1924 Marmon 'Six' Single-Seater

Registration No: N/A
Chassis No: 7231
MOT: None

• Unique Single-Seater with a fascinating but unproven back story
• Part of the Dick Van Dijk Collection since 1995
• Extensively improved by Rod Jolley
• MOT tested in 1999 but little used since

This intriguing single-seater comes with a back story so convoluted that it would be a shame if it were not true. Franklin Hall Marmon, chief test engineer for the company which bore his surname, was killed on October 11th 1924 when the two-seater roadster he was driving hit some loose gravel and overturned. Equipped with a new braking system developed by his uncle Howard Marmon (the man responsible for the marque's Indy 500 winning 'Wasp' racer and fabulous V16 luxury express), the damaged prototype was duly recovered to the Works. However, its fate thereafter remains uncertain. While some maintain the Roadster was scrapped (apart from its unique engine), others believe that it was sold to Ernie Endler of Kankakee, Illinois and converted into a single-seater racer around 1928-9. Alleged to have competed at various Illinois circuits (Champaign, Winchester and Duquoisne are all mentioned as possibilities), it then apparently disappeared for forty years or so. Purchased by Don Lewis from the Art Lieberman collection in 1973, the Endler car was subjected to an eight-year restoration. Supposedly in attendance at the 1981 Marmon Muster, it is also reputed to have won a first prize 'Restored Vintage Racer' award that same year.

Acquired by its penultimate owner Brian Nelson Jones in June 1991, he states in the car's accompanying history file that "on September 27th 1993 we learned, while attending the Mighty Marmon Muster at the Indianapolis Speedway Hotel, that this chassis is indeed the only one built; that it is the largest Marmon-6 ever produced. It features a single, in-line block, and incorporates the water jacket into the head - both items that would not be seen in Marmon production cars for years to come. Gordon Handley, author of 'The Marmon Heritage', verified that it is a prototype". However, these claims have been challenged by Chic Kleptz of the Marmon Owners' Club, who recalled inspecting the car with Handley at the 1993 event to the effect that "we both decided we couldn't find anything on the car to identify it as a Marmon". Furthermore, he added that there is second single-seater in the US which claims to be descended from the fateful 1924 Roadster.

A further school of thought suggests that the single-seater is derived from another Marmon prototype, the Little 6, development of which was ended in favour of the Little 8 production model. Whatever the truth is, the engine fitted to the car is a large capacity straight-six featuring an aluminium block (a Marmon trademark) and overhead valves yet it differs in layout from the Model 34’s ostensibly similar 340 cu in (5.6 litre) unit. Suitably convinced by Brian Nelson Jones’s tale of events, Dick Van Dijk paid $40,650 to acquire the Marmon in 1995. Forming part of his private museum collection since then, the single-seater has benefited from mechanical fettling at the hands of Rod Jolley including the replacement of a steering arm (the original component had been crash damaged and badly welded in the past) and even passed a MOT test during December 1999. Not driven on the public road since a quick trip around his surrounding country lanes earned Mr Van Dijk a police escort home, the Marmon will require recommissioning before use. The chassis and engine are both stamped with the number ‘7231’ and paperwork on file even encompasses an expired US Certificate of Title. No matter its true origins, the single-seater could not be replicated at the guide price and promises to be great fun in the right environment.

For more information, please contact:
Damian Jones
damian.jones@handh.co.uk
07855 493737