Mercedes-Benz History.
DISCLAIMER - my interest in Mercedes/Daimler-Benz, whil(e)(st) perhaps
encompassing, is primarily in the S and SS series of the late 1920s and early
1930s; this is not intended to be a full-blown history or chronology of the Mercedes
marque. - SB,III
I took many photos (including excruciatingly-detailed shots of engine compartments
and dashboards) of S and SS cars (and some K, 380K, 500K, 540K, and 770 cars) back
in the '50s. Some of these include famed cartoonist and driver, Charles Addams,
in his S tourer out at the Bridgehampton (Long Island) track.
[I am NOT repeating some of the introductory material from the main and
previous continuation pages; go there for continuity.]
[Material on the Type 770K which was here has been moved to a separate
section on page 4.]
Works History of the Type 24-100/140 and K
My suspicion that the Smithsonian's model of a so-called 630K was never any
such type was born out and greatly amplified in a response to a related
question posed to DaimlerChrysler 's Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart
(edited only very slightly):
My correspondent outlined the basic facts regarding the so-called "630 K"
model; first of all, he confirmed that I was right that this was never an official
model designation.
In the end of 1924, the Mercedes (NOT yet Mercedes-Benz) 24/100/140 hp model was
introduced; after the merger between Daimler and Benz it was renamed
Mercedes-Benz 24/100/140 hp. As a more or less internal or at least rather
informal designation "6-liter model" was also used, although the capacity was 6.3
liters right from the beginning.
A more powerful and sporty version was introduced in early 1926, still before the
merger, as 24/100/140 hp Model K, "K" standing for "kurzer Radstand", i.e. short
wheelbase. After the merger, this model was of course also renamed as
Mercedes-Benz....
This very sporty model which was the world's fastest touring car at the time not
only had a wheelbase which was 350 mm shorter but also underslung springs on the
rear axle instead of the cantilever springs of the regular-wheelbase version (which
was changed to underslung springs in autumn 1927). Moreover, it had a more
powerful engine due to an increased compression ratio and dual ignition with a
second set of spark plugs operated by battery ignition. Although this more
powerful engine was used in the Model K right from the beginning, the model
designation based on the performance was the same as for the regular-wheelbase
version and changed to 24/110/160 hp Model K no earlier than in early 1929.
The Model K seems to have been regularly equipped with outside exhaust down pipes,
a feature that became usual for the regular-wheelbase version no earlier than in
Autumn 1927 (but was available as an option before).
To come back to the question of model designations: In February 1928 (when the S
Type already had succeeded the Model K - although the Model K remained in
production until 1929, the designations of all Mercedes-Benz passenger car models
were changed by introducing the three-digit capacity-based number thus turning the
24/100/140 hp into the 24/100/140 hp Type 630 or just Type 630; this does not apply
to the Model K which was never called 630 K or 630 Model K.
The matter becomes even more complicated by the fact that from October 1928 the
regular-wheelbase version of the 24/100/140 hp Type 630 was also offered with the
more powerful Model K engine; this version which became dominant instead of the
regular-engined version immediately, was called Type 630 with K-Engine and is today
sometimes called 630 K informally - meaning 630 with K-engine.
Thus, the beautiful yellow-coloured model car clearly is a Model K, or to be more
precise, a 24/100/140 hp Model K and NOT a 630 K; this last-called designation
should be omitted and was never used officially for ANY of the versions described.
And, last but not least, regarding my photographs of the Sametz car, it seems to be
that it is a regular-wheelbase 24/100/140 hp and NOT a Model K - please compare
the wheelbase/tire diameter ratio with the one of your yellow model car.
Even the factory photo you show on your page above the Sametz car is obviously
NOT a Model K with Saoutchik body but a regular-wheelbase 630 with K-engine
instead.
So, there you have it from the source! Let me thank the Museum staff here for
their splendid cooperation.
A gentleman wrote me from Spain on 21 Nov 2005 that he has a 630 with a K
engine that had been acquired (by his uncle?) in the '30s and which been shot
at by anarchists during the first days of the Spanish Civil War (1936) and is
completely original, even to a bullet hole in its left front door:
(21 Nov 05)
(cropped and lightened from photo from Spain - all rights reserved to owner)
This picture was not terribly clear; I had hoped the owner hablo inglés enough (mi no
comprende espagńol) to send a better shot (pun). He does; no
sooner said than done (what a car!); he replaced the above image and added this one:
(23 and 24 Nov 05)
(cropped and lightened from photo from Spain - all rights reserved to owner)
This car is actually grey-green, not blue, with black wings (fenders) and light shells, a
black border, and a fine white accent line (barely visible under the belt line).
You can see the bullet hole in the door in the white circle and there appears to be
another just under the door, above the kick plate (it doesn't look like an entry lamp)
and perhaps yet another just above that one. As it happens, the gun used in
the attack was a shotgun, not a rifle, loaded with both buckshot and finer pellets in
the same cartridge, so one single shot created havoc.
(23 and 24 Nov 05)
That same Spanish family picked up a used 1919 Mercedes-Knight 16/45 in 1924 and
still have that one, also! Although my interest really is primarily focused on the
1926-1938 period, this one is so beautiful I show it here (there's the 630 in the
background in the garage - more like a showroom!):
(21 Nov 05)
(cropped from photos from Spain - all rights reserved to owner)
The Mercedes-Knight used an engine built under the patents of the American, Charles
J. Knight, licensed by Daimler Motoren Ges. in 1909, which had a sleeve valve, in
which the entire cylinder liner moved up and down and rotated to uncover intake and
exhaust ports, doing away with poppet valves. The D-B Museum in Stuttgart
has a gorgeous 1921 Mercedes-Knight 16/45 tourer on display.
Can you imagine driving a luxury car in inclement weather with controls OUTSIDE
the driver's compartment? Oh, well; he's only a hired hand (a very wet, cold one)!
[Material on the Type 770K which was here has been moved to a separate
section on page 4.]
(05 Dec 05)
Mercedes Model
Now, here's an incredible model, 22" (56cm) long, of what we thought
was an unidentified straight eight Mercedes coupé of ca. 1926-30 or so, built by
Rivarossi and bearing the Sindelfingen-Karosserie nameplate (but read on):
(23 Nov 05) and
(15 Jan 06)
[photos (some cropped) courtesy of owner - all rights reserved;
thumbnailed images - click on picture for larger image]
The owner is undecided whether to try to restore it or put it up on Ebay (!); I
suggested that the model would be far more valuable as is. It appears
to be a mid-30's 380K, 500K, or even a 770K; my references aren't handy but
it has the later independent front and rear suspensions, with the chassis-mounted
differential (in place) with floating half-shaft axles (missing) and I recall the
540K having an "X" frame. Can anyone identify it accurately?
And how! It is, in fact a 1936 500K!
(24 Nov 05 and 15 Jan 06)
The level of detail is nothing short of amazing; the steering and the
brakes are operable and the tires have the makers name and all data molded in
(Englebert)#. The rear axle assembly, doors, front wings and
lights and such, radiator shell, running boards, spare(s), and interior detail are
missing.
(24 Nov 05)
It was suggested that it was a dealer's showroom model; I tend to doubt that.
With that kind of detailing, it was more likely a presentation piece for a head of state
or for Daimler-Benz's General Manager upon the introduction of a new model.
Four more photos came in; here are the requested detail of a wheel and hubcap, and
three ¾ views of the chassis with the body mounted:
(24 Nov 05)
[photos (some cropped) courtesy of owner - all rights reserved;
thumbnailed images - click on picture for larger image]
# - the tires have the following information molded on:
Renforcé
Made in Belgium
Fabriqué en Belgique
6.50/17
Ambassador
Englebert
6944102
In addition to all that, the owner reports that there is a SIX (6)
pointed star within a star with a circle in the center - that makes me wonder if this is
an unauthorized model, NOT associated with Daimler-Benz (especially not with a
SIX-pointed star!).
Well, now! On 14 Jan 2006, I got an e-mail from C. Mak in Hong Kong
with the information that it is, in fact, not only a 500K, ca. 1935, but a
Rivarossi-Pocher model and possibly one of only a few built (hardly, as it turns
out). He is well along restoring his and sent these photos:
(16 Jan 06)
[photos courtesy of C. Mak - all rights reserved;
thumbnailed images - click on picture for larger image]
Until recently, Pocher was in business making exquisite 1/8 scale models of
this caliber that are still available in most top-line hobby shops. There is
a kit, identified as K85, on Ebay now (16 Jan 05) as Item #6029571203, at
over 400BP or US$700 and still under reserve. Mr. Mak and others
identify the model shown as a "500K/AK"; there never was a model 500K/AK
or 500AK - it is properly a "500K Cabriolet A", the "A" meaning it has no rear
quarter windows, only door windows. However, a Montréal hobby shop,
Hobby World of Montreal advises that "The Pocher company has been
sold. They are at present in the process of being restructured." and
shows a Pocher "540K" model at 640mm length (25" across bumpers) with
1,516 parts.
Brady Ward - Scale Autoworks shows many versions of the Pocher 500K.
The Smithsonian's 1/18 model is of yet an even different version, with a
rumble seat and both a rear-mounted spare AND two side mounts.
More In(en)quiries
Here are more in(en)quiries about Mercedes cars:
An original SSK (in Europe) is being restored and the owner is in desperate need of
parts (28 Apr 05):
1. front axle (damaged in an accident)
2. all dashboard instruments
3. Bosch ZR6 magneto
4. windscreen (SSK)
5. brake parts
6. head (top) frame
7. tail lights
8. sparewheel support
9. toolboxes (all three)
10. vacuum system on firewall
Can anyone help? Please let me know.
I found this old (ca. 1960) Mercedes-Benz Club of America membership pin:
03 Feb 2005 photo by and © 2005 S. Berliner, III - all rights reserved)
I'd forgotten I even WAS a member once. let alone that I still had this pin; the
photo didn't come out well and, in trying to reshoot it, I managed to drop the
pin such that it skittered away and flew into the output end of my printer!
That, in turn, is a dry-toner jobbie, not exactly what I would prefer to turn
upside down and shake! One of these days - - - .
of this series of Mercedes-Benz pages.
[For those interested in the Chrysler side as well,
see my Chrysler page, et seq.
(with the Walter P. Chrysler story).]
Cyclops fans; see Cyclops on my Automotive page!
THUMBS UP!
THUMBS UP! - Support your local police, fire, and emergency personnel!
S. Berliner, III
To contact S. Berliner, III, please click here.
© Copyright S. Berliner, III -
2004, 2005,
2006
- All rights reserved.
Return to Top of Page
times since the counter was installed.
