When one thinks of vintage four-wheel drive automobiles, their first thought is usually a Willys or a Jeep, but long before either of those two came rolling onto the scene, Marmon-Herrington of Indianapolis, Indiana had been producing four-wheel-drive vehicles since 1931. Walter C. Marmon and Arthur W. Herrington took over the old Duesenberg assembly plant and first began fulfilling contracts to build 4x4 and 6x6 trucks for the military. Arthur Herrington was a pioneer when it came to mechanical engineering and was able to construct and patent a vibration-free U-joint that made all-wheel drive practical. Years later, the pair converted Ford vehicles to their patented all-wheel drive systems. Complete Ford and Mercury vehicles would be delivered to the Indianapolis plant, where the body and powertrain were removed then refitted with their four-wheel-drive conversion kits. Within the conversion kit was a four-speed manual truck transmission, 11-inch clutch, a heavy-duty transfer case to allow for on-demand engagement of the front axle, and a reinforced chassis. The plan was received with open arms by Ford, which agreed to market the converted trucks through their dealers. The vehicles sold through the Ford dealers were set at twice the price of the production standard-drive wagons. Almost all hand-built, Marmon-Herrington’s conversion rates were slow and resulted in a small output. Between the slow production rate and high markup, few Marmon-Herrington’s made their way into the public’s hands. None of Marmon-Herrington’s factory production records survived, so the exact number of how many were converted is unknown, but many Marmon-Herrington aficionados agree that less than 15 Ford examples survive today. A lovely example of the scarce Maron-Herrington converted Fords, this early 1938 example is the recipient of an older compressive restoration. Finished in Dartmouth Green, it nicely complements the varnished wood paneling. Properly equipped with Ford accessories like a banjo steering wheel, a “Ford” clamshell exhaust tip, clock mounted in the glove box, it has also been fitted with STA Super Traxion 7.00-15LT 6-ply tires that encapsulate chrome “V8” script dog dish hubcaps, leaving it ready to conquer newfound land. Built to thrive in unfavorable conditions with its 4x4 capabilities, it’s only right it had an unaltered, tired, and true Flathead V-8. With a 221 cubic-inch displacement and rated at 85 horsepower combined with its new 4x4 conversion, these Marmon-Herrington had more than enough power to get one out of a less-than-ideal driving situation or better yet, put them into a more favorable one. The mechanical components, which included the engine and transmission, were recently gone through in the summer of 2024 at the Early Ford V-8 Museum’s specialty restoration building in Auburn, Indiana. This 1938 Marmon-Herrington 4x4 Station Wagon is a quality driver example, that is rare and seldom seen pioneering automobile that WOOD make for a wonderful example to ones collection. This 1938 Marmon-Herrington 4x4 Station Wagon is located in Auburn, Indiana, which is centrally located and a short couple hour drive from Indianapolis, Indiana, Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, and Cleveland, Ohio.