540K

500 K and 540 K is a featured class at Amelia 2019.

Maine or Oregon?

Monterey results: Mayfair Roadster $3,277,500 Bonham's + $500,000 over 2007 sale. Tourenwagen $1,215,000 Bonham's Cab B $577,500 Mecum - basically broke even on 2007 sale. This car was not great.

Huge gap in its history - almost 60 years unknown. Not sure how they concluded it is the original body since it didn't reappear to many until 1995, after complete restoration. From Christie's auction 2007: Chassis number 169350 is one of the desirable Cabriolet B versions of the supercharged Mercedes 540 K model that was ordered through Mercedes Benz Berlin with internal order number 257654. In the car’s file there is a fax by DaimlerChrysler A.G. from 1995, confirming the above and DaimlerChrysler have recently stated that the car was first registered on August 24th 1937 initially destined to be used as a demonstrator. Its bodywork was finished at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen bearing the number 825716. Little more is known about the car’s life until it resurfaced in the mid-nineties when it was completely restored. This impressive matching numbers Cabriolet B retains all of its original major components: chassis, engine and bodywork ... comes with Mercedes archive copies together with a copy of the manufacturer’s confirmation fax. Chassis 169350 was purchased by the current European owner in 1997 forming part of his private collection since then. It is clear that the car had been fully restored after being discovered in the early 90s, lots of the work being undertaken by well known Mercedes-Benz specialist Böhringer.

Mecum has added a Cab B to their Monterey auction.

Four years ago they told me $12M for the Mayfair roadster at the peak of the market, but that was just to get rid of the riff-raff, like me! I'm sure they would have quoted a more reasonable number to a serious buyer.

The majors only have two 500 K / 540 K cars up for auction in Monterey, both at Bonham's. 500 K Tourenwagen and the 540 K Mayfair roadster. I'm going to predict no sales on both because owners still trying to get pre-2015 prices. The Tourenwagen is not a popular body style, and the Mayfair because most of the money is going postwar sportscars. Hope I'm wrong! Both are beautiful cars. Estimate on Mayfair is $3.5-4.5M.

For sold cars, I don't know what games you are referring to. For unsold cars, there may be phantom bids.

I think perhaps because it's for sale.

I agree with his assessment, but it's a tempest in a teapot except for the competitors (as he admits). Were there at least 40 "more elegant" cars at Pebble Beach last year? Absolutely. BUT, it was one of 3 or 4 that even I thought had a shot at BoS, and I don't care much of anything for race cars - old or new. (Yes, it's called a "tourer," but it's a high-powered, 2-seat car designed by a racing driver. It's a race car.) The original concours d'elegance were marketing events for coachbuilders and other luxury item purveyors trying to garner sales (and stay in business). It's no longer a competition among coachbuilders and fashion designers, but among (mostly) millionaire car owners. It's a car show. Period. The "d'Elegance" name only stuck as a matter of tradition and convenience. Admittedly, there is still a sales aspect, as "Show on Sunday. Auction asap" seems to be the appropriate recoining of the old expression, "Win on Sunday. Sell on Monday." I find it curious that he suggests repeat winners being suspect. I don't find it suspect at all. They have the money to have the finest cars (plural). It's not like they're winning the same show with the same car repeatedly. In fact, some concours have rules against the same car competing again until a certain number of years have passed - especially if they won. They may be winning multiple shows around the country/world, but again, they have the money to participate with a rare car in Monterey one week, and Italy the next. What is suspect about that? The article is mostly about the fact he doesn't like this specific car's design. Well crap. I could give you a list of what I think are the 50 most "elegant" cars ever made, and as long as at least one example of those 50 cars is in the competition, no other car should ever win. Every other car outside of those 50 could be criticized for not being "as elegant." I could probably get it down to 30. Concours organizers have to pay the bills, and the bills get paid by putting butts in the seats (feet on the fairway, sponsors on the ledger and large donations to the chosen charity). That means playing to the current trends, and the current trend is sports and racing cars. As long as the millionaire collectors (the multi-thousand$ donors and sponsors) are focused on sports and racing cars, the concours organizers are going to kiss their feet. The subject car is a rare, meticulously restored, racing car owned by a major benefactor of the classic car world. All the most important boxes - check, check, check and check. However, if one of the top concours, like Pebble Beach, is going to specifically state that "elegance" is a main acceptance and judging criteria and not just part of their co-opted name (and I think they do), then they should stick to it. But to survive, concours now have to include classes for racing and sports cars, and it doesn't seem right if they were to exclude winners of those classes from the BoS judging. Was last year's winner "elegant" among other sports/racing cars in 1929? Maybe. It seems to me that rarity, restoration, historical significance, current popularity trend and the owner's financial leverage is a more apt description of the competition, but "Concours d'Millionaires with Expensive Toys" would be a tougher sell to the mass market. Maybe if they shortened it to CoMET...

Try Rolf Wagner in Germany.

Post-auction news reports are that the high bid was in fact $7M, but wasn't enough for the seller.

Just thought I would update now that I have the lift installed and have used it a few times. No big problems with the Direct Lift, but two things they should definitely change. First, the connecting rods used to release the locks are very easy to bend. One of them is 94" long, and if someone cranks the lever too hard or in the wrong direction, they will bend and stop working. I bought an extra set of rods just so I don't get caught with a car I can't get down. Second, they need to offer a 220v option for the motor. Overall, the 9-Plus works just fine and I would recommend it unless you need it to move faster. The caster set works easily. It would be easier to move with 2 people, but I've moved it around by myself without much trouble and in close quarters.

Said to be one of 5 surviving 770K OT's. One of 4 of Hitler's main cars. A pair of his socks sold for $20,000. There will be at least two people who really want it and can afford it. Is there a more infamous car in history (Kennedy's motorcade car)? If being sold by RM, Gooding or Bonham's in Monterey, I'd say the car goes for $7-10 million, but I'm not sure Worldwide in Arizona will see max dollars.

Alsancle knows a heck of a lot more than I do about 290's and 320's. Looks like there may be an original engine buried under a bunch of nonoriginal components; can't see enough detail of the radiator; top and wheels are definitely wrong. I really don't see mucn on the exterior that looks good. Didn't the 2 and 3 series cars only have 3 major gauges (not 7)? Did DBAG really cut holes in a frame like that other than the SSKL's? I thought most of those cars had suicide doors. Looks like a hatchet job to me - almost like a kit.

1937 Cab A going to auction at Coys next month. They have been asking 2.5M Euros.

540K Cab B not sold. 380 roadster sold 560,240 Euro.

540K Cab A won Best of Show, European, in Atlanta. Owned and restored by Evergreen Co.

540K Cab B and 380 roadster coming up at Artcurial's M-B sale.

This description from a Bentley FB page: "Outside the Rembrandt Hotel Kensington, December 2, 1945. The Bentley behind the Mercedes 540K looks like Woolf Barnato's Speed Six Coupe CJ3811. The Mercedes was also owned by Barnato apparently." vintageracecar.com July 1, 2015 has an article about this. I don't have a subscription to see what it says. If anyone knows who the photographer was, where this was originally published or knows where a high resolution image can be found, please let me know.

One more shot of the Pebble Beach BoS car. The trunk is a nice item, but ruins the look of the car. Also the "refreshing" shot of the 380, the Mayfair roadster that was red is now green, and the '29 SS by Castagna.

Thanks again to everyone. I've just about decided on the Direct Lift Pro-Park 9 Plus. I might have gone with the Pro-Park 8 Plus Long, but the 9 isn't that much more $ and I can probably put the pickup on it when I need to (would have been handy when I was putting those running boards on). Haven't found anything negative about it from actual users. $3500 including lift, casters, drip trays, jack tray, delivery and installed with oil. Dealer only 30 miles away. I can't see $1800 more value in the Rotary for my puny needs. To the extent anyone cares, I ruled out: Bendpak - requires air compressor, a little more expensive, but the best warranty. Advantage - more expensive, less warranty, not certified. Rotary - less clearance, lots more money, less warranty Backyard Buddy - important specs not on their website, lots more expensive, not certified. I did not look at Challenger, Revolution, etc., but would have if I had any qualms about Direct Lift. Could have researched more companies for weeks, but have found enough forums with comments on Bendpak, Direct Lift, Rotary, BYB to draw the line. For the most part, people like what they bought, whatever the brand, and if they have experience with more than one brand, both were okay. At some point it comes down to dimensions and cost rather than brand.

I noticed that noise on the video of the Direct Lift, but I figured a nice ca-chunk isn't a bad thing to know the safeties are engaged. Thanks for the lever tip. I'm still leaning towards Direct Lift, though I have moved up in size in case I ever want to put my truck on it. Maybe I shouldn't say "leaning" when talking about lifts!

I've been told I can squeeze six pennies out of a nickel, but, as you know, I'll pay up when it's important - particularly for safety. So far I have compared the specs on Rotary, Bendpak, Advantage, Backyard Buddy and Direct Lift. I have some questions to ask when businesses open on Monday, but at the moment I'm leaning towards Direct Lift. Partly because there's a dealer/installer within 30 miles. The Rotary is the second choice but it just seems like overkill for a 14K# lift, which is apparently their lowest rated lift now. One thing I've noticed so far is a lack of any significant negative reports on any brand. I'm not sure I can go too far wrong given my needs. Thanks for all the responses and advice! I'll keep digging. Anyone with Direct Lift experience, let me know.

I have no doubt the Soviets and Americans took whatever was convenient, but I haven't seen any evidence such a huge percentage (70-78% according to Buickliner) was in the Soviet Union by 1947. Without some evidence to prove those statistics, it is all just speculation that cannot be relied upon.