This 1906 Stevens – Duryea Model S was produced four years before the Pierce – Arrow Model 66. Both cars had giant engines, but the Model S came out early. It was the company’s flagship model. One of the company’s most powerful, luxurious and expensive models.
I found on the internet that only 900 of these cars were made in the first year of production. This seems strange considering that neither Google nor YouTube has detailed information about this car. I didn’t see a single review on YouTube about the Model S.
1906 Stevens – The Duryea Model S was introduced in 1906 in New York. The manufacturer positioned itself as a pioneer in the field of inline, six-cylinder engines.
Price and value of 1906 Stevens – Duryea Model S.
In 1906, the Stevens-Duryea Model S cost between $5,000 and $6,000. That’s equivalent to over $170,000 today. By comparison, the expensive and powerful 1906 Ford Model K cost $2,500 – $3,000. The expensive 1907 Packard Model 30 with a 7.0 liter engine cost $4,200 – $5,700.
Appearance and photo of 1906 Stevens – Duryea Model S.
It is hard to believe, but curb weight of the car with such a huge engine and frame body is only 1315 kg. Probably it is because there are not so many body elements.
Wheel disks of artillery type are made of wood. Unfortunately, I have not found data about the diameter of wheels. There is very little information about this car. The wheelbase is 122 inches.
Front headlights work on gas, which is supplied from a special cylinder located on the footrest on the right side. The side lights run on kerosene. This was the norm at the time and was used by many other manufacturers.
Interior and equipment of 1906 Stevens-Duryea Model S Big Six.
This car had 7 seats. The front windshield was optional, and it could be installed in front of the rear seats.
It was a big executive class car, if we draw parallels with modern cars. And it differed from other, very expensive cars, with a huge engine.
The steering wheel and the front panel had wood trim. The gearbox and parking brake lever was outside the cabin, which was the norm for that time.
I have seen a car in the photo where the doors were only at the rear. This emphasizes that the Stevens-Duryea could be driven by a hired driver. The steering wheel was mounted on the right side, which was the norm for Amercian cars of those years.
Two additional seats were provided in the rear. A similar solution was used on expensive cars until the end of the 20th century.
Engine and specifications of 1906 Stevens-Duryea Model S Big Six.
The main feature of the 1906 Stevens-Duryea is the engine. It is an in-line, six-cylinder unit with a capacity of 9.6 liters. This engine produces 50 horsepower, which was very significant for the time. For example, the engine of the aforementioned Packard Model 30 had 30 horsepower and was a four-cylinder.
Of course the suspension was leaf spring and the brakes were drum brakes and only on the rear axle.
It’s a remarkable car. To my regret there is no information about it, photos and videos on the Internet. I tried to gather bits and pieces of available information, but if you can add to the article, you can do it in the comments.
Leave a Reply