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From R Roraback – Today I spotted this 1951 Mercedes 300 next to a small hidden body shop in Wappingers Falls, NY. The German proprietor said the car’s owner left it there years ago when it was in restorable condition but didn’t know what he wanted to do with it. Apparently several offers were turned down. I don’t think there will be any offers coming now considering the car’s present condition. The shop’s owner swears it runs.
I want to thank Robert for sharing his recent sighting! I always love a good roadside sighting, so if you have any great sightings, please share! Oh and be sure to check out the rest of Robert’s photos below!
Does something sound odd about this car’s story of the owner leaving it, in running condition, in a dirt lot for years and years and the body shop owner didn’t try every way possible to buy the thing? Regardless, yet another fine automobile wasted…and for no go reason. Grrrr!
Does he swear in German?
I am not a foreign car guy,but I would like to have this one.
It would make a great hot rod.
I believe this model is referred to as the ‘Adenauer’ Mercedes. MB guys, right?
Correct….there is not enough information about the car to really comment. Rust can be skin deep or to the bones. These are fine hand built cars with a large following and corosponding value making resurrection more possible than for lesser cars.
It’s the last version of the big Mercedes Benz 300 sedan, the 300d, and it is known as the Adenauer, as you and Dave said. It’s a true hardtop, or pillarless sedan. All side windows go down, including the small third window, opening the entire uninterrupted side behind the vent windows on the front doors, with no B-pillar. It was a very exclusive car in its day. It was replaced by the bigger and badder 600.
This looks to be a later W189 which were made from 1957 on, not a W186 as the year 1951 would suggest.
I have never owned one, tried several times to no avail. I think the later ones were even better, automatic transmissions and air conditioning on many. I did love my 1965 300SE sedan with the same power train……I would give my good arm for another one of those.
300d, definitely not a ’51 as production ran ’57 to ’62.
Completely redesigned from the 300, a, b and c cars.
This has a heavy frame, which allows for the hardtop design.
Only just shy of 3000 made compared to 10 times that many for the predecessor.
Transmission was a Borg-Warner unit with mixed reviews and A/Cs were generally aftermarket in those days.
The Engine , though it has the same M189 designation has a steel block, where-as the later 300 SE finnie models had an Aluminum block with steel sleeves, therefore NOT the same engine.
As stated above rising prices allow for a possible resurrection, however with rising prices of replacement parts you may be in a race you cannot win….