View source for Mason Motor Car Company

{{Short description|Defunct United States motor vehicle manufacturer}}

The '''Mason''' was a [[Brass Era car|Brass Era]] automobile manufactured in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] from 1906 to 1909 and [[Waterloo, Iowa]] from 1911 to 1914. In 1909 and 1910 it was marketed as the '''Maytag-Mason'''.<ref name=":0">{{Georgano-EncAuto3v}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Kimes-USCars3rd}}</ref>

{{Infobox company
| name = Mason Motor Car Company<br>Mason Motor Company
| image = Mason 24 HP touring advertisement (1907).jpg
| image_size = 240px
| image_caption = 1907 Mason 24-hp Touring Car advertisement
| industry = [[Automotive]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1906}}
| founder = E. R. Mason, F. S. Duesenberg
| defunct = {{end date and age|1914}}
| hq_location = [[Des Moines, Iowa]] and [[Waterloo, Iowa]]
| hq_location_country = United States
| key_people = Edward Mason, Fred Duesenberg, August Duesenberg
| products = Automobiles
| production = 1,513
| production_year = 1906–1914
}}

== History ==
The first [[prototype]] called the '''Marvel''' was powered by a 24-[[Horsepower|hp]] [[flat-twin engine]] with a [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary transmission]]. The main feature of the car was the innovative [[overhead valve engine]] and [[Radiator (engine cooling)|water cooling]] with a pump.  With a displacement of 3,277cc (200 ci), the engine delivered 24–28 hp.  The engine was midships under the floor and it was designed by [[Fred Duesenberg|Fred S. Duesenberg]] assisted by his brother [[August Duesenberg]] who was a pattern-maker at the factory.  The prototypes name was changed to '''Mason''' for attorney Edward R. Mason who was the largest shareholder.  Edward Mason became the company president while Fred Duesenberg became the factory superintendent.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

=== Mason Motor Car Company ===
'''Mason''' production began on August 16, 1906.  Marketing efforts for the new car promoted its strength by having it drive up the 47 steps of the [[Iowa State Capitol]] building. Other advertisements boasted about the excellent fuel efficiency of the Duesenberg two-cylinder engine, claiming it could carry the car 475 miles on 18 gallons of gasoline. ''"The Fastest and Strongest Two-Cylinder Car in America''" was the Mason's slogan.  Beginning in 1907 the Mason was used in racing and reliability trials. The 1906 to 1908 Mason was made as a [[touring car]] or [[Runabout (car)|runabout]] and priced at $1,350, {{Inflation|US|1350|1906|fmt=eq}}.<ref name=":1" />

In 1908 the company was reorganized as the '''Mason Automobile Company''' and factory expansion plans were started.<ref name=":1" />

=== Maytag-Mason ===
In 1909 the company was bought by washing machine maker [[Frederick Louis Maytag I|Frederick L. Maytag]] and his son [[Elmer Henry Maytag|Elmer H. Maytag]]. The new company, [[Maytag-Mason Motor Company]] moved production to Waterloo, Iowa at the suggestion of William O. Galloway.  The two-cylinder cars were continued as Masons, and a new [[Straight-four engine|four-cylinder]] car was marketed as a '''Maytag'''. For 1911 both cars were named Maytag, but late in the same year, the Maytag family pulled out of the company.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

===Mason Motor Company=== 
The Duesenberg brothers left the company when the Maytags controlled it but retained the Mason name for racing cars they built.  By 1913, they were in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul, Minnesota]] where they established the [[Duesenberg Motor Company]].<ref name=":0" />

Edward Mason regained control of the company by 1912 from Galloway and Maytag interests and reorganized as '''Mason Motor Company'''.  The Duesenbergs retained some ties with Edward Mason and in 1912 a new 2-cylinder Duesenberg engine of 20-hp was introduced.  This is the first version of the famous Duesenberg" walking beam" engine. In 1913, the $3,000 ({{Inflation|US|3000|1914|fmt=eq}}) '''Mason-Mohler''' was announced. This new car had a four-cylinder 65-hp Duesenberg engine mounted on a 128-inch [[wheelbase]] [[chassis]] that was underslung in the front and overslung at the rear.<ref name=":0" /> This may have been a de-tuned version of the four-cylinder "walking beam" engine.<ref name=":1" />  

Finances and leadership changes proved insurmountable for Edward Mason and the company was bankrupt by the end of 1914. The Waterloo factory was sold for $35,000 in 1915.<ref name=":1" />

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="240" heights="240">
File:1907 Mason - Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal.jpg|1907 Mason 24-hp Touring Car
File:1910 Mason Models - Cycle and Automobile Journal.jpg|1910 24-hp Mason Tourabout and Toy Touring cars
File:Mason 20 HP Model A touring (1912) Mason Motor Car Co picture.jpg|1912 Mason Model A 20-hp Touring Car
File:1914 Mason-Mohler - Automobile Trade Journal.jpg|1914 65-hp Mason-Mohler - Automobile Trade Journal
</gallery>

== Model overview ==
Motor Cars<ref name=":1" />
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Model
!Cylinders
!Displace-
ment cc
!Horse- 
power
!Wheelbase 
mm
!Body
!Price
US$
|-
|1906–1908
| rowspan="3" |Mason 24-HP
| rowspan="3" |2
| rowspan="3" |3218
| rowspan="3" |24
|2286
|Runabout, 2 seat 
Touring, 5 seat
|1,285
1,350
|-
|1909
|2438
|Tourabout, 4 seats 
Touring, 5 seats
|1,250
1,350
|-
|1910
|2438
|Tourabout, 2/4 seat 
Toy Touring, 4 seat 

Touring, 5 seat
|1,250
1,250

1,350
|-
|1910
|Maytag 32/35 HP
|4
|4599
|32
|2896
|Touring, 5 seat
|2,250
|-
|1911
|Maytag 20-HP
Model A

Model B

Model C
|2
|3218
|24
|2438
|Runabout, 2 seat 
Toy Tonneau, 4 seat 

Touring, 5 seat
|1,250 
1,300

1,350
|-
|1911
|Maytag 35-HP
Model D

Model E

Model F

Model G

Model H
|4
|3218
|35
|2896
|Touring 
Touring 

Touring

Touring

Boattail Roadster
|1,750 
1,750

1,750

1,750

1,650
|-
|1912
|Mason 20-HP
Model A

Model B

Model C
|2
|3218
|24
|2438
|Touring 
Torpedo

Roadster
|1,050 
1,050

1,050
|-
|1912
|Mason 30-HP
Model D 

Model E 

Model F

Model G 

Model H
|4
|3218
|35
|2946
|Roadster 
Touring

Touring 

Touring

Roadster
|1,750 
1,000 

1,150

1,250

1,650
|-
|1912
|Mason Knight
|4
|
|
|
|announced- not produced
|
|-
|1913
|Mason Model C
|2
|3218
|24
|2438
|Touring, 5 seat
|900
|-
|1913
| rowspan="2" |Mason Model K
| rowspan="2" |4
| rowspan="2" |3218
| rowspan="2" |35
|2946
|Fore-Door Touring, 5 seat
|1,290
|-
|1914
|2946
|Touring, 5 seat
|1,350
|-
|1914
|Mason-Mohler
65-HP
|4
|
|65
|3251
|Roadster 
Coupe
|3,000 
3,150
|}

== See also ==

* [https://automotivehistory.org/mason-motor-cars/ Mason Motor Cars at AutomotiveHistory.org]
* [https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/gc19/the-guyton-collection/lots/r0008-1906-mason-touring/750623 Sothebys Auction −1906 Mason]
{{Commons category|Mason automobiles}}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Brass Era vehicles]]
[[Category:1900s cars]]
[[Category:1910s cars]]
[[Category:Duesenberg]]
[[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Iowa]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1916]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1914]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1906]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1914]]