The only German car I ever fancied owning ....
Discussion
Mrs Hex (B8 to her friends) was reading one of my C&SC mags I'd left in her bathroom a couple of years ago. She came out with, "Could we have one of those" pointing to the roadster.
I think my answer was something along the lines of "Yes dear, when you marry a richer husband"
I agree with your sentiments though, it's not quite the only German car I've ever fancied, an R107 SL would be OK, and I always quite fancied a 928 (Even before seeing Kelly LeBrock driving one in Weird Science).
I think my answer was something along the lines of "Yes dear, when you marry a richer husband"
I agree with your sentiments though, it's not quite the only German car I've ever fancied, an R107 SL would be OK, and I always quite fancied a 928 (Even before seeing Kelly LeBrock driving one in Weird Science).
I still clearly remember schoolboy me aged 12/13, following a visits to the London Motor show in the mid-1950s specifically to see one of these 300SLs which until then was just a small image in my Observers' Book of cars to me, bitterly disappointed that one was NOT at the show.
My classmate and I, both keen transport enthusiasts, wandered about Mayfair and the West End looking for 'above average' means of getting about and we saw a few but not our main quarry. Then guess what, outside the Dorchester Hotel was a silver Gull Wing ~ still have that clear mental picture in my mind ~ so decided there and then to start saving my sixpences....they were only the price of two decent semi-detached houses ~ and guess what ~ I'm still saving.....
That was one highlight of that day for me and my schoolmate friend. There were two others running it close. Being hauled by an ex-GWR Castle Class Steam locomotive up to London Paddington ... and back on the return journey... A great day out..
Youngsters today ... don't know theyze born! ......
One of my all time favourite actors passed away recently ~ Patrick McGoohan. I read his obituary in The Times. He of "Danger Man" and "The Prisoner" TV Shows ~ two of my favourite 1950-60s shows. As Danger Man, a kind of pre-007 era TV Bond, in the opening titles he is seen getting into a 300sl ~ non-Gullwing coupe ~ and I often wondered then who the lucky owner of that car was. Maybe his own car. Other Gullwing owning 'stars' of the 1950s included IIRC one being comedian Tony Hancock ....
Previous to Danger Man, McGoohan appeared in a film "Hell Drivers" ~ a memorable performance as he played a really nasty piece of work. I hated him for that ~ his acting was THAT good. Also in the film were a range of up and coming actors including the relatively unknown Sean Connery.
..
My classmate and I, both keen transport enthusiasts, wandered about Mayfair and the West End looking for 'above average' means of getting about and we saw a few but not our main quarry. Then guess what, outside the Dorchester Hotel was a silver Gull Wing ~ still have that clear mental picture in my mind ~ so decided there and then to start saving my sixpences....they were only the price of two decent semi-detached houses ~ and guess what ~ I'm still saving.....
That was one highlight of that day for me and my schoolmate friend. There were two others running it close. Being hauled by an ex-GWR Castle Class Steam locomotive up to London Paddington ... and back on the return journey... A great day out..
Youngsters today ... don't know theyze born! ......
One of my all time favourite actors passed away recently ~ Patrick McGoohan. I read his obituary in The Times. He of "Danger Man" and "The Prisoner" TV Shows ~ two of my favourite 1950-60s shows. As Danger Man, a kind of pre-007 era TV Bond, in the opening titles he is seen getting into a 300sl ~ non-Gullwing coupe ~ and I often wondered then who the lucky owner of that car was. Maybe his own car. Other Gullwing owning 'stars' of the 1950s included IIRC one being comedian Tony Hancock ....
Previous to Danger Man, McGoohan appeared in a film "Hell Drivers" ~ a memorable performance as he played a really nasty piece of work. I hated him for that ~ his acting was THAT good. Also in the film were a range of up and coming actors including the relatively unknown Sean Connery.
..
Edited by MGJohn on Sunday 1st February 12:42
Don't think I've ever managed a Gullwing and a Castle Class on the same day, that's quite a haul.
But then I'm just too young to really remember riding on real engines pre-preservation. My parents have loads of pictures of me watching them though, but I'm too young to remember. The Euston line ran along the side of the Park at the end of the road, and the Great Cental/Met formed the back boundary, so it was an idea place to spot from.
But then I'm just too young to really remember riding on real engines pre-preservation. My parents have loads of pictures of me watching them though, but I'm too young to remember. The Euston line ran along the side of the Park at the end of the road, and the Great Cental/Met formed the back boundary, so it was an idea place to spot from.
Wonderful looking cars. When I was younger (now 40 something) there was a very decrepid white cabrio 300sl in a garage of a large house in Cuffley Herts where we used to do a car cleaning round (we were about 12 at the time). Even then I was old car mad and from what I can remember it was R/H drive but a real sorry state. The gentleman who owned the house said he was going to restore it, but I doubt very much if he did, he seemed more interested in his newer car a XJS and didn't seem the type to get his hands dirty.
I still live in the same area and the car and house are long gone I'm afraid, the house was redeveloped into a footballer's wife type of residence, don't know what happened to the car!!
Is this one of the only examples of a vehicle where the hard top is worth more than the cabrio??
I still live in the same area and the car and house are long gone I'm afraid, the house was redeveloped into a footballer's wife type of residence, don't know what happened to the car!!
Is this one of the only examples of a vehicle where the hard top is worth more than the cabrio??
MGJohn said:
Previous to Danger Man, McGoohan appeared in a film "Hell Drivers" ~ a memorable performance as he played a really nasty piece of work. I hated him for that ~ his acting was THAT good. Also in the film were a range of up and coming actors including the relatively unknown Sean Connery.
..
Hell Drivers is a brilliant for just for being so terrible, but it did have a cast Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, Herbert Lom, William Hartnell (the first Dr Who), Sid James, Alfie Bass, Gordon Jackson, David McCallum, Sean Connery. How they thought anyone would be convinced by speeded up film pretending to show 3 tonners doing 50 or 60 I don't know!..
Back on thread somewhat ~ although I enjoyed the digression ~ cannot remember where but I did find a car site with numerous pictures of rusty exotics from all over the world. What surprised me was to see so many 300sl Gull Wings in bad states of neglect tucked away in old sheds, dirty back street garages or even in the open ~ very sad sight to see so many that way.
I wonder what happened to them .... surely not crushed and recycled ... hope not. However, keeping in mind how costly in both finance and time consumption terms restoring even a fairly ordinary car can be, some of these cars will simply just rot away as Old Mother Nature reclaims what is rightfully hers....
Back off thread somewhat ~ Yes, although I've not seen Hell Drivers for many years, I am now reminded of the laughable speeded up Truck chase footage and now I come to think of it, I remember how the film ended ... but, wont give that away in case others wish to see this old black and white monocolourous cheapie production from the 1950s...
I wonder what happened to them .... surely not crushed and recycled ... hope not. However, keeping in mind how costly in both finance and time consumption terms restoring even a fairly ordinary car can be, some of these cars will simply just rot away as Old Mother Nature reclaims what is rightfully hers....
Back off thread somewhat ~ Yes, although I've not seen Hell Drivers for many years, I am now reminded of the laughable speeded up Truck chase footage and now I come to think of it, I remember how the film ended ... but, wont give that away in case others wish to see this old black and white monocolourous cheapie production from the 1950s...
Edited by MGJohn on Monday 2nd February 00:54
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