This custom 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250 began life as an elegant coupe and has been converted into a pickup with a 400 SBC along the way. Effectively the creation of a pair of engineers from Grumman Aerospace, the custom truck-bodied Benz is a curious alternative to an El Camino or Ranchero if you’ve been looking for a more luxurious option. The seller notes this Mercedes is being re-listed following a shady buyer attempting to flip the car after placing a deposit on it. Find your second chance at owning it here on eBay with bids over $6K.
While it’s impossible to tell from the other side of a computer screen whether such custom metal and fabrication work is well done, the seller claims it is. The seller notes the original builders formed steel body panels from sheet metal to create the bed and then chopped the body to bring the rear roof and glass forward and create the cab. The most impressive aspect of this build, in my opinion, is how much attention was paid to keeping things like the gas tank and windows original Mercedes pieces in their factory locations.
The transmission is a 350 Turbo with a Lokar shifter on the floor. That kind of shifter is actually exactly what resides in my 1986 Isuzu Trooper junkyard find project, but not exactly what you’d expect inside a Mercedes. Still, with a custom truck bed body, it works. The rest of the interior looks as you’d expect for a Mercedes of this vintage, with seats that will seemingly never wear out and a handsome, if not simple, dash array. The seller notes the doors still open and close as they would if the car retained its original body lines.
Under the hood, the 400 SBC is a worthwhile upgrade, and with such a meaty powerplant under the hood, this custom Benz deserves far better than the hubcaps it’s currently mounted on. Even a set of (played out) Torque-Thrusts would look good here, and be totally warranted given the engine configuration. Personally, I’d like to see if a set of Chevy Rally wheels with the deep-dish-look chrome trim ring could be adapted, along with a mildly lowered suspension. That would be a truck that would shame almost any other trucklet that crossed its path.
Back window just doesn’t look right. They never do on these recreations, back truck widows are vertical or near vertical. The way this is done this looks like a backwards windshield. The rest is looking ok however a tailgate would be nice.
I agree. A unimog back window would have worked perfectly.
Those cheap plastic wheel covers are awful!
R.I.P. poor MB.
Walmarts best, “For a great new look”,,not to worry, with the cheap fasteners, they’ll fly off on the 1st turn.
El Merkero!
Yikes
What a shame.. There’s plenty of domestic junk to learn on..
“Bidding has ended on this item.”
A common new tactic here.
I am a monthly paying member.
must have been fun to make
I usually don’t weigh in on cars made into “pickups”. But if there’s no tailgate, its a two place sedan with a large trunk.
nein!
Not a pickup IMHO! A two seater with a HUGE trunk! Pass.
As is usually the case with me. (IMHO and I love a good Ute) They got the back of the cab wrong. It does not flow with the rest of the body. That, and no tail gate makes it different, but not interesting. (To me) My guess is that this was done a long time ago judging by the valve cover hold downs and the use of “old school” ( I am old too so dont’t get on my case for that comment)? SBC engine and 350 turbo transmission. And the Kmart wheel covers, just cheapen the whole thing out to where you wonder if the current owner spent any money making sure that the car is safe. Back then Mercedes had dog dish hub caps on some lower level cars. If you could find the original style caps and have the stock steel wheels widened and painted body color. That would be a different (for a Mercedes) look and maybe catch some interest.
I feel sorry for that SBC 400 which is now trapped in a German Tank.
It deserves better.
I dunno…
I kinda like it. I want to put in a proper MB V8 and maybe Bunt wheels. Then take to Pebble Beach, of course.
I like the fact it’s been souped with a good old American V8, those wheel covers are absolutely wrong here, and the tall shifter just seems out of place here. Those minor things can be easily solved, still it’s kind of weird looking.
A farrago.
Bet he had a nice tires and rims selected and used until he put it up for sale. A nice set of rims and tires can make a car or truck.