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200

William Crapo Durant

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:600.00 - 800.00 USD
William Crapo Durant

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Auction Date:2010 Nov 10 @ 19:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars. TLS signed “Wm. C. Durant,” two pages, 7.25 x 10.25, Durant Motors Inc. letterhead, May 11, 1927. Letter to C. Harold Wills. In part: “The week before last I had rather an interesting experience which I would like to have you know about.

Starting from Philadelphia with five new STAR SIX cars of various models (one landau, one cabriolet, one sedan, one coupe and one sport roadster), with a party of ten exclusive of drivers (two prominent Ford dealers in the group), I traveled through the Lackawanna Valley district for four days, averaging better than 180 miles a day, visiting our dealers at the principal points.

We had a most enjoyable trip, passing everything on the road regardless of size or price—to me and my guests a most astonishing experience. I wish you had been with us. As the result of this trip we have signed up better than twenty prominent dealers in that territory and the word has gone out that the new STAR SIX is a most worthy product.

I have been wondering if (for comparative test pound for pound) it would not be a good idea to install your power plant in five of these cars and make substantially the same run, which offers every opportunity for speed, pulling power and economical operation.

In a few words, the object of all this is to find out whether there is anything better than we now have.”

Rusty staple holes to top left corner of both pages, and toning to top of first page, otherwise fine condition.

Durant recognized, as had Henry Ford, that the future of the automobile lay in the popular price field. As such, Durant confidently began to challenge Ford's all-conquering Model T by launching the Star in 1922. The new, low-priced car was initially met with enthusiasm by the Roaring ‘20s crowd, with stock in the the newly created Star Motor Co., sold through the Durant Corp., quickly totaled $30 million. The vehicle heralded here by Durant, the Star Six—”a most worthy product”—was later renamed the Durant 55. The popularity was short-lived, however, as the Durant Motor Co. went out of business in 1932. The letter’s recipient, C. Harold Wills, was an early associate of Henry Ford and one of the first employees of the Ford Motor Company. After leaving Ford, Wills started his own automobile firm, Wills Sainte Claire. Great references from the early days of the competitive automotive industry.
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