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1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K

The supercharged road-going Mercedes of the 1930s are wonderful testaments to the unprecedented fertility in motor car mechanical and styling advancement. The 500 K's immediate forerunner, the 380, was introduced in 1933 at the Berlin Auto Show. It was powered by a 3.8-liter supercharged straight-eight and positioned at the head of Mercedes-Benz's model range alongside the aging SS. Building upon and refining the mechanical prowess of the earlier S series, Mercedes-Benz's forced induction technology enabled the driver to engage the supercharger for short bursts of enhanced acceleration.

The 380 continued the design lineage of the S series with the large V-shaped radiator, positioned far back on the chassis, and prominent Bosch headlights. Using the very best of modern automotive technology of the era, the 380 was equipped with all-round independent suspension and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. The result was class-leading handling, ride, and braking, complemented by the effortless power of the blown straight-eight engine.

Unlike previous cars which had been designed and built to be chauffeur-driven, the 380 was designed as owner/driver transportation, reflecting the evolving social and economic changes of the 1930s. Although a Paragon of technological advances, the 380 was deemed insufficiently powerful to reach the desired performance levels when carrying large and stately, fully-enclosed limousine coachwork. The solution was its successor, the 500 K, and the succeeding 540 K.

The Mercedes-Benz 500 K was introduced at the Berlin Auto Show, a mere 13 months after the 380's arrival. Power was sourced from a 5,018cc overhead-valve straight-eight engine fitted with the company's Roots-type supercharger system that became fully engaged with pressing the accelerator pedal to the end of its travel. The system engaged the compressor and at the same instant closed off the alternative atmospheric intake to the carburetor.

The Mercedes 380 remained in production through the end of 1934, after which the 500 K remained unchallenged as the top-of-the-line model.

The Mercedes 500 K used a steel box-section chassis and a similar all-independent suspension setup as its predecessor. The front used double wishbones and coil springs while the rear was comprised of a swing axle, twin coil springs, and hydraulic level-type shock absorbers for damping. Examples built later in the production lifecycle received horizontal camber compensating springs that further refined wheel control. The rear swing-axle independent setup was created by Hans Nibel, whose career at Mercedes-Benz began during the early years of the 20th Century, succeeding Marius Barbarou as chief engineer in 1904. He designed and raced the mighty Benz cars of the period, culminating in the 200hp 'Blitzen' Benz. Following the merger in 1926 between Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie., Nibel replaced Ferdinand Porsche and would ultimately build some of the most sophisticated chassis of their day, used for both the road and track, including the first of the legendary 'Silver Arrow' racers.

The stopping power of the 500 K was handled by servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, and the engine was backed by either a four or five-speed gearbox. Standard equipment included electric windscreen wipers, centralized lubrication, safety glass, two spare wheels, a 12-volt electrical system, and central fog light.

The five-liter eight-cylinder pushrod engine developed 100 horsepower in the un-supercharged guise or 160 bhp at 3,400 RPM with the compressor engaged via its multi-plate clutch. With the potent powerplant, the 500K was one of the few genuine 100 mph road cars available in the 1930s, with a top speed approaching 177 km/h (110 mph).

Unlike most automakers of the era, Mercedes-Benz offered a wide variety of body styles that were built in their Sindelfingen factory. Several factory body styles were offered on the three different sized wheelbase platforms, including several open and closed variants. A total of 354 (as few as 342) examples were built including 29 'Spezial Roadsters' designed by stylist Hermann Ahrens. The two-seater Spezial Roadster was distinguished by its V-shaped split front window. 105 examples of the 500 K were built in 1934, 190 in 1935, and 59 in 1936.

The two longer 'B' and 'C' four-seat cabriolet coachwork was built atop the 129.5-inch (3290 mm) platform, and later used on touring and sedan bodies. The shorter 'A' platform had a wheelbase size of 117.3-inches (2980 mm) and used for two-seater coachwork, including the Special Roadster.

The 540 K that followed continued the pedigree of its predecessors, with production remaining exclusive with just 319 examples built. The 500K and 540K were arguably the most noteworthy production models offered by the Stuttgart firm during the 1930s, and the last supercharged production Mercedes until relatively recent times. Designed for the network of high-speed Autobahns that was spreading across Germany in the 1930s, the Mercedes-Benz 500K was the pinnacle of automotive engienering excellence.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 105379
Engine number: 105379

Mercedes-Benz could not have unveiled two completely different visions when it set up its display at the Berlin Motor Show in March of 1934. One vision was very much for the common man, a car with little character. However, it would be the car with a lot of character and that would only be for the ultra-exclusive that would live on and become a true icon.

When Mercedes-Benz introduced its 500K at the Berlin Motor Show in 1934 it was very much charting the future of automobiles. Besides the Kompressor helping to produce some 160 hp, the car would also incorporate external exhausts and a frame that sported fully independent suspension.

But Mercedes-Benz also initiated something else with its 'Sindelfingen' moniker. Throughout much of the first half of the 20th century many of the exclusive chassis offered to the public would come with custom-built coach bodies built by outside coachbuilders. Sindelfingen would certainly give the appearance of being an outside coachbuilder but was, in fact, Mercedes' own in-house coachbuilding element. This would, in many ways, help to foster car companies with their own in-house design firms and builders and would place a much greater emphasis within the factory itself to design and build its own special bodies.

Sindelfingen would work because it offered a rather extensive catalog of potential body styles for each of its more select models. And, amongst the coachbodies made available for the 500K chassis, one of the more privileged would be the Cabriolet A designed and built by Sindelfingen. Amongst the total of 342 units that would be produced over the course of two years just 33 examples would be fitted with Cabriolet A body-styling.

One of those 33 would be chassis 105379. Baron Silfverschiold of Gasevadholm, Sweden would be immediately smitten by the 500K and would place an order for his own in November of 1934. The Baron would specify his 500K to be complete with left-hand-drive, gray paint and a blood-red pigskin leather interior. The car would be finally completed toward the end of April 1935 and would be thereafter delivered to the Baron who would then move and have the car re-registered to his estate, the Castle Koberg in Vastergotland. The 500K Cabriolet A had certainly come home.

105379 would remain with the Baron throughout World War II but would eventually be parked in 1948 when it suffered a tire puncture. While a seemingly straight-forward issue to rectify, the rear wheel nut would be incorrectly threaded and would lead to the car being unused for another couple of years.

Then, in September of 1950, Charles-Emile von Oelrich would purchase the car from the Baron and would have the car repaired. Being restored to use, Herr Von Oelrich would immediately take the car on several long-distance outings.

Throughout the 1950s, the Cabriolet A would change hands a number of times and would even be owned a short period of time by the music director Birger Ludvigsson. Allan Karlsson would then come to own the car and would remark its owning flaw was the fact that it attracted a large crowd everywhere it went.

Gosta Westerberg would come to own the car and would determine to have it restored. The restoration work would begin in 1962 and would be completed by July of 1963. Soon thereafter the car would again change hands. This time, well-known collector Sven Harnstrom would come to own the car and would enter it in a number of various club meetings over the course of his nearly decade long ownership.

When the car was sold to Svante Rosen, the car would continue to enter various collector car events. All throughout this time the 500K would remain in Sweden. However, in 1983 would leave its adopted homeland and would come to be part of a collection in West Germany. In the late 1980s, at the owner's request, Rolf Bunte would restore the Cabriolet A. Bunte would work tirelessly not just to restore the car, but to make sure everything functioned as intended and factory correct. This effort would end up setting a benchmark for the future.

Such a beautifully-restored car would not be easy to part with. Therefore, it wouldn't be until 2004 when the car would be sold again, this time to a resident of the Netherlands. Remaining a part of a very private collection, the 500K remained as if completely original. Because of the work of the restoration, and the regular maintenance and upkeep, recent work done on the car would consist of just a mechanical tuning and touch-ups here and there to restore it to near brand-new condition.

The Gooding & Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2013 would be one of the few opportunities the 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A would be seen in public and it would present an incredibly rare opportunity for a collector to own such an iconic and influential automobile.

Authentic inside and out, the 500K boasts of matching numbers and is perhaps one of the finest examples of the 11 remaining Cabriolet As. One of the most desirable of the pre-war Mercedes-Benz body styles, this 500K Cabriolet A represents the very definition of luxury, style and elegance. Estimates prior to auction certain reflect the importance of such an automobile with potentials running between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000.

Sources:

'Lot No. 038: 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A', (http://www.goodingco.com/car/1935-mercedes-benz-500-k-cabriolet). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/car/1935-mercedes-benz-500-k-cabriolet. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

'1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K News, Pictures and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6316/Mercedes-Benz-500K.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6316/Mercedes-Benz-500K.aspx. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

by Jeremy McMullen

Roadster by Sindelfingen
Chassis number: 105380

The Mercedes-Benz 500K (W 29, 100/160 hp) was one of the greatest performance automobiles of the Thirties. 13 months after the debut of the 380, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 500K at the Berlin Auto Show. Both were built in parallel in 1934, but by the close of the year the 500 K stood along at the top of the Mercedes-Benz catalog.

The Mercedes-Benz 500 K employed a generously-braced chassis frame boxed with the axle centerlines with fully independent suspension with coil springs using dual A-arms at the front and swing axles at the rear, both fitted with hydraulic lever shock absorbers. Concentric coil springs were added to the rear suspension to pick up higher loads, and later in the 500 K series, horizontal camber compensator springs added another level of control to the swing axles.

The engine had overhead valves operated by pushrods and rocker arms from a camshaft mounted above the crankshaft on the left side of the cylinder block. The Rootes-style positive displacement supercharger mounted at the front of the engine was activated by the driver when the accelerator pedal was pressed fully to the floor, engaging a multi-disc clutch pack on the engine and forcing air through the carburetor into the cylinders. The unit cylinder block and crankcase were cast in steel with a cast iron cylinder head and an 8-10 liter capacity aluminum oil sump. With the normal-aspirated version of the engine, it produced 100 horsepower. When the supercharger was engaged, that figure rose to 160 hp at 3400 RPM.

Later, the 500 K engines were given a rotary-type 'Jumo' fuel pump built by aircraft engine manufactures Junkers, and ensured adequate fuel flow when the blower cut in and fuel requirements soared.

The 500K had a four-speed gearbox with direct (1:1) third-speed and a pre-selector type overdrive fourth with a 0.6:1 ratio engaged without using the clutch. The top three speeds were synchronized. The standard rear axle ratio of 5.11:1 of the 380 was raised to 4.9:1 or greater for the 500 K.

In standard guise, the 500K had two spare wheels and tires, safety glass, electric windshield wipers, hydraulic brakes with vacuum booster and 370mm diameter drums, central lubrication, 12-volt electrical system and a centrally mounted fog light.

Production of the 500K continued for three years, through 1936. In total, there were 342 examples built. 29 were bodied with Roadster and Special Roadster coachwork.

Chassis Number 105380

This 500 K Roadster was completed on February 6th of 1935 at Sindelfingen and immediately shipped to Berlin where it was the centerpiece of the Mercedes-Benz display from February 14th through the 24th at the Berlin Motor Show. At the time, the car was metallic green. After the show it remained in Berlin until March 22 when it was shipped to the Mercedes-Benz agency in Aachen, Germany. It was sold a month later, on April 25th of 1935, to Hans Friedrich Prym of Stolberg.

The interim history is unknown, but when it ended up in the collection of Russell Strauch in the 1970s, it was still in excellent original condition. It was acquired by Don Dickson in 1976, and remained in his collection until 1988 when it was sold to Richie Clyne for the Imperial Palace Collection which commissioned a cosmetic restoration in 1991. It was later purchased by the Lyon Family Collection.

The car is finished in red and rides on chrome wire wheels and whitewall tires. There are dual rear spares, a pair of windshield post-mounted spotlights, chrome outside exhaust headpipes and chrome body accent moldings. There is a raked vee windshield, sweeping fenders and integrated running boards. Both front and rear fenders are slightly skirted.

The interior of the car is finished in tan leather with a matching tan single layer cloth top. The top folds nearly flush with the rear deck under a matching top boot cover.

In 2011, the car was offered for sale in Monterey, Ca. presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $4,000,000-$5,000,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $3,767,500, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Special Roadster
Engine number: 123686

With six feet of hood separating the driver from the front of the Mercedes 500K, there had to be something important under all that elegantly styled sheet metal. In this case, it was a legend - and an enormous engine. The early thirties saw Daimler-Benz begin to design high-speed touring cars, with the 500K one of the proudest accomplishments. The eight-cylinder, 5-liter big-bore engine was supercharged with the 'K' standing for Kompressor, and engaging it rewarded drivers with a distinctive C-note from the 500K's whining blower. The steering was stiff at lower speeds, but one look at the body (there were nine options) made it clear that speed would never be a problem. The car has four-wheel independent suspension, and is capable of hitting over 100 mph in top gear. This car was rebodied from a 540K to a 500K Special Roadster in 2000, and the engine and chassis numbers are matching.

After lengthy negotiations with Dr. Harald Alfers of Dusseldorf, Germany, the present owner purchased the Special K Package Mercedes, which Carrosserie Kong of Bassel, Switzerland, had started to re-body in 1992. Included in the package were a 1935 500K cabriolet B with the frame shortened, the engine repositioned, new wood body frame and a number of Special Roadster trim pieces. In 1996, Alfers moved the Special K Project from Kong to Frantz Prahl Klassische Automobile in Olendorf, Germany. The present owner purchased the project from Alfeers in 1997 and chose to have Prahl complete the project. After three years, many calls, letters and a number of trips to Germany, the project was completed and arrived in New York City in August of 2000.

The car rides on a stretched 129.5-inch wheelbase and is fitted with four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs, a 12-volt electrical system, vacuum assisted hydraulic brakes and electric windshield wipers.

Only 29 of these cars were originally built and only 20 remain in modern times.

Roadster by Windovers
Chassis number: 123699
Engine number: 123699

This Mercedes 500K with bodywork by Windovers is extremely unusual. Windovers, which began to build carriages as early as 1796 in Huntingdon, England, more often bodied Rolls-Royce and Bentleys, and many Windovers-bodied cars found their way to India. Windovers produced a small number of bodies on the 500K chassis during the thirties. The 500K was available in ten unique body styles from the factory. This Mercedes 500K Kombo is a Sedanca style cabriolet. The engine is a five-liter, straight-eight supercharged M24 unit producing 160 bhp. Windovers closed in 1956 after 160 years of coachbuilding.

The three-position roadster coachwork features a raked windscreen, curved running boards, teardrop-shaped pontoon-style fenders without sidemounted spares, and fully skirted rear fenders. There are scroll-like beltline molding and a tail that tapered from the edges. The tapered fenders and long tail have often been compared to the Count Trossi Mercedes SSK.

The Mercedes was ordered by William 'Willie' Henry Rhodes-Moorhouse. It was first registered in London in December 1935 as 'CLB 858.' Willy Rhodes-Moorhouse took delivery a month later and is believed to have retained the car for some time.

The second owner of chassis no. 123699 was F.N. Foster who placed it in storage for much of the war, from September of 1939 to October of 1946. In November 1949 it was sold to the third owner, Dr. E.F. Roberts of Chiswick. Performance Cars, Ltd. It was advertised for sale in the mid-1950s and sold in December of 1957.

The British dealer Charles Howard acquired the 500 K in the early 1970s and following a complete restoration under his supervision in red and black, sold to Austrian glass magnate Werner Lutzky. Mr. Lutzky exhibited the car in his private museum at Schloss Kremsegg in Kremsmunster and apparently refinished it to all-over black late in the 1980s.

In the early 1990s, it was sold to another Austrian enthusiast, then returned to the United Kingdom as part of a significant collection a decade later.

The current caretaker acquired the car in 2006, after which RM Auto Restoration undertook an extensive cosmetic freshening that included paintwork, a new interior and convertible top. In 2007, the car was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours and at the Amelia Island Concours in 2008.

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 105384
Engine number: 105384

The Daimler Motor Company and Benz & Company joined forces in 1926. That same year, they introduced the Mercedes-Benz brand. Ferdinand Porsche had joined Daimler in 1923 and he developed models that featured large displacement inline engines with superchargers. This was denoted in model names by adding a 'K' for kompressor. The supercharger was engaged by fully depressing the accelerator.

The 500K was introduced in 1934 at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (commonly referred to as the Berline Motor Show). It would be offered in eight body styles. These luxury models featured safety glass, electric windshield wipers and door locks as well as custom luggage. They were considered the fastest production car of their time, capable of 100 mph.

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was produced along the 380 K until the end of 1934, when the 380 was phased out. The 500K was produced from 1934 through 1935 and of the 354 vehicles produced, only 229 were the cabriolets. It is believed that of 33 500K Cabriolet A's built only 11 remain.

It has a top speed of about 100 mph and is powered by a 160 horsepower, inline 8 cylinder, supercharged engine coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. The 5,130 pound vehicle rides on a four-wheel independent coil-spring suspension and is stopped via hydraulic power brakes.

Records indicate that the car was commissioned by Adolf Busch, of Hamburg, Germany and was logged under kommission number 12847 and eventually given chassis 105384. This Spezial Roadster has long sweeping fenders, louvers on the top and sides of the hood, flexible exhaust, driver side spotlight, stacked spare wheels on the rear deck, and a leather bonnet strap.

In 1937 it was part of a motor pool of the German Consul to India. On October 31, 1938, the ownership of the car was reassigned to Dr. Gavin, who was reportedly a director at Mercedes-Benz. The factory further confirms it was upgraded to a 540K engine in 1938 and stamped with original engine numbers. The upgrade increased the torque and brought horsepower to 180.

During the Second World War, the car was lost until discovered in Paris in 1953 where it was purchased by a U.S. Air Force Captain named Dean Weihe. Mr. Weihe imported the car into the United States in 1961 and began performing a cosmetic restoration, which was completed around 1964. Mr. Weihe retained the car at his home in Florida until finally selling it in the late 1980s or early 1990s. It was purchased by another Floridian who took the car with him while traveling overseas.

The car was reported to be largely original, but in 1999, the purchaser commissioned restorer Francois Cointreau, of France, to perform a high-quality concours restoration. Between 2000 and 2001, Riefen-Wagner, of Landshut, Germany, performed all of the mechanical overhaul work.

The current owner purchased the car around 2006. In 2009, it was driven on a rigorous 100-mile journey through the mountain roads of the Colorado Grand.

Touren Wagon

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was first shown at the Berlin Motor Show in 1934. It had a supercharged 5-liter, 6-cylinder engine, developing 160 bhp, which was particularly suited to the new Autobahns that were being built in Germany at the time. Very few 500Ks still exist today, and this one has unusual touring style coachwork. Originally the property of the German army, it arrived in the United States after the war. It has recently been the subject of a meticulous restoration by its current owner.

Roadster by Sindelfingen

Not unlike American manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz crafted some of its most beautiful automobiles during difficult economic times. The 500K was largely attributed to engineer Hans Nibel and was first show at the Berlin Auto Show in 1934. Designated model W29 by Mercedes-Benz, production continued through 1936. The luxurious car was blessed with four-wheel independent suspension including double wishbones and coil springs front and rear, with swing axles at the rear - an industry first. Its heart was a Roots-supercharged 5.0-liter/160 horsepower OHV inline eight-cylinder engine - thus its 500K designation.

Most 500K's were fitted with sumptuous coachwork by Mercedes-Benz in-house shop in Sindelfingen, such as this one-off example that was featured in the 1938 German movie 'Der Blaufuchs' (Blue Fox). While in Estonia in the late 1940s, it was fitted with a trailer hitch to haul firewood.

This unique roadster, built by the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen works, is the only 500K with these special louvers and unusual fenders and without doors. The 5-liter 500K was introduced in 1934 and was the fastest touring car of its day; journalists wrote about 'the sheer insolence of its great power.' With its independent suspension and supercharged engine, it set a trend that competitors were forced to try and follow. It is believed that this car was used in its early days for racing on circuits in Europe but thereafter it spent decades behind the Iron Curtain. After coming to the United States in 1987, it received a full restoration and was first shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1991.

Cabriolet A
Chassis number: 113717
Engine number: 113717

The Mercedes-Benz 500 was the creation of engineer Dr. Hans Nibel. It featured an advanced chassis design and a powerful 5-liter engine that was capable of carrying it to speeds of 100 mph. The 'K' models employed a form of supercharging which was used as a top-end booster. Pushing the gas pedal to the floor engaged the train of gears that drove the Roots-type blower, offering 25-percent more power.

This particular example is a Cabriolet A that was ordered on February 8th of 1935, by Mercedes-Benz Ltd. of London on behalf of Herbert Gumprecht, a German national, who conducted business in England. It was ordered with Cabriolet coachwork by Mercedes Sindelfingen workshop, and was delivered on May 6th of the same year. It is one of approximately 33 examples built.

The car was first registered under Mr. Gumprecht's company in Baden, Germany and was sold in December 1938 to K.H. Downing of Newcastle, England. It then passed in March 1946 to A.G. Jones of Shrewsbury. Jones sold the car to E.U. Casinelli Ltd. a few months later. In 1951, the Mercedes suffered a minor fire to the interior, although all mechanical elements reportedly remained intact. At the end of the year, the car was acquired by S. Hobson of Stockport, Cheshire.

Dr. R. H. Johnson of Falmouth acquired the car in October of 1958. Around this time the car was repaired and painted white. By March 1962, the Mercedes had passed to a Swedish engineer living in the United States, and 20 years later it was purchased through auction in San Francisco by a German collector. After being re-imported to Europe, the 500K was sold in mid-1984 to a Swiss banker and some restoration work was begun.

Klaus Kienle of Heimerdingen, Germany acquired the car in early 1994. It was quickly sold to Dr. Ludwig Fassbender of Düsseldorf, who commissioned a full restoration that took nearly seven years to complete.

The current Swiss owner acquired the car in August of 2012. In 2014, the car was shown at Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza. It also participated in the Royal Automobile Club's 2015 1,000-Mile Trial and in Goodwood.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer by Mayfair Carriage Company Ltd.

Just 342 examples of the Mercedes-Benz 500K were built from 1934 to 1936 before the model was superseded by the mighty 540K. Most 500Ks were bodied by the factory, but this unique example was fitted with open touring coachwork by the Mayfair Carriage Company in London. Although Mayfair is not well known today, it was responsible for creating some of the most luxurious and impressive bodies on cars in the 1930s. This 500K was ordered by Sir Everard Scarisbrick. It was originally finished in British Racing Green to complement the car's typically British coachwork. His Lordship died in 1955, and by the early 1960s the car had made its way into the hands of Arnold Dubb of Albany, New York. When it returned to the United Kingdom, it had bright red paint with a rather garish 'grapefruit pink' interior. Don Williams eventually brought the car back to the United States, and it was restored in 1998.

Special Roadster

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was the elegant yet sporty, top-of-the-line model from the Mercedes-Benz range in the 1930s. When the 500K was first presented in 1934, it achieved much praise for its handling and performance. Thanks to its powerful Roots supercharger and innovative chassis design and suspension, the 500K was unbeatable on the road and set the benchmark in both safe handling and comfort. Including the 540K, a total of 29 Special Roadsters were built, which equates to about 4 percent of the entire 500/540K production, making it one of the most rare and exclusive Mercedes-Benzes designs of all time.

Cabriolet by Saoutchik
Chassis number: 123696
Engine number: 123696

It is believed that French coachbuilder J. Saoutchik bodied three 500 K and 540 K chassis and this particular 500 K Cabriolet is the only known survivor of the trio.

The chassis of this Mercedes-Benz arrived in Paris on October 9th of 1935 and was delivered later that month to the coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik. It was given a disappearing convertible top, opening vee'd windshield, and detailed moldings along the fenders and flanks of the body that give the illusion of waves sweeping against a hull. There are unique roll-up windows in the backs of the front seats to provide protection for the rear passengers.

It is believed that this vehicle was commissioned from Saoutchik by Dr. Charles Crocker of San Francisco, Ca. The car was kept at Dr. Crocker's home at Pebble Beach and was displayed at a small charity sports car show held at the golf links in 1950 - the inaugural Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. This Mercedes 500 K won its class.

The car remained with Dr. Crocker until 1959 when it was acquired by Scott Newhall of Northern California. Following a restoration, the Mercedes returned to Pebble Beach with Mrs. Newhall in 1965. A short time later, it was sold to Robert Burkholder of San Francisco, who exhibited it again at Pebble Beach, in 1966. In CCCA competition, the car won 1st in Class at the Western Grand Classic. In 1967, it was offered for sale in the Club's Bulletin.

The vehicle's next owner was Richard Croxton Adams of San Diego, Ca., who retained it until 1989. It has remained in the care of its current custodians for the past thirty-three years.

The car wears black and grey paint which remains in largely good condition. There is some damage to the trim hardware, in particular one of the marker lights. The pigskin and calfskin interior shows signs of age and use, and there is two-tone trimming to the inner door panels, a jade gear-shift knob, and a sterling silver vanity drawer containing cosmetics accessories.

by Dan Vaughan

Normal Roadster by Sindelfingen
Chassis number: 123692
Engine number: 123692

The Stuttgart firm built both a Normal Roadster and a Special Roadster, with the Special wearing curvaceous body lines and the Normal Roadster being taut, with a slightly higher beltline that traveled up and around a rounded rear deck. The fabric top could be folded flush with the body for open-top motoring. Of the two, the Special Roadster was built in higher quantities, making the Normal Roadster even more exclusive and it was only built atop the 500 K chassis. Only five Normal Roadsters remain in modern times.

This particular 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Normal Roadster by Sindelfingen was ordered under Kommission number 205281 and may have originally been delivered to Colombo, the capital of Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka). Other sources state it was delivered to a Mr. Beaumont of London. Or perhaps, a combination of the two as the British-based Beaumont Tea Company (later known as the Beaumont Group) was major forces in Ceylonese tea production for many years. The order may have been placed through the British Mercedes-Benz agency for delivery to Colombo.

Around the mid-1950s, the car was imported to Great Britain and it was registered 'NTR164,' a number that it retained for much of its life. In 1956, Helen Lee Kennard became the car's next custodian. In 1968, it was used in an episode of the British television series, The Avengers, 'They Keep Killing Steed,' in which it was driven by guest star Ian Ogilvy.

The Mercedes-Benz remained with Lee Kennard (as she was known) for over two decades. In July of 1976, it was offered for sale at a British auction and was later exported to the United States. Following a restoration where it was refinished in bright scarlet, it appeared at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1987, shown by Frank Cherry, and was the very first recipient of the Mercedes-Benz Trophy.

The Mercedes-Benz was later acquired by its current caretaker. Its well-preserved restoration has a dark maroon leather interior, a mother-of-pearl dashboard, clear instruments, and is powered by its original engine.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet C by Sindelfingen
Chassis number: 113715
Engine number: 113715

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was very exclusive, with 105 examples built in 1934, 190 in 1935, and 59 in 1936. This particular example was delivered to the Daimler-Benz Hamburg branch on October 12th of 1935 and it wore convertible Cabriolet C style coachwork. The majority - 301 examples - were clothed at the factory works at Sindelfingen and 90 of those were the four-passenger Cabriolet C, with a blind quarter convertible top.

It was sold to a customer in Hamburg and around 1980 it was discovered in the custodianship of the late collector Izzy Dupont of Columbus, Ohio. Richard Wesselink of Thousand Oaks, California acquired it from Mr. Dupont's estate, and under his care, it was given a restoration by Hill & Vaughn between 1984 and 1985. Upon completion, it wore two shades of scarlet with a beige interior piped in maroon. Mr. Wesselink displayed the car in 1985 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won its class. Mercedes-Benz later used the car for display and use in their advertisements.

The current owners acquired the Mercedes in the early 1980s.

by Dan Vaughan