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Spinney, I don't think it was brushed out, I think it was covered in dirt and mud and they had not washed the car when it arrived. This car went through some really nasty road and weather conditions and I am sure that it spent many miles covered in dust, dirt and mud. As I look close at the photo, I can just make out that the text is there but you have to really look close to see it. I am going to say that David H is right and that it is just really dirty. I have been studying and researching this car and the marathon run for many years and there was only one Marathon Dodge on the road.

As the cost of shop work goes up and up, it is hard to justify the high prices of many project cars for sale. My health issues no longer allow me to do most work on my cars so I checked with a well known auto restoration and rod shop in Vegas. I was shocked to have the lady tell me that they would not even look at my car unless I had at least $100,000.00 dollars. I am not talking about a high end luxury car - it is a 1963 Ford Galaxie convertible !! Who can afford to put that kind of money into a 1963 Ford? Just costs too much anymore to have work done so if you can't do it yourself - you will bury yourself in costs.

Ben, The original headlights on a 1936 Dodge were not sealed beam - they were reflector, bulb and lens. There are sealed beam adapters that were used to convert from bulb type to sealed beam. If you are going to me original with your car, then you will need to locate the bulb type headlight parts. Are you going to go with original or are you going to use the sealed beam conversions?

Spinney, From what I have found out, so far, it looks like they run it for a full year (until July 1, 1931) then quit the actual Marathon but still used the car to display at dealers and for special showings. I am not positive on this as my research is s continuing process and just when I think I have found about all there is to find, something else turns up. I am sure that my search will continue for a long long time but it is interesting. Still looking for any and all photos or any other information I can find.

OK everyone, I found a photo of one of the "special marathon painted" DC 8's that were offered to the dealers to promote the Marathon event and to help sell the DC 8. There was only the one actual Marathon Car and as can be seen in the photo - the differences are very clear. No side mount spares and a different paint pattern from the real Marathon car and single wipers are the most obvious differences. So far, this is the only photo I have of the offered special painted car that dealers used to give test drives in.

There are MANY articles in the newspapers of the time and I am soon going to be going through them ALL to get as much information as I can to start putting my trip list together. I want to thank everyone for their interest and for the photos shown here. It may not seem like it, but each photo and article helps me to document where the car was and as I study each one, I can usually find something that is helpful in my research. All of the original photos that I have found have had a note on the back telling something about where the car was in the photo and that is why I am trying to find originals if I can. This is a huge project but I am enjoying the task LOL. Thanks again. Bob

I want to thank everyone for their interest and for the photos shown here. It may not seem like it, but each photo helps me to document where the car was and as I study each one, I can usually find something that is helpful in my research. All of the original photos that I have found have had a note on the back telling something about where the car was in the photo and that is why I am trying to find originals if I can. This is a huge project but I am enjoying the task LOL. Thanks again. Bob

These are just a couple of the questions I am seeking to find the right answers to. It was an amazing feat for 1930 / 1931 and all the weather changes and bad roads that had to be driven in and on would make us modern day drivers sick to even think about without AC, power steering - brakes and good heaters. I have taken on the project of trying to document the car, the drivers and the trips they made and this is why I am looking for any and all photos and articles I can find (from the day) that will give accurate information so I can actually document the event without guessing. There has to be more out there so I will continue my search and continue to put it all together - in order - as it happened. Thanks to all that have helped and I hope there will be more photos, articles, letters or any information or items found to help me work on this. I know the car would stop at dealers along the way for a short visit for advertising and advertise the visit ahead of time so people could go see the car and the drivers. As for there being many Marathon cars out there, there was only one and the others were not the same as the one running the marathon and there were some differences in the lettering and in the cars themselves. The "special painted" cars were done for the dealers to have as test drive cars for customers and were not identical to the real car. I have seen photos of a few of these "copy" cars and it didn't take too long to see several differences. So far, I have not found any documentation (positive) of a six cyl marathon car, only a couple of references to a 6 cyl - but not any documentation at all -- YET --- so will see if anything turns up on that question. Once again, I am asking if anyone out there has any photos or information from this event that they would be willing to share or sell? I prefer the original photos but a good high res scan will let me enlarge the photo and find the things I am looking for document all I can. Thanks to all that have / will help me with this. Bob

I really enjoy seeing these kind of historical display posters and photos and am going to continue my search to try and make my research finding as accurate as possible - no guessing. Love those "FLASH" poster and hope to find as many as I can, along with photos, for my project. Thanks David.

Bought my first car and learned to drive in it when I was 15. Worked washing dishes at a small restaurant to earn the $40.00 to buy a 1936 Dodge Business cp. Sure was a fun car but not very handy for a double date LOL. Great for just my girlfriend and I though. Lots of great memories from those days.

Very cool info and great photo to show what the maps would have looked like displayed at the dealers. Each bit of information and each photo I see is a step closer in my research. Thanks Dave

Anyone have any Marathon Car photos they want to sell? High resolution scans work too for my use.

I am still in the process of looking through all the 1930 information you scanned and have found a LOT of great and useful information in them. Thank you so much for all the hard work you are doing and thank you to the DBC for putting it on their site.

David (DC-8dave) I have a cropped image of the first photo (the one of the car by the gas station in NY) but not a full size copy of it. I have look through my photos and do not find the one of the lady sitting behind the wheel of the car. I did have a computer crash several months ago so I may have had a digital copy at that time but lost when I had to replace my computer. I would love to have full size scans of both if you would. Hope you are doing ok there. Thanks for all your help. Bob

Dave (30DodgePanel} I have a photo that is very close to the one you show here but it has some differences. I would love to have a full size copy of it for sure. I don't consider getting any information or photos (even if I have it already) as a waste of time because I love the search and research on this car and it's travels. Please feel free to send any and all information you find and are willing to share. I know that many of the dealerships would post a map of the travels in their showrooms for people to see and I even found one photo showing a map of the trips that was on a trailer that was quite large and (I assume) used for parades and such. I do use one old newspaper website looking for any articles from the 1930 / 1931 time frame about the car. I really enjoy seeing original photos and reading original articles from the people that were actually there and witnessed the event. I really appreciate any and all information I can get. Feel free to send anything and everything you want. Please let me know if I can be of any help to you. Thanks again. Bob

Great Photo Dave and thank you for sharing it with me. I don't think I have this one but will check my pictures and see. Spinny, There are a couple of photos, that I have seen, but not much detail in the photos - just rough road map is all I have seen. I am trying to find as many pictures as I can of the car so I can try to put a bit better map of it's travels together and with each photo, I look for new hints of where it was taken and try to figure the trip it was on. It is quite a project, but a fun one and when I find a picture I don't have, it sure is fun to examine and research. Still looking but not a lot out there to be found I guess LOL. Thanks for the interest and the help. Bob

I do not have any of that kind of information but if a guy could find such a list, it would certainly be of great help. Great idea and now, something more to hunt for LOL.

I am looking for the center vertical trim strip for the grill of my 1935 Chrysler Airstream CZ 8. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Great Dave, Which photos do you have? I have some already so looking for different pics to help track the travels of the Marathon Car and to confirm it was in those locations.

Looking for original photos of the 1930 Dodge Marathon Car. Need for a research project I am working on. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for this information Near, I will be waiting to see what they have. I appreciate the response to my needs.

Looking for original photos of the 1930 Dodge Marathon Car. Need for a research project I am working on. Any help is appreciated