MBCNSW 60’s models photoshoot

The Mercedes club is planning a feature in the magazine for models of the late 60s and early 70s. They have previously done features on the 107 series and 124 series. To accompany the article, the club organised a 60’s models photoshoot for some nice examples of various models this morning. I was asked to attend, as my W111 Cabriolet is one of the few that gets regular use.

While I was there, I was able to snap a few photos with my own camera. Of course I had to be very careful not to get in the way of […]

50 Years of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The S-Class is probably the signature model for Mercedes-Benz. Personally it’s what I think of when I think of the brand. When I think Porsche, I think rear engined sports cars. When I think of BMW its sports saloons with an inline six. For Mercedes-Benz, it’s the S-Class. Throughout the years the company has seen other halo models come and go, such as the 300SL Gullwing and the 600. But the S-Class has always been that statement of what the best car they could make that would actually sell.

The S-Class was officially launched in 1972 with the introduction of […]

W111 Cabriolet rear seatbelts

I’ve always been a little surprised that my W111 Cabriolet rear seatbelts were lap only. Mercedes-Benz were such pioneers of safety at the time that it seemed odd that they wouldn’t have fitted lap/sash seatbelts. It hasn’t been a problem for me as I so rarely had passengers in the rear of the car.

That has started to change as my kids are getting old enough to want to ride in the back of the car. I wasn’t so keen in a convertible with lap only belts. I mentioned this when my car was at All Classic Car restorations being […]

Yorkstar Motors – December 1969 Price List

I recently came across a price list from Yorkstar Motors, dated December 1969. Yorkstar motors were at that time the main dealer in Sydney and I think they had something to do with the overall importation of the cars. This era Australian delivery cars have a Yorkstar motors tag on them regardless of where they were sold.

Unlike in later years, nearly the whole range was offered in 1969. It was only have the ADR regime became stricter in the mid 60s that Mercedes-Benz started to limit the vehicles they offered in Australia. This was probably due to the cost […]

W111 Fuel filler cap door

You can own a car for years and still find interesting design details that you never noticed. I’ve owned W111’s for around 10 years and today discovered for the first time that the W111 fuel filler cap door can be held open with the fuel cap. Another example is the little brackets on the DS bumper that keep the rear wings from scraping.

There is a little moulding on the door that holds it open if the cap is placed against it. All these years I have been holding the door open with my hand or the petrol pump. […]

W111 battery mounting frame

When I last replaced the battery in my W111, I was unable to fit the correct sized battery. In the end I fitted one smaller than I would have liked, but it was the only one that fit into the mounting frame I had. I knew the mounting frame was not original to the car as the previous owner purchased it on eBay. When he purchased the car, the battery was held down with ocky straps. At the recent German car day, one of the other members suggested my mounting frame might be from a W113 SL, rather than the […]

Ad of the week: Coupe d’Etat – Mercedes W111 Coupe

This weeks Ad features the introduction of the 220SE Coupe, photographed in front of an Austrian castle. The 220SE was introduced at the Geneva auto show in 1961 and was overshadowed by the Jaguar E-Type. The Mercedes W111 Coupe represents one of the most elegant designs of the 1960s and is one of my favourite Mercedes-Benz models.

Coupe D’Etat

For over half a century, it has been the pleasure of men of state to drive, or be driven in a Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz now offers its newest car, a veritable coupe of state, to the discriminating few who can afford […]

Ad of the week: 280SE W111

This weeks ad features a double page ad featuring the 280SE Cabriolet W111 to the pre war 540K. The choice of the desert scene is rather odd for these type of cars, and the picture feature the American model with the strange front running lights.

If you were a prince in the 1930’s, you might have owned a Mercedes-Benz 540K. Today, you can drive an even finer convertible – for $11,000 less.

Mercedes-Benz built its classic 540K Cabriolet (background) with all the delicate speed of an oyster constructing a pearl.

During the entire four year life of the model, […]

Ad of the week: W111 European Delivery

This weeks ad has a great photo of the W111 Coupe. While this car is a 220SE, it looks very similar to the 250SE that I used to have – this car has a red interior and mine had a red wine coloured one, but they look similar. It also wears the zoll plate for European delivery programme.

This Mercedes-Benz Invites You to Europe as its Guest.

More than 60,000 owners of Mercedes-Benz motorcars in this country can tell you about substantial savings in fuel, routine maintenance, in repairs. They will happily confide that, instead of trading in every […]

Mercedes steering wheels of the 60’s

Mercedes had rather elegant steering wheels in the 1960s. Later, safety concerns led to a change to the padded, plastic type. These were thin style, and from an era where driving gloves were the norm rather than the exception. As was the trend at the time, there was a separate horn ring. There was also an early nod to safety with a padded center.

These Mercedes steering wheels were basically the same for all W108, W109, W110, W111, W112, W113, and early W114 and W115. Early cars had a round horn ring, which was changed in the early 60s to […]