PreWar Mercedes Benz

The car in Edinmass's post is a Cabriolet A, which, in my opinion is more beautiful than the much more valuable Special Roadster.

Top up - Cab A is much prettier, for sure, but with the top down the Spezial-Roadster is the star. Since I only drive convertibles with the top down, I'll go with the Spezial-Roadster. If I wanted the top up, I'd go with the Spezial-Coupe with rear spats (not the Caracciola coupe). Unfortunately, I'm never going to have a roadster and a coupe to choose from every day!

Speaking of roadsters, has anyone heard what the final disposition of the $3M war booty 500K roadster after the court awarded it to the family rather than the winning bidder?

I believe the litigation is on going.

I believe the litigation is on going.

.... and will continue until the car has to be sold to pay the lawyers.

I have been searching for a way to write a barn find story on King Farouk's 540K C cabriolet, pictured on this website by the last museum that had it

http://www.fmm.co.za/dt_portfolio/mercedes-benz-540k-cabriolet/

in South Africa. That's because Farouk was such a party animal, but what I need to find out is: a Frenchman found it in France, I was wondering what year that was, and approximately what he bought it for? I don't care about its present day value (I am sure it starts at a million) I only want to know what I could have bought it for if I'd known it was sitting derelict in France back in the Fifties or Sixties. Any tips appreciated. (by the way when you open the site, they have some really great cars, must be all that diamond money....)

I don't care about its present day value (I am sure it starts at a million) I only want to know what I could have bought it for if I'd known it was sitting derelict in France back in the Fifties or Sixties. Any tips appreciated.

In 1958 a 540K Cab B RHD was offered in a London magazine for 550 pounds. Running, but missing some trim and other parts, I believe.

The going rate for 500k/540k cars the late 50s - early 60s was anywhere between 2k-7k. The high number being a nice special roadster with the low number being for cars that needed work. Perhaps a few went for less but most prices I have seen were in that range.

The going rate for 500k/540k cars the late 50s - early 60s was anywhere between 2k-7k. The high number being a nice special roadster with the low number being for cars that needed work. Perhaps a few went for less but most prices I have seen were in that range.

In 1958, avg annual income was $5,000; a house was $20,000; and an average car about $2,200. So the price of the $7,000 special roadster was about 17 months income; or you could have bought 3 new cars. Thirteen years after the war, how many folks were able to spend 1/3 the value of a house on a used car? That $7,000 in 1958 is probably about $57,000 today. I wish I could buy a special roadster now for $57,000. When you think about these price comparisons you really see the appreciation in value.

Here are pictures of a pre war SS Mercedes I took earlier this year at the annual Emirates Classic Car Festival In Dubai. Can anyone help identify it ? I am wondering if it is genuine or a replica as the exhausts are on the right ( when viewed from front) instead of on the left on similar looking Mercedes cars. Details were so accurate so I couldn't tlee.

Hoping someone here can confirm what this is

I don't know much about SS cars, but I don't remember any with left side exhaust except one SSKL in the D-B Museum according to Taylor's book. The radiator V looks way too pointed. Gauges on the dash look sort of like "modern classics" to me. I have to leave it to someone who knows more about these cars, but I would be suspicious too.

The thing is with the money they have in Dubai guys get some really wacky cars, last year there was a replica of a Blue Train Bently, faithful to the last bolt, only on opening the bonnet one could lear it was a replica as it had a straight eight four carb motor !!!

Was hoping this one is real, looked amazing.

Radiator looks too far forward, which would have thrown the first red flag for me.

Pretty poor detail in the fender light rubber pad, wouldn't you say?

So its not real then ?

Craig and West's comments are my feelings too. A better shot of the dash and I would say something more definitive but it wouldn't be fair for me to make any other comments. I will say it looks like a very nice car.

Looks real to me. They could leave it a my place anytime.

Just out of curiosity, where any of you guy's also at the London auction in 2013. What were your thoughts. I heard that the cars were low due to being shopped around for a number of years. Would this be true? I had pretty good luck [on behalf of a customer of mine}. Did any one else buy anything?

I just noticed the hubs. Never seen anything like that before.

Yes, David, I think we'd all enjoy having someone "leave the car at our place anytime." That's not the point. The point is, would you spend the kind of money it took to create such a beast (if in fact it is a creation), or would you rather spend the money for an authentic car that was built in 1929?

Not an SS chassis though.

Without a close scrutiny I would say the wheels/hubs are Rudge-Whitworth 100's or 120's.

It appears to be a 1924 model judging by the lights and the dash and the 28/90 of that time had the exhaust exiting on the left side of the car however I think the car in question maybe a bigger model than that.

Just out of curiosity, where any of you guy's also at the London auction in 2013. What were your thoughts. I heard that the cars were low due to being shopped around for a number of years. Would this be true? I had pretty good luck [on behalf of a customer of mine}. Did any one else buy anything?

I was watching the auction live online. See my comments above from that time period. I was only watching the supercharged cars, so I can't speak to the results overall, but I know at least one of those cars did not sell until after bidding closed. There were some really high reserve amounts. My recollection is that the 380(K)'s sold high, but the 500/540K's were average or below prices. In general my sense was the London sale was a good time to buy.

It will be interesting to see how Bonham's does with their all-Mercedes auction in July in Stuttgart. Maybe London wasn't the best venue for an all-Mercedes sale, or perhaps it's tough to generate above-average prices in a single-marque sale.

I was watching the auction live online. See my comments above from that time period. I was only watching the supercharged cars, so I can't speak to the results overall, but I know at least one of those cars did not sell until after bidding closed. There were some really high reserve amounts. My recollection is that the 380(K)'s sold high, but the 500/540K's were average or below prices. In general my sense was the London sale was a good time to buy.

It will be interesting to see how Bonham's does with their all-Mercedes auction in July in Stuttgart. Maybe London wasn't the best venue for an all-Mercedes sale, or perhaps it's tough to generate above-average prices in a single-marque sale.

Friend of mine was on auction. Have seen many cars in person many cars are or re body and reproduction. That the reason why many cars sold so cheep.

Friend of mine was on auction. Have seen many cars in person many cars are or re body and reproduction. That the reason why many cars sold so cheep.

One of the 380k's looked wrong the front and rear fenders and how the matched the trunk looked very fishy. hard to put my finger on it. lot 118 was on my list to inspect in person, but I couldn't feel comfortable with it. I did however buy lots 101, 110 and 152. 152 needed a little work but i knew that going in. I will say I have never had the kind of service from a auction house as I received at that auction.

One of the 380k's looked wrong the front and rear fenders and how the matched the trunk looked very fishy. hard to put my finger on it. lot 118 was on my list to inspect in person, but I couldn't feel comfortable with it. I did however buy lots 101, 110 and 152. 152 needed a little work but i knew that going in. I will say I have never had the kind of service from a auction house as I received at that auction.

Were those 320s? Post some pictures for us.

http://rmauctions.com/results/result.cfm?SaleCode=LF13

Here are the results of that sale with photos.

Lot 101 was a 1886 Benz recreation. Lot 110 was a 1931 370 k that the pics on the catalogue do not do justice. Lot152 was a 1934 290 Cab a. This car was not detailed well and had a rear spring issue. Once solved and wiring replaced turned into a very nice car. I have pics on my Facebook page under vintage rod shop. I will post a link a little later

1934 290 cab a

1931 370 k

I have always loved those 290 Cab "A"s. There are very few of them floating around. If you could convince the owner to get a set of tires with the correct tread pattern and maybe go with a darker color on the wheels it would be perfect. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Not to de-rail your Mercedes thread alsancle but are you familiar with Horch's? I have one would like your opinion on it.

I don't think it would derail anything but since we don't have a Horch thread I started one. Would love to see the car so you can post it over there.

RM Monterey will auction the one-off 540K Special Cabriolet with the pointed grill. It sold in 2007 (little over $1M) and 2010 (only $913K). Beautiful car, and really different from its siblings. I won't be surprised to see its value reverse course and head back up toward $1.75M. Bonham's has two supercharged cars in its Stuttgart sale so far.

The Jaffa car? Very cool, I agree - but I think that the lack of the Mercedes nose hurts it with the purists.

Here it is.

I personally quite like the front end. Was the car built on a "normal" roadster chassis or is it a little shorter?

Chassis is normal length.

I like it too, but I don't think I would choose it over the standard front end. It looks like a resto-mod and much less stately. The car does look smaller for some reason.

RM Monterey will auction the one-off 540K Special Cabriolet with the pointed grill. It sold in 2007 (little over $1M) and 2010 (only $913K). Beautiful car, and really different from its siblings. I won't be surprised to see its value reverse course and head back up toward $1.75M. Bonham's has two supercharged cars in its Stuttgart sale so far.

RM has added the very rare 1934 500K Mayfair Tourer to the Monterey roster. Looks like a roadster with a back seat. Really gangly with the top up, and there's something off about the transition from front fender to running board. Odd that the catalog has about 25 photos, but none of the left side of the car.

I need help finding a photo of a Special Roadster (the Sam Mann car, for example) that shows the spare cover lock clearly. It's at the bottom of the trim that runs down the "fin" and forms a handle on the covered spare version of the car. It's that round area in the photo below. I need to know whether the lock cover slides to the side or flips up, and whether the key is square or a regular key with teeth. My guess is it flips up like the rumble seat lock cover, and is a square key.

Does anyone have a good photo of the back end of either the silver Sam Mann car or one of the others with covered spare? Here's one I took, but not clear enough.

Thanks!!

For sale luggagerack type 200- 540k

http://www.prewarcar.com/index.php?option=com_caradvert&id=95835&section_id=3&view=ad&Itemid=29&token=16328

regards Jan

I think you may have mistakenly posted in this thread when you ment to post in the buy and sell forum.

Regards