1929 Marmon Model 68 ‘Roosevelt’ Sedan
Economic pressures during the Great Depression forced Marmon to make a bold strategic move in 1929.
They introduced the Roosevelt line, named in honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt, offering base models priced at $995. These became the first American automobiles with a straight-eight engine to be priced under a thousand dollars.
The Roosevelt featured distinctive styling with bodies constructed by Hayes of Grand Rapids, Michigan. A unique horn button served three purposes: push down to honk, pull up to start the engine, and turn to control the headlights.
Power came from a 201-cubic-inch L-head inline eight-cylinder engine with a single Carter carburetor producing 72 horsepower. A three-speed manual transmission delivered power through a torque tube to the rear axle.
Sales in 1929 approached 24,000 automobiles, considered excellent for a new marque. However, production ended in 1930, and by 1933 Marmon had closed permanently.
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