Vehicle Description
Rare opportunity to acquire a seldom seen automobile Less than 15
known surviving examples Pioneering four-wheel drive technology
Banjo steering wheel, Ford script clamshell exhaust tip, clock, and
STA Super Traxion 6-ply tires Classic 85-HP 221-cubic-inch flathead
V-8 engine When one thinks of vintage four-wheel drive automobiles,
their first thought is usually a Willys or a Jeep, but long before
either of those two came rolling onto the scene, Marmon-Herrington
of Indianapolis, Indiana had been producing four-wheel-drive
vehicles since 1931. Walter C. Marmon and Arthur W. Herrington took
over the old Duesenberg assembly plant and first began fulfilling
contracts to build 4x4 and 6x6 trucks for the military. Arthur
Herrington was a pioneer when it came to mechanical engineering and
was able to construct and patent a vibration-free U-joint that made
all-wheel drive practical. Years later, the pair converted Ford
vehicles to their patented all-wheel drive systems. Complete Ford
and Mercury vehicles would be delivered to the Indianapolis plant,
where the body and powertrain were removed then refitted with their
four-wheel-drive conversion kits. Within the conversion kit was a
four-speed manual truck transmission, 11-inch clutch, a heavy-duty
transfer case to allow for on-demand engagement of the front axle,
and a reinforced chassis. The plan was received with open arms by
Ford, which agreed to market the converted trucks through their
dealers. The vehicles sold through the Ford dealers were set at
twice the price of the production standard-drive wagons. Almost all
hand-built, Marmon-Herrington's conversion rates were slow and
resulted in a small output. Between the slow production rate and
high markup, few Marmon-Herrington's made their way into the
public's hands. None of Marmon-Herrington's factory production
records survived, so the exact number of how many were converted is
unknown, but many Marmon-Herrington aficionados agree that less
than 15 Ford examples survive today. A lovely example of the scarce
Maron-Herrington converted Fords, this early 1938 example is the
recipient of an older compressive restoration. Finished in
Dartmouth Green, it nicely complements the varnished wood paneling.
Properly equipped with Ford accessories like a banjo steering
wheel, a "Ford" clamshell exhaust tip, clock mounted in the glove
box, it has also been fitted with STA Super Traxion 7.00-15LT 6-ply
tires that encapsulate chrome "V8" script dog dish hubcaps, leaving
it ready to conquer newfound land. Built to thrive in unfavorable
conditions with its 4x4 capabilities, it's only right it had an
unaltered, tired, and true Flathead V-8. With a 221 cubic-inch
displacement and rated at 85 horsepower combined with its new 4x4
conversion, these Marmon-Herrington had more than enough power to
get one out of a less-than-ideal driving situation or better yet,
put them into a more favorable one. The mechanical components,
which included the engine and transmission, were recently gone
through in the summer of 2024 at the Early Ford V-8 Museum's
specialty restoration building in Auburn, Indiana. This 1938
Marmon-Herrington 4x4 Station Wagon is a quality driver example,
that is rare and seldom seen pioneering automobile that WOOD make
for a wonderful example to ones collection. This 1938
Marmon-Herrington 4x4 Station Wagon is located in Auburn, Indiana,
which is centrally located and a short couple hour drive from
Indianapolis, Indiana, Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, and
Cleveland, Ohio.
