Une Mercedes ? Vraiment ?

It is a Benz car 1908 without chain drive with a different body.
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Es ist ein Benz Wagen 1908 keine Kettenantrieb mit eine verschiedne Karosserie.

Thank you all for your most interesting observations. Opinion and evidence does in fact seem to point to the vehicles ( the van as well) being Mercedes. How I would love to know more of the background story of my great uncle's acquisition of these cars. A final idle thought...you don't think that the car was a rather elaborate conversion of the van do you?...no I didn't think so!

Although only few details are visible pointing at the origin of the car, these seem to be enough to assume that we deal with a Mercedes. One of these details is the side lever configuration, in fact lying on top of the frame. Very characteristic is the bracket, which can just be seen disappearing in the hole of the frame cover, attached to the brake cable for the right rear wheel. At the position of the hole at the lower part of the gate triangle a bar is crossing the frame, where a similar bracket is attached to a brake cable for the left rear wheel. Other Mercedes details are the outward bent rear dumb-irons and the satellite wheel on the steering wheel. The curve of the front dumb-irons is difficult to determine, but could be the shape of an older type of Mercedes. The only other visible technical detail is the large (uncovered) fly-wheel.
Although details of the body (the wheels and the chain case) are typical for Gordon Watney alterations of older racing cars, the body itself doesn't have the G.-W. appearance: it is high, unelegant and rather crudely made. The mudguards are not of the wing-like G.-W. type, but have more an American roadster appearance. The extension at the top of the radiator is more a thing of fashion than of function, and can be observed at different makes.
The above mentioned technical details could point at an earlier, high powered Mercedes (e.g. the 90hp of 1905/1906), but to end up with this car the chassis must have been lengthened substantially.

The cowling at the centre top of the radiator was apparently a trademark of a Gordon Watney makeover, circa 1914. The steering wheel design, position, handbrake / gear lever controls and chain guard are the same as those on a Mercedes 6.8 litre in Boddy's book 'Brooklands Giants page 72. Watney seems to have done what many still do today - convert saloons to racing tourers, as they fetch more money on the forecourt!

Have found an image online for what seems to be this very car, captioned;- '1912 45 hp Mercedes with aluminium Gordon Watney body, with Count Zbrowski at the wheel'.

A Gordon Watney Mercedes conversion/update possibly?

Mike.

Der Kühlerform nach ist das wohl kein Mercedes, sondern ein Benz aus der Zeit um 1908 - 1910 (sogen. Prinz- Heinrich-Wagen), die allerdings keinen Kettenantrieb hatten (der "Blitzen-Benz" jedoch hatte Kettenantrieb!?).

The cleverly enclosed chain drive and unusual wheel rims say Mercedes to me but the cowl atop the radiator is confusing - although if one imagines the radiator without it, the sculpted angles also say Mercedes.

What a machine! Recollections of a lost Blitzen Benz story here at PreWarCar many years ago come to mind...
It would be good to know where John's great-uncle was based.