Jump to content

Horch


alsancle

Recommended Posts

  • 3 months later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 10 months later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...
4 hours ago, alsancle said:

There have been 3 or 4 of those in "barn find" condition the last 10 years or so.    But, honestly, you are at Pebble and you leave the dust on it like you are posting an eBay auction?

As my mom always says "the original owner would not have tolerated that chip for even a minute."

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
  • 4 months later...

Does anybody have old records of pre war V-8 Horch cars?

 

OR, anybody have records back into the 40's-60's that have David Biggs from Clarksville Missouri?

 

David Biggs had two 1960's racing Ferrari's, Mercedes chain drive race car, 500K cab Mercedes, one of 3 pre war Blown Alfa's and MUCH more

To the point;

I ask, because I have a mid 1930's cowl tag off a Horch Cabriolet he owned,

complete side cabriolet roof folding rack to windshield,

big rear folding hinge

side cowl panel.

And the original cowl tag.

Is there a Club that has any records?

 

I want to sell these parts, but want to find out what I can about the car.

It did not have side mounts, did not have wire wheels.

It did have a rear seat, but was not seen when the top was up.

triple hinge doors.

It had a highly angled spare tire rack on the back trunk area and the framing that supported it was quite heavy and bolted directly to the frame rails..

Please let me know

Regards,

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

As mentioned above, and like the Horch picture posted directly above my post:

,

I have the large carriage roof chrome hinge,

I have the side cowl metal from windshield down to running board

The original serial number Horch plate from the cowl.

Also have the V-8 bronze engine tag too.

 

Great for a man cave or Horch owner, hard to beat a story like this?

Matter of fact, $300.00 plus shipping buys all.

 

From the David Biggs collection, that had one of the rarest Alfa's and Ferrari's in the world at the time, even a chain driven early racing Mercedes.

Respectfully submitted

John

 

Edited by harris speedster (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...
28 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Very slick. Beats the hell out of any 500/540 K. 👍

You know I love you, but you’re a nitwit.

 

edit: when I get some time I’ll do a comparison between a 500 K to 853. I’ve been around enough of both, but I think I can do one amateur job and explaining the differences.

Edited by alsancle (see edit history)
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never trust a car that has a star! Drive the 853 and you will never look back. The 500/540K jobs are outstanding cars…….buy one and you will be left out standing on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm doing this stream of consciousness so assume some of it is made up. We have friends from Germany lurking so their opinions would be most welcome and should take precedence over anything I say.  

 

 

1.   A Mercedes 500K Cabriolet C and an 853 Horch Cabriolet are comparable.   Both have 5 passenger Victoria bodies,  both 5 Liter, both are 100HP (blower off for Mercedes), both have 4 speed transmission and they are about the same size and weight.

 

2.  A Mercedes 540K Cabriolet C and and 853A Horch Cabriolet are comparable.  The Mercedes is 115HP without the blower engaged, and the 853A 120HP.   The later 540Ks went to a 5 speed, and a 2 speed overdrive became available on the 853.   

 

3.  I have lots of Mercedes seat time both driving and riding,  and have driven two different 853 Horch and rode in another.   Never been in an 853A and now that I'm older and wiser, I'm thinking I've only been in 1 or 2 fully sorted Mercedes.  

 

4.  The biggest difference between the 500K and the 853 is the supercharger.  Fully sorted (a rarity in the US) the blower adds lots of oomph to the Mercedes.   Top seed of the 500K is 100 Mph and the 853 is 83-88 mph depending on who you believe.   The Mercedes number was achieved by Autocar in a test in 1935.     A 540K and a 853A will be slightly faster.

 

5.  The Horch has a longer wheelbase by maybe 6 to 8 inches?   It is definitely roomier inside.   I'm willing to bet the curb weights are similar even though the Mercedes is smaller.

 

6.   The Mercedes is direct in third gear with overdrive in fourth.   The Horch seems to be direct in 4th.   I find the Horch easier to shift and I think it might be synchro in 2,3, 4.   Watch some of my videos driving a 500k and look at the comment section.  Our European friends can't help but make fun of the stupid American's poor double clutching.    You would think by 1936 the transmission would be fully synchro above 1st.     Both cars require you to be in 2nd gear by 10mph (at the latest)  and you can start out on the flat in 2nd with both.   The Mercedes owner's manual specifically calls that out.

 

7.  The Horch is built to a very high level of quality.  Thinking Senior Packard or V16 Cadillac.   The interior materials are even  better than that.   The doors are huge and sound like a bank vault shutting.  The Mercedes is a step above that.   For comparison the radiator on the Horch is standard design with a shell like American cars.   The Mercedes is a work of art with 16 thousand individual tubes soldered together with the shell.  Also 75K to 100K cost to replace.    If drop the gas cap of a 500K on your foot you are breaking a bone.  if you drop the Horch's you might not notice.  The Mercedes cap is very heavy and indicative of the over the top build quality.

 

8.  The both were considered grand touring cars for the Autobann,  but the Mercedes definitely has more of a performance bent with a higher top seed,  the supercharger, outside pipes and a tachometer in the dash.  To me, when I see a tach I always think of a sporting car.

 

9.  The Mercedes is definitely harder to sort properly and is much more complicated.  The fuel delivery system on the Mercedes with the Junkers Jumo aircraft fuel pump requires a PHD in fluid dynamics.

 

In summary, I would be happy for anybody to give me either car,  and would be thrilled to own either.   The market says the 500K is more desirable and apples to apples on condition the Mercedes will bring about 1.75 to 2 times the price of the Horch.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...