Indianapolis Times, Volume 32, Number 252, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 February 1920 — Page 3

Built by Champion Liberty Motor N ' v , / ■ % Builders—the New Series Marmon 34

High standards of mechanical accuracy, learned in manufacturing the highest type of gasoline motor America has ever produced, are reflected in the New Series Marmon

MANY citizens of Indianapolis remember the day when the Champion Liberty Motdr Builders’ Pennant was presented to the workers of the Nordyke & Marmon Company. The pennant had been offered by the Bureau of Aircraft Production of the United States Government for the Liberty Motor building organization which could build and ship the standard twelve-cylinder United States aircraft engines fastest in relation to its quota. It was awarded to the workers of the Nordyke k Marmon factory for a production of 246.4 per cent of its allotted quota of testperfect Liberty Motors during the month of October, 1918. On November 2, 1918, the pennant was brought from Detroit to Indianapolis by aeroplane. To escort the pennant carrier other planes flew from McCook Field at Dayton, Ohio. A distinguished gathering of army and navy officers and government officials participated in the presentation and unfurling of the pennant. On November 16, 1918, the pennant was permanently awarded. SIXTY-SIX YEARS OF PREPARATION The foundation for this signal honor was being laid throughout the sixty-six preceding years of this company’s history—years of steadfast adherence to the highest manufacturing ideals. When the war came, the highly efficient organization, with all its accumulated skill and experience, was ready to perform yeoman service for its country. The first contract for the building of United States aircraft motors awarded by the United States Government to any motor car manu * facturer was given to this pioneer Indianapolis institution. It called for the building of one thousand aircraft training motors. To do this work with speed and at the same time with the high degree of accuracy demanded, additional buildings and a greatly enlarged organization were required. With men hurrying to the colors, and with transportation largely monopolized for the movement of troops and supplies, the difficulties were greatly increased. Yet in two

NORDYKE k MARMON COMPANY, Indianapolis, U.S. A. Local Branch: —Meridian and Eleventh Streets Established 1851 Marmon Dealers in Indianapolis Territory: Dixie Motors Company, Evansville, Indiana; Northern Indiana Motor Car Company, Fort Wayne, Indiana; Ciienoweth Auto Company, Richmond, Indiana; J. T. J. Graves, Salem, Indiana

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months and fifteen days after ground was broken, the first section of the huge aircraft motor plant was completed, and the first United States aircraft motors built by any motor car manufacturer were being produced. Before the contract for the training motors was completed, orders came from Washington to make ready at once to build Liberty Motors. Again the factory had to be enlarged. By January 1, 1918, the main section of the huge building, which covers the ground taken up by four city blocks, was complete. This vast plant, which ultimately contained 350,000 square feet of floor space, is now entirely used for the machine shops where are built the motor and the chassis of the new series Marmon 34. While the war was at its height, the government of France showed its opinion of the Marmon 34 by placing orders for 300 cars for the use of the French general staff. Learned in war’s strict school It was the lessons learned under the stress and strain of war, when engineers and manufacturers accomplished the impossible as a part of the day’s routine, which enabled the Nordyke & Marmon workers to attain the exceptional mechanical precision which distinguishes the new series Marmon 34. In the building of the Liberty Motors, new and revolutionary production methods were developed. Manufacturing ideals, which previously had been considered impossible for anything but laboratory work, were made practical production standards. In some machine work the degrees of variation allowed were practically microscopic —a quarter of a thousandth of an inch, for instance. New applications of metallurgy—new methods of heat treatment, new standards of quality production—inspection supervision very close to the ultimate in exactness —all these were the results of war’s stern schooling. ACCURACY NEVER BEFORE CONSIDERED POSSIBLE And it has been by adopting these exceptional war manufacturing standards for post-war production that Nordyke & Marmon Company has incorporated in the new series Marmon 34 a machine shop accuracy never before considered possible in practical production methods. Thus, built by this organization keyed to the manufacture of the highest type of gasoline motor America has ever produced—fabricated to microscopic limits in modern shops equipped with machines of finest accuracy—the new series Marmon 34 sets in motor car manufacturing anew standard of power, service and endurance. The new series Marmon 34 will be on exhibition at the Indianapolis Automobile Show, which opens on Monday, March 8.

The Story of the MARMON 34 Number Two

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