Stevens-Duryea

Stevens-Duryea was an American manufacturer of Veteran and Brass Era automobiles in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, between 1901 and 1915 and Vintage Cars from 1919 to 1927.

The company was founded by J. Frank Duryea and J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company, in 1901 to build cars to Frank Duryea's design. First appearing as a two-cylinder runabout, the cars entered the luxury market with four-cylinder engines and pioneered the development of six-cylinder cars. Known for quality and craftsmanship, the company voluntarily closed in 1915 during a weak economic market. The rights and engineering for the Stevens-Duryea were acquired by a new company in 1919 and resumed car production on a limited scale until 1927.

After departing from the Duryea Motor Wagon Company in July 1898, J. Frank Duryea was hired to build a car for the American Automobile Company of New York. When this company appeared to be more interested in stock promotion than building cars, Frank Duryea returned to Springfield (Hampden County) in 1900 and set-up an engineering company with his chief mechanic, John S. Jones and draughtsman William M. Remington. The Hampden Automobile & Launch Company built one launch and three prototype cars. Built in a small shop, the company looked for a partner to begin manufacturing and found J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company with spare manufacturing space and funds.

A contract to manufacture cars called Stevens-Duryea was signed in August 1901. Stevens Arms had recently purchased the factory of Victor Steam and bicycle maker Overman, and Stevens-Duryea shared the premises for several months. The first Stevens-Duryea was identical to the car developed by Hampden Automobile & Launch and the first 50 cars were planned to be built by March 1902. The Stevens-Duryea was a two-cylinder, 5-hp runabout that sold for $1,200 in 1901 (equivalent to $46,400 in 2025).

The firm produced 61 cars in 1902 and 483 in 1903. By 1904 the stanhope runabout, was called the Model L. It had a flat-mounted water-cooled 7-hp engine, situated amidships of the car, four speed gearbox (three forward, one reverse), wire wheels, full-elliptic springs, and tiller steering. Weighing 1,300-lb (590-kg), it sold at $1,300. This would be imported to Britain by Joseph Baker and Sons. Stevens-Duryea would participate in Reliability Trials, hill climbs and some motorsports, and joined A.L.A.M. and participated in the major motor shows.

In 1905 the Model R was introduced, a newly developed 4-cylinder engine of 20-hp, with three-speed gearbox and shaft drive. Briefly advertised as the Twentieth Century Hustler, with an aluminum-bodied, five-seat touring car, priced at $2,500 (equivalent to $89,583 in 2025), Stevens-Duryea enter the luxury car market where they would remain. Frank Duryea developed a multi-disc clutch and built his transmission in-unit with the motor. Using 3-point support for the unit engine and transmission, would be advertised for all future models.

The model line grew in 1906, adding a $2,400 runabout and a $3,300 limousine. Stevens-Duryea automobile income was now larger than arms production income and J. Stevens Arms and Tool agreed to set-up a new company. Capitalized at $300,000, 3,000 shares were split 2/3 to J. Stevens Arms and Tool and 1/3 to J. Frank Duryea. Irving H. Page of Stevens Arms became President and Treasurer and Frank Duryea, Vice-President and Engineer.

For 1906 the new Model S Big Six was introduced with a huge 9.6 liter six-cylinder motor, seven-seat tulipwood and aluminum body, weighing 2,900-lbs (1315-kg) and priced at $5,000, equivalent to $179,167 in 2025. Introduced at the January 1906 New York Motor Show, it along with Franklin, was one of two six-cylinder American cars shown. National and Frayer-Miller also introduced six-cylinder cars in 1906. Dating their six-cylinder car from 1905 when it was tested, Stevens-Duryea would advertise their cars as the Pioneer Builder of American Sixes.