Prodigious preservation: the missing Mercedes Mannheim

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You may have seen this unrestored 1927 Mercedes-Benz 12/55 Type 300 ‘Mannheim’ in the castle garden of Schwetzingen during the Classic Gala event held there last week. The car is offered for sale in the MyCarmunity charity auction that closes on 19 September. The car’s seller declared that 85% of the proceeds will be used for the cancer treatment of a relative. The remaining 15% will be donated to Breast Cancer Germany for a project they are funding.

He has owned the big Mercedes since 2016, but for decades before that it had been parked up in a barn. The car is said to be in an exceptionally good condition with even the wooden body structure completely intact and just 24,375 kilometres on the odometer. Sought-after features such as the on-board tools, the original fuel filler cap with hollow embossing, a crystal glass ashtray, cigar lighter, coat and hat storage hooks and floor carpets for the driver and rear areas are all there. The two-tone paint scheme in green and black is believed to be original although the car has probably been repainted once. Headlining comes in matching fine-grained green fabric, with the side panels and rear seat finished in grey and the driver's seat in brown leather. Quite a car!

According to the seller, the 3131ccm six-in-line engine was last started in the 1970s but is believed to be in good condition. Documents prior to 1945 are unfortunately missing "due to the turmoil of WW2, but there is extensive correspondence between the current and the previous owners". We can see this winning the Preservation Class at just about any Concours d’Elégance where there is such a category. Let’s hope its new owner will do justice to this 94-year-old machine while its seller makes the best of the proceeds. More pictures and info here.

Words by Jeroen Booij. Pictures MyCarmunity.

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