Beschreibung:

3,208cc OHV Inline 6-Cylinder Engine Single Carburetor 78bhp at 4,000rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Drum Brakes *Exquisite restoration finished in 2013 *Elegant and appropriate color combination *Ready for competitive concours judging *Timeless elegance and style THE MERCEDES-BENZ 320 Some of the most desirable cars in the world in the late 1930s were the Mercedes-Benz 500 and 540K sports models. Combining lusciously swoopy lines with a supercharged engine, the Mercedes-Benz provided the ultimate in personal transportation. The Type 320 offered a nicely sized, very comfortable car to Mercedes-Benz customers that exhibited the same general appearance as the firm's higher-end models at a significantly lower cost. A 6-cylinder 3.2-liter engine powered the 1938 models. Rated at 78bhp, it provided a top speed near 80 mph (130 km/h), when equipped with the optional ZF overdrive transmission. The chassis featured independent front and rear suspension with coil springs all around, giving the car impressive road manners while passengers enjoyed an especially comfortable ride. Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes provided sure stopping power. As with the 290 it replaced, the 320 chassis was offered with in a number of styles – including a state-of-the-art streamlined sedan. Many 320s were supplied with formal limousine and sedan bodies, but it was the cabriolet styles that best captured the essence of the contemporary 500K/540K sports models of the time. There were three 320 Cabriolet models, designated by code letters. The Cabriolet A was a racy and relatively expensive sports model – it was very much a junior 500K/540K in appearance with two front seats, a third seat set at 90 degrees across the rear and the spare wheel on the boot. The Cabriolet B was a 2-door, 4-window style with front and rear seating, while the Cabriolet D was a 4-door, 4-window style. A low and distinctive windscreen arose from the cowl of the 320 Cabriolets, and could be tilted for ventilation. These convertible models' tops were heavily padded in the best German cabriolet tradition to provide exceptional all-weather protection. Stylish and imposing, the 320 Cabriolet had few peers as examples of open-top motoring in the grand manner, affording their fortunate owners the style of a 500K, but without the latter's considerable purchase and running costs. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED Of the Cabriolet-bodied 320s, the two-door Cabriolet B is best known, but two-door Cabriolet A body with just two front seats, a third seat set at 90 degrees across the rear, and twin spare wheels on the boot were among the sportiest cars of the 1930s. As is commonly known, the Mannheim-based Mercedes-Benz factory was heavily bombed during WW2, so it has not been possible to determine what coachwork this exact car would have been fitted with from new. The car was reportedly confiscated during WWII, presumably for military purposes. By the 1960s, the car is believed to have been with a private owner in the United States, and it is thought that he sold the Mercedes-Benz to a European businessman the mid-1980s. In 2007, the 320 returned to its native Germany and subsequently was subject to a comprehensive restoration performed by Kaczory, Poland-based Almar Restoration. The work was overseen by Stuttgart, Germany-based Bechtel Automobile. Photos of the restoration are on file, and shows a comprehensive job performed, where the bodywork was constructed in new metal, with carefully fitted wood framing underneath. Mechanical parts of the car were attended to as well, ensuring the 320 would drive as well as it looked. Superbly finished in a fitting dark blue color, neatly contrasting against a well-trimmed grey leather interior done to the highest standards. The chrome and brightwork was finished with equal precision and attention to detail. The Mercedes-Benz' electrical system was completely renewed with new cabling and connectors. The lavish interior of the 320 C