Talk:Cliff Durant

Latest comment: 5 years ago by Corumplex

Adelaide Pearl Frost-Cliff Durant's second wife, Adelaide Pearl Frost divorced him after several miscarriages and a hysterectomy. She complained Durant was "a heavy drinker and womanizer...[and] Adelaide's life with him was marred by physical abuse and extramarital affairs." She went on to marry Eddie Rickenbacker and raised two adopted children with him.[1] After the divorce Adelaide was gifted $250,000 by Cliff's father "for doing her best in a lost cause."[2]

Harry Miller- According to Indianapolis 500 winner Tommy Milton, Harry Miller designed and built one car for Cliff Durant. It was in 1919 and for the 1920 183 C.I.D formula. The engine was a four cylinder and was very disappointing. Durant gave up on it and loaned it to Milton who paid for a new straight eight engine to be designed and built by Miller. After many teething problems the car became a winner but Milton gave it back to Durant with the new 8 cylinder for $6,000. "I told him [Durant] that he could get one from Miller for $4,000 but he said that he woulden't give Harry $4 for an engine, that he wanted this one that was running so well, that had so much development poured into it."[3] He was undoubtedly a customer of Miller in later years, but he was one of many customers. The Detroit Special, was a Miller which Durant and Milton redesigned really did not have Miller involved in the design. The only time he was really a supporter Of Harry Miller was when he commissioned him to build the one (failed) 4 cylinder car in 1919. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Corumplex (talkcontribs) 22:57, 30 July 2018 (UTC)Reply

  1. ^ Lewis, Eddie Rickenbacker
  2. ^ Jeffers, Ace of Aces
  3. ^ Borgeson, The Golden Age of the American Racing Car