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1930 Dodge Marathon Car pictures wanted


35cz8

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4 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

Xclnt. When did the marathon finish (or peter out?)?

 

   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.

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On 5/20/2019 at 3:16 PM, dc-8dave said:

Hello Joe,

                    This newspaper article might answer some of your questions. I have never heard of a six cylinder endurance run but if you do enough research in the 1927-1928 newspapers you might find something.

 

Thanks Dave, Yes It does answer some questions. Thanks!

Woodland_Daily_Democrat_Wed__Jul_30__1930_.thumb.jpg.8aa9409322b07519d338596ffdf0e6d8.jpg

 

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On 5/30/2019 at 10:56 PM, 35cz8 said:

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.... 

 

Hate to be a big skeptic of this interesting thread, but take a close look at the photos of the "real" marathon car at various mileages.  Let's examine the graphics on the passenger side of the "real" car with 25,000 miles. Now look at 65K miles and 75K miles. All the same , right? 

 

Now , look at the graphics on the "real" car at 50,000 miles. Not only are the graphics not the same, but in the 50K picture, there is a white painted stripe around the windshield. There is also a white "trim" at the bottom of each of the side windows on the 50K picture which disappears in the other photos. So I am going to say "quack" on "only one real marathon car." (Sidemounts are present in all the "real" car pics, so this isn't a picture of a "dealer's" car.)

Dodge 5 b.jpg

 

Dodge 8 Marathon Car at 25K miles Pass Side_KnoxvilleCityHall.jpg

Dodge 8 Marathon Car at 65K miles Pass Side.jpg

Dodge 8 Marathon Car at 75K miles Pass Side.jpg

Dodge 8 Marathon Car at 50K miles Pass Side lettering changed and white stripe around windshield and bottom of side windows.jpg

Edited by idrjoe_sandiego
correction on photo caption (see edit history)
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4 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

Interesting that they brushed out the text below the DODGE 8.

 

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.

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Dave, on behalf of all the blind idiots of the world, we’ll give you 10% credit for your suggestion that the lying media, for appearance sake, “doctored” the image of the one and only “real” marathon car.  Next, you'll be saying there is only one Santa Claus.

 

Why 10% credit?

 

After closer scrutiny, there may be a faint ghost image of the original graphics seen below Dodge 8. Or maybe it’s just my imagination. Photoshop does go way back; then they called it “Photo Retouching.”

 

Now on to the other 90% of the argument…

 

1) Why do practically all the other pictures depict a very "dirty" Marathon car?  

2) Why take the time to Photoshop the image to make the car look "cleaner"? 

3) Doesn’t it make more sense to keep the car appear like it has been ridden hard and put away wet?

4) Why bother with photo-doctoring when a CAR WASH would take one-fourth the time?

5) If they wanted to “clean-up” the car, why bother adding in pinstripes that the “real” car didn’t have?

6) Why would Dodge approve of a “doctored” photo if it might hint at the possibility that more than ONE “real” marathon car exists?

 

Dave, we welcome your scholarly and insightful answers the above questions. Chop-chop! It is not nice to keep a blind idiot waiting.

 

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4 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

They sure rewrote the spare wheel covers a number of times, with different text and style at different times.

 

Wouldn't it be interesting if they replaced the cover each time and one of them turned up this week?

yes! even more if one of them turned up this week at a car wash :)

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5 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said:

Take a look on the DBC website in the production papers listed in the garage section. In the 1930 papers there is several letters to dealers about the marathon car.

 

There is a LOT of great information there and I have saved it all and am in the process of going through it all to find new things.  I have found a lot so far. Thanks for the info and your hard work.

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This is a very interesting picture.

Is that a military band celebrating the ribbon cutting and sending them off?

A bunch of guys standing on the loading dock and steel drums.

Also, do you suppose that is an early camera boom?

Pretty big deal.

 

Of coarse Keisers car lurking in the back ground. I think that's him on the running board.

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No, no No  …  Do not mean you did, I am talking look at fifth pic down . You all were talking about trying to read dirty car door . I think the photo had the white Dodge 8 added in over top to highlight it . And in fact every thing is covered in lots of drive dirt .

   Did not mean to offend, as I see no seam gap of door , as in pics above . Maybe my eyes are bad !

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Hi Dave, I saw a few years back, a photo of a celebration picnic in a park, near the Hamtramck plant, and I seem to remember that the Dodge Company had their own band....could that be the band in the photo?

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2 hours ago, JACK M said:

WOW, That would be a HUGE step forward.

I am enjoying your efforts here 35cz8. Wish I could be of some help.

Thanks Jack, it is really a great project and I have found quite a bit over the last few years of searching.  I hope to begin putting the information I have into order so I can start getting the trips and the travels of the car into the order they happened.  A lot of work but a lot of satisfaction as well.  I have found that one never knows what might turn up as each day starts to will continue looking for anything that will help "fill in the blanks".  

Bob

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DC8 Dave and Bob, I would LOVE to be help but as the DC8  Marathon Car never came "down under" you are both out of luck I admire the task that Bob has taken on and one day I hope to be able to do the same on DB 2249 and 2251 Senior 6 Tourers Bodied by Holden Motor Body Builders in Adelaide Aust. There were only 250 bodies made for the 2249 and less than a dozen 2251s So far I know of 7 2249  tourers and one of those is in England. Wish me luck that I live to a ripe old age 

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On 1/16/2020 at 4:02 AM, Ron Lawson said:

DC8 Dave and Bob, I would LOVE to be help but as the DC8  Marathon Car never came "down under" you are both out of luck I admire the task that Bob has taken on and one day I hope to be able to do the same on DB 2249 and 2251 Senior 6 Tourers Bodied by Holden Motor Body Builders in Adelaide Aust. There were only 250 bodies made for the 2249 and less than a dozen 2251s So far I know of 7 2249  tourers and one of those is in England. Wish me luck that I live to a ripe old age 

Thanks Ron, it is a big job but also fun and very interesting.  I want to try and trace the routes and verify - through original photos - the various trips the car made.  It was indeed quite an adventure for the 1930 / 1931 years.  Good luck on your projects and enjoy the journey.

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It's been a while since I last saw a reply so thought I would put the word out that I AM still looking for original or good copies of photos of the 1930 Dodge Marathon Car.  I have found a few that I didn't have but would like to find and get as many that I can that I don't have.  If you have any or know someone that does, please contact me here.  Thanks and have a great New Year.

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Hello E-116-YH,

It has been some time since I have found anything new but there has to be a lot more out there to be found.  I have come to somewhat of a stand still but still trying to get the trips all defined and the routs they took on each trip.  A huge job but I am still working on it.  I have found many articles in old newspapers from 1930 and 1931 but still a lot of voids to be filled.  I am looking for any photos I can find to help me document where the car was at what time.  The photos seem to be a good honest way to determine the miles the car had at each point where there was a photo taken.  I also am using the photos to examine details that might show in one photo that are not visible in another.  There is still help I am sure but just waiting for it to come to light.  Do you have any idea of where I might find information or photos to see if I have it yet or need it?

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Kevin BC here from Down under Aus.

Do you have a copy of the Dodge 8 brochure "65000 Miles in 26 Weeks" a small booklet approx 5" x 5" (14 Pages). According to the rear of the brochure I have copy 504. I am happy to send a copy of it if you don't have one

regards

Kevin BC

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6 minutes ago, Kevin bc said:

Kevin BC here from Down under Aus.

Do you have a copy of the Dodge 8 brochure "65000 Miles in 26 Weeks" a small booklet approx 5" x 5" (14 Pages). According to the rear of the brochure I have copy 504. I am happy to send a copy of it if you don't have one

regards

Kevin BC

Hey Kevin,

     I do have that brochure and want to thank you for the offer of a copy.  It is very interesting to look through and read.  I think it MIGHT \have been given out to prospective DC8 buyers and perhaps to some of the people that visited and looked at the Marathon Car when it stopped at the different Dodge dealers as it was traveling.  Not real sure and that is a part of the research I am doing.  Thanks again - 

Bob

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1930 Dodge Marathon Car in front of W R Keesee & Co., the local Dodge / Dodge Trucks dealer at the time in Bluefield, West Virginia.  William Riley Keesee is standing between probably the AAA observer and the driver.  The mechanic is probably the one standing on the other side of the car.

W R Keesee & Co -1930 Dodge Marathon.jpg

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Thanks cmat.  I appreciate you taking the time to try and help me.  I do have an original of the photo you show here but if you sould ever run into any others, let me know - please - and I will see if have them yet.

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