1914 Marmon Model 41 Speedster

The first Marmon automobile created was in 1902 and was an experimental car powered by a V2 engine. Howard C. Marmon had created the car and had shown his engineering prowess by creating the car and its V2 engine. The engine utilized a force-feed lubrication system and an overhead valve. The gearbox was equally as brilliant with its multiple-disc clutch and sliding-gear unit. His next creation was an iteration of the prototype powered by a larger V4 unit and mated to a three-speed planetary gearbox. The suspension was a three-point layout which was rather ingenious for its time. The typical configuration for this type of set-up is to have two of the suspension points at the front and the third suspending the rear. The movement, either up or down, of one of the rear wheels causes the opposite reaction of the other rear wheel. This type of setup was the for-runner to the independent suspension that is commonly used in automobiles today.

During 1904, Marmon constructed six automobiles and convinced the Nordyke and Marmon Company, which had been manufacturing flour-milling machinery, to transition to the production of automobiles. In 1905, with even more resources, Marmon constructed twenty-five vehicles. He continued to experiment and test the V-Type engines. During the early 1900s, he constructed experiment V6 and V8 units. The Marmon Company found the most success with their lightweight, air-cooled V4. They were constructed of exotic materials and lightweight alloys and gave them an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Within a few years, the design had changed to utilize a water-cooled system.

For the inaugural Indianapolis 500 Race in 1911, Marmon created a six-cylinder engine and fitted it into a vehicle they called the Model 32. Marmon traversed the course faster than the competition and went on to secure an overall victory. This was a very impressive achievement and highlighted the ingenuity and potential of the company.

Within a short period of time, the company was producing the Model 41 and Model 48, which utilized the six-cylinder engine.

This 1914 Marmon 41 Speedster has seating for two and dual rear-mounted spare tires. It has graceful running boards that flow from the front to the rear of the car. Under the long bonnet sits a 500 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder L-head engine that is capable of producing 70 horsepower. It has a force-feed lubrication system and a Bosch Magneto ignition. The gearbox is a three-speed unit with a cone clutch. Stopping power is provided by the internal expanding brakes.

It left the factory with a sticker price of $3,250, which was a very steep price for a vehicle at the time, especially for a two-seater. For the same price, one could buy (roughly) five Ford Model Ts. What the customer got when they purchased the Marmon was one that had impressive power, superior performance, and style that matched. The vehicles were built to the highest standards, and the materials used were of the finest grade.

This Model 41 Speedster was discovered in the 1950s after many years of hibernation and neglect. Since then it has spent time in museums and at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. It has been shown at numerous exhibits and events; it has been driven on tours.

It is the product of fresh and recent restoration by Jan Voboril and Stu Laidlaw. After its restoration, it was shown at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours where it was awarded a First in Class. It was offered for sale at the 2006 Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, where it was estimated to sell between $350,000 and $450,000. A reserve had been placed on the vehicle which had to be satisfied in order to be sold. The bidding quickly met the reserve and continued escalating. Part of the allure of this vehicle is that it has only been shown once (the 2000 Pebble Beach Concours) since its restoration, meaning it will be a welcomed entrant at many prestigious events in the near future. The bidding continued until it passed the $600,000 mark and made a mockery of the prior estimations. It is a wonderful creation with a magnificent history and well worth the $616,000 the new owner paid.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2007