FRONTENAC (2)

Durant Motors of Canada (1931)

Dominion Motors Ltd. (1931-1933)

Leaside, Ontario

This is a Frontenac radiator emblem (1932)      ath
Size: 53mm high 34mm wide    MM: Unknown

The Frontenac was the last Canadian car built in any quantity. Durant Motors of Canada was a branch of Billy Durant's automotive empire and had used the name "Frontenac Sedan" for his Star Four sold in Canada in 1928. 

Control of Durant Motors of Canada passed into Canadian hands in 1931 and the company changed its name to Dominion Motors Limited. The Frontenac name was used for some of the last Durant cars built and sold in Canada and the name was continued by Dominion Motors.

The first Dominion Motors Frontenac in 1931 was basically a more powerful and luxurious version of the Durant Six. A model based on the De Vaux was added in 1932. For 1933 the Frontenac was based on the Continental but Frontenac was badly affected by the Depression and was finished in that year.

Emblems

The first Frontenac Six cars built by Dominion Motors carried a red, blue, white and black enamel radiator emblem with the same shield-like shape as the corresponding Durant, see example shown below. This Frontenac radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Frontenac radiator emblem (1931-1932)      mjs
Size: 53mm high 34mm wide    MM: Unknown

The new Frontenac 6-85, introduced in March 1932, carried a similar radiator emblem to that shown above but with the name "Frontenac" added, see Frontenac advertisement shown below:

This is a Frontenac 6-85 ad showing the radiator emblem (1932)    ms

Close up showing the Frontenac radiator emblem (1932)    ms

This Frontenac radiator emblem is shown above at the top of this post and is rare.

The following red, white, blue and black enamel Frontenac radiator emblem was also used in 1932 on other models based on the American De Vaux motor car. This Frontenac radiator emblem has the same shape as a De Vaux radiator emblem and is scarce.

This is a Frontenac radiator emblem (1932)     mjs
Size: 45mm high 34mm wide     MM: Unknown

In 1933, Frontenac models were based on the American Continental, which had replaced the De Vaux, and the Frontenac radiator emblem took on a round shape similar to the Continental radiator emblem, see example below. This red, white, blue and black enamel Frontenac radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Frontenac radiator emblem (1933)     mjs
Size: 36mm diameter   MM: Bastian Bros

There was also a blue enamel "Frontenac" nameplate/emblem located just above the radiator emblem within a cast chrome metal hood ornament, see example below. This Frontenac hood emblem is scarce.

This is a Frontenac hood emblem (1933)     mjs
Size: 56mm wide 13mm high    MM: Made in USA

This shows the location of the Frontenac hood and radiator emblems (1933)  ms