While early 1930’s America is often remembered as a time of struggle and strife brought on by The Great Depression, it’s also a time this country produced a class of luxury automobiles that remain highly desired and sought after by collectors today. The names of Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg rank high on that list as well as legendary marques Cadillac and Lincoln. There were the “Three P’s”—Packard, Peerless and Pierce Arrow in that number. While possibly not as well known, Marmon must be included on that list!
Marmon's parent company based in Indianapolis, IN manufactured flour milling equipment starting in the 1850’s. Shortly after 1900 the company began experimenting with building a limited number of automobiles in a variety of engine configurations. The marque’s place in automotive history was cemented as Marmon engineer Ray Harroun, a former race car driver who came out of retirement for one race, claimed the checkered flag in the inaugural Indianapolis 500.
Marmon continued to manufacture cars through the mid-1920’s and amid some financial troubles reorganized in 1926 as the Marmon Motor Company. Howard Marmon began working on the world’s first V16 engine in 1927 but was unable to complete the production engine until 1931. By that time Cadillac had already introduced their V16 engine, designed by a former Marmon engineer, and Peerless was also preparing to debut their V16 design with help from another former Marmon employee.
The Marmon 16 was introduced in 1931 in a few body styles. Production continued in very limited numbers through the 1933 model year when car production ceased. The engine displaced 491 cubic inches delivering 200 horsepower with an aluminum block with steel cylinder sleeves. The Marmon Roster estimates that fewer than 75 Marmon 16’s exist today with the most rare model being the LeBaron-bodied two door coupe.
This 1931 Marmon 16 coupe is one of only six known to still exist, plus is one of the very few with known ownership history from new. The car was purchased new by Louis P. Mayer, publisher of the Philadelphia Gazette Democrat newspaper and was regularly driven until his death in 1952. The vehicle remained in the family for two generations and in 1978 was taken to a shop for an engine rebuild. The car was stolen from the shop and disappeared for about five years, being recovered based on a tip forwarded to the individual tasked with maintaining the Marmon Roster. The car was reunited with the original engine, and in 1987 was sold by the Mayer family to New Jersey resident James Guerra. In 1989 Gerry Lettieri acquired the car before Jack Dunning purchased the car in 1993. Dunning commissioned the complete restoration which was started in 1996 and completed in 1997. Evergreen Historic Autos in Lebanon, MO became the custodian of the car in October 2019.
Not only does this car have ownership history from new, it possesses an impressive show history. Awards include AACA National First Place and CCCA Senior Premier honors and was judged Best in Class at the 1997 Meadowbrook Concours d’Elegance. In 2011, the vehicle won the Senior Emeritus Class at the CCCA Midwestern Grand Classic held at the Glenwood Gathering in Ohio. In 2021 the Marmon was shown by Evergreen Historic Autos at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Most recently the car earned the Patron's Award at Moda Miami in March 2024.
Evergreen Digital Showroom proudly offers this rare, exquisite vehicle for sale at the price of $799,900 USD. Pre-purchase inspection is welcomed and advised. We will arrange shipping of this vehicle at buyer’s expense or will gladly work with the transportation company of buyer’s choice. For additional information on this vehicle or to make an offer, please call sales manager Steve Russell at 417-532-8000.
NOTICE
Because of the number of vehicles we represent we cannot drive every vehicle for long distances. These vehicles have been part of static displays for long periods of time, in some cases for decades, and are subject to the flaws and imperfections consistent with that. While we do our best to disclose all issues we known about a vehicle in our advertising, these are old cars and something that has always worked in the past might not function properly today. Please check the requirements of your state regarding the licensing and registration of classic vehicles and make sure the vehicle you are looking at meets those if applicable. Unless otherwise noted, all vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom possess a clean (non-branded) title which will be provided the new buyer when purchase funds clear our financial institution. Virtually all our vehicles are sold as mileage exempt due to their age. We do not warranty any vehicle, nor any part of the vehicle including air conditioning systems, brake systems, electrical systems and gauges, fuel systems, accessories or powertrain components.
These are old vehicles and it is very common for them to require certain maintenance and upkeep for them to be operational. In many cases issues with leaks may develop when being driven after a long period of not being used. This is common, as classic cars at some point will leak fluids. For this reason, we do not encourage buyers to attempt driving their purchase home as we cannot guarantee functional reliability of these vehicles. We strongly encourage prospective buyers to be sure they are comfortable with these issues before purchasing a classic car.
Descriptions of vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom are intended to be informational in nature and do not in any way constitute any sort of warranty, expressed or implied. Again, these vehicles are presented “as-is, where-is” without guarantee or warranty. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1981 will likely not be included in the databases of companies such as CarFax and AutoCheck that provide vehicle history information to consumers. If you have specific questions regarding a vehicle we urge you to contact us at 417-532-8000.
