Vehicle Description
One-off body by Waterhouse on custom 154-inch chassis built for
John D. Rockefeller's daughter. Three owners from new, ex-Harrah's,
freshly rebuilt V16 with new Edelbrock heads. Spectacular in every
way! This remarkable Sixteen presents in exceptional condition, a
testament to the quality of the car, the workmanship along the way,
and the care it has received over the past nine decades. The
stunning two-tone blue finish is entirely appropriate, conservative
yet sporting, and helping to disguise the car's absolutely immense
footprint. It was repainted in the '70s while in the Harrah's
collection, and the finish is holding up beautifully. The body is
aluminum with steel fenders and hood, so while it is undeniably
large, it is no heavier than a standard 145-inch Marmon and perhaps
lighter than some of its contemporaries such as the Cadillac V16
and most certainly lighter than a Duesenberg. The robust structure
underneath produces an especially satisfying sound when you close
the door and on the road it remains almost entirely free of
squeaks, rattles, or other noises. That unique California top is in
excellent condition and presumably original-it shows some very
minor signs of age but nothing that needs attention. You will also
note that it wears a CCCA Senior Prize award, another indication of
the car's quality. The blue leather interior is typical touring car
simple-wide, flat hides on the seats with simple piping on the
edges. Plush carpets were standard, front and rear, and matching
leather door panels incorporate map pockets big enough to actually
store gear. It's likely that most of the interior is original to
the car given its low mileage and the slight proportions of two of
its owners, and we have no trouble believing that the rear
compartment is entirely original, as it was seldom used. Marmon's
gauges are big, round, and easy to read, an intentional design that
seems uniquely Marmon where form always followed function, although
the speedometer is hidden behind the steering column, making it a
little hard to see. All the gauges are fully operational, including
the 8-day clock, and the large knob at the top of the instrument
panel cranks open the cowl vent, an elegantly simple design.
Headlights are managed by the horn button, whose edges are serrated
to make it easy to grip and turn, and the switch for an auxiliary
electric fuel pump is hidden in the glove box to the driver's left.
The rear compartment is as spacious as a living room and features
two auxiliary seats that are as large as the primary seats in many
lesser cars, as well as a rear bench with a folding center armrest.
Tonneau covers for both front and rear compartments are included so
the car can be secured on tour and a full set of luggage is stowed
in the trunk. Marmon's V16 engine is built almost entirely of an
aluminum alloy called Lynite, with the one-piece block using
fork-and-blade connecting rods to make it relatively compact,
although 'relatively' is the key word: there are 491 cubic inches
inside, the biggest pre-war luxury car engine of them all. Brand
new Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads ($10,000 each!) feature
overhead valves and pushrods with mechanical lifters. On top
there's a Stromberg DDR 2-barrel downdraft carburetor-Marmon was
among the first to adopt downdraft carbs in the early 1930s and
boasted that this engine had equal fuel distribution to all 16
cylinders. An A/C mechanical fuel pump feeds the carburetor,
assisted by an electric fuel pump hidden in the back of the
chassis. In 2015 a full rebuild was commissioned at Frank Seme &
Sons Rebuilders, noted experts on Full Classic multi-cylinder
engines and today has fewer than 1000 miles on it. The engine bay
is beautifully detailed with polished aluminum valve covers, black
enamel intake panels, and raw aluminum castings everywhere else.
The generator, starter, distributor, and water pump were also
rebuilt, as was the Stromberg carburetor on top. The engine-turned
firewall is surely a nod to Marmon's racing past (they were, after
all, the winners of the very first Indy 500) and the butterfly hood
rests on built-in stanchions so that both sides may be opened at
once, presumably to best display the engine. The 3-speed manual
transmission shifts beautifully with no gear clash or
double-clutching required and 3.69 gears mean this is an effortless
cruiser at modern highway speeds. Marmon's suspension is standard
early '30s fare with a dropped I-beam axle in front and a live axle
in back, all supported by leaf springs secured to the frame using
shackles with ball bearings in their mounts. Watson double-action
shock absorbers are fitted, and with that bridge-like wheelbase the
ride is superior to anything else you are likely to drive from
1932. With Bendix vacuum-assist, these mechanical brakes are
confident, pulling the car down from speed without drama. Combined
with the Ross steering gear box and a built-in stabilizer, it's not
difficult to understand why the previous owner enjoyed driving this
car well into his 80s-it's exceptionally easy to handle. Chrome
wire wheels are certainly flashy, but that's how it was built, and
it carries a set of 7.00-18 Lester wide whitewall tires. This
gorgeous Sixteen, with its unique open coachwork, exceptional
history, and fresh mechanicals, is an outstanding opportunity to
acquire one of the most significant pre-war American cars ever
built and one that will delight you every time you climb behind the
wheel. Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or
professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to
purchase.