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Howard Marmon, after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, returned to the family machines business in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1902 as chief engineer. Later that year he built his first car. He strove to build the perfect automobile and by some accounts he did just that with the 1931-1933 Marmon Sixteen.
The Marmon was designed by Walter Darwin Teague Sr., though he admitted that his son W.D. Teague Jr., then a student at MIT, did all the original drawings. The number of 16 cylinder cars produced in 1931-1933 was 390 and they were priced at $5,100 to $5,400.
Marmon advertised the Sixteen as 'The World's Most Advanced Car,' and not without reason. Despite its size, the engine weighed a relatively light 930 pounds fully dressed, some 370 pounds less than Cadillac's slightly smaller V-16. This contributed to a weight-to-power ratio of just 4.65 pounds per horsepower, an impressive figure for the day, likely rivaled only by Duesenberg.
 |  | View more photos Sedan Convertible |
The original purchase price was $5,000.
 |  | View more photos |
|  | View more photos 4-Door Convertible Sedan Coachwork: LeBaron |
This particular Marmon Sixteen is fitted with a four-door convertible sedan body built by the noted coachbuilder LeBaron. This body style is considered by many to be the most attractive and desirable coachwork ever fitted to the Marmon Sixteen chassis.
Approximately 390 Marmon Sixteen's were built between 1930 and 1933, and of these, it is believed only about 40 were fitted with the LeBaron convertible sedan bodies, with only 60 Marmon 16's remaining today.
This vehicle spent the first years of its life in the Southern California area where it remained until it was purchased in 1955. The new owner rarely used the vehicle and placed it in storage in 1957 where it remained untouched and preserved until 1995, when it was purchased by Donald Lyons.
Upon purchasing, Mr. Lyons placed it in the hands of a noted vintage restorer. The vehicle was found to have only 18,500 miles from new. In 1998 the restoration was completed. The new owner takes great pride in showing this rare Marmon 16.
 |  | View more photos |
This vehicle is a 1931 Marmon Model 16 with a Sports Coupe body finished in a very attractive paint scheme.
 |  | View more photos 4-Door Sedan Coachwork: LeBaron |
The sixteen cylinder engine was 490 cubic-inch, 200 horsepower, overhead valve, downdraft carbureted, and surprisingly a powerplant weighing only 930 pounds. Each Marmon Sixteen was certified to have exceeded the speed of 100 mp on the Indianapolis 500 racetrack. The coachwork is considered innovative and modern in style.
This automobile has been painstakingly restored by its owner and was completed in February of this 2007.
| Victoria Chassis Num: 16144705 |
Marmon automobiles seemed to have to problems winning on the race track, but in the showrooms the cars were less successful. Marmon did offer a road-going version of its Indianapolis 500 Wasp, dubbed the Model 49, but at $5000 this was too high for most individuals.
The companies savor came in the form of World War I, when the engineering talents of the company were commissioned to build 5,000 Liberty aircraft engines. This gave Marmon financial stability.
After WWI, the company resumed production of their Model 34, a car that was introduced in 1916 and included an extensive use of aluminum. Many items on this Model 34 were created from aluminum, including the transmission, rear axle, body, fenders, and radiator. Sales were disappointing and when the post-war recession began to show its ugly head, Marmon began felling the financial pressure. In 1924, Howard's brother resigned the presidency and George M. Williams took over his duties. Williams saw a future in Marmon with a more affordable line of models that would attract more buyers and increase sales. The result of his vision was the Roosevelt Model powered by a straight eight cylinder engine. The gamble proved to be accurate as sales increased greatly and the company was once again financially sound. By the close of the 1920s, Marmon was building more than 20,000 cars per year.
The financial security allowed Marmon to further pursue his engineering passion and to continue to carve a legacy in the automotive industry, by creating the Marmon Sixteen in 1931. The name 'Model 16' was appropriate as the car was powered by a state-of-the-art sixteen cylinder, overhead valve engine that displaced nearly 500 cubic-inches and produced 200 horsepower. The engine had all-aluminum construction which meant it was both lightweight and strong. Many other areas of the car were also built from aluminum, including many parts of the chassis. The power-to-weight ratio was unmatched by any other marque of the era and the Sixteen was able to achieve 100 mph with very little effort.
The Sixteen had only one flaw - when it was introduced. Cadillac had introduced their sixteen-cylinder car nearly two years before Marmon's was introduced. More importantly was The Great Depression which was strangling the pockets of potential buyers. By 1933, Marmon found themselves out of business.
This Marmon Sixteen Convertible Coupe is one of the few surviving examples in modern times. It has an elegant LeBaron coachbuilt body featuring the legendary LeBaron cowl tags. The design for the vehicle was penned by Walter Dorwin Teague Jr., a student at MIT at the time. His father Walter Dorwin Teague Sr., had been given the project but had passed it along to his automotive enthusiast son.
This car has been treated to a comprehensive professional restoration that brought it back to better-than-new condition. It is finished in a two-tone paint scheme with a tan convertible top. It earned its CCCA Senior Award status in June of 2002.
There were only 22 examples of the convertible coupe constructed with only eight remaining in modern times. Six are in private collections, one is in a museum in the Netherlands, and one is in the process of being restored.
This 1931 Marmon Sixteen Convertible Coupe was offered for sale at the 2007 RM Auctions held at Meadow Brook where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell for $400,000 - $500,000. It is powered by an overhead valve V16 engine mounted at a 45-degree angle. There is a three-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel servo-assisted mechanical drum brakes. At auction the car was sold for an impressive $726,000.
The Marmon V-16 was introduced around the same time Cadillac introduced their V-16 powered automobile. In comparison, the Marmon built automobile was more powerful and an engineering marvel. By using aluminum, the 491 cubic-inch engine with its overhead values weighed just over 900 pounds. The engine was formed by merging twin-eight cylinder engines in a 45-degree angle, giving the engine an impressive look and an astonishing 200 horsepower. The use of steel cylinder sleeves added to the longevity and durability of the engine. The V-16 engine earned Howard Marmon the Society of Automotive Engineers annual design award.
The engine was an engineering marvel and the automobile was a work of art. The problem was the timing; introduced near the onset of the stock market crash and the crippling Great Depression. The most competitive market segment at this time was the upper, high priced vehicles. Packard, Auburn, Cadillac, to name a few, were produced exquisite automobiles and catering to the wealthy. The short list of buyers meant production was low and the profit margin was tight. To stay competitive the manufacturers needed to continue to introduce new products, designs, and innovative vehicles.
Cadillac and Marmon introduced their V-16 automobiles around the same time. The Great Depression meant there were few who could afford this five-thousand luxury automobile. The competition and the Depression resulted in fewer than four-hundred examples being produced. The Marmom Motor Car Company entered into receivership.
The Marmon V-16 was powered by a lightweight, powerful engine and decorated in luxurious amenities and modern designs. Its demise was a market that did not have the resources to sustain its production. With its low production figures, its exclusivity is guaranteed in modern times.
The engine was an engineering marvel and the automobile was a work of art. The problem was the timing; introduced near the onset of the stock market crash and the crippling Great Depression. The most competitive market segment at this time was the upper, high priced vehicles. Packard, Auburn, Cadillac, to name a few, were produced exquisite automobiles and catering to the wealthy. The short list of buyers meant production was low and the profit margin was tight. To stay competitive the manufacturers needed to continue to introduce new products, designs, and innovative vehicles.
Cadillac and Marmon introduced their V-16 automobiles around the same time. The Great Depression meant there were few who could afford this five-thousand luxury automobile. The competition and the Depression resulted in fewer than four-hundred examples being produced. The Marmom Motor Car Company entered into receivership.
The Marmon V-16 was powered by a lightweight, powerful engine and decorated in luxurious amenities and modern designs. Its demise was a market that did not have the resources to sustain its production. With its low production figures, its exclusivity is guaranteed in modern times.
1931 Marmon Model 16 |
|
| Year | 1931 |
| Make | Marmon |
| Model | Model 16 |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Aluminum body on ladder frame |
| Production Years for Series | 1931 - 1933 |
| Coach Work | LeBaron |
| Price | $5,270.00 |
| Weight | 4800 lbs | 2177.3 kg |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown | |
| Body Number | 541 |
| Chassis Number | 16144705 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | V |
| 45-degree | |
| Cylinders | 16 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 490.00 CU IN. | 8031.1 cc. | 8 L. |
| Valves | 32 valves. 2 valves per cylinder. |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Horsepower | 200.00 HP (147.2 KW) @ 3400.00 RPM |
| HP to Weight Ratio | 24.0 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio) |
| HP / Liter | 25.0 BHP / Liter |
| Compression Ratio | 6.00:1 |
| Engine Weight | 930.00 lbs |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Fuel Feed | Carburetor |
| Block | Aluminum Alloy |
| Head | Aluminum Alloy |
| Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight | |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 3 |
| Transmission | Manual |
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