1937 Mercedes-Benz Type 320 Cabriolet B

This Mercedes-Benz 320B Cabriolet is a late-production example that is powered by an enlarged and more powerful 3.4-liter motor equipped on later 320 examples. It is also fitted with the concurrent overdrive that allowed for low RPM cruising.

During the severe Allied bombing of World War II, Manheim chassis records were largely burned. The chassis numbers demonstrates that the car is a long-wheelbase Cabriolet B. Several rare late-production features, such as the foot warmers in the back seat, the signal indicator lamps on the fender tops and the rear back-up light, suggest the car may have been produced as late as 1939.

This car was acquired after the war by an American Air Force officer in Germany. It was imported to the United States in early 1954, with an authentic import tag showing that the car cleared customs on April 4, 1954. By the 1980s, the car was being offered by Samuel P.A. Gast of Gas Motor Cars in New Holland, PA. In early December 1982, the unrestored car was purchased by Dr. James W. Delevan of Grand Rapids, MI. At the time, the car had 64,061 kilometers on its odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2015