Vehicle Description
After earning his engineering degree from the University of
California Berkeley, Howard Marmon went straight to work in his
family business, The Nordyke & Marmon Company of Indianapolis. When
young Howard took his post, the firm specialized in flour milling
equipment and was already more than fifty years old. As the company
prospered during the industrial boom of the late 1800s, Howard
Marmon rose quickly through the ranks, becoming chief engineer in
1902 - a position he earned not through nepotism but via his
exceptional talent. Marmon grew enthralled with the new world of
motorized transport and built his first horseless carriage in 1902
at age 23. His natural talent was evident in the astonishingly
well-constructed and highly advanced creation, which featured a
90-degree V-twin with overhead valves, multi-plate clutch, and
3-speed sliding-gear transmission. Although it was a one-off
prototype, Marmon's first automobile demonstrated his brilliance.
Against his brother's wishes, Howard Marmon began producing
automobiles in 1905. He experimented with V6 and V8 engines, and
his production models quickly earned a reputation for quality and
performance. In 1911, the Marmon Wasp - driven by Ray Harroun -
became the first car to win the Indianapolis 500-mile race.
Production Marmon road cars quickly rose to rival Cadillac,
Packard, and Pierce in the highly competitive American luxury car
marketplace. By 1926, Howard Marmon sold the family flour milling
business to Allis-Chalmers to concentrate fully on motorcar
development and production. In 1927, Howard Marmon began developing
a new flagship model powered by a monumental V16 engine.
Unfortunately, the stock market crash had other plans for Marmon,
as sales and profits plummeted. Despite being on the brink of
financial collapse, development of the sixteen continued, and
Marmon showed the prototype at the 1930 Chicago Auto Show to
critical acclaim. Sadly, the costly and extravagant machine arrived
as the market for such cars faltered, and the company lacked the
resources to compete with Cadillac and Packard. What Marmon lacked
in funding, they made up for with pure engineering brilliance. The
Marmon Sixteen is a masterpiece of the classic era, with an
overhead valve engine displacing nearly 500 cubic inches and
producing 200 horsepower, besting Cadillac's V16 (designed by an
ex-Marmon engineer) by 25 hp. Walter Dorwin Teague Jr. gets the
credit for the gracefully curved fenders, bold and powerful
radiator shell, and a sleek profile devoid of fussy detailing.
Marmon claimed the Sixteen could out-accelerate a Duesenberg Model
J, much to the annoyance of their cross-town rivals. Estimates
suggest that between 370 and 375 Marmon Sixteens were produced from
1930 to 1933, and collectors cherish them as some of the most
significant motorcars of the Classic Era. We are incredibly pleased
to offer this exquisite LeBaron-bodied Convertible Sedan hailing
from 1931. This superb Marmon boasts a well-known history dating
back to the 1950s and benefits from an outstanding, world-class
restoration. According to detailed research compiled for the Marmon
Sixteen Roster, the known history of chassis no 674 dates back to
1955, when it was owned by Theodore "Ted" Greuner. Mr. Greuner
enjoyed the car and showed it occasionally into the late-1960s. It
then passed briefly through the noted collections of Tom Lester and
also ex-F1 world champion Phil Hill, who also ran the world-class
restoration shop Hill & Vaughn. In the early 1970s, Allan Bartz of
Van Nuys, California, bought 674 and began an extensive
restoration. Bartz found the engine was severely damaged, so he
replaced it with engine no. 692 from a Victoria Coupe he also
owned, thoroughly rebuilding it before installing it in the
chassis. Al Bartz passed away in the early 1980s, leaving the
Marmon Sixteen Convertible Sedan semi-restored. His estate sold it
to another well-known collector, Javier S. Leon of Hubbard, Texas.
After completing the restoration, Leon showed the Marmon at the
1983 Pebble Beach Concours, scoring 2nd in Class. A year later, it
earned a perfect 100-point score at the CCCA Grand Classic in Fort
Worth, TX. The Marmon returned to Pebble in 1997 and remained in
the care of the Leon family until 2007. That year, the most recent
owner acquired the mighty Marmon via Hyman Ltd and immediately
commissioned a ground-up, nut-and-bolt restoration to bring it to
his exceptionally high standards. The results are breathtaking,
particularly the striking livery of deep burgundy with deep blue
fenders and body accents, a blue canvas top, and an exquisite
burgundy leather cabin. The opulent interior features gorgeous red
leather upholstery with matching carpets, expertly trimmed to
concours standards. Gauges, switches, and controls are fully
restored and finely detailed. Typical of LeBaron's work with
Marmon, the body has a clean, minimalist quality that exudes
elegance, with just a touch of muscular purposefulness. The paint
quality and chrome plating are executed to world-class standards,
and the car is impeccably detailed with fittings including chrome
wire wheels, dual side-mount spares with painted/polished covers,
and an integrated trunk. Central to any Marmon Sixteen is the
engine compartment, which is impeccably finished using correct
porcelain coating, silver paint, wiring, and hardware. According to
the Marmon Sixteen Roster, when Al Bartz built this engine, he
fitted several specially-designed components, including a
counter-balance crank (believed to be the only extant), steel
billet cam, and unique sleeves and valves. The result is a
remarkably smooth running yet powerful engine, capable of more than
200 horsepower. It displays some light signs of use, namely some
slight staining of the block, yet is otherwise beautifully
presented and impressively well-sorted. This stunning LeBaron
Convertible Sedan is undoubtedly a stand-out example of Howard
Marmon's majestic flagship. Since its restoration in 2010, this
stunning Marmon has racked up numerous awards at prestigious
events, including a 2nd in Class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance. It has been meticulously maintained and remains superb
in every respect, equally fit for a challenging tour or stiff
competition on the concours lawn. Offers welcome and trades
considered For additional details please view this listing directly
on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7232-1931-marmon-sixteen-lebaron-convertible-sedan/