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1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K
Oct 31, 2024
Description

  This 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster has a one-off body by

  the Mayfair Carriage Co. It has a folding windshield, and the

  extensive use of louvers and skirted rear fenders lend an air of

  elegance to the design. The coachwork is much lighter than the more

  closed bodies traditionally fitted to these chassis, yielding

  sparkling performance - particularly when the blower is engaged. It

  was ordered with a set-back radiator, meant for open cars and

  factory roadsters in particular. The factory referred to this

  variation as "Fahrgestell mit zuruckgesetztem Motor" (chassis with

  setback motor). Although externally identifiable by the relative

  position of the radiator over the front axle, in fact, the radiator

  and entire drivetrain were set back 185 mm. This gave the car a

  completely different air, with an opportunity for a more aggressive

  front end and an overall longer, lower appearance. Mercedes-Benz

  chassis records indicate that this car was shipped on October 7,

  1936, to the factory store in Paris France - an unusual destination

  for a right-hand-drive chassis, particularly one that would later

  receive an English body. It is an anomaly that may never be

  explained but adds to the exotic aura that surrounds the car. It is

  interesting to note also that Michael Frostick, in his book "The

  Mighty Mercedes," lists the car among the other U.K. chassis, but

  does not provide any further details (as he does for most of the

  other cars). Historians have speculated that the car's origins in

  Paris may account for this, as it may have been ordered by a

  British expatriate living in Paris, and then later shipped to

  London for the body to be constructed. According to another source,

  the original commission was for an Indian maharajah, which would

  also explain the right-hand-drive chassis. In either case, Frostick

  would not have had access to the details available for more

  conventional orders. This 540K was in London during the early 1950s

  before being purchased by Peter Hessler of Quebec City, Canada, who

  only had the Mercedes for a short time. It then made its way into

  the hands of an enthusiast named Paul Suckling, who lived in

  Toronto. In 1968, the car was purchased by publisher Richard C.

  Mertz, a Detroit-area collector, who imported it to America and

  began to restore this 540K with his son Steve Mertz. During the

  restoration, the panel work was undertaken by Alcraft, a

  Detroit-area prototype shop. The balance of the work was handled by

  the owner and his son, along with Harry Flynn, Harry Kennedy and

  John Graham. Bud Cohn of California supplied many of the small

  parts. In 1984, during the restoration process, Richard Mertz

  passed away, leaving the car to his son Steve, of Royal Oak, MI. In

  1994, this 540K was offered for sale, joining the world-class

  collection of casino owner Ralph Englestad of Las Vegas, NV.

  Englestad commissioned a second restoration to upgrade the car to

  concours condition, changing the car from black over silver to red

  (restoration photos are available). Shortly after Englestad died in

  2002, the Mayfair 540K joined a well-known Southern California

  collection, where it was displayed in the company of other stellar

  examples of the marque. From the Don Williams Collection. **

  PREVIEW

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