This was the first Mercedes-Benz fuel-injected production car and was something special in its day. Just 470 were produced and only around 48 in right-hand drive.
Where did the interest in Mercedes develop? As a schoolboy I was brought up in Preston (Melbourne) and someone in the public library made sure there was a good range of motoring books on the shelves. I found a little trove of Mercedes-Benz stuff going back to the 1930s.
In my travels and during my working life I collected quite a lot of pre-war books and magazines. It gave a depth to the interest that you don't get from a television program.
I never found out who the old librarians were, but they had excellent stuff.
Someone years later queried something and I found much of it still there.
The first Benz I had was a 190B Roundie, about 30 years ago. It belonged to a doctor in Oakleigh and was sitting under a gumtree in the back yard and he must have passed away and the family was tidying up. I think I paid $1500 for it. Towing was another $180! It had a little bit of rust, but I was impressed that it had sat under a tree for four years and it was still solid.
Setting up a business at the time, so there wasn't a lot of spare cash, so we really had to struggle and do a lot of it ourselves. We did favours for people to get chrome done - a bit of bartering.
I'm a fitter and turner toolmaker by trade, which is why I can do a lot of the work myself. We have a little lathe, quite a nice milling machine, which is useful when a lot of the material you needed you couldn't buy.
I was in the Mercedes club and was President at one time.
This story is from the Issue 493 edition of Unique Cars.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 493 edition of Unique Cars.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MEGA MOTORS
WHEN FORD'S NEW BABY LOOKED LIKE BECOMING AN ORPHAN, SOME FANCY FOOTWORK SAVED THE DAY
MODERN CLASSICS GPZ900R
KAWASAKI'S GAME-CHANGER DESERVES MORE RECOGNITION
MOTORS & MASTERPIECES LAUNCHES WITH FLAIR
MOTORS & MASTERPIECES has been officially launched for 2024, in front of collectors, enthusiasts and sponsors with a classy gathering of motoring industry icons at the incredible Fox Classic Car Collection in Melbourne.
SEEING RED AT DARE TO DREAM
FIVE OF Ferrari's most desirable supercars went under the hammer at RM Sotheby's Dare to Dream auction in Ontario, Canada selling for a total of $29.39 million.
SIGNIFICANT PORSCHE COLLECTION UP FOR GRABS
ONE OF THE largest collection of Porsche literature, memorabilia, automobilia, parts, books, art, components number plates and vehicles ever assembled are going under the hammer through an online auction, at Donington Auctions from July 15 to 27, 2024.
9500 KILOMETRE BATHURST DELIVERED A9X ON OFFER
IF YOU ARE a Holden or Aussie muscle car enthusiast or collector, head to Macquarie Auctions online and take a look at this 1977 Palais White with black interior, genuine Holden Torana A9X sedan with just 9510km.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
A 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible owned by Lyndon B Johnson sold for $300,000, on the Bring a Trailer website recently the arctic white with beige leather trim convertible was sold new to The LBJ Company of Austin, Texas, and used by President Lyndon B Johnson at his ranch.
ON THE ROCKS
THE COOLY ROCKS ON FESTIVAL CEMENTS ITS PLACE AS A HIGH POINT OF NOSTALGIA CELEBRATION WITH CARS AT ITS CORE
HOLDEN HERITAGE UP FOR GRABS
THE CLOSURE OF THE NATIONAL HOLDEN MUSEUM SAW MANY LOTS GO UNDER THE HAMMER ACHIEVING SOME ASTONISHING PRICES
Gianni LaTerra 1984 NISSAN PULSAR ET TURBO
AUSSIE-DEVELOPED AND A TREND-SETTER. THAT'S THE STORY OF GIANNI'S NOW QUITE RARE NISSAN
