Inspiration
My father was a huge car enthusiast, so his passion for classic cars was passed down to me. Growing up in the 1970s there were always interesting sports cars in the garage, mainly British and always cool. There was a parade of Jaguars passing through, and even an old fire truck. The most memorable classic he owned with this Aston Martin DB4, in a deep green color. I can still smell the leather interior. During the 1970s dad had a phase where he owned two Swallow Dorettis (out of just 267 built). The Doretti was a British Sports Car built from 1954 to 1955 using Triumph TR-2 mechanicals. It looked like a cross between an Austin- Healey 100 and a Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta.
My enthusiast cars
After growing up around British cars with a history of breaking down, I had some PTSD about acquiring a classic car of my own. A good friend and fellow car enthusiast, Mike Spicer (see his web site here), had acquired a lovely blue Mercedes 280SL and I really liked it. He showed me the superior engineering of Mercedes-Benz automobiles, and I was hooked. Below is a gallery of classic and modern-classic Mercedes-Benz that I have owned over the last 20+ years.
1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9
In the 2000s I learned a Mercedes-enthusiast co-worker owned a Mercedes 300SEL 6.3 and a 450SEL 6.9. These are the bankers’ hotrods, and I was always captivated by a fast executive super-sedan. I purchased the 450SEL 6.9 and enjoyed this big sedan for many years.
1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL 5-speed
Of the 5,196 Mercedes 250SLs made, it is reported that just 112 left the factory with the sporty ZF 5-speed manual transmission. I purchased this 5-speed from a fellow MBCA member in about 2008 and enjoyed taking it to local shows, including the Forest Grove Concours and Cars in the Park at the Portland Art Museum. Sadly, a house remodel forced the sale of this W113 – one I would like to have back!
1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E
A successor to the 300SEL 6.3 and the 450SEL 6.9, the 500E is known as a true ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ I had learned of these special cars from other Mercedes-enthusiast friends, and was intrigued with the fact the W124 500E was a result of Mercedes contracting with Porsche for engineering and assembly. I found this 1993 500E on a used car lot in Portland, Oregon and enjoyed it for many years, with memorable drives including a journey StarFest in San Francisco in 2008. Recently the 500E/E500 was named one of the 20 Greatest Cars Weve Ever Driven by Road and Track magazine.
1972 Mercedes-Benz 250C Coupe
I love the automotive designs from Paul Bracq. In my view his pillarless W111 coupe design is the pinnacle of Mercedes design in the 60s and 70s, and now those cars are priced out of my range. I discovered the W114 250C pillarless coupe was also designed by Bracq, and was an undervalued classic. Mercedes-enabler Mike Spicer found this car for me around 2012, and I have enjoyed it ever since. Yes, it could use a paint job, but this W114 starts every time, and I love putting down all the windows and driving to the next Cars and Coffee.
1972 Mercedes-Benz 350SL
The R107 chassis was produced from 1971 to 1989, and it was improved over time with a variety of drivetrains and safety features. I have always been drawn to the early cars, specifically the 350SL, due to its slim bumpers that show the car as the designers originally intended. My mother-in-law told me about a friend of hers that had a Mercedes for sale, so I went to see it and found a 1972 350SL in Tunis Beige Metallic with two-tone seats. The SL was in good condition, and I scooped it up. Our family enjoyed it for a few years, driving it in the local Fourth of July parade and local car events.
1994 Mercedes-Benz E500
After letting my ’93 500E go in 2011, the 500E/E500s started to rise in value as collector car enthusiasts learned about the history and engineering that went into these sleeper sedans. As younger car enthusiasts came into the market, the ‘Radwood’ effect and popularity of 80s and 90s cars lifted the 500E/E500 to higher status in the Mercedes universe. I started to casually look for one, and by chance spotted a ’94 E500 parked in the service drive of my local Mercedes dealer. I left a note on the windshield, and the owner called me back. It turned out he had owned it for 20+ years and was eventually going to sell it. I checked in with him occasionally over the next year and we eventually made a deal. I look forward to driving this 90s super sedan to Legends of the Autobahn at Monterey Car Week.