Insight Out

Unraveling while traveling

  • Back to Airstream Life
  • Follow

Archives for October 2010

Oct 13 2010

Mercedes-Benz..Roadster meets Aluminum

Readers have been exposed to the man-in-the-maze uniting his famed A/S Safari to a newly acquired Blu-Tech diesel Mercedes Benz GL320.  The wedding ceremony was presided over by the Reverend Hensley….the hitcher of high repute.  After the honeymoon, which lasted less than an hour, the relationship has matured and looks very favorable for the long term.

Airstream is also producing a high-end B-van, The Interstate, on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis.  Ho-hum.

Historically, however, the marriage between the two engineering icons, Mercedes-Benz and Airstream, began 50 years ago.  An archive photo from ~ 1960, depicted in several airstream references, illustrates a Bambi being towed by a 190SL roadster.  In the background, a mid-size trailer towed by an 8 cylinder, slab sided, four door Lincoln Continental.

dscn8006.JPG

My interest for more than thirty years is the MB roadsters; the trailers are only a muse, a side effect.  In 1959, Stuttgart issued a service bulletin to the mechanical training staff in the U.S.; the proper installation of a hitch receiver on the 190SL (121 chassis designation).  This is somewhat laughable as the roadster had a 4 cylinder, dual Solex carbuerated, 125 HP engine.   Although the little two seater produced 105 ft/lb of torque @ 3200 rpm, it weighed only 1160 Kg. (2552 lbs).  With servo assisted drum brakes, the two seater touring convertible would be unsafe towing much more than a boat trailer.

That didn’t stop Schuco, a legendary producer of toy car models, as seen below:

dscn5777.JPG

190SL Cabrio mit Wohnanhanger (from the insightout collection)

Not suitable for children under 3 years old due to the danger of swallowing small parts

A total of 25,881 were produced from 1955-1963.  With unibody construction and little rust protection, many have long since oxidized, were wrecked, or ended life in the crusher.  There remains, however, worldwide interest in the charming two seater touring car.  In the U.S., the International 190SL Group boasts an active membership of 600+. Although the 1954 NY Auto Show prototype hinted at racing, the reality was an inadequate power:weight ratio. The beautiful lines and exquisite build quality, however, have endured.

Within the last month, the racing prototype, a perfect re-creation was unveiled in the Hagerty Insurance lobby, Traverse City, MI to the delight of 100+ guests.

dscn5508.JPG

Only $3,888, f.o.b. New York

dscn5511.JPG

Vanna White’s mother* on the turntable

In thirty years I’ve had the privilege to examine more than 100 of these cars….not a single one had a hitch receiver.  An interesting side note, the roadsters had almost as much aluminum as a Bambi.  The hood, trunk lid, and both doors were solid cast aluminum, in an effort to reduce weight.

The last 190SL rolled off the assembly line, 47 years ago, only a year after the death of Wally Byam, yet both retain a parallel following.  Perhaps the Tour of America and the Mercedes GL will be equally popular in the year 2057.

dscn5361.JPG

A 190SL racing a Great Lakes freighter, the James Barker, on the Munuscong Bay of the St. Mary’s River. The boat won.

*this is not Vanna’s mother.  Maybe older sister ?

Written by InsightOut · Categorized: musings

Recent Posts

  • A seagull takes flight
  • The Reverend of the Irreverent
  • A Drift
  • Journey….destination, a gentle breeze
  • Dial (800) 439-2466

Recent Comments

  • Sun Valley, ID, gardener, golfer on A seagull takes flight
  • DrDouglas on A seagull takes flight
  • Bonnie MacDonald on A seagull takes flight
  • George Mitchell on A Drift
  • Hazel Alfredson on Journey….destination, a gentle breeze

Archives

  • September 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • January 2019
  • August 2018
  • April 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • May 2016
  • September 2015
  • June 2015
  • April 2015
  • October 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • November 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • December 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • June 2009
  • April 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008

Categories

  • Ba T observation
  • Carchitecture
  • Christmas 2008
  • Christmas 2009
  • Christmas 2010
  • Christmas 2013
  • dogblog Mrs. Wilson
  • dogblog-Jack
  • events
  • musings
  • nonsense
  • On the farm
  • on the road
  • personal shortcomings
  • The benzes
  • the brothers
  • the prairie
  • Uncategorized
  • unraveling
  • wearables

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

©2004–2015 Church Street Publishing, Inc. “Airstream” used with permission · Site design by Jennifer Mead Creative