While our just purchased 1966 250SE Cabriolet has but 30k original miles on the clock, it has been a moderate project to re-commission for enthusiastic tour and event use. A Christmas day road test demonstrated virtually 'as-new' road behavior from this mind boggling original 111 cabriolet.

End of year progress
Two in and Two out

Try as we might, we won’t be able to finish our cool 250SE 5-spd coupe in time for Martin Swig’s New Year’s Day Anti-Football Run. There are other possibilities, however, as two other interesting cars have joined our never ending group of works in progress.

Two of our recent projects are indeed complete, one of which is now safely in New Jersey with its elated new owner. The two new acquisitions couldn’t be farther apart with regard to style, value and refinement. We bring you up to date on our projects below.

“The icon gold 5.0 is a trip to drive. The custom exhaust and the tight steering make it a fun car to take on the open road.”

1954 300b

Our imposing ’54 300b has been ready to go for a few weeks lacking only its massive chromed and painted wheel covers. Superior Chrome in San Jose stripped, repaired and re-chromed all four covers after which I carefully taped off the center star before handing them to the painter. Now installed with blackwall tires, these beautiful covers complete the 3 liter sedan’s regal look.

Driveability is vastly improved after comprehensive carburetor work and extensive vacuum leak repair. Our trusted shop, Burlingame Motors next door to us,  handled all the technical work. All fluids were checked and valves adjusted. She now starts well hot and cold and pulls cleanly through all ranges although with 136 hp SAE underfoot acceleration is leisurely. Largely untouched, this 300 retains it factory build quality and wafts down the road without a creak or moan.

Our 300b now glows after heavy color sanding/polishing and installation of restored wheel covers, a $1,500 investment. Blackwall tires complete the period look and take us back to 1954.

250SE Coupe

Extensive mission creep accurately describes our 111 coupe project. We’re after a fully sorted tour and event car so chasing all the loose ends is essential. After changing all clutch hydraulics in an unsuccessful attempt to cure a clutch pedal  slow to return off the floor we were forced to pull the gearbox for a complete clutch inspection. The clutch was indeed dead and has been renewed and re-installed.

The dash is beginning to go together which enables us to see the gorgeous Madera Concepts restored wood in place. Frankly, the wood is just superb and will be a high point of the completed car. Of course, as we assemble the wood each switch and lever needs to function correctly and are repaired as required. The clock received a quartz movement from Palo Alto Speedometer who also cleaned/serviced all the gauges. 111 coupe/cabriolet dashes are masterpieces of design and we’re looking forward to completing the interior.

Massive work remains and we have a new carpet set, dyna mat sections, recently chromed bumpers, factory replacement trunk perimeter panels and plenty of misc. hardware sitting on the bench awaiting installation. The back glass came out to allow restoration of the package panel in new Cognac leather and windshield seal also replaced.  So, the checks will continue to be written to see this elegant coupe through to completion.

Dash reassembly for the 250SE coupe is a tedious affair. We've reconditioned each item that goes back in place - gauges, clock, temp levers, radio etc. Restored dash will glow. New seat leather, new carpets and carefully dyed original dash pads/door panels are ready for installation.

450SLC 5.0

Done! We didn’t have much time to enjoy our cool Euro 5.0 liter SLC once completed due to an anxious buyer waiting for delivery. Our plan to simply paint the unique specially fabricated bumper void covers with the correct Neutral Grey Metallic evolved to painting the entire lower sections of the coachwork to acheive a consistent color match. Once completed, the car looked superb with a tough edge to match the rumble of our specially fabricated exhaust.

New owner Michael C. seemed pleased after his first drive. “The icon gold 5.0 is a trip to drive. The custom exhaust and the tight steering make it a fun car to take on the open road. Without the chrome bumpers, I am seriously thinking of putting in some period correct recaro seats and following in the footsteps of that company you talk about from Belgium that is producing slc rally cars again.”

Our Euro SLC is now in the east coast. Sans bumpers and with the unique covers installed, the Icon Gold SLC takes on a tougher stance. Cosmetics recovered remarkably well after an aggressive color sand and polish. We'll miss this muscular 5.0 liter SLC.

Had the car remained in our inventory, the next step would have been short, progressive rate springs and a set of spot lights to complete the look. We're already after another 5.0 liter, a late series 1980 500SLC.

New Arrivals
Elegance and character

Our new projects, a tatty but exceptionally original Fintail and breathtaking 30k mile 250SE Cabriolet, occupy very different positions in the collectible Mercedes hierarchy. Each has a special charm although at very different price points. Acquiring the 250SE stressed our finances to the limit but writing the check for the fin was a cinch.

1966 200D

This homely but particularly solid black plate California car had been for sale for quite some time. Not worth a specific trip across the SF bay to inspect, I inspected it while in the area looking at what turned out to be a disaster 6.3. I found an absolutely rust and damage free fin with saveable original beige interior and $7,500 of recent mechanical work: engine overhaul, fresh brakes, sealed fuel tank, new tires, new clutch and plenty of other misc. reconditioning.

Owned by a dedicated and very hands-on MB enthusiast and running/driving quite well, this fin was an ideal candidate for some further technical sorting but NO cosmetic improvements to disturb the wonderful patina resulting from a 20 year slumber in a Los Gatos, CA barn . We’ll polish what remains of the largely original paint but there will be no paintwork whatsoever.

Our technical regimen has included full steam cleaning, a fresh brake booster, new tie rod ends/alignment. Starting the car cold requires about 10 minutes(!) of coaxing so we’ll replace the fuel injection pre-pump. Once hot this 60hp diesel fires immediately and is remarkably responsive on the road.

To allow a comprehensive detailing we’ve removed the bumpers/rocker moldings and insignias. The wheel caps will be stripped and repainted and we’ll visit our secret fintail graveyard to source a radio, intact rear seat back, lr tail light lens, manuals, horn pad and misc other odds and ends.

This cool fin will be our mount for January 1st’s Anti-Football tour.

Recently rescued from a barn and now running superbly after a $7,500 mechanical rebuild, our unmolested 200D is a great 111 sedan find. Thankfully, no one altered this car from its original specification. Dead paint will be left alone.

Moderately weathered but completely original interior will be massaged as best possible. Panel fit and closure is as good as the day it was originally sold. However, dry door seals prompt massive door rattles while the diesel idles. We love the overall patina.

1966 250SE Cabriolet

The adage ‘they’re only original once’ aptly describes our spectacular untouched 30k mile mid series 111 Cabriolet. This museum quality 250SE required a total of 10 years from my initial inspection to purchase. I had inspected the car in 2001 while still with its original owner in San Francisco. There was no deal at that time and after passing through two subsequent owners the beautifully preserved Cabriolet landed in San Bernardino in 2008, taken as collateral for an urgent loan.

Fortunately, each owner respected the car’s extraordinary condition and low mileage thus preserving one of the finest 111 Cabriolets on the planet. Our reconditioning includes the following:

• New 75 series tires
• Major Service, new MBZ battery, clutch slave cyl/hose
• New trailing arm bushings, engine mounts, trans mount, shocks
• New brake hoses, Brake flush, fuel lines, rear muffler

It’s back on the road and provides the rare experience of driving an essentially new 250SE Cabriolet. We’re particularly happy it’s fitted with a manual gearbox and no AC, a most sporting combination. Inspecting all the nooks and crannies reveals virtually new finishes and hardware and little evidence of use.

How original is this car? The interior is 100% original and retains the appearance and scent of a new car. Handbooks are flawless. The tool roll has never been out of the plastic wrap. Every square inch of the trunk appears new, from the unused spare to the various hardware and decals. With only a careful undercarriage steam and detail, an alignment and few minor items remaining, this magnificent Cabriolet will be ready just after the New Year.

Burlingame Motors' brain trust Rene Wiegand and Al Salas attend to one of the most original Cabriolets in the country.

________________________________

What will 2012 deliver to the MercedesHeritage premises? We’re not entirely sure but our searches continue. If you know of an interesting old or youngtimer, please email us or call 650-343-7980. We pay handsomely for leads that lead to purchases. For now, we’ll push to finish our current cars and report back next month.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Photography from MercedesHeritage.com

Read the previous Projects article.

Read about the 111 series Coupe/Cabriolet.

Read about the SLC range.

_______________________________

Please comment on this article below.

As promised in April of this year, Mercedes Classic in Fellbach has completed a 220SE Fintail prepared to the FIA's International Sporting Code Appendix K. The light grey (DB 140) fin made its debut at the Nurburgring FHR contest the last weekend of October.

Factory Fintail returns to the ‘Ring’
Appendix K competition 220SE

Mercedes Classic has made good on its word to compete in Europe’s popular European Historic Racing Association (FHR) motorsports events. The factory prepared fuel injected 220SE sedan debuted at the season finale at the Nurburgring in late October.

Fintails figured prominently in Mercedes racing exploits during the early to mid-’60s. Early rally successes set the stage for further competition development. Ungainly and generally overweight compared to it’s road racing rivals, fintails had great success in Europe, particularly the big three liter 300SEs handled by Dieter Glemser and Eugen Bohringer during the 1964 Touring Car Championship.

I commented in my April 21, 2011 article on this program that we were unlikely to see Mercedes Classic’s resident pilot Jochen Mass at the wheel of a fully prepared fintail. While Mass was not on board, 1998 FIA GT Champion Klaus Ludwig was at the wheel on a track he knows well. Partnering Ludwig was Brit Andrew Frankel, Senior Contributing Writer and road test expert for Motor Sport magazine. As the British are wont to say, Frankel is one lucky bloke.

Anatomy of THE racing Fintail

Tweaking the Factory 220SE with any substantial current technology would not only contravene the rules of FIA’s Appendix K but would destroy the point of the exercise: recreating a racing experience among cars that raced together in period. Hence Mercedes Classic did not create a 220 hp fin to steamroll the competition. Undoubtedly one of the finest competition fintails on the planet, this grey sedan employs current technology for driver safety only. We see a contemporary racing seat fitted with state-of-the art harnesses, an on board fire system and a roll cage very likely designed on MB’s computers. The rest of the car is largely stock – much like when Fins raced in period – albeit constructed to exceptionally highest standards. Some specifications from Mercedes follow. The stated power output seems very low to me at 120hp. A well built 220SE motor using the Factory’s machining and porting capabilities should return at least 180hp. Perhaps the competition mind games have begun…

• Engine: six-cylinder (in-line)
• Bore x stroke: 80 x 72.8 mm
• Cubic capacity: 2195 cc
• Output: 120 bhp (88 kW) at 4800 rpm
• Maximum torque: 19.3 mkg (189 Nm) at 3900 rpm
• Front axle: double wishbone, coil springs, anti-roll bar, telescopic shock absorbers
• Power transmission: via propshaft on rear axle
• Rear axle: single-joint swing axle with compensating spring, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
• Brakes: hydraulic braking system with brake booster
  Front brakes: disk brakes, diameter: 253 mm
  Rear brakes: Duplex drum brakes with turbo-cooled Alfin drums,
  diameter: 230 mm
• Transmission: 4-speed manual transmission with floor shift
• Clutch: single-plate dry clutch
• Top speed: approx. 170 km/h

Spotless interior of new competition 220SE reveals on board fire system, triangulated roll cage and largely original dash layout complete with wood and pad. Note flawless cad plated inner door hardware.

Engine bay appears as original right down to original VDO windshield washer bag. But make no mistake, this is one precisely assembled M 127 series injected 2.2 liter six.

Driver comfort and safety is paramount today, even in the lower horsepower racing categories. Pilots Ludwig and Frankel enjoy a highly supportive racing seat, properly anchored state-of-the-art harnesses. Side impact roll cage bars have been removed. Note the two connector bars protruding from the lower B pillar area.

Choices

I’ve just finished an article on AMG’s uncoming Black Series edition of the SLS AMG Gullwing road car. While this striking new brute will feature 600+ hp, catapult you to 60 mph in barely three seconds and only run out of steam once the speedometer tips over 200 mph, my tastes lie elsewhere.

Were I presented with the choice acquiring the ribbed metal keys to the 220SE detailed above or the plastic electronic fob that allows the sinister SLS Black Series to burst to life, I would opt for stepping back to 1964. The 220SE is a fun, user friendly ‘all rounder’ suitable for tours and most vintage racing events. If you make a mistake you’re off the road at 85 mph rather than 155 mph with far less potential damage to life and limb. There’s a proper shift lever protruding from the floor that requires finesse when used with a device that is rapidly disappearing from our automotive consciousness – a clutch pedal. It’s a matter of underkill trumping overkill…

View our Fintail classifieds.

View our Fintail Videos.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Photography from Daimler Benz

_________________________________

Please comment on this article below.

Now in its second year, the Legends of the Autobahn is gaining momentum. With strong support from the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, BMW CCA and the Porsche Club of America, this year's event featured over 500 cars on display.

Legends Returns
Friday August 19, 2011
Rancho Canada Golf Club, Carmel Valley

Gaining attention for a new event during the typically exhausting August Monterey week is an uphill battle. Event marketing begins earlier and earlier each year as promoters jostle for the attention and disposable income of the hoards of generally sophisticated enthusiasts that overwhelm the Peninsula each August.

Were it not for Sports Car Market magazine’s handy timeline guide, an Excel Worksheet would be required to keep track of the proceedings. I counted 18 events of moderate to high interest taking place from Monday the 15th through Sunday the 21st. Retirement seems to be the only sure fire way to try to take it all in.

This year’s Legends of the Autobahn celebration of quality German automobiles seems to be gaining some traction and the Mercedes-Benz presence was up this year with MBCA members providing about 100 cars. An event for car owners rather than spectators, Legends attracted 500 cars with strong support form BMW and Porsche. Factory BMW support was evident with the BMW Hommage 328 design exercise.

Advertisement

We had hoped to have our project 250SE 5-speed coupe to display but customer demands dictated we couldn’t ready our unique sunroof coupe in time. A lucky find in Santa Cruz on my way to Monterey Thursday(!) allowed me to swap my E-Class wagon for a spectacular 49k mile 1970 280SE sedan. It was no Gullwing but still a vintage MBZ with personality that I was proud to ease onto the grass among the acres of other cool Teutonic iron. I parked next to a new SLS Gullwing sadly covered with gouges after a serious episode of “keying.”

The author's simple but spotless 280SE sedan lines up next to some heavyweights. Grey skies prevailed most of the day.

MBCA Award Winners

Best of Show (all marques)- Gerry Holzapple, 1969 280SL
People’s Choice (all marques)- Pat Matthews, 1957 300Sc Cabriolet
Best of Marque (Mercedes)- Gerry Holzapple, 1969 280SL

Class 1 (1886-1962 Vintage Open Cars)
1st – Jeff Lotman, 1961 300SL Roadster
2nd – Pat Matthews, 1957 300Sc Cabriolet
3rd – Bob Buckter, 1960 220SE Cabriolet

Class 2 (1886-1959 Vintage Closed Cars)
1st – Chad Hunt, 1955 300SL Gullwing
2nd – Pat Matthews, 1957 300Sc Coupe
3rd – John Willot, 1955 300SL Gullwing
4th – Peter Thomas, 1952 W194 Gullwing

Class 3 and Class 5 (1963-1991 Classic and Modern Open Cars)
1st – Carole Osselaer, 1972 350SL
2nd – Steve Ross, 1987 560SL
3rd – Thomas Uniak, 1969 280SL

Class 4 (1960-1971 Classic Closed cars)

1st – Keith Morgan, 1971 300SEL 3.5
2nd – Pat Matthews, 1967 230S Sedan
3rd – Frank Pecarich, 1967 250SE Coupe

Advertisement

The event came off beautifully thanks to the exceptional efforts of MBCA’s Laura Simonds and event coordinators for the PCA and BMW CCA. Legends is another reason to become an MBCA member and I encourage you to peruse the Club’s website for all the benefits. We proudly present many of the judged Mercedes-Benz below. See you next year!

If you wish to buy high resolution prints from our collection of Monterey Week images, visit Classic Motoring Images.

Keith Morgan attends to his class 4 winning 1971 300SEL 3.5. His air suspension 109 series sedan is fairly rare with only 3,225 units constructed in 1971.

Pat Matthews' gorgeous and highly original 300Sc coupe took 2nd place honors in Class 2. Only a handful of these fuel injected 188 series coupes were constructed.

Carole Osselaer's tobacco brown 1972 350SL captured 1st place in class 3/5. When will these early 107 SLs finally become collectible?

As a Fintail addict, I would kill to own Pat Matthews' amazing 4 speed 230S Fintail. Remarkably original in every respect - except the newly fitted 15' Universal wheels - and fitted with a floor mounted 4-spd and sunroof, it's one special Fin. It placed 2nd in class 4.

One of my favorites at the show, this restored 0319 kombi was spectacular in every respect. The result of an expensive decade-long restoration, this gem was a welcome relief to the usual Mercedes-Benz fare at the show.

Peter Thomas looks justifiably satisfied with the most audacious and expensive rig at this year's Legends. The 194 re-creation was secretly constructed over 5 years on a cost no object basis. It's a masterpiece of fabrication. The blue Renntransporter was originally commissioned by Mercedes-Benz to replace the original it crushed in 1967. Both are for sale from MercedesHeritage.com.

Steve Ross' always in vogue Champagne (473) 560SL captured 2nd place in class 3/5. 560SLs are always in style and MercedesHeritage.com has 3 in stock.

Legends at the Legends: l-r: Sammy Rad, Eli Benhamo, Wally Buch and Pat Matthews. A serial Mercedes-Benz hunter, Sammy R. bought the Golf Club gardener's 280SE low-grille coupe after spying it in the parking lot!

Another favorite of mine, this light custom Gullwing is always a nice diversion from the politically correct restored Gullwings. With lots of chrome, candy burgundy paint and other subtle modifications, this Rudge wheel GW makes quite an impression.

The meticulous Wally Buch (in the tan hat) chats all things Mercedes next to his spotless black (040)/tan roadster. Nary a bolt has been left unturned in his effort to fully sort his SL.

Will Clark surveys the proceedings next to his Rudge wheel 300SL roadster.

The Chad and Barbara Hunt Gullwing.

A contrarian hit at the show was this road warrior quasi AMG retro 300SEL 3.5. Owner Udo Putzke bought the car for $500 and 'personalized' it extensively. Legends will have to create a new class next year to accommodate this wild 108 sedan.

It was a fine day for Jeff Lotman and restorer Jurgen Klockemman. Lotman's freshly body-off restored 1961 Roadster picked up 1st place in class 1.

Bronze and black 2-tone 111 3.5 sunroof coupe.

This creme 300S coupe was an interesting addition as it exuded an comfortable patina. I'm not so sure this is a correct period color.

Bob Buckter stands proudly next to his attractive two-tone 1960 220SE cabriolet. The color scheme was specially conceived by Bob, a professional colorist.

Pat Matthews' glorious deep blue 300Sc roadster sits next to his maroon Sc cabriolet.

Moss Green 280SL.

The epitome of middle '50s elegant and reasonably rapid continental transportation, Pat Matthews' stunning 300Sc Cabriolet glows even under grey skies. It won the People's Choice award.

Frank Pecarich's 1967 250SE coupe?

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com

Photography from MecedesHeritage.com and Gary Anderson

___________________________________

Please comment on this article below.

Racing activities for Mercedes-Benz in the '60s centered around racing and rallying the quirky but durable Fintails. This trio of Fins found great success in the 11th Acropolis Rally in 1963. l-r: Ewy Rosquist/Ursula Wirth (3rd in class and 12th overall in a 220SEb), Eugen Bohringer/Rolf Knoll (overall winner in their 300SE), Dieter Glemser/Klaus Kaiser (2nd in class and 5th overall).

Mercedes Classic to support European GT Race Series

Cognizant of their parent companies success in European sports and GT racing in the ’60s, Mercedes Classic will partner with FHR (Fahrergemeinschaft Historischer Rennsport e.V.) during the 2011 season. FHR supports lively vintage sport and GT car road and rally events throughout Europe. FHR has been promoting historic motorsport in Europe for almost 30 years and has contributed to the growth in buying, preparing and racing unique ’60s cars, from the mundane to the exotic.

A typical FHR under 2.5 liter sports/GT field covers a wide and eclectic group of cars. Here we see Alpine A310s, Volvos, sundry Fiats, BMW 2002s, etc sitting in parc ferme at a Hockenheim historic meeting. Where are the Fintails?

Mercedes Classic Partnership

Just what this partnership means remains to be seen. The press release notes “the partnership will also entail the presence of Mercedes-Benz Classic at all race events” and “Mercedes-Benz Classic will be creating a meeting point for drivers and teams under the banner ‘Mercedes-Benz & Friends.’ Will we see MBZ’s Jochen Mass on the grid in a factory prepared 220SE Fintail? Probably not. And I’ve yet to receive an invitation for guest drives in the storming ex-Bohringer 300SE so it seems Mercedes Classic’s presence will be to “revive memories of an exciting chapter in its own history.”

Nurburgring 6 Hour June 16, 1963: The Bohringer/Glemser 300SE hurls through the forest. At this time the 300SEs were fitted with 15" wheels, 5-speed gearboxes and produced about 200hp. The Fintail's real competition success was in rallying however.

Walter Schock seems pleased with his filthy 220SE after a stage of the 1960 edition of the Acropolis Rally. He would go on to win the event outright. Note that one of the headlamp screens has flown off and the auxiliary lighting that includes a center spotlight.

Fintails in the spotlight?

We tend to forget that 220SE Fintails notched 117 wins around the globe in 1960, including the torturous Monte Carlo Rally. Durability, driver comfort and well balanced handling endeared the ungainly Fins to the pilots of the day. Maybe it’s time to raise awareness about the virtues of the Fintail. Look for demonstrations of the cool race/rally Fintails and the occasional appearance of the Liege-Sophia-Liege Rally winning 230SL (a recreation as the original car was lost).

We’re on board with Mercedes Classic. It’s time to recall the Fintail’s exploits in the early ’60s and celebrate small bore GT racing then and now. We’re after a few tour/event candidates: a 220SE with floor mounted four-speed gearbox and have our eyes on a dead 300SE w/sunroof…

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Photography from Mercedes-Benz

_____________________________

Be sure to comment on this article below.

This is a common sight across the United States: a Mercedes fintal rotting decaying back to the earth. This is one of only 5,202 300SE Sedans constructed. The chrome molding running the length of the body's beltline it the tipoff as is the sagging air suspension. A keen eye will also spot the large cam cover of the 160hp M189 engine.

The neglected Fintail

As we search the United States for unique vintage Mercedes-Benz, one recurring discovery is the vast number of sad looking 110/111 sedans, also known as the ‘Fintails.’ From California to Oregon to Ohio, there is no shortage of baked and moldy fins. What’s the deal?

Production numbers have much to do with so many owners consigning their fins to rot in the back yard. Summing the total production of the many fintail iterations reveals 774,847 110/111 sedans constructed from 1959-1968. With this massive production, values will remain very low and when fintails require moderate to significant reconditioning, many are simply pushed aside to die.

Oh my, another grand 300SE slowly dying. What a pity. This car is fitted with a sunroof and seems to be an original 040 black car. In its day, a long wheelbase 300 SE sedan was the transport of choice for international dignitaries, movie stars and titans of industry. Will this car ever return to the road?

How about a black license plate California 300SE in 519 red? This car looks fairly intact. With restoration costs far exceeding the market value of a finished car, this 300SE will likely die the slow death of a parts car.

One source of demand for 300SEs is to Europe where for modification into track and event cars along the theme of the 1963 rally cars driven by Eugen Bohringer. A manual gearbox is important however. Once again, end values will not justify large expenditures to create a rally car clone. $1000 could buy a donor car such as this 519 red SE.

Not all fins are decaying. This is the author's spectacular original paint 1967 230S. Modified for mild tour and event use, the 268 green sedan received 14" 280sL wheels/wheel covers, lowered suspension, a lovely Nardi steering wheel and European headlights. After a massive technical rebuild, it was used day to day for over a year before selling to the Netherlands at a $10k loss!

We’re fans of the quirky fintail. And I confess to having found a intact 300SE with a sunroof languishing in a barn about 4 hours from the MercedesHeritage.com headquarters. Will this be the first MercedesHeritage project car? Stay tuned.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Photography Roy Spencer and unknown.

Recommended Reading:
The Mercedes-Benz since 1945, Volume 2: The 1960s by James Taylor

____________________________________

Be sure to comment on the article below.

]]> http://www.mercedesheritage.com/2010/dead-fins-neglected-fintails/feed/ 7 http://www.mercedesheritage.com/2010/discovered-fabulous-fintail-with-14k-miles/ http://www.mercedesheritage.com/2010/discovered-fabulous-fintail-with-14k-miles/#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2010 02:30:35 +0000 Roy Spencer http://www.mercedesheritage.com/?p=6881

What would a new fintail look and feel like? After driving this museum quality 14k mile 200D, we think we now know. This charismatic 4-speed diesel fairly glows in the afternoon shade. It's led quite a charmed life.

The Finest Fin?

Have we found the best fintail in the United States? Maybe. This end of series 1968 200D is achingly dull and with a laughable 60hp would normally be an ignorable ’60s Mercedes sedan. But wait. The odometer reads a mere 14,088 miles and the car shows essentially zero evidence of use.

Resplendent in 519 Red, this fintail is an immediate MBCA national show winner. And it's unrestored!

A closer examination reveals a mind boggling original fintail. Every nook and cranny looks…well…new! Trunk – perfect. Interior – zero wear. Paint and chrome – perfect. Handbooks – perfect. Should we call the salesman who sold the car new on 6-29-68 to see how the deal went down? Bobb Crane’s business card is still in the perfect owner’s handbook.

How does it drive? With only 14k miles on the clock, it performs like a new 200D. Every control performs precisely as Mercedes-Benz intended. Refinement at highway speeds is remarkable. Momentum is the key to attacking mountainous terrain and your throttle foot must remain on the mat.

The trunk and spare tire area are perfection. Note original spare showing the original green whitewall protective coating still in place. Have a look at the yellow tutorial tag hanging from the jack and the tool roll still in its original plastic bag. Amazing. You can eat dinner off the trunk floor.

We’ll put together a full road test soon on this wonderful little car. Have a look at the informative video below for an overview on the quirky and cool fintails.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Photography from MercedesHeritage.com

Please post your comments below.

Photography from Sun Valley Mercedes Dismantlers, Inc.

Have you been to the Mercedes Classic Center in Fellbach, Germany? We haven’t but thanks to an amazing group of images from Sun Valley Mercedes Dismantlers, we can take a virtual tour through many of the significant Mercedes-Benz constructed from the late 1800s to the 1970s and beyond. It’s a mouthwatering display of automobiles, many of which now reside in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Enjoy this walk through the Silver Star’s storied past.

Here we see a whitegray(158) 300SL roadster, the 190SL competition car and a 300d convertible sedan on the rack above the 190SL.

Mint low mileage 107s sitting in storage containers. Could they have delivery mileage only? Are they V-8 cars or the M110 twin cams?

With the fabled original gullwing-engined high speed transporter having been scrapped in 1967, Mercedes created this replica for PR purposes. Seen here with a 1954(?) W196 GP car aboard, the ungainly appearing transporter was capable of sustained 100 mph shuttles with a race car on its back. An idea from the fertile mind of team manager Alfred Neubauer.

A mind boggling group here. Another W196 GP car (#10) fronts a Sauber Mercedes Prototype and sits next to one of the wankel engined C111s. Behind the C111 we find one of the streamlined 1937 W125s specially prepared for the ultra-high speed Avus circuit in Berlin. #36 may have been von Brauchitsch's car in which he won Avus's 2nd heat with an average speed of 160.37 mph only to fall victim to a failed transmission in the final. Forty-three degree banking allowed the astounding average speeds. Note two more orange C111s sitting in storage boxes above the streamliner.

W194 300SL conquered LeMans for Mercedes-Benz in 1952 and provided the platform for the street version (W198) Gullwing introduced to a stunned motoring world in 1954. These early cars were carbureted.

One of one. This is the one and only fiberglass Gullwing constructed. Inspecting it in Pebble Beach circa 2004, I found the experimental coachwork quality quite crude. Note the "ponton" turn signal housings on each front fender.

Under restoration, this 1954 Grand Prix W196 Streamliner was constructed for high speed tracks. The streamliner returned an aerodynamic advantage of 20.5% over the open wheeled W196. Kling, Fangio and Hermann drove these cars in 1954, the Championship going to Fangio. Note massive inboard finned drum brakes sitting behind radiator.

Mercedes-Benz's 250GTO? The Uhlenhaut 300SLR coupes were fearsome street cars based on the Mille Miglia winning 300SLR roadsters. Constructed for racing manager Uhlenhaut's personal use and never sold to private owners, the straight eight coupe's value could rival that of Ferrari's $25m 250GTOs. With center throttle and deafening noise, the SLR coupe would be quite a driving experience.

Where it all began, the circa 1890 Benz "patent motorwagon."

A W29 500/540k Convertible A or B - hard to tell. Constructed from February 1934 to November 1939, these cars represented the pinnacle of prewar automobile design. Total production of 761 units (342 five liter cars and 419 five point four liter cars) guarantee stratospheric values today.

Cabernet Red R129 SL was a gift to Princess Dianna. After the uproar caused by Britain's then most visible personality driving a German sports car, it was quietly returned to Mercedes.

Circa 1991 Sauber C291 long distance Prototype coupe. Michael Schumacher's tenure driving Peter Sauber's Mercedes engined cars groomed him for Formula ! stardom.

1997(?) CLK GTR thrilled endurance race crowds in the later '90s. This author was one of those thrilled watching Ricardo Zonta's qualifying laps at Laguna Seca. The program faded after Peter Dumbreck's harrowing back flip into the trees at LeMans 1999.

Fabulous recreation of the Bohringer 300SE competition car, the ultimate fintail.

Recreation of the Spa-Sophia-Luttich Marathon Rally winning 230SL.

Charming 114/115 "stroke 8" series also represented at the Classic Center. With over one million constructed from 1968-1976, this series represented Mercedes' most successful passenger car range yet. One could drive a good example daily today.

Interesting 1969/1970 mid-engined C111 project featured 3 and 4 rotor wankel engines. Final 370hp 4-rotor versions were potent road cars offering 0-60 times of 4.8 sec and top speeds of 186mph.

Work-in-progress 600 sits on portable dolly. Note bare 300SL frame on wall in background and W196 streamliner's nose under engine hoist.

Two very interesting cars. The car in the lift is likely an open latter '30s 770 and to its left you can just see the tail of a prewar six wheel military parade car. More of Mercedes' storied and today somewhat controversial prewar heritage.

Three liter straight eight powerplant powered Mercedes back to the top of both the Grand Prix and Sports Car Championship world during 1954/1955. A technical marvel with desmodromic valve gear and Hirth type crankshaft, output peaked at 302hp.

Gorgeous 1932 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 convertible was displayed at the sumptuous 2009 Mercedes-Benz Classic Center display at Pebble Beach.

Through the past darkly: rows of Mercedes icons in storage.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com

Related links: Mercedes-Benz Classic Center Irvine, CA Parts, Sales, Service

Recommended reading:

The Mercedes-Benz Racing Cars by Karl Ludvigsen

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Racing 1934-1935 by George C. Monkhouse ISBN 0 904568 42 3

Mercedes-Benz W196 by Michael Riedner ISBN 0-85429-717-0

Please post your comments below.

Photography from European Car Magazine

Winding through 450km of scenic roads in the ski country surrounding Austria’s Montafon valley, the 2009 edition of the Silvretta Classic Rally brought together an eclectic group of cars that included a spectacular group of glorious Mercedes-Benz classics. With full support of the Mercedes Classic Center in Fellbach the event brought out a number of cars normally found sitting comfortably at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Among the gems from the factory were the clone Bohringer 230SL Rally car, a lightweight, alloy bodied 300SLS clone, a Gullwing, a standard 300SL roadster, a 1958 220s Cabriolet and another ex-Bohringer car, the impressive 1963 300SE “Fintail” rally car. Mercedes products comprised 20 of 156 cars entered.

Each day's section began in the Alpine village of Partenen. Rally prepared Ford Escort dives off the starting ramp here to start the day.

While the red 230SL rally car was an exact clone of the Spa-Sofia-Liege marathon rally winner in 1964, the thundering white roofed 300SE was the actual car that carried Eugen Bohringer to two consecutive Argentine Grand Prix (a 4,000 km cross country road/off-road race) wins.

Fabulous 230SL rally clone began life as a rusty US model sent to the Classic Center for "minor" rust repairs. Bohringer pushed Mercedes to create a duplicate of his long-lost rally champion for the Museum.

Each day of the rally began and ended at the Alpine Village of Partenen with the cars flagged off each day in alphabetical order according to make. The lucky pilot of the Factory 230SL rally car, Patrick Paternie, posted a journal of this fascinating event and we quote a few sections below amongst the images.

Former Argentine Grand Prix winner proved to be a handful for twisty sections of the often wet Silvretta.

“We were billeted a few miles down the road from Partenen in the village of Gaschurn at the Posthotel Rossle. Besides looking like a set from the “Sound of Music,” the hotel was notable for hosting a young Ernest Hemingway on more than one occasion in 1922 when he was learning to ski on the nearby slopes. About those slopes: The Silvretta Mountain range is roughly 2,200- to 3,200m high; the Piz Buin is the tallest peak at 3,312m (10,866 ft). Despite its early July date, the Silvretta Classic has been snowed on in the past. Fortunately, this year Mutter Natur dished up only occasional rain showers for us.”

Pausing amid spectacular scenery, three SL driver's savor the misty beauty of the Austrian peaks.

“The Hochalpenstrasse is a 14-mile stretch of Austria highway 188 just south of Partenen. It consists of a tightly coiled series of switchbacks (the route book claims 32 hairpins, but I was too busy working the steering wheel to count) that climb a 14% grade perched high above green valleys, surrounded, in the distance, by the iced serrations of snow-coated mountain peaks. When you dare flick your eyes away from the road, the view is spectacular. The downhill run unravels in a much straighter, 10% decline, but its negotiation is complicated by herds of contented cows that leisurely stroll, or even snooze, on the road.”

Lucky American, Patrick Paternie, roaring through the Alps in the Factory's rally 230SL!

“By day three, Peter and I had become a well-oiled rally machine. Too late to erase our early deficit, but we saw no shame in boasting about our best of the U.S. status. We were welcomed on the finish stand with a glass of champagne and the hearty appreciation of the organizers, who were truly happy that they had Americans in their event. And, other than the Austrian penchant for the worst of American oldies music (the polka band’s rendition of Volare was much preferred), this American enjoyed the chance to experience the Austrian hospitality, scenery and, of course, the fabulous roads.”

“Peter suggested we skip the awards banquet to take the SL and the 300SE out for one last blast over the Hochalpenstrasse. I agreed. After all, it is not every day you get to be Eugen Bohringer.”

Two unlikely heroes of Mercedes' '60s racing exploits pose for a parting shot.

Interior of racing 230SL an interesting mix of standard features and race/rally equipment. Deep seats with substantial side bolsters a must for competition driving.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com

Please comment on this article below.

In August 1959, Mercedes-Benz announced a thoroughly revised passenger car range. Under the slogan: “The new six-cylinders – in a class of their own” and as successors to the existing six-cylinder models came the following three completely re-designed models – the 220 b, 220 Sb and 220 SEb of the W 111 series. In addition to various differences in equipment detail, the three new models also differed in terms of their engines. A coupe version of the 220 SEb arrived in February 1961, and a convertible followed in September that same year.

220Sb "Fintail" debuted in late 1959 and featured chrome bumper overrides front/rear, full wheel covers and produced 110hp

What the three saloons had in common, however, was an exceptionally spacious and elegantly styled body, the most distinctive features of which were its tailfins – a concession to the American influence on contemporary tastes. This characteristic design element would later give rise to the name by which the entire model generation came to be known – today the generic term “fintail” is applied to all these models.

The new model series set new standards in terms of passive safety, for these were the first production cars to feature the Barényi-patented rigid passenger cell with front and rear crumple zones. Safety was also given top priority in the design of the interior. The new models had a padded instrument panel, for example, with yielding and in part recessed controls, as well as a steering wheel with padded boss. Also worthy of note was the first use in this form of safety door locks, likewise major contributors to safety in the case of accident.

111 chassis "Fintails" pioneered rigid passenger cell and crumple zones front and rear that collapsed in a controlled maner, thereby absorbing accident shock energy.

From the purely external point of view, the 220 b differed in eight features from its two sister models. The 220 Sb and 220 SEb, which were identical on the outside with the exception of the model designation, each had an additional chrome strip to either side of the radiator grille, a chrome-plated air intake grille in front of the windshield, and chrome-plated wheel trim. At the rear the differences were rather more apparent.

The two models with the “S” in their model designation had a chrome strip above the rear screen, an ornamental moulding to round off the trunk lid, larger rear lights with integrated license plate lamps, as well as additional bumper horns between the rear lamps and rear bumper. In addition, the tailfins – officially known as “guide bars” – had ornamental mouldings not only to the rear end-piece but also to the upper edge.

Tried-and-tested engines
The engines were to all intents and purposes the same as those of the predecessor models but with minor modifications. All three units had modified valve control linkage and a steeper camshaft. The 220 b engine was now fitted with two carburettors and delivered 95 hp (70 kW), 110 hp (81 kW) in the 220 Sb. The direct injection unit for the 220 SEb featured straight intake pipes and developed 120 hp (88 kW).

The running gear and brake system also largely came from the predecessor models, although the suspension had been thoroughly revised in certain respects. At the front, the subframe design introduced with the ponton-type models was retained, although the shape was modified to a simple cross-member design joined flexibly to the frame floor at only two points. At the rear, the tried-and-tested single-joint swing axle was fitted with a compensating spring, positioned horizontally above the pivot point in order to distribute axle load equally to both drive wheels. The shock absorbers on the front and rear wheels were now positioned right on the outside, a measure that not only provided more effective vibration damping but also improved accessibility.

111 series coupe design eschewed fins and resulted in an elegant pillarless coupe. This Ivory example was ordered in a two-tone paint scheme with contrasting hard top and wheel cover centers.

During the production period the brake system underwent two modifications. First the 220 Sb and 220 SEb were equipped with disk brakes to the front wheels in April 1962. Then in August 1963 the same modification was added to the 220 b and the model was simultaneously equipped with a brake booster – a feature available up until that point only at extra cost. As part of these changes, all three models were also fitted with a dual-circuit brake system, which offered safe retardation of the vehicle even when one of the circuits failed.

“Hydrak” hydraulic-automatic clutch
As with their predecessor models, the three new W 111 models were also optionally available with the “Hydrak” hydraulic-automatic clutch, although only until early 1962. After years of in-house development to reach production standard, a fully fledged automatic transmission was ready for use from April 1961, initially in the 220 SEb only, and then also from August 1962 upon order with the 220 b and 220 Sb – at an extra cost of DM 1,400. Unlike with the Borg-Warner automatic transmission available with the 300 c from 1956 and the 300 d successor model from 1957, the company’s own design did not use a torque converter, but instead relied on a hydraulic clutch. This had the advantage of reducing power loss. The downstream four-speed planetary gear train consisted of two planetary gear sets, three multi-plate clutches and three band brakes.

The most opulent and powerful Fintail, the 300SE was fitted with 180hp alloy M189 engine from the 300d "Adenauer" limousine, air suspension and additional chome body trim.

A new top-of-the-range model
In August 1961 the 300 SE was introduced as the new premium-class model, a vehicle which in terms of its external appearance and technical design lent heavily on the 220 SEb, but which also included numerous technical tidbits as standard. Coupe and convertible made their debut in February 1962. In addition to the four-speed automatic transmission and the likewise newly developed power steering, basic equipment also included air suspension – a first for a Mercedes-Benz passenger car – which offered a combination of sporty handling with top-quality ride comfort. The brakes represented a further innovation in the model bearing the internal designation W 112, since this was the first Mercedes-Benz production car to be equipped with a dual-circuit brake system as well as disk brakes at the front and rear wheels.

The 3.0-liter direct injection engine was based on the tried-and-tested unit used in the 300 d model, but it featured a light-alloy block with pressed-in cylinder liners and was approximately 40 kilograms lighter as a result. As with the predecessor model, mixture preparation was achieved using timed manifold injection with a Bosch two-plunger injection pump. In January 1964, the compression was raised very slightly and the injection system converted to a Bosch six-plunger injection pump. This permitted engine output to be increased from 160 hp (118 kW) to 170 hp (125 kW).

The body of the 300 SE was almost identical to that of the 220 SEb, but it offered more in the way of chrome trim. The most distinctive difference was the chrome strip in the lateral beading that ran from the headlamps to the rear lights; in addition, the 300 SE featured trim around front and rear wheel arches as well as a broad chrome strip beneath the doors. Less striking, perhaps, were the additional small “300 SE” plates integrated into the ornamental mouldings on the C-pillars. The 300 SE was also optionally available without these decorative elements.

The advent of the long version
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1963, the company introduced the long 300 SE version, which apart from its 100-millimeter longer wheelbase, was identical to the basic 300 SE model. The extra space served exclusively to increase legroom in the rear and the entry width for the rear doors. The long 300 SE was also optionally available with partition wall and electrically operated dividing screen.

Apart from the difference in length between the 300 SE and the long 300 SE, an additional equipment detail made it easy to distinguish between the two cars: The long version had no ornamental moulding on the C-pillar since the through-flow ventilation was designed differently and there were therefore no vents. With effect from the introduction of the long-wheelbase version, both variants, the 300 SE and the 300 SE long, were also available with four-speed manual transmission; this reduced the sale price by DM 1,400.

With the optional partition coachwork, the 300SE became a personal limousine. Note velour interior trim.

In July/August 1965 production came to an end for the 2.2-liter and 3.0-liter models with “fintail” bodies. The successor models were the 250 S, 250 SE and 300 SE, which collectively belonged to an entirely different model generation. At the same time, the 220 b was replaced by the 230 S. In spite of the unusual model designation, the new model was basically a familiar face: The 230 S was to all intents and purposes identical to the 220 Sb, though with a revised engine. By boring up the tried-and-tested 2.2-liter unit and increasing the compression, output was raised by 10 hp (7.4 kW) to 120 hp (88 kW). Another new feature was the hydropneumatic compensating spring on the rear axle, which replaced the coil spring used up to that point and ensured a constant body height regardless of the size of the load. From the outside it was impossible to distinguish the 230 S from the 220 Sb – other than by casting a glance at the model designation on the trunk lid.

Even though the 230 S had something of the character of an end-of-line model from the outset, a total of 41,107 units were built prior to the discontinuation of production in January 1968, 341 of which were chassis for special bodies. One special version of the 230 S should not go without a mention: A station wagon, which was built at the Belgian firm of coachbuilders IMA on the chassis of the 230 S and sold through the Daimler-Benz sales organization from August 1966 onwards under the model designation “230 S Universal”.

Between 1959 and 1968 the Sindelfingen plant turned out a total of 344,751 saloons and chassis for the W 111 and 112 model series.

The W 111/112 series in the press

Autocar, England, November 6, 1959, on the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE: “In summary the 220 SE has outstanding road manners, undoubtedly allied to the firm’s long experience in racing. In addition, it permits the achievement of high and sustained cruising speeds with very good economy. The interior is planned to carry five people and their luggage over long distances, in a manner matched by few other cars, irrespective of their country of origin.”

Sports Cars, England, December 1959, on the Mercedes-Benz 220 S and 220 SE:
“’Fabelhaft’ is the German word for fabulous and this about sums up the new W 220 Mercedes. It sets a new standard for the industry, a standard that few manufacturers will be able to equal.”

Auto, Motor und Sport, Germany, volume 19/1963, on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE:
“The 300 SE also operates as a kind of signboard for the Daimler-Benz car range, combining in one vehicle every design refinement available: Air suspension, automatic transmission, power steering. … There are few cars in the world in which one can travel in such comfort and safety as in the 300 SE.”