De Vaux

The De Vaux (deVoe) was an automobile produced by the De Vaux Motors Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan and Oakland, California (USA).

Heavily based on the 1930 Durant (automobile), the vehicle was produced for the 1931 model year only. Bodies for the cars were built by Hayes Body of Grand Rapids who had leased a plant aside their own to De Vaux for initial manufacture. So, bodies were delivered to De Vaux by using a bridge between the plants. Later, De Vaux also were built in a former Durant plant in Oakland, California.

The cars were powered by a six cylinder engine that was developed by Col. Elbert J. Hall, partner in the De Vaux venture and co-founder of the Hall-Scott Motor Company, who had begun building racing cars in 1908. He also developed engines for tractors and buses and participated essentially in the Liberty airplane engine project.

The De Vaux was offered in one model only, the 6/75. It rode on an 113 in. (2870 mm) wheelbase. The Hall-Scott built L-head six cylinder engine developed 70 or 80 HP (depending on source). Bodies were essentially from the defunct Durant car but the De Vaux got a clever facelift in the front by Hayes designer, famed Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. That prompted De Vaux to brag about a "de Sakhnoffsky styled" body in its ads. Offered were a Coupe and a Sedan in Standard trim ($595 each) and the same in Custom trim for $795. Sometimes, a phaeton for $545 is mentioned but this possibly war just planned and did not reach production. De Vaux ads do not refer to it.

Production of the De Vaux began in April 1931 and the company was unable to meet the market demands. De Vaux produced 4,808 vehicles (maybe including production until January, 1932) before being taken over by Continental Motors Corporation who renamed it the Continental-De Vaux Company. Their cars were called Continental De Vaux (sometimes vice-verso, too). There were few changes, most notable (but not surprisingly) a replacement of the Hall-Scott engine by a 84 HP Continental 32-A six cylinder L-head engine. Only 1,358 of these cars were built.

Then, Continental gave it a last try by renaming the company again, to Continental Automobile Company in November, 1932. It built three line of cars, the four cylinder Beacon on a shorter chassis and the 6 cylinder Ace and Flyer that still were based on the De Vaux. For 1934, only the Beacon remained. After producing approximately 4,200 vehicles during the 1933 and 1934 model years, Continental gave up. Remaining assets were repurchased by Norman De Vaux who hoped to restart production. But his plans never materialized and he sold his California plant to General Motors in 1936.

See also

• Devaux Coupe

References

• Kimes, Beverly & Clark, Henry. Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, Krause Publications, 1996 ISBN 0-87341-428-4
• Kimes, Beverly Rae (editor) and Clark, Henry Austin, jr.,; The Standard Catalogue of American Cars, 2nd Edition, Krause Publications, Iola WI 54990 (1985), ISBN 0-87341-111-0

External links

• Durant Motors Automobile Club (DMAC)