from fifty feet. However the owner also liked airplanes and unfortunately died in a plane crash. When his widow learned that there were two female bodies in the wreckage and the plane was returning from Mexico she was furious. Since he was already dead she took out her anger on his prize auto collection and had the Durant and others pushed outside to weather and deteriorate out of her sight. There they stayed for several years. The elderly man I bought the Durant from had bought it from the widow's estate when she finally died (stress related).
Any way, I started looking for information about Durants and to deside on rod or restore. The first person I talked to was Yates Milton. He got me hooked on restoring the Durant. This was going to be a long job. We found split rims at Chickasha, Okla. and the original trunk at Hershey, Penn.(also attended our only DMAC event). The body actually fell apart when removed from the chassis. Bill Hoaglan came by Houston to see the progress and we met Don Shilling at the swap meet at Texas Motor Speedway. Lance Haines and I had several phone converstations.
Durant people are sure willing to help with
information.
The restoration was complete in three years. Every item was restored original. It was on the cover of AACA - Gulf Coast Region magazine "The Antique Expression" in August 2003. In 2004 I met a great, great nephew of Billy Durant at a swap meet in Houston. His name is Dwayne Durant. See picture at DMAC web site.

Well, my story is not so neat as some i have just read. While driving in the neighborhood of northeast Philly near my home, i spotted an old car at a gas station. I stopped and looked at the old thing...a Durant 4 door sedan. I had never heard of Durant so I asked the mechanic about the car. It was found by the local mailman in the back yeard of one of his route homes. He bought it and brought it to the station to get it running. It would run about 3 feet and loose power even though it was still running enginewise. A bad rear axle was considered the culprit and it was mission impossible to find the needed parts for the mailman. I made an offer and bought it for $400. After rope towing it home, I started my teardown of the problemrear axle...and discoverd that the ring gear had eight consecutive teeth broken off. The next day i got out my Hemmings and found an ad for Gerald Letteri"s parts for sale...including a ring and pinion for a durant. As luck would have it, I bought that ring gear and in no time the Old Durant was moving again. The next stop waS hERSHEY WITH A SIGN THAT SAID...WHAT THE HECK IS A DURANT? From the list of 20 or so men who stopped me to tell me what they knew....came the roots of the Durant-Star Owners Club...and on to our DOMC of today.
regards, Gary K

Great stories.

Gary your story is your story and you are sticking to it....I like it...

I am loving everyone of these stories...keep posting...while you may think your story is boring, it is still your story of how you started with a Durant vehicle.

There are many of you that we have not heard from....tell your story some of us are enjoying the reading.

Charlie

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

CHARLIE, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE OTHERS SAY....I LIKE YOU !!!! THANX FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT...YOU ARE ACES WITH ME....GARY K

My interest in the DeVaux started in March 1988. I was heading for Naval Reserve duty in San Diego and grabed my new issue of "Cars and Parts" to read on the way down. There was an article on a DeVaux in Ohio. The fact that this marque only lasted 9 months really facinated me.
Now move on to 1992: In one of the car mag's classifieds were cars and trucks for sale at Reynolds in Wetaskwin, Alberta. I had them send me a list of the cars and trucks for sale. (over 600). Since the "mall" was in Edmonton, I talked my wife into a short trip to go shopping. That is where I took the picture of the "rusting Devaux's" in the DeVaux section of the "Photographs".
Now move on to 1995: I made a comment to Mike Larson who I had just met that I really had a interest in a car called a DeVaux. (I was into 38 Buicks at the time). Mike just smiled and motioned me to come to the garage to see his. At that time he gave me a copy of the old DeVaux Registry. It took me until 1998 to call on a good original in Sonoma, California.
The next two years I stopped to look at the car on our way to Pebble Beach. Then I bought it and had it shipped North. Now it is gone but not forgotten.......Gary

After reading all the above stories mine sounds pretty tame. I have been intersted in old cars for many years and finally decided I should get one. A freind told me of a man in southern B C (place called fruitvale) that was selling some old wrecks -so when I was down that way I went to have a look.He had a 1917 overland touring and a 30 durant coupe .He said he wanted 500 each for them and would not drop his price . I was feeling very ambitious so I bought them both and trailered them home .They sat in my carport till I finally moved them into my basement work shop(in pieces)This was in 1976 I believe so you see I have had them for a long time. I sold the overland touring but kept the durant. I finally built a shop to work in and moved the car out of the house much to my wifes delight.since then I have worked on it off and on every time I get the urge . I joined the family registry with Jeff Gillis and was a member for a few years but dropped out when my work took me travelling to much. Since I am now retarded--(OOPS) I mean retired. I have a bit more time and am slowly getting things together. I still hope to get this thing built so I can drive it at least once before they take my license away from me
I am amazed at the number of people that want to look at this car. They have never heard of -or seen a durant and are sure it is a branch of another car maker.
I have been a member of the dutant club for quite a few years now and am very pleased at the info I have gotten from many members. I need all the help I can get,
Ken

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 Durant-model 614 deluxe rumble seat coupe

Ken ... you forgot to tell us where you keep the moose that pulls the Durant and makes up for a horn needed.

(yes it snowed again yesterday. I think Spring will be Aug this year)
Norm

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

That early, eh?

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

I didnt think Ottawa ever had a spring- just winter--and deep fall --plus the rainy season.
Why dont you get smart and move west to gods country?
Maybe you can tame a moose and wont need a car then.
Just as a note of interest-I saw a white elk this past weekend--amazing sight to see her --white as snow with all her band being brown . Will have a picture of her soon to prove it
Ken

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 Durant-model 614 deluxe rumble seat coupe

Hi All.....

Been reading all these great posts and enjoying them all. Had to dig way back into my photos to find this one. It is an old Kodak Instamatic black and white picture of

"THE CAR THAT STARTED IT ALL"



If you click on the image it will enlarge.

Way back in the middle 60's while in high school I worked for a Case farm equipment dealer. My job was setting up new machinery and making deliveries. Got to visit a lot of the old farms around our area.

One day I took a new Case 530 tractor out to a farm a couple miles from my home. Way back in the weeds I spied this hulk. Asked the fellow if he wanted to sell it. We all know the reply. "Nope, going to do something with it"

Every time I was out to his farm I asked the same question and got the same reply. About a year later stopped in and when I pulled up to the house his wife came out. Asked "are you the guy who wants that old junk car?" Yes I was ! , She said "DON'T LEAVE". The fellow came out and said $10 and get it out of here. That fit my budget. So got the old Farmall H and a log chain to drag it home. It fell apart, ended up going home in bushels and sacks.

Went away to college that fall, met a Chevrolet dealer in Clarion Pennsylvania who had a beautiful A-22 displayed in his showroom. Been draging these home ever since. Met Gary K, and been involved with Durant products ever since.

We have a lot of old cars but the Durant products are our Favorite, Because of the PEOPLE in this Club

Everyone of our cars have a story, this is just one of them.

For you sharp eyed folks, this is a very rare car, it is a 614, blind back 4 dr sedan. Look closely and you will see a louvered hood, not the spears. Every one of these I have seen has this hood.

Needless to say this car became a parts car, a lot of parts went to members of Gary's old club. I still have some remains in one of the barns.

Enjoy....See Y'all in Oregon....Frank ---

Do You own a car built by Durant? 13 Durant & Star cars & a Durant-Dort buggy

Lets see if this works. I mentioned Minakers Auto Wrecker below Picton, before. This pic was taken 2005 there. 2006 Randy crushed 2000 cars and this was one. Next over is a 33 Chrysler straight 8. You can see rows of cars that are now gone. 1931 614 Dominion Durant.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

I bought a 1924 Star Touring in 2002. I had just completed 2 Model T's and a Model A and decided to look for something a little different. Most everyone has seen or owned a Ford. I looked through the "Old Car Trader" to see what Multi-Makes were availabe. I found the Star in Eastern Oregon and called the owner. After his descriptin of the car, I had to go look at it. I took my trailer just in case. The car was a driver and was not in bad shape. I bought the car and was given a number of the Durant Partner magazines. I joined the club at that time.
About 6 months later one of my sons spoted a 1923 Durant Service Truck for sale in the local Farm/Agriculture paper. I did not need another project at that time butit sounded ver interesting. I had to call on this vehicle and discovered the owner had been working on it for 15 years and it was nearly complete. It was located in Southern Oregon (3-4 hours away) so I headed for Medford with my triler just in case it was something I could not pass up.
It was not much of a decision since he had all the parts and the work was well along. He said since I bought the car I would have to take a lot of spare parts and stuff he had accumulated. My trailer and Suburban were completely filled with parts. I even had to leave som of the parts - it was either leave my wife behind or the parts. I also got a bunch of Durant Partners dating back to 1984.
I completed the Durant Service Truck in less than one year. It is always a good conversation piece at event and car shows.

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

In 1970 we made the fourth trip to a large movie prop sale in Los Angeles to purchase a Packard. We just couldn't spend the money on the car when for about the same cost you could buy a home. Back in a corner of the car lot was a vehicle with a "D" on the radiator emblem (thought it was a Dodge) and a much better price tag. Anyway we purchased the Durant and when we returned to tow it home we had to move a movie poster advertising the 1964 Bonnie and Clyde movie from in front of our new possession. We checked out the movie connection and found our car in several scenes of Warner Brother's movies. The value of the poster we left that day has appreciated more than the car. We restored our Durant over the next 13 years. The experience of restoring the Durant has been extremely rewarding in the knowledge gained and especially the privilege of meeting many people involved in our hobby

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes a 1929 D 63

When I was a kid growing up in the 50's, I lived with my maternal Grandmother on the family farm in New Plymouth, Idaho. I would travel several times a year to visit my father and his family in Portland, Oregon. My dad had a younger brother, Jay, who was a machanic. He owned a machine shop and several service stations. He had this old car in his garage that all of the grandkids would play on when we had family dinners. Being the oldest, I was the driver and my cousins would pile all over the car when we made our "make believe trips".

Over the years, Uncle Jay and I became very close and later restored several cars together, but the dirty old car in the garage was always going to be next. Time passes so quickly and the next thing I knew Uncle Jay was almost 80 and in very poor health. My wife and I had moved back to Portland from Boston when Uncle Jay called me and wanted me to come and get the car because he knew he'd never finish it. His daughter, who has always been like my little sister, and I agreed on a fair price and one weekend I dug the car out of the garage and took it to my house on a flatbed truck. That was the day my education into all things Durant started.

Sadly, yesterday, March 28, I got a call from my cousin telling me that Uncle Jay had died while sitting at the dinner table. He just slipped away without making a sound. I went out and sat in the Durant for about an hour thinking about all of the places my cousins and I had gone while never leaving the garage in Uncle Jay's 1929 Durant Model 60 Deluxe Roadster.

Gary Warden
Chatsworth, Ca

Gary, sorry for your loss, but his memory will live on through the Durant. You can't put a price on those kind of memories! This is when a car becomes more than a piece of steel and wood, but part to the family. A link to simpler times and fond family memories. I'm sure your Uncle is smiling down and saying "take care of my gal for me".

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Model 65 4dr

OK Now don't stop, tell us how you and your Durant met. How did you first learn what a Durant,Star, Rugby, Flint was.


Rick

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1929 Durant Deluxe Model 60 Sport Roadster

Sad story: I’ve never driven any of my Stars. Not lack of desire, certainly, but rather because all four are basket cases.
Over the past 30 years or so I have accumulated two ’24 and one ’25 touring, plus a ’25 sedan. Each, though, had been totally disassembled by its previous owner.
Of supreme benefit, of course, was that I had amassed a marvelous inventory of interchangeable parts. Downside was that all these treasures had to wait another 25 years until circumstances finally allowed me to build an appropriate shop.
Now I’m slowly becoming acquainted with what goes where, as I begin the slow and somewhat tentative restoration process – of my first ’24 Star. It’s a rewarding pursuit. And my library of Durant Standard and Partner magazines (going back to 1990) has been immensely helpful. I value this club, and all its knowledgeable members – and hope to share my own progress, as things begin to come together.

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes -- see message

Hi All....

I pulled this Durant M-2 / M-4 out of a junk yard in the mid 1970's.


CLICK THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE

I found this in an ad in the DFR. What a fantastic old yard. Cars from the teens through 40's.

My buddy and I drove out to pick this up. We were walking up through the rows of cars when we came upon this hulk. It had a big SOLD written on one front fender. He aske " who would buy a piece of **** like this ?" When I told him that it was me, he thought I lost my mind.

Sold the rear end out of this to Scott Morgan a few years ago. Told him if he ever gave up on his car I would buy it back. Well I have the rear end back as well as the remains of his car.

The fun is in the hunt, more to come.

Enjoy.....Frank ---

Do You own a car built by Durant? 13 Durant & Star Cars and a Durant-Dort buggy

Awesome photo Frank - that isn't a junk yard it's a gold mine - but I remember yards like that too in the 70's. Those yards were real popular with the Saturday night hobby stock racers. Now most of those cars have been reincarnated - into cheap later models - or worse - cheap tools with sea-sickness. Thanks for saving a few.

Been wanting to do a story on my car for some time but not done yet. Condensed version:
Actually my car found me. I remember decades ago when my brothers and I visited our uncles' farm in NE Nebraska. We'd play in the weird old old cars (Erskine, Durant, Chevy) parked in the grove, disintegrating and sinking into the sandy soil. Once we even were scared away from our intentioned pilfering of distributor caps for pencil holders by a rattlesnake in the engine compartment. I do have a picture much like that Norm sent in (I'm not smart enough to send it as attachment).

Years later I learned it was a car my Dad had purchased in Iowa and had when he met Mom in 1939. I remember dad talking of how much it might be worth and I think even tracked down Jeff Gillis. (Glad nothing came of that). He had long ago given it to his dad (my grandfather) and it was used on the farm tractor-like. In the 80's my uncle pulled it out of its rest and got it running with little trouble. He began his amateur resto job - very amateur. But he saved it.

One day when it was still very rough but running, I now recall him talking to me and very casually asked me if I would be interested in it someday. DUH! Not many years later he sent it to a paint shop and while it was there, he was hospitalized, never again to see it and the colors he had chosen. I was greatly surprised when informed by uncle Clarence's brother and sister that he had advised that the car was to be mine. Only then, did I remember that casual conversation.

Now every time I drive it, work on it, or replace something, I think of not only the Durant history, but family history. Unfortunately I will never learn any more about the car from my Dad, but he did advise Uncle Clarence as to upholstery fabric type and some details as best he could recall. Mom is now 92 but just doesn't remember much about the Durant. I guess it didn't impress her as much as Dad did. It got them around - it was "just a real good car". I don't think any of the family realized just how unusual a car it is. I think someday I will make my mark by honoring it with its original colors before my son has to wonder about its past.

Wayne
'31 Model 619

My first introduction to a Durant auto.

The day I went to a local used car dealer to pick up a couple of used tires was the day that I saw my first Durant.

Having been taken out back to their repair/service garage to retrieve the tires. When entering the garage I saw in the shadows what looked like an old vintage auto. Says I to the owner, I didn't know that you had and old car. Jokingly I said I will give you $5 thousand for it. At this point I still hadn't been close enough to tell what it was. Says the owner of the car lot, you know that I am going through a divorce.

If you are interested, I will sell it to you for what I have in it. He stated that he knew that I would finish up what was left to do. It had taken him ten years to restore this Durant to this point.

When it was rolled out from the shadows, he told me that it was a 1923 Durant. Says I, what is a Durant.
Story told, deal made to purchase. With the purchase of this Durant came the title of the second owner which was purchased in 1926 here in Muskegon. The first owner had purchased this Durant new in 1923 also here in our home town of Muskegon, Muskegon. It had stayed in the family of the second owner until 1976 when it was purchased to be restored.

We have enjoyed our Durant now for 17 years as well as our association with the Durant Club. Our first Durant meet was in 1994 in Fremont, Nebraska. But it was with out our Durant.

Just before this last Christmas, I received a phone call from the 92 year old son of the Durant dealer that had the Dealership here in Muskegon.

I had asked him if he had any Durant stuff (I.E.) Lit. He said that he felt that it was of no value to anyone and over the years disposed of it.

He did tell me that when he was a kid he would go with his father to Lansing to pick up a new Durantthat they had sold and then drove it back to Muskegon at 25 MPH, brake in speed. Distant about 115 miles, one way. A long day for a younster.

Ken Brink

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 A22 Durant