1932 Marmon Sixteen 2-4 Passenger Rumble Seat Coupe

In 1902, at the tender age of just 23 years old, Howard Marmon proved his abilities as an engineer by completing his first automobile. It was a technically advanced vehicle at the time featuring overhead valves and air cooling. At the Indianapolis 500 just nine years later, Howard Marmon's long-tailed Marmon Wasp crossed the finish line in first position. It was the first car in history to ever cross the finish line and enter the winner's circle, as this was the inaugural running of the 500 at the Brickyard in 1911. Over the following two years, the Marmon vehicles would year more than 50 victories, many records, and a place in history as one of the early great racing marques.

Marmon excelled on the racing circuit, but in the production world, his cars were not as successful. His Model 49, based on the long-tailed Marmon Wasp, carried a price tag of $5,000 and found only a few interested buyers. In 1916 the Model 34 was introduced, bringing with it many new innovations and features, such as the extensive use of aluminum. Its radiator, transmission, rear axle, body, and fenders were created from this lightweight yet durable material. Sales were, again, slow.

During the First World War, Marmon aided the wartime effort by creating around 5,000 Liberty aircraft engines. After the War, the company was in good financial shape, and production of the Model 34 resumed. Sales remained slow, and soon came the economic post-war recession, which meant even more difficult times for Marmon. His brother resigned as president of the Company in 1924 and was replaced by George M. Williams. Williams's vision for the company was to make a more affordable automobile that could appeal to a wider audience of buyers. The result was the Roosevelt model, featuring a straight-eight engine, and became the basis for the company's revitalization in the years to come. As the 1920s came to a close, the company was creating more than 20,000 cars per year.

With strong sales and sufficient financial resources, Marmon turned his talents and attention back to creating mechanically advanced automobiles. Working on his own, Marmon introduced one of the most magnificent and brilliant vehicles of the classic era's in 1931, the Marmon Sixteen.

The Sixteen was powered by an engine that displaced nearly 500 cubic inches and fitted with state-of-the-art overhead valves. The car's effortless 100 mph speed was easily achieved thanks to the 200-horsepower all-aluminum engine and the lightweight components used throughout, including the aluminum chassis. It had a tremendous power-to-weight ratio and could outpace the Duesenberg Model J, while costing about one-third the price.
The problem with the Marmon Sixteen was its timing, introduced during the Great Depression and beaten to the market by the Cadillac V16. Marmon quickly went the way of so many other luxury car marques of the same era - it was forced to go out of business.

This 1932 Marmon Sixteen 2-4 Passenger Rumble Seat Coupe was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars sale at Hershey, PA, presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $200,000 - $250,000 and offered without reserve. It sold for $242,000, including the buyer's premium.

The bodies of the Marmon Sixteen were built by LeBaron with credit generally given to Walter Dorwin Teague Sr., though it was his son who sketched the lines and details. Walter Dorwin Teague Jr. was a student at MIT and a gifted designer. He designed a sleek and beautiful design that lacked gratuitous ornamentation which allowed the intrinsic beauty of the car's line and detail to be seen. The result was simple, yet undeniable elegance.

There were just 390 examples of the Sixteen created with 22 being the two-passenger coupes. Only six have survived to modern times, partly due to their aluminum bodies which tend to degrade quicker over time. The early portion of this vehicle's history is unknown; by the 1960s, it was part of the Harrah's Automobile collection in Reno, Nevada. In the early 1980s, it was acquired by an Arizona enthusiast who treated the car to a thorough restoration, including a full rebuild of the engine. In 1985 the car passed to another owner, who kept the car for many years before selling it to its current owner.

The car is painted chocolate brown with tan two-tone sides, an orange stripe, and tan Bedford Cord upholstery. It retains its original wire wheels and correct Marmon accessory chrome wheel discs.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2007