It is with great respect and a profound sense of responsibility that I introduce myself as the new editor of The Star® by Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Having been a dedicated member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America for the past decade, I hold this publication in the highest regard. The Star® has long been a cornerstone for our community, reflecting on the heritage, innovation, and camaraderie that continues to define the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. You may recognize my name from past publications, as I have contributed to The Star® since 2017. I am honored to take on the stewardship of a magazine which not only informs and unites our current membership but serves to inspire the future generation of this esteemed organization.
DAVID WOMMER
Associate Editor
David Wommer recently joined the editorial staff at The Star®.
He has all The Star® issues going back to when he was in the sixth grade. David has a vast amount of experience with multiple style guides aimed at both publishing and academia as well as technical acumen. He is an extremely detailed individual, and we are excited to have him with us as editorial staff.
Much like properly maintaining and caring for a Mercedes-Benz, curating content for The Star® is no easy task … it is a passion-driven duty that requires meticulous attention to detail and care — but I find the outcome to be quite rewarding. As we move forward together, my commitment is to uphold the legacy and excellence The Star® embodies while sharing the rich and surreal stories that make our membership so diverse. It is also worth mentioning that we are raising the standard in terms of publication quality. We are working hard to develop more relevant technical articles and buyer’s guides. In this issue, there are several recurring themes of legends and journeys. We celebrate the life of racing legend Ewy Rosqvist, a catalyst in women’s motorsports. The Mercedes-Benz marque has always been synonymous with powerful motivated women paving way for change, right from the very invention of the automobile with Bertha Benz and the Benz Patent Motorwagen. Longtime member and friend of The Star®, Blue Nelson, shares part one of his heartfelt travel journal of a profound journey through Death Valley that he meticulously curated for the most dedicated S 123 enthusiasts. While Blue Nelson’s Death Valley Wagon Tour was underway, a Bill Walsh was driving the open roads in his own S 123 300 TD. Bill’s journey nearly crossed paths with Blue’s Wagon Tour … only missing the convoy by a few hours; his end destination to be the Gullwing Group’s Spring Convention in Ojai, California. Living legend Hartmut Feyhl shares the story of his lucrative life-long career from working at AMG as a teenager to founding RENNtech. MBCA was founded on the fundamental need for technical information among enthusiasts. We are featuring two technical articles, as well as two buyer’s guides. Expect classifieds to make a strong comeback in the near future. Classifieds have always been the first pages I flipped to in my years of enjoying The Star® — let’s strive for “Das Beste Oder Nichts” (The Best or Nothing.)
Hartmut Feyhl, RENNtech founder proudly standing with the first Mercedes-AMG GT 63 with 1,196 hp, breaking the 10 second mark on the quarter mile. The RENNtech RIIIx.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE
DRIVE TO WIN
RALLY LEGEND — EWY ROSQVIST ROAD TO WINGS
SPRING GULLWING CONVENTION
HART LIKE A HAMMER
DEATH VALLEY WAGON TOUR — PART 1
W 221 S-CLASS BUYER’S GUIDE
R 129 SL-CLASS BUYER’S GUIDE
MBCA WORKSHOP 1
R 129 HYDRAULICS
MBCA WORKSHOP 2
FUEL PUMP UPGRAGE
#MEANDMYMB
MARKET REPORT
CHAPTER NEWS
BOARD MEETING
MINUTES & BYLAWS
DIRECTOR AT LARGE CANIDATE BIOS
KATIE CARRUTH Publisher
RUBIN HOWARD Editor editor@mbca.org
DAVID WOMMER Associate Editor Copy
over 1,000,000 miles logged on just classic Mercedes-Benz, he is probably driving somewhere interesting as you read this.
Walsh is known for driving his classic Mercedes-Benz, such as his 300 d Adenauer and his 300 TD, on cross-country expeditions. He hopes more Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts across the world are inspired to drive their classic Mercedes-Benz on significant road trips by documenting his journeys. You never know at which event you might see Walsh next.
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Please send The Star® submissions to: Rubin Howard, Editor editor@mbca.org
Please query The Star® first regarding possible editorial interest. We regret that we cannot always acknowledge or return materials submitted for consideration.
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The Star® is the official magazine of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Inc. (MBCA).
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Opinions, ideas, and suggestions in The Star® are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of MBCA. MBCA neither accepts nor bears and responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any such opinions, ideas, or suggestions, or the applications thereof.
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Issue date: September 1, 2024
CHAPTER DIRECTORY
TRADING POST
BRADLEY LORD
Bradley, who has over 20 years of experience working in F1, leads the teams responsible for all external and internal communications, along with managing the team’s sustainability endeavors.
BLUE NELSON
Blue Nelson has traveled the world, to include 130 countries, to find lost antiquities and classic cars for private museums and collectors. He lives in a WW2 theatre with no heat or air conditioning. He often hosts unusual MercedesBenz gatherings and excursions, still uses a flip phone, and loves to take timeless photographs. With
BILL WALSH
Bill
Thanks to Mario Puente, Autobahn Vault, Sterling Monster, Ralph Wagenknecht, Mercedes-Benz AG
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Hello MBCA Members and Friends,
Over the past several months, the board of directors and I have discussed ways to improve the overall effectiveness of MBCA’s governance. The recommendations include adopting amended and restated articles of incorporation, adopting amended and restated bylaws, and changing the composition and size of the board of directors and its committees. Pursuant to those recommendations, John R. Wylie and Taylor H. Huse of Sherman & Howard, LLC. have drafted documents to carry out these recommendations. Mr. Wylie advises nonprofit entities across the nation and specializes in counseling organizations such as ours in best-practice implementation.
From September 1 through October 15 you will have the opportunity to vote on the restated bylaws. While the current bylaws of the organization raise some challenges, our goal is to allow for a smooth transition for the board, officers, and members of MBCA. Bylaws are the foundation for the internal governance of an organization, they provide a framework for operation and management, and having well-crafted bylaws ensure clarity, consistency, and accountability. They are critical to an organization’s success.
Objectives of the revised bylaws:
Be compliant with all legal requirements and Colorado State Statutes. Be trustworthy and consistent to ensure clear process yet flexible for the future.
• Create defined structure and purpose for the board of directors and managing staff.
• Release MBCA from the constraints that are preventing growth and change.
• Reduce the total number of board members yet increase the number of at-large directors.
• Allow MBCA to attract directors with governance experience and expertise.
Tenzing Trailhead Brushguard with Integrated Lights
L-Track System on Floor, Walls, and Ceiling
A great deal of work has gone into ensuring these documents align with Colorado state law including best practices based on the consultants’ recommendations, the desires Mercedes-Benz has for their clubs worldwide, and the very real needs of MBCA’s members. I’m happy to speak with you about any of the changes. We plan to have a few Zoom town hall-style meetings early in the election process so you may all have your questions answered more completely. I will also write slightly more in-depth about the Bylaws later in this issue. However, I encourage you to reach out to me or any member of the board of directors with any questions.
So, on to more interesting news: I had the pleasure of attending The Women in Motorsports North America, Women with Drive: Pikes Peak, where I met two AMG Driving Academy instructors and so many other inspirational people working for parity in motorsports — truly inspiring. After Pikes Peak Hill Climb, my family and I had three more weeks of bucket-list car events.
We spent a weekend at Brands Hatch Circuit where World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff made a special appearance. The next weekend we were basking in the glory of a Lewis Hamilton win at the British Grand Prix Silverstone — it was electric! The fourth weekend was spent celebrating 130 years of Mercedes-Benz in motorsport at Goodwood Festival of Speed. But the most-exciting adventure of it all was picking up my new Silver Dream Machine, Stella Sterling, the most delightful W 123 300 TD that has ever graced this planet. She will stay in the UK for a few more adventures before coming to America. I’m now home in Colorado eagerly anticipating Monterey Car Week and specifically, our upcoming event in collaboration with Mecum Auctions, The Star Social. Maybe Stella will be there next year, and I hope you are too!
If you haven’t invited one, two, or five of your best friends into MBCA, it’s time! I have recruited quite a few more than five. Everywhere I go, I talk to people about their Mercedes-Benz. Then I speak with them about MBCA and invite them to join. They almost always do. Give it a go. MBCA needs you!
KATIE CARRUTH Executive Director katie@mbca.org
At Goodwood Festival of Speed with the “Blue Wonder” carrying the 300 SLR W 196 S.
Katie with family and friends at BrandsHatch Circuit, England.
Stella Sterling, The Silver Dream Machine carrying rare roof boxes — almost a double decker!
Mercedes-Benz rally drivers Ewy Rosqvist (center) and Ursula Wirth (right) win the coveted “Coupe des Dames” at the 32nd Rally Monte Carlo 1963 with a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE fintail rally car. On January 28, 1963, Princess Grace Patricia of Monaco presents the trophy (left).
In 1924 Christian Werner won the Targa Florio, an exacting road race across Sicily, in a supercharged racing car. He was helped by its red paintwork, which was more typical of Italian racing cars. Seeing a red car approaching, the local motorsport fans would stay out of the way — unlike when the German and French competitors came along in their white and blue machines. This racing car was Ferdinand Porsche's first project as chief engineer of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG).
Mercedes-Benz owns the racing car with which Christian Lautenschlager took part in the Targa Florio in 1924. This car is currently undergoing a major restoration in order to compete again in the Targa Florio (and other events) in 2024 — 100 years after the great victory.
The 1000 Miglia is undisputedly one of the highlights of the international classic car calendar. Those who take part in this ambitious regularity race will be following in the footsteps of legends such as Rudolf Caracciola and Sir Stirling Moss.
1000 Miglia Experience from Mercedes-Benz Classic.
Mercedes-Benz Classic is offering its customers the opportunity to be part of the works team. A 1000 miles over dream roads from Brescia to Rome and back and a few hundred dream cars: That’s the Mille Miglia. The crowd at the roadside celebrates the field of fine automobiles. Mercedes-Benz vehicles are also among the most desirable cars.
Dream cars on dream roads. The historic regularity drive honors the original Mille Miglia (“Thousand Miles”) road race. It was held from 1927 to 1957 and was one of the top motorsport events at the time. Just like the 1000 Miglia today, organized as a regularity race: this has been taking place since 1977. Only vehicles whose types have already taken part in the original road race are allowed to start.
Today, every 1000 Miglia is a reminder of the motorsport genes of Mercedes-Benz, the oldest luxury car manufacturer in the world. Racing has been a hallmark of the brand for almost 130 years. In addition to the 300 SL “Gullwing”, the mighty supercharged touring sports cars of the S series, the 190 SL roadster (W 121) and the 180 D (W 120) and 220 (W 180) wagons also regularly take part in the 1000 Miglia.
Mercedes-Benz celebrates 130 years of motorsport at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024
Text & Images: Mercedes-Benz Archive
130years of motorsport: Mercedes-Benz is celebrating this outstanding tradition at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH brings a glittering line-up of iconic racing cars from various eras. The event is known as the “largest motorized garden party in the world”. The race from Paris to Rouen on July 22, 1894, marked the birth of motor racing. Since then, MercedesBenz continuously shapes motorsport with legendary racing vehicles and major victories – the brand writes a unique success story from 1894 into the future.
This is what Mercedes-Benz Classic brought to the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024:
Daimler two-cylinder V-engine (1894): The Paris-Rouen race in 1894 was the first ever motor race. It was won by vehicles by Peugeot and Panhard & Levassor, with Daimler twocylinder V-engines produced under license.
Mercedes 2-liter Targa Florio racing car, 1924: 100 years ago it won the Targa Florio – the legendary, tough road race through Sicily. Mercedes-Benz Classic has painstakingly restored an original vehicle with the utmost authenticity.
Mercedes-Benz 750-kilogram (1653.47 pound) formula racing car W 25, 1934: The first Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow. Premiered in the 1934 Eifel race, with Manfred von Brauchitsch the winner. Rudolf Caracciola became European Grand Prix Champion in 1935, comparable to today’s F1 title.
Mercedes-Benz Formula One racing car W 196 R, 1955: Mercedes-Benz returned to Grand Prix racing in 1954, with the W 196 R. With exposed wheels or streamlined bodywork, depending on the circuit. Juan Manuel Fangio was Formula One World Champion in 1954 and 1955.
Mercedes-Benz express racing car transporter, 1955: A sensational one-off. Its engine came from the 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198). Nickname of the transporter for urgent racing car transport, capable of up to 170 kmh (105.63 mph) “Blue Wonder”.
Mercedes-Benz C 11 Group C racing sports car, 1990: 537 kW (720.12 hp), a monocoque of carbon fiber/Kevlar material, built for the 1990 Group C World Championship. The result: the C 11 secured the second double title in a row for the team and drivers.
Mercedes-Benz GT racing car CLK LM, 1998: It won all the FIA GT Championship races in which it competed. The successor to the CLK GTR with a 5-liter V8 engine. AMG-Mercedes once again won the team and drivers’ championship.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (C 197), 2012: The successful customer sports car for the GT3 regulations, presented in 2010. The car presented at Goodwood led a one-two-three
victory in the 2012 Dubai 24-hour race. The Brand Ambassadors for Mercedes-Benz Classic at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024:
Klaus Ludwig: Three times DTM champion. He joined the AMG-Mercedes DTM team in 1989, winning two championship titles (1992 and 1994) and finishing runner-up in 1991. With Ricardo Zonta, he won the drivers’ rating in the international FIA GT Championship in 1998. Born on October 5, 1949.
Bernd Mayländer: Regular driver of the official Formula One safety car since 2000. He made his DTM and ITC debut in 1995 with an AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM. In 1997, he competed in the FIA GT Championship with the CLK GTR. In 2001, he returned to the revamped DTM and won the final race of the season in Hockenheim. Born on May 29, 1971.
Karl Wendlinger: Together with Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, he was part of the Mercedes-Benz junior team in the Group C World Championship in 1990. In 1993, he moved to Formula One as a driver in the team of Peter Sauber from Switzerland. Born on December 20, 1968.
Mercedes-AMG from Formula One to current customer sports cars.
Mercedes-AMG also has a strong presence at the Festival of Speed. Two Formula One racing cars from the MercedesAMG PETRONAS Formula One team can be seen in the Formula One paddock. The performance and sports car brand from Affalterbach will be showcasing a MercedesAMG GT3 in the “130 Years of Motorsport Special Livery”, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 RAW SPEC jointly designed with RACE SERVICE and the track day racing car Mercedes-AMG GT2 PRO. The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4MATIC+ and the MercedesBenz G 580 with EQ Technology are among the vehicles on display in the First Glance Paddock, while the new Mercedes-Benz EQS is on show in the Electric Car Park.
“Horseless to Hybrid” — The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a unique stage for the culture of motorsport. It takes place at the country estate Goodwood House in Sussex, England. The motto: “Horseless to Hybrid: Revolutions in Power”. It honors the innovative history of the automobile, and thus its invention by Carl Benz in 1886.
Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, His Grace the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, has been organizing the Festival since 1993. The focus is on racing and sports cars from the early years of automobile history to the latest innovations.
Celebrating
your MBCA story.
Every Mercedes-Benz owner has a story to tell. With over 14,500 Mercedes-Benz Club of America members, it would take years to meet with and interview everyone. That is why we have partnered with Publishing Concepts (PCI) on an Oral History Project to collect stories from our members — in their own words. These stories will be preserved and presented in a publication that celebrates the impact that Mercedes-Benz Club of America has had on MercedesBenz owners and enthusiasts as we approach our 70th anniversary in 2026. We are excited to dive into this project and hear from you!
Oral History Project publications are the first of their kind and the stories we're collecting will leave a legacy for you and your fellow members.
The MBCA Oral History Project is a living history for existing and future members and it will not be the same without you. We hope you will join us in celebration of 70 years of connecting Mercedes-Benz owners and enthusiasts. We can't wait to read your story!
If you would like to participate contact customerservice@publishingconcepts.com
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2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class #12 Black & White
ITHE DRIVE TO WIN.
by Bradley Lord Team Representative & Chief Communications Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.
t had been 945 days since Lewis Hamilton last stood atop a Formula One podium. It should of course, have been only 938 days – but that fateful evening in Abu Dhabi robbed him of both the race win, and his eighth championship, after the mistakes that were made in Race Control that evening. That long wait, the emotions that had waxed and waned during the intervening two years, the self-doubt to which Lewis admitted in the emotional aftermath… it was all bottled up inside him and released like a popping champagne cork when he crossed the line in Silverstone.
Standing (well, bouncing) in the garage after the podium ceremony, it was clear that although all race wins are worth the same 25 points, not all race wins are equal. The only other feeling like it that I can recall was the victory in Brazil 2021, when a spurious technical infringement consigned Lewis to the back of the Interlagos grid and laid the foundations for two of his most swashbuckling drives on that Sprint weekend. Jenson Button, commentating for Sky, said it felt more like a championship celebration than a race win — and he was spot on. Partly, it’s because it was our second win in as many races; partly because we’d done it on merit; but mostly, it was because Lewis had laid to rest a spectre that had been haunting him since those fateful final laps of the 2021 championship.
It is the very nature of being the most successful driver the sport has ever seen, that every new achievement brings a new record. The air is thin on the motor racing Mount Olympus that is occupied by greats such as Fangio, Clark, Senna, Schumacher, and Sir Lewis. This was his ninth win at Silverstone — a new benchmark — and the 10th victory for a Mercedes-Benz driver at the race, stretching back to Sir Stirling Moss’s triumph at Aintree in 1955. That was the race that Moss was adamant Fangio had gifted him; while the great Argentine, gentlemanly to a fault, always insisted Moss had simply been the quicker man on the day. Moss’ day, in front of his crowd, at his home race.
It was an especially emotional moment when we celebrated as a team on Monday, and even more so when Lewis visited the factory to address the troops on Wednesday after the race. Not only had we gathered those 10 trophies — thanks to the sterling efforts of Rob Halloway, MB Classic, the RAC and Motorsport UK! — but it also marked the first time Lewis had spoken to the factory all year. It wouldn’t be fair to share everything he said, but he was moved, moving and utterly candid about how he has experienced the first half of the season. I’ve heard him speak many times over the years, and it was the most impressive I have witnessed; completely open and authentic, and achingly vulnerable at points. It was a true milestone moment.
Notwithstanding the remarkable sporting spectacle of Silverstone, it was a bittersweet day as we saw George forced to retire with an intercooler leak. That cost us the chance to take even more points out of
Ferrari, and it was especially frustrating for him at his home race — even though he was determined to be the first to congratulate Lewis in parc ferme. But his disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that we are now in the mix on pure pace — and there’s plenty more still to come. No doubt it was helped, too, by the afterglow from his unexpected but thoroughly deserved victory a week earlier in Austria. We are now the only team along with Ferrari to have won with both drivers this season — something that puts Verstappen’s performances into perspective, when you consider that he leads the drivers’ championship and his team the constructors’!
The key thing for us at Mercedes is that we now have direction — and momentum. Four consecutive races on the podium, including two wins. Quick enough to have won Canada, too, had we played our hand a little differently. After Monaco, Ferrari led us by 156 points in the championship; post-Silverstone, that gap was down to 81 points. In terms of the championship, our target is to keep hunting them down!
Silverstone wasn’t just historic because of F1, either. In the F2 support series, our junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli — universally known as Kimi — became the youngest ever race winner in that series when he dominated the wet Sprint race on Saturday. He stayed composed during red flags and multiple safety car periods, and was able to pull away from the field on each restart. It has been a difficult season for his Prema team so far, as they’ve struggled to adapt to a new car after being the benchmark for many seasons (does that story sound familiar at all?!). But in the wet conditions on Saturday, where it’s more about driving ability than anything else, Kimi set a fastest lap more than a second clear of his closest rival. If that doesn’t speak to driving talent, it’s hard to know what does…
Off track, meanwhile, work continues at breakneck speed. Our team-mates working on the Ineos Britannia America’s Cup project are busy getting to know the boat and its racing characteristics in Barcelona, ahead of the first competitions later in the summer. We are in the process of finalising our team book with Penguin Random House, which will be published in November. We welcomed a major partner, Signify, to drive sustainable innovation with the team. Simply put — we’re cooking with gas. And we can’t wait for the second half of this 2024 season!
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team is the works team of MercedesAMG, competing at the pinnacle of motorsport the FIA Formula One™ World Championship.
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, based across Technology Centres at Brackley and Brixworth in the United Kingdom, brings together over 1,000 dedicated and determined people that design, develop, manufacture and race the cars driven by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Grand Prix winner, George Russell. Winning seven consecutive double Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships from 2014 to 2020 and securing a recordbreaking eighth consecutive Constructors’ Championship success in 2021, the Team is one of the most successful in the sport’s history.
Follow the team: https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/ instagram | @MercedesAMGF1
REMAINING FORMULA ONE SCHEDULE 2024
Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps July 28
Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort August 25
Italian Grand Prix Monza September 1
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Baku September 15
Singapore Grand Prix Singapore September 22
US Grand Prix COTA Texas October 20
Mexico Grand Prix Autódromo Rodríguez October 27
Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos Circuit November 3
Las Vegas Grand Prix Las Vegas Strip November 23
Qatar Grand Prix Lusail Circuit December 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit December 8
A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
Record-breaking British Grand Prix victory for Lewis Hamilton and the team at Silverstone.
Lewis Hamilton claimed a stunning British Grand Prix victory on Sunday at Silverstone while George Russell unfortunately was forced to retire.
Starting from the front-row, George and Lewis led the way in the opening laps. However, a rain shower one third of the way through the Grand Prix cycled the McLarens through to the lead. That initial rain came and went before a further downpour necessitated a switch to the Intermediate tyres. With the team double-stacking, Lewis emerged in P2 with George P4. Rising Power Unit temperatures due to a water system issue forced George to retire from the Grand Prix shortly after. With Lewis the team's sole remaining car, the team judged the switch back to dry tyres well and pitted him a lap earlier than the race-leading McLaren of Lando Norris. Switching to the Soft compound, he emerged in the lead and managed the final stint well to take a record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix win. Lewis becomes the first driver to win a Grand Prix in 16
different season and the first driver to win a Grand Prix after making 300 starts. It is also Lewis's 12th consecutive British Grand Prix podium and his 150th podium with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.
Lewis Hamilton
“Today means so much. It is the most incredible honour to be standing on the top step of the podium here at Silverstone. I think my heart is still racing! I am forever grateful to everyone in this team, to Mercedes-AMG, and to all our partners. To finally succeed is the greatest feeling I remember having.”
George Russell
“I'm absolutely gutted. Congratulations to Lewis and the team though. He drove a great race and it's a fully deserved victory. Nevertheless, it's been an amazing weekend for us as a team.”
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO
“Today's win is like a fairytale. It is our last British Grand Prix together with Lewis and what a way to sign off. It is such a great feeling to be able to achieve victory in front of the British crowds with the most iconic, and most successful British driver in a Mercedes.”
BREAKING RECORDS.
2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
Team’s podium streak continues on sweltering Sunday in Budapest
Lewis Hamilton finished third and George Russell eighth in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Lewis made it five races in a row with one of the team’s cars on the podium and took his 200th top-three finish overall in F1. George was able to take the fastest lap of the race for an additional point, securing the 100th fastest lap for the team since returning to the sport in 2010. A McLaren 1-2 made it the 18th podium lockout for Mercedes-Benz power, a new record for a Power Unit manufacturer in F1. Mercedes-Benz power has also now surpassed 600 podium finishes in F1.
Lewis Hamilton
Firstly, a huge congratulations to McLaren on the one-two and Oscar (Piastri) on his maiden victory.
They were incredibly strong today and deserved the result. The team has done a great job to continue making progress with our car. We knew we didn’t have the speed of Oscar or Lando (Norris) today, but we were able to secure the final spot on the podium. It was a challenge at times to keep Verstappen behind whilst also making the tyres last. Our battle at the end was a little hair-raising but that’s motor racing. I’m really happy to be back on the podium and for another solid points haul. We now head to Spa looking to finish the first half of the season on a high.
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO
Claiming a podium finish, our fifth race in a row doing so, feels good. To see Lewis get his 200th podium in F1, and his 151st with our team, was great. Yesterday’s setback with George meant he had to fight through the field. In the end, it was a good recovery from where he started.
1-2=1
2024 Belgian Grand Prix Victory at Spa but disappointment through disqualification.
George Russell led home a one-two finish at the Belgian Grand Prix, before being disqualified post-race with his car below the minimum weight required. Lewis Hamilton therefore inherited the win, his 105th in his career, and his second of the season.
Starting P3 and P6 both drivers made progress in the early stages with Lewis claiming the lead on lap 3. George shifted to the one-stop strategy which proved effective and held on to cross the line in first. Lewis being promoted to first claimed the team’s third victory in the last four races.
Lewis Hamilton
It is of course disappointing for the team to lose the 1-2 but there are lots of positives to take away from today. The car was feeling good, and we had much better pace than we expected. I feel for George, and you don’t want to win a race through a disqualification, but we have been back in the fight for victories in the past few races, we can go into the summer break with momentum and positivity.
George Russell
It is heartbreaking to be disqualified from today’s race. Despite the disqualification, I am proud to have crossed the line first. It is good that the team was still able to take the victory with Lewis. He drove a great race and was the fastest car out there. I know we will bounce back stronger after the summer break.
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO
We have to take our disqualification on the chin. We have clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it. To lose a 1-2 is frustrating and we can only apologize to George who drove such a strong race. Lewis is of course promoted to P1; he was the fastest guy on the two-stop and is a deserving winner.
Despite the disqualification, there are many positives we can take from this weekend. Only a few months ago, that would have been inconceivable. We head into the summer break having won three of the past four races. We will come back after shutdown with the aim of maintaining our positive trajectory.
Primary members of U.S. Mercedes-Benz Club of America are eligible to exclusive rebates on the lease or purchase of select Mercedes-Benz vehicles. To learn more visit www. mbca.org/mbusa-incentives.
https://www.mercedesgrande.org
RALLY LEGEND
Ewy Rosqvist
Text: Star Editorial Team | Images: Mercedes-Benz Archive
Ewy Rosqvist, former Mercedes-Benz works racing legend has passed away aged 94 on 4 July 2024. “Mercedes-Benz will always remember this extraordinary woman and her achievements and honor her memory,” says Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH. “She has done a lot for motorsport — and at the same time she shaped the image of women in motorsport, especially as an overall winner against the strongest of her time.”
Ewy Rosqvist was born Ewy Jensson on August 3, 1929 in Stora Herrestad (Ystad, southern Sweden). She was born into a farming household, being the only girl amongst the five children. After attending agricultural school (which included training in livestock farming,) Ewy studied veterinary medicine and became a veterinary assistant. In her profession, she looked after a large area with widely scattered farms, which introduced her to her first Mercedes-Benz, a Type 170 S (W 136) purchased for her by her father. Ewy used her 170 S to cover up to 200 kilometers (over 124 miles) per day on narrow dirt roads.
She achieved better and better driving times and sharpened her driving reflexes. In her autobiography “Journey through Hell” she describes “After two years, I was already driving so well that in the evening, despite all my interruptions at the farms, I was usually back one and a half to two hours earlier than my colleagues.” Her marriage to motorsport enthusiast engineer Yngve Rosqvist in 1954 brought the young Swede into contact with the world of rallying. Ewy accompanied her husband Yngve in 1954 at the Midnight Sun Rally (Svenska Rallyt till Midnattssolen) and got behind the wheel for the first time. “I was allowed to drive on some intermediate stages, and I enjoyed it so much that I decided to take part in a rally as soon as possible,” Ewy later recalled. In 1956, it then started with the Midnight Sun Rally. A few years later, she and her husband parted ways.
Ewy Rosqvist became very devoted to rallying, winning the Women’s Cup at the Finnish Rally of 1,000 Lakes four times and the women’s classification at numerous other rallies throughout Europe. In 1959, she won the European Women’s Cup in a Volvo ahead of Pat Moss, the internationally famous rally driver and sister of Stirling Moss. Princess Grace Patricia of Monaco presented the trophy to Ewy in January 1960 at the Monte Carlo Rally. Ewy Rosqvist won this trophy in 1960 and 1961. She also picked up the women’s trophy in international rallying (Coupe des Dames) in 1959 and 1961.
Ultimately it was not possible to pursue intense, successful rallying as a personal passion alongside other employment on a permanent basis. As a result, Ewy signed a contract as a works driver with Volvo in 1960. Her life story with Mercedes-Benz came back full circle shortly; after all, she had completed her driving apprenticeship in a Mercedes-Benz. In the spring of 1962, Mercedes-Benz recruited Ewy Rosqvist and her co-driver Ursula Wirth onto the Stuttgart works team.
PHOTO 1 (TOP): Ewy Rosqvist, Mercedes-Benz rally driver from 1962 to 1964 and MercedesBenz Classic brand ambassador. Photo with Björn Waldegård (left) and Marcel Tiemann at “Mercedes-Benz & Friends” in Sweden, September 2013.
PHOTO 2 (MIDDLE): Photo with the Mercedes-Benz drivers in the Spa-SofiaLiège rally from August 25 to August 29 1964.
From left to right: Martin Braungart, Dieter Glemser, Alfred Kling, Ewy Rosqvist, Manfred Schiek, Eugen Böhringer, Rolf Kreder and Klaus Kaiser.
PHOTO 3 (BOTTOM): Rally drivers, Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth leaning against a 220 SE.
PHOTO 4 (PG 29, TOP): Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth looking chic with the MercedesBenz 220 SE “tailfin” racing touring car with the starting number 269 (W 111) at the 32nd Rally Monte Carlo 1963
PHOTO 5 (PG 29, BOTTOM): The Swedish women’s team of Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth wins the 6th Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix (VI Gran Premio Internacional Standard Supermovil YPF) with the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE fintail racing touring car with the starting number 711 (W 111) from October 25 to November 4 1962. The duo wins all six stages of the 4,626-kilometer (2,874.46 miles) race and sets a new record.
1 (TOP): Mercedes-Benz rally drivers Ewy Rosqvist (center) and Ursula Wirth (right) win the coveted “Coupe des Dames” at the 32nd Rally Monte Carlo 1963 with a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE fintail rally car. On January 28 1963, Princess Grace Patricia of Monaco presents the trophy (left).
PHOTO 2 (BOTTOM): The Mercedes-Benz rally drivers Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth win the coveted “Coupe des Dames” at the 32nd Rally Monte Carlo 1963 with a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE fintail rally car. Photo before the finish in Monaco.
PHOTO 3 (PG 31, TOP): The Swedish women’s team of Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth wins the Sixth Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix (VI Gran Premio Internacional Standard Supermovil YPF) with the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE fintail racing touring car with the starting number 711 (W 111) October 25 to November 4 1962. The duo wins all six stages of the 4,626-kilometer (2,874.46 miles) race and sets a new record.
PHOTO 4 (PG 31, MIDDLE): Sixth Touring Car Grand Prix of Argentina, October 25 to November 4 1962. The Swedish ladies’ team of Ewy Rosqvist (right) and Ursula Wirth wins the race in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111). In the middle, Mercedes-Benz race director Karl Kling.
PHOTO 5 (PG 31, BOTTOM): The Touring Car Grand Prix of Argentina, from October 25 to November 4 1962. Victory celebrations in the Daimler-Benz AG tower block in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim.
The first race for Ewy and Ursula in their flagship Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111) Saloon was the four-day Swedish Rally to the Midnight Sun (June 12 to June 16, 1962) where they immediately secured the Women’s Cup. They took 6th place in the 22nd Rajd Polski (June 10 - June 12, 1962) and then came in 12th in the Liège–Sofia–Liège Rally (August 29th - September 3rd 1962) before going on to win the Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix. Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth won all six stages of this 4,624 kilometer (over 2,873 miles) race in course records, triggering enthusiastic celebrations on their arrival in Buenos Aires. It was probably the biggest success in Ewe’s glamorous career. To reinforce the tremendous success achieved in this victory, Ewy Rosqvist also increased the average speed from 121.23 kmh to 126.872 kmh (75.33-78.83 mph) compared to the previous year’s winning duo (Walter Schock and Manfred Schiek in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE) and finished three hours before everyone else.
Over the next couple of years, Ewy continued to achieve excellent positions in famous rallies and long-distance races. Examples include 16th place overall and a win in the ladies’ class at the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally, 12th place at the 11th Acropolis Rally and victory in class up to 2,500 cc (2.5 L) in a six-hour race at the Nürburgring (with Ursula Wirth and Eberhard Mahle). She and Ursula also achieved third place in the Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix behind teammates Eugen Böhringer and Klaus Kaiser, as well as Dieter Glemser and Martin Braungart, each duo in a MercedesBenz 300 SE (W 112).
In 1964, Ewy Rosqvist teamed up with Eva Maria Falk to win the class up to 2,500 cc (250 L) at the Monte Carlo Rally, secure 5th place in the Acropolis Rally and 3rd place in the Spa–Sofia–Liège Rally. Ewy ended her active career by finishing 3rd in the 1964 Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix with Eva Maria Falk. In June of that year, Rosqvist married Baron Alexander von Korff-Schmysingk in the chapel of Stuttgart’s Old Castle. Following her husband’s death in 1977, Baroness Ewy von Korff-Rosqvist carried on living in Stuttgart for some years. Among other activities, she conducted guided museum tours there in Swedish, German, English, and Spanish. She later returned to Stockholm, but always remained closely associated with Mercedes-Benz, as a brand ambassador for MercedesBenz Classic. In 2019, she reported on her victory at the Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix in 1962 in a short film “Ewy Rosqvist: An Unexpected Champion” which can be accessed via the QR code below.
We celebrate the life of an incredible driver, competitor, and catalyst for equality within motorsports with her quote “They said I’d never finish — so I finished first.” - Ewy Rosqvist.
PHOTO
From left to right: Baroness Ewy von Korff-Rosqvist, Director General Walter Hitzinger, Ursula Wirth and Head of Racing Karl Kling.
Road to Wings
PHOTO 1 (PG 32): Vail, Colorado with iconic Gore Range background.
PHOTO 2 (TOP): Still snowing atop the Eastern Sierras, Bishop, CA and springtime below.
PHOTO 3 (MIDDLE): Enjoying the slower paced real world; cattle ranch near Circleville, UT.
PHOTO 4 (BOTTOM): Colorado River Road with beautiful views, north of Moab, UT.
Spring is a special time to drive throughout the Mountain West region with beautiful white mountaintops above, and valleys below becoming green again. I packed my bags to take another road trip in my 1983 Mercedes-Benz 300 TD, a car that I have owned since 2011. I decided to incorporate two scheduled events in California with a road trip, adding visits with family and friends along the way.
From Bozeman, Montana I headed out through Idaho and Nevada. Billed as “The Loneliest Highway in America,” at least a half dozen times over the years between Delta, UT and Carson City, NV, each time in a classic Mercedes-Benz. This time, I chose U.S. Route 6 from Ely, NV to Bishop, CA, which I found to be even more remote and desolate than U.S. Route 50. A highway sign leaving Ely, Nevada that reads “No Services next 168 miles” sends a clear message. I like two-lane highways for this type of road trip.
U.S. Route 6 is designated Open Range for most of this segment with no fencing. You must always be alert for livestock on the road. A photo in this article shows the 300TD stopped in its U.S. Route 6 traffic lane with 14 miles of perfectly straight highway in its rear view. While I stopped for ten minutes to take some photos, no vehicle had passed in either direction. Further up the road I was greeted by a herd of 15 wild horses just 100 yards from the road. You are a guest of nature, the world is unimaginably peaceful and silent out there … but even with the harmonic baritone of the OM617 Turbodiesel.
Route 6 ends in Bishop, CA, at the foot of the eastern Sierras. Snow clouds hovered on the mountaintops but did not descend to the valleys below, making for some special scenery. The next day, I drove south on U.S. Route 395 to Lone Pine, CA, a gateway to Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain summit in the lower 48 states.
After a quick stint near Mt. Whitney, I headed back north on U.S. 395, passing Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake, and crossed into Nevada south of Carson City, NV. I hooked southwest on CA 88 over snow-covered Sierras at Carson Pass, a twisty road its entire length. An overnight stay at the historic National Hotel in Jackson, CA was a pleasant nod to yesteryear. Its current owner had the hotel thoroughly refurbished some years back, keeping its authentic late 1880s atmosphere intact.
Bill Walsh’s Photo Journal to the Gullwing Convention Text & Images: Bill Walsh
Open Range section of US Hwy 6 through Nevada. No services for 167 miles on this stretch.
The next leg of the journey was to the 2024 Gullwing Group (GWG) Convention, held at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California. My first GWG convention was in 2021, and I have attended every convention since. It is always great to meet new people and reconnect with people I have met before … all while being surrounded by fabulous 300 SLs. Convention attendees were hosted for a Pixie-themed garden party at the home of a Gullwing Group / Ojai local. The theme was not quite what you might initially think - Ojai is native to the Pixie Tangerine … not fairies.
A tech session was held the following day with a catered lunch at the location of a vaulted collection of special cars. Mike Kunz and Nate Lander of Mercedes-Benz Classic drove a 300SL Roadster from Long Beach to personally deliver to its GWG owner at the convention. The owner purchased it at auction in England in 2023 and shipped it directly to MercedesBenz Classic Center to sort out the gorgeous driving roadster for enjoyable driving. It later won First Place in the Roadster category.
Friday, we enjoyed a thoughtfully planned drive through rolling hills, as well as a stop at a member’s property with an amazing, expansive, and gorgeous garden of succulents. Friday afternoon finished with the 300 SL car show in Montecito; moved to Friday to avoid the forecasted all-day rain for Saturday and Sunday. We said our goodbyes Sunday morning.
The trusty 300 TD pointed north again on U.S. 101, stopping in Salinas to visit Ken Brown, who some may remember as the former Parts Manager at MercedesBenz of Monterey. Ken is helpful, knowledgeable, and a car guy himself; he now enjoys retirement. Over the first few years after I purchased this 300 TD in 2011, Ken shipped nearly all of the required genuine replacement parts to my home. Pierre Hedary flew up from Florida five or six times for 3-day stints to perform the work in my garage.
I drove to the Bay Area to spend several delightful days with my son and daughter-in-law, followed by a stop to visit my daughter & grandkids outside of Las Vegas. I chose CA 88 again, the twisty road across the Sierras to Carson City, then south on Nevada state and US highways all the way to Vegas. The following day I passed through Beatty, NV; “Eastern Entrance to Death Valley National Park”. That evening MBCA Executive Director Katie Carruth posted photos on MBCA’s social media as she and Jon Edwards joined nearly thirty other S 123 TD wagons on Blue Nelson’s Death Valley Wagon Tour. Unfortunately, our timing was off by just a few hours; if not, my 300 TD would have become the thirty-first wagon.
Heading north from Las Vegas into Utah, I jumped off I-15 at Parowan and UT 20 to reach a slower moving US 89, passing through farm and ranch country the way I remember things there 50 years ago. The next day, I jumped off I-70 to capture a photo at a certain view corridor on Colorado River Road north of Moab. Then a stop in Grand Junction, CO, for lunch with a former co-worker and on to Carbondale for a meeting and dinner with friends. Snowcapped Mount Sopris overlooking the Roaring Fork valley was beautiful in the golden hour light. I spent a few days in Vail Valley, visiting friends and former co-workers, followed by CO 131 to Steamboat Springs for a weekend visit with my eldest daughter and family.
Despite driving countless times in 30 years between Vail Valley and Montana, it never gets old. I arrived in Bozeman with 4,750 miles for this trip, already thinking about the next road trip in a classic Mercedes.
My objective for the 2011-2013 mechanical restoration was for every aspect of this 300 TD to once again feel and operate as it did when brand new. The 100,000 miles I have put on this wagon since owning it confirm it was all worth it.
Brown Maloney invited his daughters Blaire and Cortney to pilot his 300 SL Roadster on driving days at the Gullwing Group convention in Ojai, CA.
A driving day stopover at a GWG member’s beautiful residence, with its significant garden of succulents.
Brown Maloney’s daughters Blaire and Cortney.
Ginger Bamford’s 300 SL Roadster won First Place at GWG car show
– Mike Kunz and Nate Lander of MB Classic Center drove it to the convention from Long Beach.
A Spring GWG Convention
Text: The Convention Committee | Images: Jay Rosas
The first ever GWG Spring convention is in the record books. One hundred and thirteen members attended the entire event with Michael Kunz and Nate Lander from the Classic Center joining us on Thursday and Friday. Eighteen more members joined us at the Saturday Awards Dinner and nine came just for the car show. So, a total of 138 members gathered during the event, with a record of 42 being first time attendees.
Several members commented that the Spring timing was a better fit with their busy schedules. Many members commented on the beautiful rooms and spacious grounds of the Ojai Valley Inn. The grounds and golf course are dotted with massive oak trees that have lanterns hanging from them. The biggest tree is named the “Friendship Tree,” and we used this theme at the Saturday dinner.
The weather was wonderful until Saturday, when rain was predicted, and the weathermen were correct. Luckily we moved the Car Show to Friday afternoon and had 28 300 SLs and nine SLS AMG participate, along with a 190 SL, a 220, and a 230. On Saturday instead of the car show, we had the best swap meet in years that was held indoors on ten tables full of all things 300 SL. Several long-time members were able to reduce their collections and raise some serious money.
The opening night dinner, sponsored by Gullwing Motor Cars, had a “California Dreaming” theme that took us to the beach and had members dressed in 60s California Casual. Thursday we traveled to Santa Paula and the Collector Car Vault, owned by GWG member Xavier Maignan, for our Technical Session. At the Tech Session sponsored by 198 Werks, Robert Webster discussed the 300 SL’s ignition system including the changes made during production and proper maintenance. Paul Mershon of Aurelius Capital Advisors, LLC, reviewed strategies to reduce taxes when you sell a high value asset.
Our technical panel was composed of Siegfried Linke, Steve Marx, Nate Lander, and Robert Webster. When they were asked “what is the most important part of your car to maintain,” they all said “Brakes!” That led to a lively discussion of all parts of a 300 SL, and what to watch out for and suggestions on how best to maintain the different systems of the car. The Tech Session was followed by lunch sponsored by Paul Mershon
Thursday evening, we went to the Ojai home of Nicolette & Richard Breschini, dear friends of Sonoma & Will Clark, for a “Pixie” themed dinner sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Classic. It was a very relaxing evening in their beautiful backyard that allowed for great socializing. A special thanks to Nicolette & Richard.
Friday was the Rally sponsored by Coachwerks Restorations, so we left the hotel at 8:30 and found many great driving roads through Montecito and Santa Barbara. We jumped on highway 101 and drove along the Pacific coast on a misty morning and turned inland beyond Gaviota, crossing the Santa Ynez mountains to Solvang where the weather cleared to a beautiful sunny day. We continued to the St Francis Ranch, owned by GWG member Alex Geremia. As you drive up the driveway of the huge ranch, you pass longhorn cattle, zebras, and peacocks. We climbed several hundred feet and crossed a stream to reach Alex’s home that has spectacular vistas of Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez valley. We took a break at her home so we could experience her incredible succulent garden. We parked all the Mercedes-Benz in her driveway surrounded by the garden.
After our visit to Alex’s Garden, we drove over the San Marcos pass down into and through Santa Barbara to our lunch sponsored by HK Engineering at the Rosewood’s Miramar Beach Resort. We had reserved parking for the classic cars so after lunch there we held the Car Show. Tom & Linda Bau had brought all the voting material and it was a small area so people could easily see the cars and visit. We also had a reporter from the local paper show up who took pictures and wrote an article about the GWG.
For once the weather forecasters were correct and it rained all day Saturday and Sunday. The swap meet was in the foyer outside our lunchroom. So, everyone that came to the champagne lunch sponsored by Grundy Insurance, was able to spend time at the swap meet. Saturday evening awards dinner sponsored by Singleton-Peery Financial had a dual theme; the 70th anniversary of the Gullwing and Friendship. Each table was decorated with lanterns similar to the lanterns on the trees around the resort, and photographs of GWG members having fun together with their cars. We had two 70th anniversary cakes to enjoy. See the award winners on the next pages. The car show trophies were sponsored by RM Sotheby’s and Authentic Classics. Representatives of RM Sotheby’s handed out the trophies.
Sunday morning, we had a leisurely farewell breakfast where we said goodbye to all of our dear friends and made joint plans to join everyone next year at the 56th Convention on Vancouver Island, Canada, July 9-13 hosted by Coachwerks Restorations.
PHOTO (TOP): Pixie-themed garden party at the home of a Gullwing Group member.
PHOTO 2 (MIDDLE): Tops down, doors up.
PHOTO 3 (BOTTOM): 300
HART LIKE A HAMMER.
An interview with Hartmut Feyhl, founder of RENNtech.
Text: Rubin Howard | Images: Serge Que + RENNtech Archives
It is a fascinating time to be alive if you happen to have any underlying interest in modern classic Mercedes-Benz and Pre-Merger AMGs. These cars are young enough to serve as childhood poster cars while being old enough to have seen a massive resurgence in cultural interest and value. The Mercedes-AMG brand has evolved to become a household name among performance enthusiasts. The marque that was once known for high performance tuning and bespoke coachwork has grown into the darling of Mercedes-Benz performance. Discerning enthusiasts may recognize another household name synonymous with performance — Hartmut Feyhl.
“The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.”
Hartmut Feyhl grew up in a small town in Germany called Affalterbach, home to a small tuning company called AMG. In his youth, Hartmut would enjoy competitive sports such as shooting sporting clays, and racing go-karts at the local kart track. Having shot well one afternoon, a gentleman by the name of Hans Werner Aufrecht came to congratulate Hartmut on his successful day at the range. A result of pure serendipity, Aufrecht represented the “A” in AMG. The two quickly discovered they had several things in common; including both sporting clays and motor racing enthusiasts from Affalterbach.
Hartmut Feyhl was invited to apprentice at the AMG workshop where he had the good fortune to work directly with Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher The “A” and “M” in AMG. From 1978 through 1986, Feyhl progressed from a Technician to a Master Mechanic and AMG Engineer. Hartmut continued to pursue go-kart racing and Formula Ford racing with the support of AMG, as he believed that these racing experiences were crucial in developing a deep understanding of how to improve vehicle performance by pushing them to their limits. This process instilled many of Hartmut’s core principles as a driver and engineer. By 1986, Hartmut Feyhl was named the Technical Director for AMG North America. PHOTO
Hartmut Feyhl racing in Formula Ford.
Hartmut worked closely on the development of the W 124 E 300 6.0 AMG, affectionately known as the “Hammer”. When the first U.S.-Spec Hammer was built in 1987, it featured a 32-valve head which produced 360 bhp and 400 lb-ft of toque. The nickname “Hammer” originated in the United States. The word hammer has a relevant meaning both in German and English, so it stuck. The power of the car hits you “like a hammer” and in German “Das ist Hammer” translates to “this is awesome”. The Hammer was an engineering marvel that left everyone in disbelief. Feyhl was summoned by Car and Driver for the “Ultimate Top Speed Shootout”, and with subtle modification, Feyhl was able to reach 300 kph (186.41 mph). When reviewing The Hammer, Car and Driver wrote “The Hammer covers ground so quickly that you swear you can feel the earth’s curvature racing to meet you.”
In 1989, with the blessing of Hans Werner Aufrecht, Hartmut Feyhl founded RENNtech. The name is derived from the German word “Renn” meaning race, combined with “tech” in reference to technology. Bringing bespoke racing technology to the street was exactly what Feyhl had planned to do. What began as an innovative startup quickly grew into a global powerhouse. RENNtech’s first location was in Delray Beach, Florida. The success of the W 124 “Hammer” and the R 129 served as the backbone of RENNtech’s initial business. By 1990, RENNtech had already expanded to a larger building in Lake Park, FL. Hartmut had evolved the engine technology of the Hammer, basing RENNtech Hammers off a 6.0 L M119 engine paired to an 400 E or 500 E wide body. Variances between AMG 300 E 6.0 L and RENNtech 6.0 Hammers depended vastly on customer specifications and the year of production.
PHOTO 6 (TOP): The car that broke the mold. Restored by RENNtech in 2020, this silver 300 E 6.0 AMG
“Hammer” broke 300 kmh (186.41 mph) in 1986, and originally belonged to Hans-Werner Aufrecht, the “A” in AMG.
PHOTO 7 (PG 45, TOP): With over 40 years of performance engineering under his belt, Hartmut Feyhl leads the performance development of Mercedes-Benz AMG at RENNtech.
PHOTO 8 (PG 45, BOTTOM): RENNtech SL 74 R — the most powerful SL of its time, the RENNtech built M120 V12 produced 585 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Today RENNtech Classics continues to build the R 129 in the same manner as 30 years ago.
Fast forward 35 years later, innovation is at the core of RENNtech’s values as a brand. The tuning house is known for their rock-solid reliability, quality of craftsmanship, and innovative engineering solutions that go beyond engine tuning. Hartmut Feyhl believes that a holistic approach must be taken in order to ensure that his products do not simply move faster, but they perform better in every way imaginable. RENNtech goes the extra mile to develop proprietary software and hardware solutions that seamlessly integrate with a vehicle’s telematics, unleashing the vehicle’s full potential. Suspension systems are refined, and aerodynamics are optimized in order to keep the vehicle secure on its course. RENNtech’s evolutionary pursuit of performance technology has paved the way for motorsports. In 2018, RENNtech Motorsports’ AMG GT4 raced its inaugural race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Hartmut Feyhl’s life and passion for performance carry a legacy that extends beyond the vehicles that RENNtech has engineered. Leveraging the experience and wisdom of an individual who has worked so closely with AMG in its infancy is an almost unimaginable privilege to have. More often than not, automotive heroes are spoken in memoriam of, and their legacy and stories live on in the cars they have created. Hartmut Feyhl is single-handedly the most important person alive in relation to AMG history in North America. RENNtech holds the spirit of the pre-merger AMG era with its ultra high quantity, à la carte variety of performance solutions to your Mercedes-Benz while delivering unparalleled performance solutions to enthusiasts worldwide.
RENNtech headquarters in Lake Park, FL, from 1992 - 2015. Never resting on their laurels, RENNtech continues to push the performance and handling to the next level.
Today RENNtech is a leading automotive engineering company with over 30 employees from around the world.
RENNtech headquarters in Stuart, FL.
It is now 6 p.m., April 18. The California sun sinks into the Pacific Ocean, and this Thursday night is special.
Tonight is the highly anticipated Death Valley Tour kick off party. Folks lining up outside just to get down. Valet attendants would see a classic Mercedes-Benz trying to enter the crowded parking lot off the famed Pacific Coast Highway. They would hustle over to usher these distinguished wagons past the admiring public, to what became an impromptu block party, bustling with long roofs and sandals. Hosting the evening was the world-famous Dukes of Malibu. This event was not only for those invited on the tour, but for anyone else in the Classic Mercedes-Benz community to come see the cars, see one another and see some adult beverages at the bar. As predicted, but not planned, several folks still had “last minute” adjustments on their cars, even though the tour was scheduled to depart in less than 12 hours.
Now, just before midnight, Blue is in an alley behind Geoff Elsmore’s apartment in nearby Santa Monica fiddling with a W 123 MercedesBenz wagon, no, make that fiddling with several W 123 wagons. In fact, many of his friends/tour goers, some whom were at the party, are all crowded in this alley getting their prized wagons finalized. We all had many weeks, if not months, if not years, to get our rides ready, but no matter the lead-time given, there will always be last minute drama. These scenarios tend to be where the camaraderie and personalities come alive. Geoff works on Simon Spaeth’s wagon, Dan Beard, hesitantly, on Blue’s wagon, Blue on Damian Riehl’s wagon, John Woods back on Geoff’s wagon, Damian is installing a seat and Richard Ingram works on everyone’s wagon. Nobody seems to be paying attention to the fact that the alley is a common thoroughfare and we had hoped to be in bed by a reasonable hour in time for the big send-off 9 a.m. at the Santa Monica Pier.
For Blue, this tour is the culmination of two years of planning, repairing, tuning, welding, painting, sewing, scouting, complaining, driving, calling, emailing, and more driving. Part of the time frame allowed Blue to provide 10 wagon-less friends, with wagons. By doing this, he hoped to inspire non-wagon owners, or for that matter, friends who do not own a Mercedes-Benz, to want a wagon of their own. In order to accomplish this, Blue personally built/refurbished 5 wagons: one rescued last minute from White City Scrap Metal, one having been dragged from decades of abandonment in the forest, another being an exact clone of Blue’s personal wagon, remarkably having been sold at the same dealership in Santa Monica at the same time as his personal wagon, and one extracted from a hippy commune in the Californian mountains, and a lovely, surf blue, 400,000 mile gem. To complete the 10 needed, he reached out to other invitees to ask if they would consider loaning their spare wagons for the tour. As a thank you, Blue personally wrenched on these other wagons to get them tour-ready. While in SoCal, like a doctor, he would pay a home visit to other invited wagon owners. This turned into many a weekend communal repair/ pre-tour prep clinic, where several tour-goers gathered to work to collectively, to get each other’s rides ready. The coordination behind how each loaner wagon would end up with their driver, as well as how they would be transported to the start, was more like the plans for an Oceans 11 heist.
Text: Katie Crowley
Images: Blue Nelson
Blue would drive Dan from Oregon down to pick up the Guru Wagon from California then back to Southern Oregon so that Simon would drive it back down to Southern California for the tour. John Woods would fly in from Atlanta in order to drive the black pearl wagon from Oregon to LA then hand it off to Katie Carruth and Johnny Edwards to drive on the tour. John would then switch to driving Geoff Elsmore’s pristine Reed Green wagon. Blue would drive from Oregon to LA to take Eddie Gonzales to Orange County to pick up the Shaun Gallegos black wagon to take it back to Altadena. Kirk Wilson would drive the Kjeld French 904 blue wagon from Monterey to LA, then switch to Kent Weinstein’s Diamond Blue wagon. Had enough? Let’s not forget Kip Finch who would come to Long Beach to finish battling the demons surrounding his Classic black wagon while Alyce Miller was eagerly preparing to drive her Astral Silver Route 66 rounder, from Chicago to LA, by herself.
Blue organized the previous Death Valley Wagon Tour during the end of 2020 during the height of the pandemic. That adventure was an incredible success and everyone who had gone, wanted to go again; and those who had missed out on the first tour had been anticipating their 2024 invitation.
Blue is often asked how his invitation list was formed. “Who would you invite to your private Thanksgiving Dinner?” He used this basic question to guide him. You see, the Death Valley Tour is by invitation only. Blue had invited friends whom he believed would not only enjoy such an adventurous experience, but also would enjoy each other ... plus he invited virtually one of every version W 123 wagon to participate. He had provided 4 separate dates so that the majority vote would win. This would give folks some leeway should a pre-chosen date not work out. An email chain was created where hundreds of emails were exchanged leading up to the tour, on a variety of subjects relating to the tour such as: your favorite German folk music playlist, your to-do list for your wagon, sharing photos of your progress, pack lists, who is going to carry the firewood this year, spare parts lists, the dreaded portable toilet, and just general goodwill, all with tremendous anticipation.
There is no charge for the tour, however this year, Blue asked everyone to contribute a small amount for a special reason. Simon Spaeth is a 19-year-old student who lives in a farming village, population 35, near Passau Germany. He is a huge fan of the W 123, so Blue asked that everyone contribute $31.23; $30 towards a flight to bring Simon to the United States so he could join the tour and $1.23 towards a fun raffle. Many in the group, even some who could not join the tour, contributed to fly Simon to Blue’s home in Southern Oregon three days prior to the beginning of the event. The plan was for Simon to drive a specially prepared wagon on the tour. Unfortunately, the wagon which was earmarked for Simon to drive, had dropped out, just as he was getting ready to fly over. Two options presented themselves. One, Simon could just ride along with someone or two, find him another wagon, and quickly. Thus the “Guru Wagon” revealed itself.
Kieran Mullaney, one of the tour-goers, located a faded Cactus Green 1980 stick shift, Euro delivery, diesel wagon for sale, near Grass Valley in Northern California. Blue drove directly from the Panamint Mountains on his final of four pre-tour, Death Valley practice runs, up to see said wagon. Led into the compound by one of the Guru’s armed followers, Blue was granted an audience with the enlightened owner after he had spent the last 10 years “ascending” in Nepal. They had been “holding space” both literally and metaphysically for the Guru and his wagon, but unfortunately it did not run. Blue furnished some tools from his wagon, and helped get it driving, then agreed to buy it, if collectively, the compound contingency would replace the dead glow plugs, wire-tie up the busted muffler, broom out the hemp sod, and, of course, not remove the weathered Hindu decals on the rear hatch. Two round trips and 1,500 miles later, the wagon was back in Southern Oregon for when Simon flew in from Germany. Arrive he did, not entirely aware that his work-vacation would start.
Blue, and Simon still in travel attire, began working on the wagon non-stop both mechanically and cosmetically and then again mechanically, until John Woods arrived from Georgia. On the way through the forest to the airport to pick up John, Simon, following behind Blue in the Guru Wagon, ran out of diesel. For those who know Blue Nelson, it is a rite of passage to run out of fuel at some point on an adventure. With not much time cushion, in his rearview mirror, Blue watched Simon just fade away and roll to a stop somewhere nondescript off the highway. By phone, one flip phone and one smart phone, Simon and Blue agreed in the interest of time, to abandon Simon on the side of the road, while Blue would continue on to fetch John at the airport. Curbside, and post high-fives, “Great to see you John, quick note, before we head back to my place we need to go find a fuel can and rescue Simon” exclaimed Blue. “Where is he?” John asked. “I’m not entirely sure”.
PHOTO (TOP): One of the many wagons towed behind Blue’s personal 300 TD on the way to Oregon. As if a wagon towing a wagon does not get enough attention, put Taylor Swift on your back window.
PHOTO 2 (BOTTOM): Slow and steady wins this long distance race in the high desert of Utah.
21 miles of scenic beauty”, beautified by 4 handsome W123s.
A variety wagons.
Two more characters were due to arrive at Blue’s Mercedes Camp one day early before heading southbound via the scenic Highway 101 to Southern California. Damian Riehl, and Dan Beard. Damien had been chronicling his “forever” wagon’s rebuild/ restoration on the active email chain that had gone back and forth since the invite had gone out. He had been working tirelessly on getting this rare English Red turbo 300 to be ready for the trip. Damian had called Blue various times to lament that he was considering not going because there would be too much to do to get ready. One such post to the thread read, “I have never gone from so happy to own a car, to so ready to watch it roll down a bank into a deep body of water.”
As with Damian, Blue reminded everyone that the tour is a driving tour, not a static, parked in a parking lot for three hours and sipping coffee on a Saturday morning-type event. First and foremost, get your car mechanically ready, test drive it regularly before the tour and not worry too much about the cosmetics.
“Please do not show up knowing that one third of the participants are skilled Mercedes-Benz mechanics that can fix your car. The success of the tour will be based on how little we fix not how much we fix.” Was the recommendation. The camaraderie, desert scenery and open highway lined with eager W 123s will far outweigh the need to have your wagon appear to be perfect. It is not a show, it is a tour. In preparation, Damian had taken a not well sorted wagon and sorted it;. He replaced the injection pump, rebuilt the turbo, rebuilt the front end, along with a seemingly endless list of other repairs. Now, after several months of work, and with a trouble-free cruise from Portland, he exited in high spirits off the 5 freeway in Southern Oregon, but turned to chugging up the hill frustrated, he stopped in Blue’s driveway, then shut down the diesel. Post high-fives, ”Hi Blue, my wagon is stuck in second gear.”
“Great to see you Damian, quick note, if you want to go on the tour, you have two options; one, park your wagon here and ride with someone, or two, we replace your transmission before tomorrow morning.”
One of four separate Death Valley practice runs in Blue’s 1982 wagon, with just under 700,000 miles.
PHOTO 1: Paint correction on a lovely 1983 Surf Blue wagon among other envious Mercedes-Benz onlookers.
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PHOTO 5: Mercedes-Benz veteran mechanic, Richard Ingram, preparing what would become the official Mercedes-Benz Service wagon, complete with logos and vintage coveralls.
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James Woods of famed Woods and Barclay from Atlanta, and Damian Riehl from Portland W 123 Maestro both road-check the rare English Red 300 TD.
Option two proved the only option. “I have stored a used transmission at Fred’s shop in Merlin about 25 miles away, pick that up, then head to Lance Armstrong’s house. He has agreed to move his bicycles to take you into his garage to help. No, he knows nothing about Mercedes-Benz but you do.” So John and Damian, who have a total of 8 minutes knowing each other, amble off at 25 mph tops via back country roads in second gear, to embark on what would be an intense afternoon, or rather evening, swapping transmissions and happily returning very late in the night to Blue’s ... in fourth gear.
Sometime before midnight, Dan Beard skids in from half a day’s drive, jumps out, high-fives, and is now eager to help out with whatever needs to be accomplished. He does not even unload his gear. We love Dan. “Hi Dan, Great to see you, sorry for the headlamp beaming in your face, quick note, there are four wagons here in a row, each with their own small notes of final things to be checked off. They are taped to the steering wheels, can you help go over the lists with Simon?” Dan dons a lamp, and, practicing broken German with Simon, vanishes into Blue’s garage to find tools and help load up, button up and get pumped up, because now the dynamic duo have landed. Out of the handsome English Red wagon pop John and Damian. They are thrashed and filthy and now best friends. They did it! All of the cast is now standing in the lobby of Blue’s garage beat down but now raised up by all thats that has been accomplished in order to head for the coast at sun-up … only four hours later. John, still on Atlanta time, sleeps in the one proper bed, Simon, on German time, is motionless on a couch, Dan naps in a VW camper parked in the living room, and Blue lays down in the back of a 1941 Packard Woody, when 90 minutes later the alarm gongs to get up.
It’s not even day one of the trip. To be continued.
PHOTO 1 (TOP): Lance Armstrong and Damian Riehl hustle to swap a transmission stuck in second-gear, just hours before departure.
PHOTO 2 (BOTTOM): As is the case with many a classic car aficionado, work sometimes gets performed in front of a marque-specific, over-crowded driveway.
The fifth generation of the S-Class, designated W 221, holds a notable place in the history of Mercedes-Benz flagship model. Unveiled to the world at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, the W 221 marked more than just a new model, it represented a confident return to more Teutonic form for the brand and re-cemented its reputation as producer of the world’s finest automobiles. The previous generation W 220, while initially praised by press and an undisputed sales success going on to sell half a million units in its lifetime, developed a reputation as the worst S-Class.
Detractors often attributed clear cost-cutting and diminishing quality that S-Class buyers were not accustomed to. Not one to brush off criticism, Mercedes-Benz went back to the drawing board on a mission to dispel any notions of declining quality and revitalize its brand image. Enter the W 221, bigger in every dimension, safer, smoother, quieter, more luxurious, more powerful, and more efficient, a technological and engineering tour de force inside and out.
Design
As is tradition with S-Class models, the new W 221 debuted what would become the brand’s primary design language for nearly a decade to come. Conceived under leadership of then design director Peter Pfeiffer, successor to legendary Bruno Sacco, this decidedly bolder aesthetic was inspired by ‘modern purism’ and contrasts expansive flat surfaces with sharp taught lines.
Initial proposals were selected from Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Tokyo as early as the year 2000. Final design was completed in 2002 and credited to Gorden Wagener at the company’s home studio in Sindelfingen. There was a focus on emphasizing confidence and dynamism in the W 221’s proportions and roofline, giving the car a stance of forward movement while sitting still. Dramatic oversized fender flares, perhaps a nod to the company’s grand post-war models, lend a more muscular appearance not seen in previous models. Interior design reflects the exterior in its opulent scale and sweeping surfaces. For the first time fiber optic ambient lighting was integrated into the cabin and there was a focused shift away from hard plastics back to natural leathers, wood, metal, and soft touch materials.
Refinements in ergonomics included relocation of drive selector from center console to steering column, a vastly updated voice command feature, and introduction of a knob-driven Cockpit Management and Data system (COMAND) infotainment system with display positioned more in line with eyesight of the driver. The seats were also fully redesigned with up to 13 active multicontour bladders enabling massage and dynamic handling features. These improvements, among many others, resulted in a noticeably elevated place to be over its predecessor and an instant leader in the segment. Production at the Sindelfingen plant in Germany began in 2005 with first U.S. deliveries in spring of 2006. The W 221 utilized a steel body with aluminum hood, fenders, doors, and trunk lid and was produced in both a long and short wheelbase configurations.
Mild to Wild
The U.S. market received only long-wheelbase W 221’s but with an array of options in both drivetrain and equipment packages. The first models available for 2007 were the S 550, S 600, and S 65 AMG. The S 550 started at $86,175 and was powered by the new M273 naturally aspirated 5.5 liter V8 engine, and available in both standard rear-wheel or optional 4MATIC.
The S 600 represented a significant step up from the base model with an entry cost of $139,900, while the S 65 AMG occupied the top spot demanding an eyewatering sum of $181,500 in 2007 (that’s $281,710 adjusted for inflation). Both the S 600 and S 65 inherited the bi-turbo V12 M275 from the W 220 chassis with a massive 510hp/612lb-ft and 604hp/738lb-ft, respectively. In 2008 the S 63 AMG became available, fitted with the AMG developed M156 6.2 liter naturally-aspirated V8 delivering a snappy 4.5 second 0-60 time, matching that of the S 600. The M156 was later replaced with the bi-turbo M157 5.5 liter for the 2011 model year. For 2012 the S 550 also received bi-turbo power with the direct-injected M278 4.6 liter V8 resulting in a 10% increase in efficiency while simultaneously boosting power over 30% up to 429 hp and 516 lb ft of torque, now good for motivating this substantial sedan from 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds.
Perhaps more peculiar are some of the efficiencyfocused powertrains offered later in the W 221’s lifespan. The first hybrid electric Mercedes-Benz model offered in the U.S. debuted in 2010 as the ‘S 400 BlueHybrid’, utilizing an electric motor paired with a 3.5 liter gasoline V6. Then in 2012 a V6 diesel ‘S 350 BlueTEC’ model went on sale, the first diesel S-Class available in the U.S. since the W 140-based S 350 left our shores in 1996.
All W 221’s came equipped with the 7G-Tronic transmission, updated to the ‘7GTRONIC PLUS’ in 2011 and newer model years. The exception being S 600 and S 65 models which reused an older 5-speed transmission better capable of handling the earth-moving torque output of the bi-turbo V12.
Options
Popular options included Sport Package (on non-AMG cars), panoramic glass roof, Rear Seat Package and Bang & Olufsen® BeoSound™ 15-speaker sound system (first available in 2011). Premium 1 Package (heated and active ventilated seats, satellite radio) and Premium 2 Package KEYLESS GO, PARKTRONIC) packages were offered and by the end of production were standard across all models. The V12 and designo-optioned cars received extended leather and stitching throughout the interior. Among the rarest and most unique factory options is the designo Star Galaxy Labrador Blue Pearl Granite stonetrimmed center console.
Advanced systems
One of the W 221’s technological party tricks is the optional ‘Night View Assist’ which uses an infrared camera and dedicated projectors in the headlights to capture an illuminated view of the road ahead and display it on the instrument cluster screen. In addition to the expected suite of advanced airbags and PRE-SAFE features, a number of driver assistance systems were also introduced on the W 221 chassis including Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, and Attention Assist which can detect a driver’s fatigue and suggest they take a rest. A novel SPLITVIEW technology option allowed driver and passenger to see entirely different content while viewing the same center display. AIRMATIC air suspension is offered as default with available Active Body Control (ABC) hydropneumatic suspension standard on all AMG and V12 models.
Facelift
The W 221 received a major update for the 2010 model year. The most evident changes are to the front and rear fascia and lighting designs, center console/ armrest area, steering wheel buttons, and various additions to the infotainment and driver assistance technology suite. Torque Vectoring Brake ability was added and the power steering system was updated to a ‘Direct-steer’ electric motor that replaced the engine belt-driven pump.
C216 CL, the S-Class coupe
As with preceding S-Class generations there was also a two-door version of the W 221 chassis. Designated C 216 and the last Mercedes-Benz to wear the CL name, the pillarless coupe offered only V8 and V12 drivetrains in the U.S., including the range-topping CL 65 AMG. The C 216 was the first production vehicle to offer partial autonomous braking as part of the PRE-SAFE Brake feature and the chassis received a comprehensive facelift for 2011 model year. Final production ended one year later than the sedan in 2014.
Checkpoints
• The cowl/firewall drains are susceptible to becoming clogged which can result in water. Overflowing into the cabin, potentially damaging electronics.
Check for potential powertrain-specific issues such as balance shaft on early M273 and timing chain stretch on early M157.
Inspect suspension system for any leaks or noisy pumps, car should not sag after sitting overnight.
• Front suspension arms and links are consumable and often require replacement around 90k miles, as with motor and transmission mounts.
• Larger AMG wheels (19”, 20”) are prone to bends and cracking.
Optional panoramic roof can make noise and/or fail if not frequently maintained.
Reasons to buy
• Excellent value today, nearing bottom of depreciation curve.
Despite all models being now over 10 years in age, it is still relatively easy to find clean low mileage well-maintained examples.
Most electronic systems have had multiple generations and are generally reliable.
• Still one of the best cars on the road today in terms of safety, comfort, and refinement.
Corrosion and paint issues are rare.
Reasons not to buy
While no longer six-figure cars, they will always have the complexity and maintenance costs of one, especially V12 and AMG models.
Both AIRMATIC® and ABC suspension systems can be quite costly to overhaul.
• Bi-turbo models have higher potential for major engine repairs.
Early model years are old enough to have passed through the hands of less caring owners, catching up on deferred maintenance can quickly exceed the car’s value.
The W 221 today
Even now with two subsequent generations of the S-Class since, the W 221 remains a pinnacle of modern Mercedes-Benz design, engineering, and technology. It is a showpiece of what the company that invented the car is capable of and one that is already aging gracefully into a future classic. As with any Mercedes-Benz, buy the nicest one you can find, treat it well, and it will treat you well for decades to come.
R 129 Sport-Leicht
There is a lot of prestige, sentiment and history associated with the letters that spell SL. The designation “SL” derives from the German term “Sport-Leicht”, which translates to “Sport Light” in English. Since its inception over six decades ago, the SL has always represented nothing but the best that Mercedes-Benz has is known offer on a flagship model. The style, quality, engineering, performance, and price have always been illustrative of the image that has been craved by the human collective. Despite this, each SL proves to be a totally different experience. The W198 chassis SL has been unattainable to many for decades now, and the W 113 chassis SL has grown to become a six-figure car. The only entry point into classic SL ownership was the R 107 chassis SL which has long been awaiting its “aha” moment. Well guess what? The market finally began to appreciate just how good of a car the R 107 is, with low mileage examples selling for six figures. Now, a new cool kid is worthy of your attention, the R 129 SL.
The R 129 is now arguably a modern classic. Produced from 1989 to 2002, I say modern because the youngest of R 129s have just turned 22 years old. One of Bruno Sacco’s final designs, he believes that the R 129 was one of his best creations. The design nods back to SLs of previous generations with the long sweeping hood, side vents, two seats, and a prominent three-pointed star on the grille to lead the path to success. The design is very versatile and has aged like fine wine. The older models tend to be more traditional with elegant alloy wheels, two-tone paint, and muted lower cladding, whereas the late models can be found with AMG wheels, upgraded motors, an aesthetically pleasing sport package, xenon headlamps and more. Regardless of the year or model you choose, you will find yourself with a comfortable grand tourer for a reasonable price. The R 129 chassis also offers a degree of collectability. Apart from the various engines, transmissions, and facelifts, there are several other special editions available on the market.
The most prominent special edition R 129 SL is the 2002 Silver Arrow Edition SL 500/SL 600, which was made to commemorate the Silver Arrow race car of the 1930s. Other editions include a Mille Miglia Edition (1995), 40th Anniversary Roadster Edition (1997), La Costa Edition (1997), Special Edition (1998), designo Slate Blue Edition (2000-2001), designo Black Diamond Edition (20002001), and a few others.
PHOTO 2 (MIDDLE): The first roadster with a self-deployed roll bar, indeed crucial for survival space.
PHOTO 3 (BOTTOM): Much larger and wider than its predecessor.
PHOTO 1 (TOP): A timeless front fascia.
The innovations and creature comforts of the R 129 are quite modern as well and have withstood the test of time. Whilst its predecessor could be considered spartan by some, the R 129 is a surprisingly well-equipped vehicle. One of the revolutionary features introduced by the R 129 was a hydraulically operated power roof mechanism paired with an auto-deploying roll bar. This was the first SL to feature a power top, which eliminates the complaints of the previous generations. Whilst this feature is nice, it does come at a cost. The hydraulic cylinders tend to fail and need to be replaced about every 10 years. While some say they would rather not deal with the hassle and complexity of overhauling the roof cylinders, there is no premium too high for one-touch comfort. The interior is a pleasant place to be, enclosing modern amenities such as heated and power seats, a seat-mounted height-adjustable seatbelt enclosure, adjustable steering wheel, one-touch power windows, an incredible sound system, and an integrated cell phone into a Teutonic design. These cars had a Bose audio system that increased volume automatically when the speed of driving was increased. This was standard. A CD changer was optional though. It was also the very first automobile audio system custom-designed and voiced for a specific vehicle. The system also utilized multi-amplified subwoofers to sound great at any level. Different amplifiers were used for different frequency ranges. Each speaker driver had its own amplifier. Different frequencies are sent to each amplifier and then these signals are connected directly to each speaker driver, exactly as in professional systems used in concert halls. The audio system was designed to be heard well with the top down, doing 155 mph on the Autobahn. This means that the R 129 was designed to adapt to the driver rather than the driver adapting to the car. Naturally, leather-trimmed seats and beautiful veneer encapsulate the driver. Convenience features do not end there, as all R 129s were fitted with an infrared remote-control key as well.
The road composure of the R 129 is quite spectacular. There were a variety of engines offered in the United States, with a few manual transmissions making their way stateside as well. Overall, the R 129 offers a controlled and collected ride. Not abrupt nor unsteady. Power delivery is invigorating (especially on V8s and V12s), and the steering has a comfortable weight to it. The R 129 brakes with confidence, thanks to large disc brakes and additional braking systems on later cars such as BAS (Brake Assist System). A hydropneumatic suspension dubbed “Adaptive Dampening System” was standard on V12s, and optional on V8 models. The adaptive suspension offers adjustable stiffness control and ride height at the touch of a button.
The R 129 is among one of the safest roadsters to roam the streets, implementing side-impact safety reinforcements upon its 1989 debut. Side impact crash test standards were not required until 1994, proving that the chassis was a safety and technological marvel. Two safety tests were introduced for the R 129, including a roof-drop test as well as a roll-over test. The roof-drop test dropped the vehicle upside-down from a height of 50 centimeters at around 30-40 kph (18.64-24.85 mph) to prove that the structure would be safe. As well, the R 129 was tested in a rollover up to two overturns, proving that the self-deploying roll bar was indeed crucial for survival space. The rest of the R 129 structure was also designed for safety. The angle of the A-pillar was sloped to 57 degrees and reinforced with highstrength sheet metal and a tubular bar (as opposed to 46 degrees in its predecessor). The rollover bar was designed to be deployed in just 0.3 seconds in the case of an imminent rollover scenario. The rollover bar will also deploy even if the hard top is fitted. Any time the rollover bar is deployed, the doors automatically unlock to aid in passenger rescue in the event that the vehicle is stuck upside down. Driver and passenger airbags were standard issue on the R 129, which were accompanied by two additional side airbags in 1996. Emergency Tensioning Retractors were also standard, keeping you snug in your seat. Performance and safety go hand in hand, and the R 129 is equipped to deliver. Antilock-Braking system (ABS) is standard on all models. Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) was also standard, which helps correct power at the wheels to avoid loss of traction. The Electronic Stability program (ESP) was an option beginning 1997 and standardized in 1999. The Brake Assist System (BAS) was introduced in 1996 and automatically builds up full brake pressure after identifying an emergency braking situation. Lastly, the Adaptive Dampening System (ADS) is an electronically controlled and continuously variable suspension system which constantly varies the dampening
of the shock absorber. Each strut varies its firmness based on response from wheels, steering, braking, and acceleration to optimize the handling of the car. The system also minimizes body roll, nose dive, and squatting. Once at 60 MPH, the suspension further lowers the vehicle to reduce the center of gravity.
The R 129 was initially available as a 300 SL or 500 SL, powered by a DOHC 24-valve M103 inline six cylinder and M119 V8, respectively. The six cylinders can be found with a five-speed dog leg manual transmission, which is quite a gem. The 600 SL joined the lineup in 1993, but the entire series nomenclature was reversed beginning 1994. As well, 1994 brought other changes to the SL 320, SL 500, and SL 600 including an electronic odometer, voiceactivated cell phone, clear front turn signals, as well as a standard Bose stereo sound system with additional rear speakers and a subwoofer. Beginning 1995, the V8 and V12 were upgraded to a 5-speed electronic transmission, replacing the outgoing 4 speed hydraulic unit. As well, there were few cosmetic changes for 1996 including a revised dual-slot side-vent, body-color bumpers, optional Xenon HID headlamps (standard on V12 models), rain-sensing windshield wipers, “HomeLink” programmable garage door openers, a revised climate control panel with a larger LCD, as well as the addition of side airbags. An expensive panoramic hard top was also made available in 1996, which is a rare option To find today. In 1998, a second facelift occurred in which the M119 V8 was replaced by the M113 V8 which provided less horsepower, but more low-end torque. Cosmetically, the “sport package” was made an option which rounded off the exterior cladding and provided AMG wheels, bodycolor door handles, seats benefited of Nappa leather, a new steering wheel design, re-designed tail lamps, and a “tip-start” one-touch key system was added.
The value proposition of the R 129 is almost too good to be true, and enthusiasts who missed out on affordable earlier generations of the SL lineup will be pleased to hear that a quality R 129 can still be found at an affordable price. Right now is the “aha” moment of the R 129, as the market has already begun to appreciate. It won’t be long before this incredible grand tourer receives the attention it deserves.
PHOTO 1: Performance and safety go hand in hand.
PHOTO 2: Driver and passenger airbags were standard, accompanied by two additional side airbags in 1996.
PHOTO 3: The rollover bar was designed to be deployed in just 0.3 seconds.
PHOTO 4: Top down, top up, or removable hardtop.
PHOTO 5: designo edition SL 500.
PHOTO 6: A cockpit designed around the driver.
PHOTO 7: Seats designed to adapt to the driver rather than the driver adapting to the seats.
R 129 Convertible Top Hydraulic Cylinders
Text & Images: Gary Edwards
Acommon interest within the Mercedes-Benz Club of America is our love for the R 129 Mercedes-Benz SL built from 1989 to 2002. These wonderful cars are still very reasonable value in the market—or, in my opinion, severely underpriced. I believe one reason they are still affordable is the underlying fear of convertible top hydraulic cylinder failure — and I just do not buy into this fear.
R 129’s hydraulic roof mechanisms are powered by either 11 or 12 cylinders that operate the top (a redundant cover lock cylinder was eliminated in 1997). If the cylinders haven’t already been replaced, they will certainly need it soon, as the newest of these cars are now 22 years old. I have seen horror stories of owners paying several thousands of dollars to have these cylinders replaced. It is not unreasonable that the car’s average price would be impacted because of it, but this piece of engineering brings the utmost convenience and luxury you would expect from your Mercedes-Benz right to your fingertips.
Replacement cylinders are available from several sources. Top Hydraulics Inc. has complete sets of hydraulic cylinders for $1,000 plus shipping and a $1,000 core charge. They also provide step-by-step instructions for their replacement. The owner of Top Hydraulics Inc., Klause, is very helpful and responsive to technical questions on forums, via email, and on the phone (Yes, he even answers the phone!)
Replacing these cylinders is within the capability of the do-it-yourselfer (DIYer); it is only moderately difficult. I have done many of these, and I have found that when you are overly cautious and nervous about doing it, you are unlikely to have any issues.
The standard guidance is “When one goes bad, you should replace them all”. The conventional logic is that the seals all age at the same rate, so that when one goes, they are all about to fail. My hypothesis concludes that with the different positions they sit in, they experience different loads, which results in some wearing out faster than others.. It seems that the main lift cylinders and the bow retraction cylinders are the first to fail. The tonneau cover lift and lock cylinders are the last to fail and can last much longer than the others.
My overriding reason for not doing all the cylinders at the same time has to do with the fragility of the plastic interior parts in the R 129. All the plastic pieces are also at least 22 years old and tend to break when manipulated. I recommend that when a cylinder fails, all the cylinders that require the same interference removal be replaced. Doing this minimizes the removal of interior parts, plus it also spreads out the costs.
The bottom screw on the left side bow retraction cylinder microswitch requires some finesse to start. Use a piece of tubing to hold the very small machine screw while starting it. Note all of the paper towels placed to hopefully catch the screw if dropped.
For example, the main cylinder and the bow retraction cylinders require removal of the rear interior pieces on that side only. I do these at the same time. I can guarantee that the clips holding on the rear interior piece will come off, and you will have to reattach them – so do not go out of your way to remove these pieces if you do not have to (I use Gorilla Tape combined with Gorilla Glue to reattach these clips).
When do I think it makes sense to replace all cylinders? This makes the most sense if cost is not a concern or if it is absolutely necessary to minimize downtime for the vehicle. It also makes sense if you are paying someone to do it for you since it avoids some duplicate labor costs doing multiple top manipulations. I would still have the shop use the rebuilt cylinders from Top Hydraulics.
If you are going to do it yourself and you are not going to change all the cylinders, then you need to diagnose which cylinder has failed. This is best done using a combination of where the oil puddle is and where in the cycle the top is stopping. Usually, a leaking cylinder causes the operation of the top to stop when it is time for that cylinder to actuate. If the oil ends up on the driver or passenger seat, the windshield lock cylinders are the culprit. If the puddle is in front of the rear wheels, it is either the main cylinder or the bow retraction cylinder (or possibly the tonneau cover lock). If the puddle is in the trunk or behind the rear wheels, it is the bow lock or tonneau cover lift cylinder.
You will need to know the top’s operational sequence. Watch it operate.
The sequence when the top is lowered is:
1. Rear Bow unlock
2. Rear Bow retraction
3. Tonneau cover unlocks
4. Tonneau cover opens
5. Windshield cylinders unlock
6. Main cylinder retracts
7. Tonneau cover closes
8. Tonneau cover locks.
The sequence when the top is raised is:
1. Tonneau cover unlocks
2. Tonneau cover opens
3. Main cylinders extend
4. Windshield cylinders lock
5. Tonneau cover closes Tonneau cover locks
6. Rear Bow extends
7. Rear bow locks.
When you determine where the top is stopping, verify your diagnosis by observing the responsible cylinders for leakage. If the top is still operating but you have a puddle, stop the top with the bow retracted and the compartment cover open so you can get a good look at the cylinders – you can inspect all the cylinders except the windshield locks in this position. Look for oil pooling where the rod exits the cylinder.
This diagram, from the Top Hydraulics Inc. website, shows the location of all R 129 hydraulic cylinders.
The subwoofer and amplifier must be removed to change the left side main cylinder. The subwoofer often feels like it is bonded to the chassis and can be a challenge to dislodge. You can replace the left side bow extension cylinder without removing the subwoofer.
Bow lock and tonneau cover lift cylinders. Note the puddle of oil on the right cylinder – this one is leaking!
Stop the top in this position so you can inspect most of the cylinders.
As I mentioned before, replacing these cylinders is certainly doable for the DIYer, but it takes patience and perseverance (and having small hands helps). There are some small clips on the hydraulic lines and on the cylinder mounting pins that you do not want to lose; I typically stuff the area below the cylinder with rags or paper towels when I am removing and reinstalling these parts, and when reinstalling, I tie a string to them to facilitate recovery when they go flying. I also position a magnet adjacent to these parts so I have a good chance of catching them if they go flying.
Now let’s talk about some of the things that can go wrong, how to avoid them, and what to do when they do go wrong. I can assure you that if you remove the socket from the head of the lower main cylinder mounting bolt after it is fully unscrewed, the bolt will fall into the inaccessible chassis interior (ask me how I know). The length of the bolt and the configuration of the access hole guarantee that the bolt will fall into the hole without the socket weighing it down - leave the socket on the bolt. It is surprisingly easy to recover. I show how to recover the dropped bolt in my video located on Peachtree Chapter’s YouTube channel, MBCA PeachTube; essentially, you pick it up with a small magnet, use a second small magnet to walk the magnet to the end of the bolt, then withdraw it from the access hole.
You can damage the microswitch on the left bow retraction cylinder while removing or reinstalling the cylinder. To eliminate this possibility, I prefer to remove the microswitch from the cylinder before pulling the cylinder out of the car. This can be a little fiddly since you do not want to lose the teeny screws into the void, and you cannot get a straight shot onto one of the screws. This straight shot issue is more of a hindrance when reinstalling the microswitch, but I have found that using a piece of plastic tubing to hold the screw while you are starting it works great. If you damage this microswitch, you can still get them directly from MercedesBenz at a reasonable cost.
In order to remove some cylinders, you must move the top for access after disconnecting one side of the cylinder. It is possible for a cylinder to move out of position, which can get in the way of the top frame, and bend it. For this reason, it is important to never force the move and to watch for any interference. It is also a good idea to tie back the hydraulic lines so they do not get pinched during any top moves. You also need to keep track of the original routing of the hydraulic lines and the electrical wiring so you can put them back in the correct location.
In my opinion, the hydraulic top cylinders are just about the only weakness of the R 129, and replacing a failed cylinder is not a reason for me to stray away from these beautiful roadsters. It is going to happen sooner or later for every R 129 with its original top cylinders; rest assured, it is not the end of the world. A failure just means you must replace some cylinders, and there is a procedure to get the top closed manually. This requires a special tool that can be found in the factory-equipped tool kit, so make sure you have it. Note that 1995 and later R 129’s lack the capability to lock the rear bow manually…at least not without some disassembly of the trunk liner and an extra tool. The bottom line is not to be afraid to operate the top and do not be afraid to replace failed top cylinders yourself.
Removing the interior pieces exposes the pipes and solenoid valve blocks for the top system. This reminds me of the piping from a nuclear power plant, but fortunately you do not have to touch these when replacing top cylinders.
I use dental floss to reduce the chance of losing small parts – otherwise they will inevitably fly off into some inaccessible location. This shows reattaching the e-clip on the tonneau cover lift cylinder.
Review:
Escort’s newly released MAX 4 radar detector is the latest iteration in its Max line of radar detectors. The Escort MAX series is their budget-friendly mid-priced line of detectors, however do not let the price fool you; the Max packs some major features that allow it to punch above its class. The new MAX 4 builds on an already great history of stellar performing detectors with new features the previous MAX detectors did not have. The following is a review of real-world testing performed in both city and highway settings.
The Escort MAX 4 is based on a dual-core processor different from the previous iterations of the MAX detectors. This new platform promises and delivers longer range detection, fewer false alerts, an improved magnetic mount (I found this extremely helpful for daily and quick access removal), and a modern design that is very appealing aesthetically. The MAX series is designed for those who do not need or want a directional arrow detector but still demand exceptional performance, especially for long-range needs and great false alert filtering. All of this is wrapped in an easy-to-use, easy-to-navigate and appealing package.
In my experience with this detector, the increase in long-range detection was one of the most desirable new features. I live and travel mostly in rural areas where the topography is mostly flat and one can see for miles. In other words, radar guns can detect a vehicle from a very long way off. I found the increase in the MAX 4 range to be very helpful. I often would get a single Ka band alert notification then a half mile or further begin to get a constant alert for the Ka band with it having detected an active radar situation. This saved me multiple times having an early alert giving me ample time to adjust to the resulting situation prior to a direct radar exposure.
The improved false alert filtering and automatic GPS lockout was amazingly effective when driving in city settings. I drive in major cities in Texas very frequently such as Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. I found in areas where previous late-model detectors would alert to other vehicles, automatic doors and various other radar bands the new Escort MAX 4 was completely silent. I cannot over emphasize how helpful this is, driving in heavy traffic areas already has enough stress and distractions to deal with and the false alert filtering on the MAX 4 removed one of those distractions for me allowing me to focus on what matters most, driving.
If you are looking for a detector with phenomenal performance while not breaking the bank, the Escort MAX 4 is for you. Pair this detector with the “Escort Live App” and the features just keep getting better. When you look at the complete package I believe the Escort MAX 4 Escort Max 4 is the best detector on the market around $400. As I said above the MAX 4 punches well above its weight class and even if your budget allows for a higher price tag the MAX 4 still is hard to beat even by the much higher-priced competition. If you are in the market for a new detector, give the Escort MAX 4 a try, you won’t be disappointed. Highlighted parts from Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.
Tab for window trim frame of W 126 Part Number: A1266710543
Belt tension pulley for engines of model series 124, 126, 129, 201, 202, 210, 140Part Number: A6012001070
FEATURED PARTS
Outside right mirror for model series W 113, W 114 and W 115 Part Number: A1138102816
Not every Mercedes-Benz was originally fitted with an outer right side rear view mirror. If you would like to increase the functionality and safety (or symmetry) of your Mercedes-Benz, consider this OEM retrofit.
Escort MAX 4 Radar Detector
Text & Images: Pierre Hedary
For roughly a decade, I struggled to find a solution to the typical fuel pump failures on Mercedes equipped with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection manifesting as awful fuel delivery and terrible hot starting. Fuel pumps were failing, and the aftermarket copy-cat pumps were unreliable, leading to stalling in high ambient temperatures and awful hot starts.
In 2017, Bosch finally developed a solution. It involved slightly modifying the standard Mercedes K-Jetronic electric fuel pump, with an inlet diameter reduction from 15 mm to 12 mm. This allowed the replacement electric pump to be compatible with the fuel pump supply fitting on older fuel tanks. This pump is sold under Mercedes-Benz part number 0020919701 and lists for $274.00 from your local Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Pros and Cons of the Upgrade
There are some drawbacks to the installation of this pump that I’ll mention first. It does not look like the original pump, which may be an issue for owners of the 280 SE 3.5 and possibly 4.5 models who wish to maintain their car’s factory appearance.
600AirSuspension, in Lincoln, MA, offers rebuilding services for these original pumps, which transitions to my second point. This new Bosch pump cannot be rebuilt, while the original pumps, with some difficulty, are repairable. Last, installation is not a straightforward process, but hopefully, this article will address this concern.
The benefits of using this new pump have been monumental. This pump has yielded numerous advantages, the most important being reliable fuel delivery during operation in hot weather, which the aging original pumps and their imitations can’t do as well.
The second benefit is that the fuel volume increase helps mitigate the hot starting issues associated with the original pumps. While in hot climates, this will never be perfect, I have found that with these pumps and a healthy fuel pressure regulator, reliable hot starts are usually attainable.
This photo shows the hose that goes from the pump to the filter on a 4.5 L car. It’s the hose that is all the way to the rear against the back of the fuel pump shield that makes a U-shape.
This is the conversion on a 280 SE 3.5 coupe or cabriolet. Please note that the picture presents the optical illusion of the power supply wires being too tight.
Installation procedures:
1. 107 and 116 models up to 8/75
These cars are easiest to upgrade since their fuel pump package is similar between D-Jetronic and K-Jetronic cars. For this job, you will need a few additional parts, which can be sourced from BelMetric.com. SKUs (part numbers), you must order 1 BNJF12/7-8YLW, a 12 mm banjo fitting with a 7.5 mm outlet. This fitting attaches to the discharge port on the pump. You will also need two of the following 13 mm and 19 mm.
The 13 mm clamp is for the hose running from the pump to the filter and is made by Norma. It is a smooth clamp, which is ideal for use with fuel hoses. The 19 mm Norma clamp attaches the pump to the fuel pressure damper.
There are a few Mercedes-Benz part numbers you will need as well. These include hoses 0009974752, which connect the damper to the pump. This is a stronger hose than the original and is more ethanol-resistant. For the discharge side, you will need 2304768726, a 7.5 mm fuel hose. Both come in quantities of one meter and must be trimmed to fit. You will also need a cap nut for the end of the pump and two crush rings, numbers 1239900053 and 007603012110, respectively. The replacement pump slides easily into the bracket for the old pump with the supplied rubber sleeve, which is provided by Bosch. Do not forget to check your tank for rust and replace the fuel filter (p/n 0000927601) simultaneously.
2. W 108 and W 109 models with 4.5 liter engine
This conversion is similar to the 107/116 conversion in that the exact same parts are needed. You do not need to modify the wiring harness to make it longer for this conversion. If the harness feels too short, tug on it a bit, and you will see it is actually long enough to attach to the pump. The supply orifice on the pump must face the fuel tank, and the electrical terminals must face the front of the car.
3. W111 (280SE 3.5 coupe and cabriolet), 1970-71 W 109 280SE/SEL/300SEL 3.5 sedans
This installation replaces the original three-line pump. This installation method allows you to retain the original fuel damper.
For this job, you will need to make two rectangular extension brackets. They should be 2-3 mm thick. The width should be about 20 mm, and the length should be between 55-60 mm. You must drill two 6 mm holes in these brackets about 50 mm from center to center.
Besides the items from the previous sections, you will also need some additional hardware, which you can order from BelMetric. These include six NR6YLW (M6 nut), six WL6YLW (M6 split lock washer), and two BR6X12YLW (M6 bolt, 12 mm). You will also need a 90-degree fitting, BNJBEND12/7-8. You will also need the following part numbers from Mercedes-Benz: 2X 1169880511, 1239900053, and 2X 007603012110, as well as the hoses we previously mentioned in section one.
The replacement pump should easily fit into the pump bracket. Install the two 1169880511 buffers in place of the original rubber buffers and attach them to your fabricated brackets. These brackets should be attached to the pump bracket using the two M6 bolts. This arrangement moves the fuel pump backward so it fits inside the heat shield and so the factory wiring harness will reach the pump. The 90-degree elbow should be installed facing upwards so the outlet hose goes straight into the damper. Make sure the hose does not chafe on the screw that holds the pump in its bracket.
On these cars, there is a return port on the 3-line pump. This return hose goes to a 3-way splitter in the return line. This splitter should be eliminated and replaced with a solid piece of hose.
After installing these parts, run the engine and check for fuel leaks. If you have done the job correctly, this pump should be quieter and will provide better performance while also improving hot starting and improve fuel economy.
This
Dillon Staples is from Carmel, California, where he owns and drives his 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL. Dillon acquired the car in 2020 after years of admiration of the timeless lines of the R 107. He was able to find the car, still in the possession of the original owner, in Millbrae, CA, just south of San Francisco.
It was meticulously maintained, and the glisten of the Willow Green Metallic was so captivating that he was sure he was leaving with the car. The Monterey Peninsula is perhaps one of the most ideal R 107 environments, from the temperate climate to the miles of coastline and winding mountain roads; his car spends lots of time outside of the garage. He refers to it as an easy driver. It has plenty of pep under 35 mph and hugs the road at high speeds.
While it certainly can be enjoyed with its color-matched original hardtop, Dillon never puts it on. His belief is that cars have lifeblood, and that of an R 107 is with the top down, hot or cold weather, and fresh air on tap. Its lines
lend themselves to an incredible facade with every piece of glass other than the window down, and sun visors oriented towards the sky. One of Dillon’s favorite parts of the year, and for good reason, is Monterey Car Week. The week welcomes thousands of car enthusiasts, clubs, and manufacturers to the Monterey Peninsula.
One of the best events of the week is the Legends of the Autobahn, which is sponsored by MBCA. His involvement in the event three years ago fostered his appreciation for the club and led to a number of relationships with other owners of all Mercedes-Benz models. He has been known to spend considerable amounts of time drooling over the 190 and 300 SLs and entertaining hours of conversation with fellow enthusiasts.
Whether it’s Monterey Car Week, or any other time of the year, it is pretty fair to assume that Dillon will be looking for any reason to pull out of the garage in his Willow Green 560 SL and head towards a stretch of coast with nowhere to be.
Modding my 1990 560 SEC into a Miami Vice-worthy pre-merger AMG tribute.
Text & Images: Gregory Butler
It all started with a new SLK 55 AMG back in 2005. That Formula 1-inspired front end was irresistible. Add a 1966 250 SE Coupe — one of Paul Bracq’s nicest designs — and my Mercedes-Benz adventure was off to a roaring start.
I knew I wanted a design by the great Bruno Sacco to be next in the garage, and the search was on. Years of classified ads, phone calls and test drives later, I had kissed a lot of frogs. Then I found it at last: a 1990 560 SEC pillarless coupe, in great mechanical shape, owned by the manager of an independent MB shop in Maine. Our conversation was enough to convince me this might be the one — but not without an in-person inspection. I was on the other end of the East Coast, in Florida. By the time I could plan a roadtrip north, the car had sold.
A week later, I got the call it was back on the market. A Sacco design in Saco, ME — it must have been meant to be.
My new (to me) 560 SEC is 199 Blauschwarz over Crème/ Beige. The previous owners had installed Hella Euro headlights, H&R lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, window tint and 17-inch AMG Mono block Aero II wheels. With its near-blackout windows, distinctive wheels and low stance, the car immediately brought to mind a C 126 that had once caught my eye on an episode of iconic TV detective drama Miami Vice (“One Eyed Jack,” S1E6). And so began my multi-year project to recreate the unmistakable 80s cool of a pre-merger AMG.
I started small, with a woodgrain shift knob. The vendor was from Georgia. Makes sense, I thought — the state is known for woodworking — only to be surprised the order was shipping from Tbilisi!
This opened me up to a world (literally) of sourcing original and reproduction parts internationally. With previous cars, I had been able to do this locally. Now that the parts I needed were from the 80s, typical auto supply sources no longer applied. I spent hours on sites like eBay, Etsy, Mercari, Facebook and Instagram tracking down parts and periodcorrect accessories. Packages began showing up to my garage from Bulgaria, France, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Poland, Portugal, Taiwan and Türkiye.
Changing the shift knob quickly led to additional interior modifications, like white reproduction AMG instrument faces from Bulgaria. I worked with an eBay seller in Türkiye to create custom embroidered pre-merger AMG logo floor mats fitted to the car’s dimensions. Inspired by images from the Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories catalog archives, I color-matched a vintage Atiwe steering wheel. I created AMG-style black piping on the seat leather with leather dye. As fire extinguishers cannot ship internationally, I relabeled a domestic lookalike as a Minimax and placed it into an OEM mounting bracket. (Next up will be installing a rebuilt motorized rear window shade from a 1991 SEC.)
For the exterior, I replicated the AMG chrome delete option, with vinyl wrap rather than paint since the chrome was in good condition. A vendor in Vigo, Spain worked from my photos to make a pre-merger AMG apple tree/valve logo, which replaced the MB hood medallion. I ordered a reproduction pre-merger AMG logo from Japan, painted it black and placed it on the trunk. A correct AMG trunk spoiler is too heavy for the coupe’s lid — it would have required changing the springs and brackets. Instead, this car being a tribute and not a true AMG build, I took the liberty of installing a pre-painted color-matched silicone lip spoiler—shaped to the car’s dimensions by a manufacturer in Taiwan—at the trailing edge of the trunk.
Mechanically, the engine is unmodified other than the addition of a K&N free flow air filter and removal of the two kidney mufflers, replaced with a straight pipe leading to a chrome AMG reproduction exhaust tip.
The body kit consists of a front spoiler, side skirts and rear apron. The parts were cast in Kazakhstan using original AMG components, so they sport all of the AMG markings and part numbers. Unfortunately, the original parts used for the mold came from a Gen 1 wide body European spec car, meaning the kit required extensive modification to fit a U.S. market Gen 2 car. Chris Barone—of Chris Collision Resto Mods, in Butler, NJ—is a rare talent, and rose to the challenge of fitting, finishing and painting the side skirts and rear apron. A fellow MBCA member imported the correct AMG front spoiler from a contact in Poland to complete the body kit.
Chris repaired some slight rust on each of the quarter panels and removed the gray lower cladding, leaving the painted body color to follow the monochromatic theme. The excellent color match alleviated the need to fully repaint the car.
I added clear Euro lenses to the front turn signals. I filled the space between the tail lights with a Sacex “heckblende” from Jordan and mounted a Euro warning triangle under the trunk lid.
When I purchased it, the car was wearing AMG Aero ll wheels. To stay true to the tribute theme, I wanted to delete the three “slashes” of the post-merger AMG logo and replicate the Aero 1. The wheels had delaminating clear coat, so I prepared them with liquid paint stripper, buffed the outer rims with metal polish and filled in the three “slashes” of the logo with epoxy before Chris painted the wheel faces
body color. Flush center caps being period correct, I had deconstructed standard Mercedes-Benz caps to be logoless, then added pre-merger logo AMG valve stem caps.
Finishing off the period-correct look, I provided a graphic to a sign print shop that recreated an AMG front windshield sticker on static cling. I bought a rear windshield banner and AMG front license plate through the Mercedes-AMGClassic.com online forum. A leather artisan from the Côte D’Azur, France even replicated a hard-to-find pre-merger key chain.
The result may not be a rare original pre-merger car, but it IS a stylish ride that would not be out of place for Crockett and Tubbs to drive to an undercover meet. I may just throw on a linen jacket over my silk t-shirt, roll up my sleeves and head to RADwood!
All inspired by “One Eyed Jack,” S1E6 of Miami Vice.
Gregory filled the space between the tail lights with a Sacex “heckblende” from Jordan.
Under the hood of the AMG tribute SEC.
It all started with a woodgrain shift knob.
MBCA
Fun at the MBCA Performance Driving Academy at Watkins Glen
Text: Gary Edwards | Images: Drew Webb
Nicole Jebeles said it best, “Getting to drive on a Formula 1 track has always been a dream of mine, and Watkins Glen definitely lived up to expectations!” Nicole does a lot of track driving and is a member of Alabama/NW Florida Chapter. She was exuberant about the one-day MBCA Performance Driving Academy High Performance Driver’s Education (HPDE) at Watkins Glen International on Wednesday May 29 hosted by MBCA in partnership with Lotus LTD. Intermittent rain did not dampen the enthusiasm as 65 drivers and instructors enjoyed the track time, and the students enjoyed the instruction.
Drawing drivers and instructors from as far as Georgia and Alabama, as well as Washington DC, Pittsburgh and Toronto, Canada, the fun times on this iconic track in the Finger Lakes Region of New York made the travel well worth it. Washington DC Chapter member Andi Kasarsky, attending her first MBCA event, commented, “Why did I wait so long to participate in this terrific event? Partnering with experienced track drivers provides a first-timer with the thrilling full spectrum of high-speed and control techniques to begin learning high-performance driving skills. I look forward to next year’s event!” Experienced HPDE driver Ken Sava, also from Washington DC Chapter, added, “The 2024 Mercedes and Lotus Club track event at Watkins Glen was a fantastic experience. I’ll never pass up another chance to drive Watkins Glen International and to share the enthusiasm and camaraderie of other
club members. This event is not to be missed!”
The first races at Watkins Glen were run on public roads, starting in 1948 and ending in 1956 with the construction of the current facility. Watkins Glen was the site of the Formula 1 US Grand Prix from 1961 until 1980. The current “long course” configuration is 3.4 miles long with 11 turns. MBCA uses the long course, which includes “the boot”; those familiar with NASCAR races at Watkins Glen should note that NASCAR omits this Section of the track.
The track winds up and down the hills of upstate New York, adding the challenges of changing topography to those of cornering and braking, making it a great place for a driver education program. Drivers get to experience uphill and downhill braking, as well as climbing and diving corners with and without camber.
MBCA Performance Driving Committee Chair Gary Edwards explains, “When braking and when cornering uphill, the car is pressed into the ground and can brake in a shorter distance and can corner faster than on the flat. When braking downhill, such as into turn 1 at Watkins Glen, braking distances are longer so that brake application must start earlier. This topographic variety provides wonderful learning points for beginners and experienced drivers as well”.
This event almost did not happen. Lotus LTD had advance-funded the event in previous years but unexpectedly decided not to continue doing so. Recognizing the value of this event as we build our HPDE program, the MBCA Executive Committee stepped in to take care of the advance funding, with the expectation that the proceeds from the event would repay the advance. They did, and then some, thanks to the work of organizers Tony Vacarro (member of Niagara Chapter and Past President of Lotus LTD) and Chief Instructor David Nagle. MBCA National President Drew Webb attended and received a standing ovation at the driver’s meeting for stepping in to save the event.
The MBCA Performance Driving Academy combines classroom training with in-car instruction to teach drivers how to safely drive on the track. Experienced instructors help keep students safe on the track, teaching them to use the full width of the track, to drive smoothly and to get their eyes in the right places. Passing is only allowed with a “point by” signal from the car being passed. Sessions are scheduled and cars are grouped so that drivers of similar experience level are on the track together, and that no group has an excessive number of cars.
Drivers are only allowed to “solo” (drive without an instructor) once they have demonstrated adequate driving skills, respect for other drivers and adherence to safety guidance. Drivers are never pushed to drive faster than they are comfortable.
MBCA members who participated received certificates documenting their “Sportfahrer Verein” (Sports drivers club certification) which allows them to order
“
This event was spectacularly well-planned and executed.”
a “Sportfahrer” grille badge from the MBCA National Business Office.
Members who were on the fence about signing up for an HPDE event had another option, called the Performance Driving Experience (PDE), and 9 drivers selected this option. Less intense that the full HPDE, PDE includes all the classroom training, reduced speed laps with an instructor driving demonstrating proper technique and car placement, and lapping with the student driving at reduced speed with an instructor in the right seat. While HPDE requires a modern Snell Foundation certified helmet, PDE does not since speeds are lower.
Pittsburgh Chapter member Deana Kimes had questions about helmets and spoke to Edwards prior to the event. She attended her first track event in her 2016 GT S, and following the event, she summed it up like this, “Being a first-time HPDE driver, I am so glad I took the opportunity to attend the Mercedes Benz event at Watkins Glen. I would encourage anyone interested in learning how their car can perform to attend these HPDE events. The MBCA organizer, Gary Edwards, spent time to talk with me prior to the event, gave great advice, answered all my questions and made me feel welcome. I was matched with an instructor who was highly experienced and had a wonderful teaching style. Members and instructors were so amicable; the camaraderie was highly enjoyable, and as a woman, I did not feel out of place in the least. This event was spectacularly well-planned and executed. I truly hope that Mercedes Benz continues to have these HPDE events, and I look forward to driving my AMG GT S in many more.”
Orange County Chapter
Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Long Beach, CA
The Orange County Chapter hosted a cars and coffee at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Long Beach, CA. This is one of only two Mercedes-Benz Classic Centers in the world, and the only one in the U.S. Over 175 Mercedes-Benz showed up for the event, representing a wide range of models and generations.
Pikes Peak Chapter
At The Brit, a British pub, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a group of dedicated Formula 1 fans enjoyed a British breakfast as the 2024 British Gran Prix showcased three British drivers in the top three starting positions. Friends and family enjoyed the F1 watch party and shared in the excitement as Lewis Hamilton’s signature tire whispering superpower brought him his first win in 945 days, on his home track, in his home country in his final race at Silverstone as a Mercedes Driver. It was a great day to be a Mercedes-AMG fan.
Nashville Chapter
It may have been 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, July 13, but the heat was not enough to keep the Nashville Chapter from taking part in another German cars and coffee show at the Bavarian Bierhaus at Opry Mills Mall in Nashville. Participating cars included everything from a mid-70s 450 SL to a brand-new AMG EQS Sedan. The amazing population growth in middle Tennessee over the past few years has given the Nashville Chapter some enthusiastic new members and a variety of beautiful Mercedes-Benz vehicles to look at and admire.
BC Stars Chapter
Early Sunday morning on June 23, nearly a hundred cars of all makes braved the drizzle and threatening skies to climb to the top of Cypress Mountain for the Greater Vancouver Cars & Coffee meet. It was great to see many BC Stars Chapter members we knew and many other local Mercedes-Benz community friends. The organizers took note of the enthusiastic Mercedes-Benz turnout amongst the Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, vintage British and American muscle cars.
Niagara Chapter
It was a cold day on Monday, June 10th but the Wurlitzer Car Show was filled with hot cars. Along with vehicles of all makes and models, the MBCA Niagara chapter were the featured cars of the night. Twenty-eight members and associated members took center stage in the circular driveway in front of the historic Wurlitzer factory building in North Tonawanda with our banner flying, we showed off our cars and recruited new members.
Fort Worth Chapter
Teresa and Chris Watt invited the club for lunch at their home on July 20. Twenty-one members enjoyed great Texas barbecue ribs, plenty of sides dishes, and home-baked cookies. After lunch, teams were formed to compete for prizes by playing Benz Bowl, a tabletop bowling game. Special thanks to Teresa and Chris for cooking and hosting a great event, Ernie Borroel for his famous sausage and chicken wings, and to Paula Bartlett for bringing even more goodies, especially her home-baked peanut butter cookies.
1903 MERCEDES-SIMPLEX 60 HP ‘ROI DES BELGES’ SOLD for $12,105,000 I Most Valuable Pre-1930s Car Sold at Auction I Auction Record for All Antique Cars Amelia Island Auctions 2024
President Drew Webb welcomed participants and called the MBCA National Board Meeting to order via Zoom at approximately 9:00 a.m., Mountain Time, Saturday, May 11, 2024.
National Secretary William Parrish called the roll and announced that all board members were present who was traveling abroad. Upon motion, second and unanimous vote, the November 22, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes were approved as previously distributed. Ginny Pitzen presented on behalf of the Awards Committee, recognizing the recipients for Chapter of the Year Award — over 200 members Houston Chapter, and under 200, Sierra Nevada Chapter.
Membership growth, events, newsletter quality are a few of the criteria used in selected awardees. Executive Director Katie Carruth provided an overview of MBCA operations and current priorities /initiatives. In June 2023 the Board committed to a new mission and vision, and in November made specific commitment to address the outdated governance documents, including the MBCA Bylaws and the Operations and Procedures. The objective is to streamline governance and operational procedures in order to provide enhanced strategic organizational agility, elevate responsiveness to membership and market conditions, and to more closely align with Mercedes-Benz brand positioning. Then she stressed that while these enhancements are a major requisite for MBCA growth and success, another critical priority is our financial stability. Contributing factors include the combination of sharply increased publishing costs of The Star, the negative impact on membership renewals caused by our information technology challenges, and the associated losses of dues revenue and advertiser and sponsorship revenues. Additionally, our anemic performance of our vehicle raffle led to loss of revenues as budgeted.
Significant emphasis is being focused on developing a more consistent presence on social media including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). Club culture needs to be refined to attract a more diverse membership base, reflecting broader interests, ages, and demographics. This expanded marketing focus will open new advertising opportunities and revenue streams. Our marketing includes reaching out to former members over the past three years. The ongoing development of our website with GlueUp is still being refined for ease of member use. Development of the MBCA store is progressing as planned, with good product diversity and quality. Feedback on quality from members has been good. Products are being added on a continuous basis.
Tyler Atkins presented the 22-23 Audit Report from our audit firm Biggs-Kofford. Tyler provided the report with specific highlights throughout the report. There were no adverse findings, though the deterioration of financial performance was recognized and select observations were shared with the board.
National Treasurer Charles Woods delivered the financial report through March 2024 with a condensed analysis of significant differences from performance to budget and prior year. Highlights included the obvious pressure on Star income / expense resulting in a significant deficit. Some timing differences were reviewed, as well as expense variances such as accounting fees and legal fees related to changes in dues collections and related accounting treatment for dues restructure and bylaws consultations respectively. Motion to accept treasurer’s report and the audit report was made by Steve Ross and seconded by Drew Webb and was approved by all board members present.
Katie described the need for and process of development for the proposed bylaws, which were developed with assistance of attorneys John Wylie and Taylor Huse of Sherman & Howard, a law firm with specialized expertise in Colorado nonprofit regulations. The need for this initiative has been discussed for several years by successive MBCA boards, with the patchwork of current bylaws identified as deficient and an encumbrance to efficient operations by various consultants.
In November 2023, the Executive Director was charged with finding competent expertise to help MBCA, and with the help of Treasurer Woods, members of the prior Governance Committee, and Wylie and Huse, a set of bylaws suitable for MBCA was developed and reviewed by the Executive Committee, and subsequently distributed to the MBCA Board of Directors for review. Some questions from the Board were received and answered in turn either directly or through subsequent Zoom groups.
Vice President Steve Ross made a motion to accept the package of bylaws and procedures for voting and adoption of the amended and restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws in the form as distributed to the board several weeks in advance of this meeting, including immediate adoption of certain changes to the current bylaws to accommodate and facilitate a membership vote to adopt the new bylaws. Charles Woods seconded the motion, and some discussion ensued with questions and clarifications offered. A voice vote rendered passing the motion with a vote of 10 For, 1 Against, and 1 Abstention.
Drew announced that the Watkins Glen event is moving along nicely and registrations are still open. He also reminded participants that the deadline for board candidacy petition submissions has been moved to June 1.
It was announced that the Fall Board Meeting will be held via Zoom on November 16, at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time.
Motion to adjourn was made, seconded and approved.
Respectfully submitted, William L. Parrish, Jr. MBCA National Secretary
Hello again members,
More on the bylaws and organizational structure:
This is your club. Your dues are what keep it going and pay for things such as this wonderful magazine you are reading.
As such, our organizational structure that supports the needs of the members is critically important. We need an empowered board who are able to immerse themselves in the future of the organization. We must arrest the decline and begin growing and uniting our community again. We also need a structure that clearly defines the roles of governance and management; two complimentary, synergistic, but also separate processes. It is ineffectual to have a board that is structured to be passive, or to get in the day-to-day dealings. A board is in place to set strategy, protect stakeholders, and act as a fiduciary. Our current structure is antiquated and incapable of adapting to today’s demands.
MBCA is not helpless to impact the growth and success of itself. We need to pass this set of bylaws because continued decline is not inevitable. Our future can be so bright if we embrace our responsibilities as the protector of this organization, face facts, and tackle our challenges — we can grow our club. A board of directors’ effectiveness extends beyond legal requirements; it involves collaboration, commitment, and a shared vision for the organization’s success. This set of bylaws empowers the board like it’s never been properly empowered before and enables it to make business decisions in MBCA best interest. It also provides a clear distinction between governance and management. Please consider that much thought by professionals who have MBCA’s genuine, long-term, best interest in mind has gone into this document.
The new bylaws, if adopted by the members, will go into effect as soon as the election results are certified. Under the proposal for the new bylaws, there will be no Regional Directors, only Directors at Large. Because this is an uncontested election (there are only 8 candidates for 8 open positions) the following director statements serve as ratification.
Therefore, the newly elected directors will commence their terms at the time the new bylaws go into effect and for current directors whose terms are expiring in 2024 to end their terms at the same time. If adopted, the new bylaws will be in effect in time for the annual meeting, and the newly elected directors will be the directors in office for the annual meeting.
There has been some discussion and misunderstanding about the removal of Regional Directors from the board. Every director has a responsibility to the members; this is regardless of geography. Non-profit governors have a fiduciary duty to the organization, not a constituency to represent. The Regional Director concept is not working now, and it is not suddenly expected to be more effective in the future. The strategic recommendations are for MBCA to be broken into different interest groups, not just geographic locations.
Another comment I have heard is regarding the nomenclature of titles. The attorneys recommended matching modern business standard terms, these would be: Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the staff. There is no power-play or negative concept here, it simply aligns the actual title with the role, allows for appropriate and continuous leadership, and is easily understood outside of the non-profit world.
My hope is these comments diminish any fears you have, and we can all start to lift this organization collectively with unified messaging and aligned thought — creating a wave of energy and effort to achieve everyone’s goal of resuscitating MBCA into a viable organization again.
In sum, the intention of everyone who worked on these documents is to allow MBCA to be nimble and viable into the future. Ultimately, the goal is to make the governance work for MBCA again. You may view the Bylaws by scanning the QR code below.
KATIE CARRUTH
Executive Director
MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA
You will receive a notice by email or mail (if you request a paper ballot from mbca@electionbuddy.com) that will contain your access key. Voting will be open from September 1 through October 15.
Spring Meeting – May 11, 2024
Electronic Distributors For Classic Cars
Read MBCA Bylaws here.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Abarr of the Portland Chapter. I have been a member since 2011. I have previously served as Chapter president, Newsletter Editor, National Events Chair, and I have served as Chair of Legends of the Autobahn for the past 7 years. I am also a certified Concours d'Elegance judge and have assisted the club with social media. I have been fortunate to meet many members and leaders from across the U.S.
My goals and aspirations within the club are to create an inclusive experience for all members to be proud of. It is this passion we all have in common that brings us together to celebrate this marque we all love. Mercedes-Benz has always been synonymous with innovation; as a club we want to mirror that mindset. We all bring different aspects of this passion to the table. Let’s capitalize on that. Each time I spend those moments with members at an event I realize this is what drives me. It’s our members and passion that are so special. It never gets old. I get caught up in the conversations! We all can take away from each of us those special moments and friendships that are what MBCA is. Change can be tough. We owe it to those that came before us to continue the great traditions of these members and friendships. But as with all things we change to adapt. We need to look forward to innovative ways to remain relevant.
I’m always open to input and ideas. I look forward to having the opportunity in bringing innovation and energy to this club and marque I love so much. The best or nothing!
Thank you for this opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors of the MBCA. It would be an honor to serve the MBCA membership at this challenging time in the club’s story. A story requiring leadership, vision, and excellent communication. Since November 2022, I have served as the Great Lakes Regional Director which includes the chapters of the Western Reserve, Western Michigan, Central Ohio, Three Rivers, International Stars, Northwest Ohio, and Pittsburgh. I have been a member of the Pittsburgh Chapter for over ten years. Since December 2020, I have been on the board of the Pittsburgh Chapter overseeing the dealer relations and classifieds in our chapter newsletter. Throughout the years having been an MBCA member, chapter board member, and the regional director,
I have met so many wonderful enthusiasts that enjoy Mercedes-Benz vehicles — both new and classics — SUVs and cars — gas and electric. We enjoy the camaraderie, the conversations, and of course the Mercedes-Benz brand and its vehicles. I have decided to run for the board to continue to share the successes of the region and its chapters over these last few years, in terms of membership, events, dealer relations, and community. I have enjoyed the collaboration of dedicated and talented chapter board and club members that have brought their many gifts to the benefit of MBCA locally and regionally. I look forward to working with the boards and members of the other chapters to learn more about their successes in terms of membership, events, dealer relations, and community and share these achievements at the national level.
I trace my story in Mercedes-Benz from the classic designs of Bruno Sacco. Currently, I collect, restore, and show my 300CE Cabriolet, 40th Anniversary Edition SL320, and SLK32 AMG. My daily driver is a 2021 A220.
I have been a member of the MBCA since 2013. During that period, I have served as a Chapter President of Eastern Oklahoma for seven years and as Vice President for two years. As a small Chapter, I have also served as webmaster, newsletter editor, and membership chair.
Managing a chapter is like running a small business … you must be willing to jump in and help in every aspect of the business in order for it to be successful. During my tenure, our Chapter achieved Chapter of the Year in 2019 and continues to have a strong member participation rate. Additionally, I serve on the national Awards committee and have served on a task force with other MBCA Presidents to update the MBCA Presidents manual in 2022.
My reason for running for Director at Large is to make sure the club continues to serve its most loyal members. Those members serve as officers, chapter boards, plan activities, and are active participants in events. I know the majority of members nationally are NOT active and are members for reasons such as The Star magazine, technical assistance, parts discounts, etc. If you are this type of member, it makes no difference who is in the role of Director at Large. For those members who enjoy the club for its monthly activities, the friendships of meeting people who share your love of automobiles, and enjoy the other benefits (Magazine, discounts, technical) then I ask for your consideration.
I am not going to make promises I cannot keep, will not pursue changes that I feel are not in current member interest, and I seek to improve communications between the chapter officers that will allow us to share ideas and best practices on how we proceed as an organization as we move forward into the future.
I am a 27-year member of MBCA and a member of the Peachtree Chapter located in Georgia where I serve as the Newsletter Editor and Webmaster. For the last three years I have also served as the Regional Director of the Eastern Region supporting nine of our 85 chapters As Regional Director I have consistently communicated with all nine chapters and provide support as needed. The region each year has held at least one regional event. Support for the event was provided as needed to ensure a successful event. I have served as the President of the Peachtree and Chicagoland Chapters. Within these chapters I have served in many chapter leadership roles. Those roles have included, but not limited to President, Vice-President, Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Membership Director, Concours Chair, and Event Planner.
I have assisted with the planning and implementation of several national StarFest and StarTech events over the years. My in-depth understanding of how our club operates from both the local chapter level and my experience as Regional Director provides me with unique insights into the possibilities for our club. My passion for this club is insurmountable.
In my professional career (currently retired) as an IT professional and Accountant (CPA), I have managed many organizationally transforming projects to successful completion. If elected as Director at Large I will utilize these skills to improve communications, promote membership growth and work towards transformational change to move MBCA forward into the future. The Mercedes-Benz Club of America has a bright future if we all work together and if we are willing to change.
1. David Abarr
2. Jeffrey Hirst
3. Josh Kushnerick
4. Diana Quinn
In addition to serving three years as an RD and six as a DAL, I’ve staged two more MBCA long distance drives culminating in MBUSI factory tours for MBCA members (2021 and 2022). Assisted with Legends of the Autobahn at Hilton Head Concours (2022). Organized and trained seven MBCA members to serve as factory tour guides for the MBCA “EQ Experience” events for MercedesBenz dealership owners and general managers from February — May 2023. I am now working as a volunteer at MBUSI leading special VIP tours of the factory.
I am in the process of planning for a StarFest® type event for June 24-30, 2025. 2005, Co-founded Alabama Chapter. 2005-2013, Alabama Chapter President. 2006, reopened MBUSI Factory in Alabama to MBCA tours. 2005-2018, published and wrote most articles for Alabama Chapter newsletter. 2008 Started “Heimatfest” regional event, staged 10 times. 2008, Eastern Region Officer of the Year. 2010, organized “StarTrek” from Alabama factory to StarFest® 2010 in Winchester, VA. 2010, StarFest® overall top scorer for driving and concours. 2013, Co-chaired largest StarTech ever; four-day event, 300 attended. 2014, Alabama Chapter Newsletter of the Year. 2017-2018, MBCA National Secretary. In 2018, I co-chaired the largest StarFest®, 300+ attended. Seven days up to 10x as many entrants for some traditional events with different formats, several new events. Member of Performance Driving Committee. Attend, help stage and instruct all events each year.
Chairman of Performance Driving Committee 2022-23. Co-founder of Safe Drivers–Safe Families of the MBCA Education Foundation and help with staging of events. Co-author of SD-SF manual. 2014-2018, Taught MBCA judging schools and served as MBCA concours judge. 2014-2024, Organized evening social events at Amelia Island Concours. In 2019, I organized four directors, two regions, and two chapters along with another car club for a StarFest® type event in New England.
A member of MBCA since 2002, I served as Chapter President for seven years, Regional Director for three years, and as DAL/VP and member of the Executive Committee elected in November of 2022, becoming President in November 2023. These most recent years, with the changing financial situation of the club caused by declining membership, and withdrawal of Mercedes-Benz USA financial support, have made it a challenging time to be in leadership on the Board.
The club is about the members; its foundation is the Chapters. Chapters need national MBCA support, and this year we were able to return funding, now called local dues, to the chapters. We are building a menu of stronger support items through the new IT infrastructure and making it easier to both drive events and communicate with membership, at considerable cost saving for both the chapter and the national club. Members should be able to be fully informed about the operations, finances, and direction of the club. We have held several “town hall” online meetings where members could meet club leadership, ask questions, and get answers. Members have been able to attend board meetings, view the meeting minutes, recordings of the meetings, audited financial statements, and the individual actions of the board members and MBCA leadership.
A growing list of new member benefits supports the value of club membership. The Star has been reinvigorated and redesigned. You can easily find my resume and CV via a Google search. I ask for your support to continue rebuilding MBCA, lead it into the ever–changing future, grow the fun in our club’s agenda. After all, it is the members’ club to enjoy.
My journey with MBCA began as the Vice President of the Southern Stars Chapter (NE FL, SE GA, and HHI, SC) in 2020. Stepping up as the Chapter President in 2022, I was honored to be recognized as the Officer of the Year for the region. I was elected to the Regional Director (Southeast) position in Spring 2023. In 2023, I was invited to join the Technology Committee. As of this issue, I was named Associate Editor of The Star®. As a digital-savvy leader, I actively manage our chapter’s social media platforms, including Instagram, our Facebook Page, and Facebook Group. Instagram has garnered a following of 1,600+, and Facebook, 3,700+. I’ve assisted in recruiting Mercedes-Benz for The Amelia, Hilton Head Island Concours, Delray Beach Concours, Lake Mirror Classic Concours, and additional local charitable events in Florida. We worked with Classic Motorsports Magazine to register 30+ Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the 2024 inaugural Amelia Island Kickoff, where we were named a Featured Club. We are officially a Featured Club again in 2025!
My chapter hosted the 2024 MBCA Welcome to Amelia Friday Night Social, with 100+ RSVPs from 24 chapters! I am a lifelong learner, currently with an Ed.S. (Post Master’s Education Specialist Degree) and an MBA. Professionally, I retired from the military after serving 20 years. I led communication and technology departments, designed curricula, and instructed technical, and professional development, as well as fitness courses. After I retired, I became a consultant for the government. I will continue working to improve communications and process improvement to promote maximum engagement and great experiences, offering value to current and potential members.
I have owned a variety of Mercedes-Benz roadsters, SLs, coupes, and sedans, including AMGs. I appreciate many types and eras of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and am an MBCA-trained concours judge.
Thank you for your consideration!
You, the members, are MBCA. The leaders you elect to national office must always represent you and your best interests. I am Charles Woods, a candidate for Director at Large and this is my pledge to you. It is the standard for which my every action and vote as your DAL will be made, whether membership recruitment/ retention, enhancing membership activities, administrative and financial affairs or improving The Star magazine. The MBCA is facing formidable and increasing challenges. National leadership must set a course toward sound financial footing to ensure our future. All decisions must pass through the filter of whether members benefit.
You, the members, are a diverse group and MBCA must remain relevant to you by providing activities and benefits which not only satisfy but exceed your expectations. To do this, national leadership must improve the things MBCA does well, discard those we do not and innovate new programs and activities that will interest and excite you, the MBCA member. As DAL, I offer senior executive level leadership and management experience developed over a forty-year finance career. This is a time for sound financial management and long-term fiscal planning, and I spent my career meeting these challenges. Within MBCA, I currently serve as national treasurer and director-at-large. Prior to national service, I served as Chapter president in 1990 and again in 2014-2018 along with numerous board terms. I have previously served on the board of the MBCA Educational Foundation.
As a continuous proud Mercedes-Benz owner since 1982, I live in both worlds of the modern and classic Mercedes-Benz. I love my 2022 E-Class Cabriolet, but my passion is my 1986 560 SL. I look forward to the opportunity of serving as your Director at Large for this upcoming term. I will represent you. I Thank you.
5. James Roberts
6. Drew Webb
7. David Wommer
8. Charles Woods
CHAPTER
NORTHEAST REGION
Contact VP
ATLANTIC CANADA
Contact National VP
MINUTEMAN
Dean Coclin
781.789.8686 mbca.minuteman@gmail.com
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND STAR
William Raymond w-mraymond@comcast.net
HUDSON-MOHAWK
James R. Wright
518.439.3178 hudsonmohawkmbca @gmail.com
NIAGARA
Michael D’Ambrosio 716.390.9816 mpjda3@gmail.com
FINGER LAKES
Contact National VP
OTTAWA
Thomas Lang 613.596.5460 tlang1@sympatico.ca
MONTREAL
David Peebles
514.941.5320 unimog@securenet.net
TORONTO
Peter Spitzer
905.599.5770 mbca@spitzerinc.com
SOUTHEAST REGION
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
David Wommer 904.534.7319 davidwommer@gmail.com
SOUTHERN STARS
Gary Keener
904.635.9888 gary.keener @mbcasouthernstars.com
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Robert Hartmann
407.913.6134 (h) hartmann.r@att.net
SOUTH FLORIDA
Contact Regional Director
ROAD STAR
Barry Paraizo 561.310.8957 ferrbp@bellsouth.net
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Christopher Pakietur 239.287.1368 cpakietur@gmail.com
TAMPA BAY
Greg Watson gwatson511@verizon.net
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Bill Fisher
609.221.2633 billfishermbca@yahoo.com
CONNECTICUT/ WESTCHESTER
Winthrop E. Baum 203.858.6300 win@winbaum.com
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Greg Thorne get0455@yahoo.com
SOUTH JERSEY
Ernest Schirmer 609.895.1611 eschirmer@ieee.org
NEW YORK CITY & LONG ISLAND
Oliver Seligman 917.763.0178 (c) 212.510.8293 (h) mogs05@aol.com
KEYSTONE
Marty Rexroth 717.764.0624 marstang@aol.com
NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Roger Egoff RAE4@psu.edu
DELAWARE VALLEY Contact Regional Director
CENTRAL REGION
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Ken Koehler 317.669.2072 skkoehler@att.net
BLUEGRASS STARS
J. Anne Gilliland mbca2023jag@yahoo.com
NASHVILLE
Randy Bibb 615.259.1349 rbibb@lewisthomason.com
SMOKY MOUNTAIN Contact Regional Director
MEMPHIS
Michael McHann mike@eccotek.com
CINCINNATI Contact RD
INDIANA CROSSROADS
Roger Brummett 317.721.2784 roger@metroelevator.com
ST. LOUIS GATEWAY
Rick Siefert 314.435.1903 rick.siefert@att.net
601.946.1950 mike@marshmarketing.ms
EASTERN REGION
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Diana Quinn 847.867.0620 dianaquinn@me.com
GREATER WASHINGTON
Rugger Smith 703.861.0402 prsmith3@msn.com
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
Todd Lusby tlusby@gmail.com
VIRGINIA
Peter Spring 757. 274.7423 prspring@me.com
TRIANGLE
Christopher Smith cdsmith74@gmail.com
TARHEEL Barry Huff bdh@triad.rr.com
CAROLINAS
John Hemeline mbcacarolinas. president2022@gmail.com
PEACHTREE
Rubin Howard 310.980.6747 rubinhoward777@gmail.com
ALABAMA-NW FLORIDA
Jim Sparacio 205.243.7727 jim506@charter.net
CENTRAL GEORGIA
Thomas Couch
478.741.9014 tommycouch@live.com
GREAT LAKES REGION
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Jeff Hirst 724.745.6783 mbcagreatlakesrd@gmail.com
MISSION STATEMENT: To elevate the Mercedes-Benz experience through knowledge, camaraderie, and exceptional events.
TRADING POST
1963 220 SE Cabriolet. $65,000/ OBO. Beautiful restoration. rebuilt motor, new paint and carpets. Runs great! Downsizing and unfortunately must sell. 352.843.3033
1981 380 SL. 58,400 miles. $18,500. Third owner. Documentation. Original paint. Euro lights. Zebrano wood. Excellent dash. Custom Coco Mats. Factory Becker with USB. Double row timing chain conversion. Cold A/C. No accidents. No rust. 305.804.9550
1986 560 SL. 74,000 miles. $29,500. Desert Red/Palomino Leather. Very rare color. Original paint/ interior. Tools, books, first-aid kit, dark brown top. Lots of recent service. Everything works. No rust. 30-year-plus MBCA member. larryt543@yahoo.com (Naples, FL)
BEWARE OF SCAMMERS
1973 280 SEL 4.5. $30,000. Dark Green with brown MB-Tex. $20,000 spent on repairs and restoration in the last two years. Almost all parts are OE from the Classic Center. Receipts and paperwork included. 213.545.6657 (Los Angeles, CA)
1984 380 SL. 56,000 miles. $40,000/ OBO. Immaculate mechanical shape. New Michelin tires, Italian reduced diameter wood grain steering wheel. Includes storage rack and lift for top. Only been in the rain twice, otherwise garage kept. Ken Hall. 817.308.3142 kennethhall@heimon.com
1986 560 SL. 77,000 miles. $29,500. Black Pearl/gray. Southern car. Two owners (TN/SC). Original interior, Becker radio, tools, books, first-aid kit, both tops. Recent service. Everything works. No rust. 30-year-plus MBCA member. larryt543@yahoo.com (NY)
Be careful. Online crooks can scam you. It is best to sell to someone you know, or to confirm the transaction with a mutual friend. Note that Cashier’s checks are easily faked. Ask for a direct bank-to-bank transfer and confirm receipt before releasing your car. The most common scam is when the scammers offers more than your asking price, paying with a cashier’s check, with excess to be used by you to pay for shipping.
1979 450 SL. $35,000. 90% original paint. Owned 30 years. Rebuilt 4.5 L V8. Rebuilt 3-speed automatic. Rebuilt exhaust. Red/tan. All books/ records. 62,483 miles. James McNicholl 732.814.8501 jmcnicholl@comcast.net
1985 380 SL, 104,000 miles. $15,000. Original CA car. No rust, infrequently driven, never in winter. Well maintained, A/C upgraded to 134a, timing chain, sprockets and other various items replaced. Runs great. Wes Tivel. 719.235.2203 wtivel@gmail.com (CO)
1987 560 SL. 23,000 miles. $69,950. Southern car. No dings, scratches, or touch ups. 770.883.9115
Please send your ad & photos to: classifieds@mbca.org Terms & Conditions apply. Please include model, mileage, price, contact and photo. Thank you.
1996 SL 320. 44,000 miles. $11,500. 3.2 L DOHC 24 Valve 6 Cylinder, HFM-Sequential Multiport Fuel Injection. Very clean, very quiet engine, always garaged. Second owner, have all the maintenance records. minglea2@charter.net
2000 E 55 AMG. 187,000 miles. $12,000. Well maintained no rust replaced front fenders body completely done runs great lots of service records Becker audio aux. Eric Kissel. Contact Eric via the STAR Marketplace, located at mbca.org (NJ)
2007 E 350 Sport Sedan. 50,000 miles. $14,000. Mint. Everything works and up to date with all servicing, only from Mercedes-Benz only. It is my dream car, but, I have no more space. 01mb320@gmail.com
1998 E 300 D Turbo Diesel. 6,900 miles. $39,000. Pristine condition. Garage kept. Like new and garage kept. 843.276.4047 (SC)
2005 CLK 500. 37,000 miles. $18,500. Two owners. Showroom fresh. Too many upgrades to list. Email for PDF. Thorton Stage 3 Performance Chip for a +60 bhp. I have all records from my upgrades and digital records of everything since car was new. Best around! amgracer@outlook.com
2012 E 350. 9,547 miles. $35,000. One owner. Arizona beauty. Showroom condition. Loaded with options, including special paint, option package 2 & AMG appearance package. Cloth top pristine condition. Never seen rain. Email Egon for additional pictures and window sticker. mbcarguy928@gmail.com
2000 E 320. 142,000 miles. Two owners. Purchased in Germany and brought to U.S. Starts but has engine problems. Willing to entertain any offer — just wanting it to get a good home amyabrent@hotmail.com (Henderson, NC)
2006 SL 500. 57,000 miles. $22,000/ OBO. Third owner. Florida car. Service records from new. ABC tandem pump, SBC, hydraulics, and related items to convertible top replaced. Brake pads, rotors. ABC fluid and filter and rodeoservice performed. Transmission filter, fluid, and bearings adjusted. 313.727.8877 (SE Michigan)
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