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Saturday, April 20 GWS mechanical and electronic aficionados will gather at Merchant's Tire in Manassas for a mostly academic tech session. After coffee and donuts at 9:30AM, we will be welcomed by John Seal, the new Marketing Manager for Merchant's.
We will get all the latest MBUSA technical information from Tom Ishler, Mercedes-Benz technical specialist for the Washington Region. So bring those tough questions with you.
Hear the latest on tires, wheels, and wheel balancing from Andrew Gunn of Merchant's.
Dick Clark from the American Petroleum Institute will discuss oil ratings, advances in oil technology, AT fluid, gear lubricants, and wheel bearing grease.
Invited speakers include Dr. Marshall Booth, the Diesel Doctor, who will enlighten us on the idiosyncrasies of Diesels.
After lunch, demonstrations are planned which might include AT servicing, timing chain replacement, and valve adjustment.
The forum will conclude at 3:00PM or when the last question is answered.
Mark your calendars now! The fee is $20 per person and includes lunch. The form is in the centerfold. You must be pre-registered by April 15 to be eligible for door prizes. Previous forums at the Merchant's facility have enjoyed significant member attendance. Space will fill quickly! Please mail your fee and registration right away.
To reach the Merchant's facility proceed on I-66 West and take Exit 53 (Route 28 South). Travel for approximately seven miles. Turn left on Liberia (Burger King is on left). Proceed two streets and turn left on Euclid Avenue. The Merchant's facility is on the right just beyond Eastern Manufacturing.
Calendar of Events
Greater Washington Section Events
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President's Message
Thoughts of a Car Guy
ongratulations
to Robby Ackerman, our new Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, who replaces Rob Fini, who resigned late last year. It's Robby's job to represent us at the national club level. Robby will be attending national board meetings twice a year and keeping the local sections abreast of what's happening nationally. Robby's from Williamsburg and his contact information can be found in the Metro Tri-Star's masthead.
Your GWS board met on January 10 and adopted the 2002 budget with another anticipated surplus year. Along with contributing well over $3300 to charity, in 2001 we subsidized the picnic with over $1000 and the Holiday Party with almost $2000. The officers and board try to keep the events varied and reasonable, while protecting against unforeseen losses.
Board member Vern Luke and long time member Bill Stewart will complete this year's annual member audit. This was also the first year that the local sections had to disclose their financials to the national club. Stricter audit standards for non-profits demand that the money trail from the main nonprofit, in this case the national club, be audited to the local level to ensure the monies distributed to the sections in the form of member and raffle rebates were actually received and not shipped off to some entity in the Cayman Islands.
Our treasurer Jim Glenn did an outstanding job of complying and reporting our financials to national. This was extra duty for Jim who now has to get the numbers ready and work with the CPA to file our corporate tax return.
Sometimes people don't realize how much work is involved in the week to week business of the club, keeping track of insurance, billing club advertisers, purchasing supplies for events, maintenance of our timing and other equipment, sending each new member a welcome letter, preparing the newsletter, and organizing events. We all are indebted to the officers, board members and event chairpersons who work hard to keep GWS the largest and best run section. Don't forget to say "thank you" to the volunteer workers at your next event.
Put Sunday, May 5, on your calendar for the annual Deutsche Marque German car enthusiast's show at Nottaway Park in Vienna, Virginia. Each year the Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and BMW clubs display their cars - new and old - at the park. The weather is usually perfect and for a modest fee a reception featuring German wines and beers is held afterward. More than a hundred fine automobile examples will show up. Wash your Mercedes and come join us in our paddock area.
Also, remember to set aside July 14 for our picnic Hank Harris' Potomac estate. The pool and lovely grounds are a picture-perfect setting for our cookout and gathering of the faithful.
And again, don't forget StarFest, MBCA's national convention to be held in Indianapolis for a week beginning August 11.
See you there.
| Dick |
s
social chairs for the club, we are looking for interesting things for GWS members to do as a group. Specifically, we are planning one-of-a-kind events, things that you might not do on your own and going places that you might not find out about, except by being a club member. Some members have expressed an interest in a golf outing; some want more family programs; and some just want to get together and talk cars. We are open to any and all suggestions, so feel free to let us know about those things that you want to do.
We have been approached by the D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival Committee to get the club involved in the Cherry Blossom Parade and Golf Tournament. We need special cars that can be entered as parade cars - especially classic convertibles. Anyone who might be interested in helping should give us a call.
We already know that people want to do something with the Grand Prix (American LeMans race) that will be held this July in D.C., and we are working on trying to do something extra special with them for the club.
GWS already has a great line up of events for 2002. In January we had a technical session at Curry's in Sterling, Virginia. It gave members a chance to better understand the mechanical workings of their cars. February featured the Cammack Tucker Automobile Collection.
March was a horsepower month... first with the annual Driving School at Summit Point Raceway. Then GWS night at the races - the old fashion kind of horsepower - horsepower with four legs. A night of socializing and a little gambling at Rosecroft Raceway.
May is the Annual Deutsche Marque, and we are hoping to get more members out - it's a great day for the family to come see all the great cars, not just those from Mercedes-Benz but Porsches and BMWs too! This is a great event for everyone - young and old alike - to see the cars up close and personal and talk to the owners.
In June we will be celebrating Father's Day with our annual Drive and Dine event. This year we will be going to The Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This will truly be a wonderful afternoon on the Potomac River, surrounded by buildings reminiscent of old world Germany. All this plus great food and great friends for company.
Some of the other events that are in the planning stages are: a trip to the Silver Hill restoration facility of the Smithsonian; an overnight fall foliage trip to Poplar Forest near Lynchburg Virginia; and a local event for our Baltimore members.
So keep an eye on the website and the newsletter for more information on interesting and exciting things to do with the club. We are hope you will attend an upcoming GWS event!
| Judy Roth Bill Hopper |
pylon alley by Joe Wozney
The Countdown Begins
irst
some administrivia. The date of the July autocross will definitely be changed. As soon as I have the new date I'll post it. Why? It seems I scheduled it before the date for the Washington Grand Prix was set. The ALMS race will be held on July 19-21. Since a good many of us will be attending the "big" race, we might as well make sure "our" date is one where more than three folks show up.
Secondly, the date and place of the yearly pre-season autocrossers' meeting and social has not yet been set. Tom Newman and I are still working on it. We'll have all the info in the April newsletter and on the club's Web site as soon as all is firmed up.
The ad hoc Autocross Committee, chaired by Mason Beale, has come up with a set of rules and etiquette principles, which will be posted here if time and space permit. All autocrossers will receive a copy at the first event.
All attendees will have to sign up for corner worker duties at the time of registration. This will make sure that the same folks don't do all the work all the time.
We will return to our policy of teching cars at registration. The inspection is to ensure that the cars are in safe condition and ready to participate. No more flotsam and jetsam in cars about to leave the line. Coke cans rolling under the gas pedal are a no-no.
In order not to offend our hosts, pure racecars and unmuffled or very loud cars will not be allowed to run. There are many visitors to the school on weekends and we don't need reports or recommendations to the administrators that we should no longer be permitted use of these great facilities because we're too noisy.
Fees for the 2002 season have been set at $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. There will be a season rate, which will save the equivalent of two events. All new drivers will have to show proof that they've joined the club before being permitted to run a second event.
Note: If your membership has lapsed, please renew before the first event in April. We will be checking.
As of this writing, I have not been able to get a copy of the 2002 SCCA Solo rulebook. It seems that there was a late print date because of all the confusion related to the new car classes established for this year. Thanks to Bill Lear's getting me a direct link, I was able to download the car classes as they now exist. Of course with the complaints about the reclassifications, that could all change again... and again.
I have also gotten the 2002 PAX index tables. There are several SCCA regions that post this info as soon as it's available. There have been some changes. BMWs and VWs have a 20 percent increase in their indexes. All Porsches have a 22 percent drop. It's up in the air what we they will do about Mustangs, Firebirds, and Subarus.
So, watch this space for a new July date, a date-place-time for the autocross meeting, and the latest news on the SCCA rules and classes.
BUSA
and Footsteps, its agency responsible for ethnic marketing initiatives, were presented the 2002 Urban ADvantage Award "Print" from On Wheels, a multicultural automotive communications company. The award for the best automotive print ad was presented for Mercedes-Benz' print ad "What Endures" at the Sixth Annual Urban Wheel Awards event at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The ad, featuring a photograph of the legendary Nat King Cole, ran from June through December 2001, following a similar print ad that ran in 2000 featuring Ella Fitzgerald performing in a 40s cabaret with Duke Ellington in the audience. The headline is "What Endures" with a body copy text that reads, "What is good, lasts. Just ask those who have purchased a Starmark Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz. Each vehicle has undergone a 130+ point inspection and certification. And it includes a comprehensive Starmark Pre-Owned Limited Warranty. For lasting value and performance in perfect harmony, call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES or visit www.MBUSA.com." The ad has run in numerous national publications to support marketing efforts for MBUSA's Starmark program. "In keeping with our efforts to recognize the importance of multicultural marketing in the automotive industry, we are proud to award Mercedes-Benz and Footsteps for a print ad so memorable and classic that it will surely endure in our minds," said Randi Payton, founder of Urban Wheel Awards, President and CEO, On Wheels - parent company to African Americans On Wheels and Latinos On Wheels magazines. "We're very pleased to have our advertising recognized by an organization like On Wheels," said Dave Schembri, MBUSA's VP of marketing. "Our product line is the most expansive in the luxury market and we want our advertising to resonate with an equally diverse audience."
The Urban Wheel Awards, held annually in conjunction with the press preview week of the North American International Auto Show, is the largest and most prestigious event honoring African Americans and Latinos in the automotive industry. Automotive executives, suppliers, dealers, media owners, and community and political leaders from around the world were among the 1,000 guests at this year's event.
Mercedes-Benz and Footsteps were selected as winners of the 2002 Urban ADvantage Award "Print" through an online voting process via the On Wheels website.
Headquartered in NYC, Footsteps is a full service advertising and marketing agency which specializes exclusively in targeting the multicultural marketplace. Footsteps is owned by Verdia Johnson and Alvin Gay. Footsteps is part of the DAS/Omnicom Network of Agencies.
On Wheels, Inc., (OWI) a multicultural, multimedia automotive communications company, delivers pertinent news and information about African-American and Latino car culture to consumers and the auto industry. OWI, publishes the award-winning African Americans On Wheels and Latinos On Wheels magazines; broadcasts The Driving Force On Wheels car-talk radio show; produces the website www.onwheelsinc.com; hosts the annual Urban Wheel Awards; and pioneers The Edward Davis Education Foundation, its independent nonprofit educational arm.
 GWS members get a great look at the red Tucker of the Cammack Collection. |
limited group of forty GWS members got a rare treat in February to see David Cammack's Collection of Tucker automobiles and memorabilia. This collection not only houses a part of American automobile history, but also fine examples of Stone Age tools, fire department memorabilia, and a most amazing model train display.
Mr. Cammack started his collection in the early 1970s by acquiring and then restoring three Tucker 48s. In the years since, he has collected many artifacts from the Tucker Automobile Company, including original factory parts in boxes, original mechanical drawings, and many letters, pictures, and special objects.
The event started with a videotape that showed the background and development of the vehicle and featured interviews with some of the men that worked on the Tucker project.
After that, Mr. Cammack gave a guided tour of eight different engines that were to be used in the Tucker automobile and explained the many features of the car as compared to other cars of the time.
Mr. Cammack interpreted his collection of letters, photographs, posters, and displays that adorned the walls showing the progression of the car from a dream into reality. The tour culminated with our viewing of his three fully restored Tucker 48s up close and personal. Of course, no touching was allowed but being inches away from such a famous part of American automobile history was very impressive.
As one member said "I've seen the Tucker that is in the Smithsonian, but no way could you get this close to it."
In the very near future, the Cammack Collection will be moved to a museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania. So, it was truly a special treat for us to be able to view it here close to home.
Though Mr. Cammack does not charge an admission to see his extensive collection, the Greater Washington Section made a donation to the Tucker Automobile Club of America in his name. We thank Mr. Cammack for taking the time to share his collection with our members.
Special thanks go out to Janet McFarland and Steven Walters for making arrangements for this very special visit.
| Bill Hopper |
Drive and Dine
Celebrate Father's Day In The Country
ast
year's Drive and Dine on the Eastern Shore was so successful we thought we would go west this year for an "Alpine experience" at the Bavarian Inn in Shepardstown, West Virginia. This year we will be celebrating Father's Day at the Bavarian Inn on June 16. So if you were wondering how to give Dad something special, plan on attending. Or... if Dad is not close by, come out anyway and celebrate all fathers with the club.
Shepherdstown is a quaint town of tree-lined streets and plenty of specialty shops that will provide an interesting day trip for all who attend. The Bavarian Inn is built in the Alpine tradition with old world buildings and a great location right on the Potomac River. If you want to make a weekend of it, rooms will be reserved for GWS members at the Inn.
Details of our Father's Day Drive and Dine will be forthcoming. So go ahead and mark your calendar for a day in the country on Sunday, June 16, 2002.
Western Reserve Section
Performance Driving School
he
Western Reserve Section will host a performance driving school and lapping days at Nelson Ledges Road Course near Warren, Ohio on April 13 and 14. Contact Dick Gortz at 440-248-0848, email rgortz@gortz.com for details and application form. Special rate of $59 per night at the Avalon Inn 800-828-2566.
Great Lakes Region Tri-Star Challenge
Sponsored by the Western Reserve Section
aturday,
June 22 through Tuesday, June 25. Four days of fun, and learning for the novice as well as the experienced driver, and those who love to show off their cars!
| Saturday | |
| Registration, tech inspection, rallye, welcome cocktail party. | |
| Sunday | |
| Concours d' Elegance, performance driving school, rallye, and Concours banquet. | |
| Monday and Tuesday | |
| Driving School and Time Trials at the legendary Nelson Ledges Road Course. Defensive driving, autocross, and acceleration runs at Thompson Drag Raceway. Awards Banquet at Avalon Inn. | |
Headquartered in the Avalon Inn Resort in Warren, Ohio 800-828-2566. Ask for the MBCA package.
For information and a registration package, call John Morrison at 330-673-7885 or email: gobenzing@aol.com
Mercedes-Benz Club of America
New England Vintage Meet - June 14-16, 2002, Hancock, MD
he
Granite State Section will be hosting the sixteenth annual New England Vintage Meet for classic and collectable Mercedes-Benz at the
Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in the beautiful Berkshires of Massachusetts. The Country Inn at Jiminy Peak offers full suite accommodations: bedroom with king or two twins, living room with sleep sofa (no extra charge for additional guests), and kitchenette. The Inn offers a full range of activities: pool, tennis, health spa, chairlift, alpine slide, mountain biking, miniature golf, and hiking trails. Bring the kids.
Saturday we will tour the countryside and visit some of the area's major attractions: the Clark Art Institute, with its amazing collection of French Impressionist and American paintings; the Hancock Shaker Village, a fascinating look at the Shaker way of life; Chesterwood, the studio of Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial and the Concord Minuteman; the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the grounds of Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Stockbridge and Lenox offer shops, galleries, and restaurants.
Our weekend begins with a welcoming party Friday evening. Saturday evening we will have a cocktail reception and banquet, and on Sunday an informal car show.
To Reserve: 1) Return the registration form (centerfold) with the meet fee of $12.00 per adult payable to MBCA Granite State; and 2) Reserve your room directly with the hotel at 800-882-8859; tell them you are with the Mercedes-Benz Club. The package includes two nights lodging, Friday reception, and Saturday reception and dinner. The package price is $330.00 for two, including tax and gratuity. Extend your weekend! Sunday night special rate $89.00 plus tax.
Day-trippers: Please join us for any part of the weekend. Return the registration form and indicate your plans in advance, if possible. To reserve for Saturday reception and dinner, please indicate this on the form and send a check for $30.00 per person including tax and gratuity.
Reservation deadline is May 10. Space is limited, so reserve early!
For more info: Contact Henry Magno at 978-887-8809 work or 781-229-0500 home. e-mail: hmagno@shore.net To receive future notices by email, email me your address.
ercedes-Benz
USA reported sales of 14,890 new vehicles during the month of February 2002, bringing the total year-to-date sales to 29,988, a 7.5 percent increase over the 27,907 vehicles sold during the first two months of 2001.
Paul Halata, president and CEO of MBUSA said, "Our year-to-date sales are up and we intend to keep that momentum going with several new product launches, including our all-new SL500 roadster going on sale today."
Sales for the month were led by the C-Class, which achieved its best February on record with 4,768 units sold, a 24.5 percent increase over February 2001. Year-to-date sales for the C-Class are up 50.6 percent.
Following the C-Class, volume was led by the E-Class and M-Class, which posted sales of 3,121 and 2,831 units respectively for the month with E-Class sales surpassing last year's. The SL-Class also showed strong gains with a 25.2 percent increase in sales for February. Year-to-date, coupe and convertible sales jumped with a 9.7 percent increase for the CLK-Class and a 9.9 percent increase for the CL-Class.
ercedes-Benz
held the world premiere of its new-generation CLK coupe during news media activities preceding the Geneva Auto Show on March 7. Following a European launch this spring, the 2003-model CLK coupe is expected to go on sale in the U.S. late this summer. Initially, V6- and V8-powered coupes will be offered in the U.S. market, and a Cabriolet is likely to be added the following year.
The arrival of the sporty, fun-to-drive CLK coupe reenergized the coupe market when it was first offered in 1997. The agile, two-door CLK came to symbolize the multi-tasking young professionals who drove them, and the CLK went on to become one of the most successful model lines ever sold in the U.S.
The next-generation CLK coupe will feature an all-new "pillarless" body design with an uninterrupted line of frameless side windows. Its sleek, dynamic styling will also include a fresh variation of Mercedes' overlapping-oval headlights and a louvered grill incorporating the Mercedes star. The aerodynamic drag coefficient of the new CLK is an impressive 0.28 Cd - a new benchmark in its class.
In comparison to its predecessor, the CLK body is about three inches longer, .75 inches wider and over 1.5 inches higher. The wheelbase is also an inch longer, which results in noticeably more interior room.
Mercedes engineers improved the torsional rigidity of the next CLK by 40 percent, in part by nearly doubling the amount of high-strength steel alloy used in its new body structure. The CLK coupe for 2003 will come with the most up-to-date safety systems as standard equipment, including adaptive front airbags, front/rear side airbags and curtain side airbags as well as belt tensioners and belt force limiters on all the seats. For the first time ever, occupant weight will be factored in (as well as crash force) when the two-stage front passenger airbag is deployed. The pillarless hardtop coupe also comes with automatic seat belt feeders.
Quality materials and attention to detail are immediately noticeable in the CLK interior. Classic analog dials are accented in chrome, while the dash, center console, door panels and seats are newly designed. The rear seats and backrests are asymmetrically divided, so that seating and cargo capacity can be varied, and folding both rear seats forward creates a nearly level cargo-loading surface.
Several innovative high-tech features are available in the new CLK for the first time, including Keyless Go, adaptive cruise control and bi-xenon headlights.
erhaps
you have heard the story of the sexy young Hollywood starlet who married the elderly, wealthy, New York businessman. At one time it was quite a cause célèbre. The couple met at a fashionable gentlemen's club and cupid's arrow flew from the brass rail to the velvet cushions. As the story goes, the asymmetrical lovers took up residence at a beautiful estate in the hills overlooking Malibu after a whirlwind courtship.
The mature big apple merchant remade his will so as to leave his not inconsiderable store of worldly possessions to his beautiful and devoted young spouse.
It is not my purpose here to impugn the motives of the comely young ingénue. We all know the old canard to the effect that love is blind. Be that as it may. Apparently at some point the young lady's affection for her hoary husband and benefactor began to wane. After the wanton abandon of the glittering, vertical bar perhaps the constraints of the gilded cage became unbearable. Who can say?
In any event, on one fine California evening our heroine encouraged her husband to drink himself into a drunken stupor, plying him with martinis laced with pure, 200 proof alcohol. When the old coot slipped into unconsciousness she and a handsome, young butler dragged him into the garage, turned the engine on in his Mercedes and closed all the doors.
The next morning Juan, the gardener, was met by a shocking sight when he swung open the massive portals to the auto stable. Juan's employer was sprawled on the floor in a state of disarray near the puffing tail pipe of his gleaming starship. In lusty tones the elderly inebriate was singing, "New York, New York, hell of a town, the Bronx is up and the Battery's down..." You see, the wise old denizen from Gotham drove a Mercedes Diesel! The exhaust gases from compression ignition are only slightly more toxic than those emanating from a fine Havana stogie!
I wish to have this important morality tale read into the Congressional Record. It is imperative that benighted Washington regulators come to realize the distinction between the benign particulate emissions from Diesel engines and the deadly, colorless by-products of the gasoline combustion process. As the rest of the world knows, it is Diesel engines that are environmentally friendly. They also help to conserve natural resources because Diesel fuel contains more energy per gallon and thus provides superior fuel economy. Sometimes I feel as though I am a voice crying in the wilderness.
I am not one to propagate conspiracy theories. I do not believe that Armenians are conniving to take over the new world order. I find utterly preposterous the cruel rumor that George Bush is an extraterrestrial. I am unimpressed by purported evidence that John F. Kennedy was killed by Elvis Presley on account of a love triangle with J. Edgar Hoover. However, I must confess that I am positively flabbergasted by the concerted efforts exerted to give Diesel engines bad press in this country. What dark forces of the spark plug industry are at work here? One can only speculate.
Just recently I read a newspaper article under the banner headline, "Diesel Fumes Cause Cancer." After several paragraphs of sensational, yellow journalism, the actual scientific experiments were described. Apparently laboratory mice raised in an atmosphere of Diesel exhaust fumes have a somewhat elevated incidence of cancer after 9 months. Almost as an afterthought the article concluded, "No comparable studies are available for gasoline exhaust gasses because the laboratory mice die in 15 minutes from carbon monoxide poisoning."
| John Kuhn Bleimaier |
New from Mercedes - a three-wheeler for $50,000
he
newest model from Mercedes-Benz comes complete without doors, seat belts, a windshield, and one less wheel than other cars, all for about $50,000.
After a 116-year hiatus, Mercedes-Benz has resumed production of the original three-wheeled vehicle recognized as the world's first automobile. Resembling a large tricycle and armed with a 0.75 horsepower, single-cylinder engine, the No. 1 Patent Motor Car can reach a top speed of 10 miles per hour, just like the original.
The replicas, built by hand in Germany with period materials, copy the vehicle Carl Benz described in a patent application on January 29, 1886. While the cars are not certified for driving on public streets, they run on regular gasoline - the only modification from the original Carl Benz design.
Benz made a few modifications to his design before starting production in 1888, buliding about 25 three-wheelers before moving on to other models. His company eventually merged with Gottlieb Daimler's to form Daimler-Benz, the German ancestor of DaimlerChrysler AG.
Mercedes has already taken orders for about 80 of the replicas worldwide, including 32 in the United States, said spokeswoman Maryalice Ritzmann. Most of those orders have gone to Mercedes dealers, but collectors can place orders as well, she said. "You put this icon of Mercedes-Benz heritage in your dealership and it says it all," Ritzmann said. "The car was invented by the pioneers of our company."
It's not the first time a modern automaker has resurrected its past. Ford Motor Company has built six replicas of a 1914 Model T in advance of its centennial next year, saying all would be donated to museums.
200D , 1968: Brown/cream leather. 4-speed on the floor. Last Finback. 2nd owner. 111k miles! Restored at $17,000. Sheepskins. SR. Factory tow hitch! Exc. chrome. Paint good, no rust! Leather very good. Radio good. Clock runs. Spares. $4000. Call Joe Wozney at 703-437-7866 evenings/wkends or email: JoeWozney@aol.com
280SEL 4.5, 1972: Blue/bamboo Tex. 64k miles. Exc in and out. Divorce forces sale. $8500 obo. Call John Murray at 302-423-0122. Email: jmurray@state.de.us
300SEL 4.5, 1973: Brown. Automatic. PS, PB, PW, AC, sun roof. Not running. 125k miles. $1000 obo. You tow. Call Steve Gundersen at 703-680-7293.
450SL, 1973: Both tops and holder and cover. Stainless exhaust. Recent chain. Professionally maintained/serviced. Garaged. $10,000 obo. Call Dick at 703-533-3929.
450SLC, 1975: Excellent condition. Fully restored. Runs and looks great. $8400 obo. Call 703-978-4564.
450SEL 6.9, 1978: Blue/blue velour. 73k miles. New alloys and Michelins. Exc. mechanicals. Could use some paint detailing. Gas is cheap - now's your chance. $10,800 obo. Will negotiate. Call Francis Newburn at 410-963-3058. Email: fran_newburn@hotmail.com
500SEC, 1986: Silver/blue leather. Euro model. Has DOT/EPA. 245 hp. 60k miles. SR. Stainless exhaust. Immaculate. Records. $16,000. Call 202-822-0993. Email: petersb@tatc.com
500SL, 1986: White/white hard top/navy int. and soft top. 56k miles. Original. Exc. condition. Records. Garaged. $27,500. Call Martina at 703-691-2187.
190E 2.3-16, 1987: Black/black. 59,600 miles.5-Speed transmission, showroom condition, $14,000. Call Mason Beale at. 703-941-1055.
560SL, 1988: Smoke silver/dark red. 130k miles.Garaged. Runs great. $19,500. Call David at 703-759-7046.
S350 Turbo Diesel, 1994: Black/parchment.158k miles. Sheepskins. Very nice. Fully serviced. Call Michael Cottone at 301-641-5727.
E320 Cabriolet, 1995: Emerald green/beige leather. Black top. Heated seats. 6 disk CD.ASR. Sheepskins. Some warranty. $44,000. Call Al at 410-256-1857.
C280 Sport, 1997: Black/black. 45,000 miles. Starmark warranty, AMG wheels. Bose sound and MB CD player. Heated front seats. Excellent condition. Call Mason Beale 703-941-1055.
CLK320, 1998: Azure blue/charcoal. 60k miles. AC, heated/multi-contour seats; glass moon roof, auto dim mirrors, electric rear window shade, new tires, much more. Fully serviced. Excellent condition. $28,400. Making room for a 2003 SL500. Call Greg Calabro 201-871-9792.
ML430, 1999: Green/parchment. 56k mi. SR, Bose Prem. sound, 6 CD, trailer hitch brush guard, fog lamps, Lojack. Ext. warranty - 7 yrs. Exc. cond. Garaged. Not off-roaded. All records. Dlr. serviced. New Michelins. $31,000 obo. Call Charles Emely at 703-795-9608 Email: chemely@cbc.org
Wheels: 4 alloy wheels for 123/126 series. Blizzak snow tires mounted. Only used 2 winters. 1 new Pirelli P44 195/70 tire. $125 takes all. Call Nepier Smith at 703-356-1274.
Parts: W111 coupe parts. Taillight lenses, used and NOS, $35-$75 each. Exc. gray sun visors, $85 pair. Restored perfect clock, $95. Call Andrew Strasfogel at 202-452-7723. Email: squasher@starpower.net
Sheepskins: Champagne (beige) for 123 and most sedans. Good shape. $75 pair. Call Andrew Strasfogel at 202-452-7723. Email:squasher@starpower.net
Tires: 4 205/60R15 Michelin Pilot XGTH4 90H, nearly new for C280. Warr. 50k mi. Have 11k. mi. on them. Were $108. $65 obo. Want to sell set at $260. Call Claire Tieder 703-464-8519 or cell 202-489-4499. Email: CMTied@aol.com.
Wheels: OEM wheels for CLK. 7 x 16 polished aluminum. 7-hole design with 205/55/16 Michelin Arctic Alpines. Wheels like new. Tires have 1-2 seasons left. Call Ken at 410-461-4914.
Hard Top: For 1995 SL500. Black in mint cond. Garaged. Moving to Las Vegas - don't need it. $4000. Call David at 646-221-6332 (cell).
MB Car cover: Originally for '95 E320. Exc. condition with storage pouch. Used 4 times before selling car. $120. Call Charles Meyers at 703-968-4718 or 703-867-4677 or email to: meyers.charles@hq.navy.mil
Wanted: 1998 to 2000 C43 AMG. Brilliant silver. Under 36k miles. Service records a must. Call John Huang at 703-421-6172.
Wanted: Privately owned 1998 or newer E320 with low mileage. Contact Rich at 703-670-9113.
Wanted: Well-maintained, clean 1985 300SD for daily use. Call John at 703-536-1692.
Wanted: Hardtop holder for SL model. Looking for a holder with wheels and a dust cover. Call Sandra at 410-439-9089.
Mercedes-Benz to Restore Some New York City History
ercedes-Benz
Manhattan has begun plans to restore its Park Avenue showroom, originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and to expand the showroom to approximately three times its size in the process.
"Among our priorities in restoring the showroom is to stay true to Wright's original design as a piece of New York City's history and in honor of the legendary architect," said Ralph Fisher, general manager of Mercedes-Benz Manhattan. "We've always felt that this stunning architectural space, with its complement of an esthetic design and functionality, is a perfect showcase for our Mercedes-Benz models."
Currently in the planning phase, the project will unfold in two stages: expanding the showroom to the southern side of the building (55th Street) and restoring the existing showroom on the northern side of the building (56th Street).
The 46-year-old Mercedes-Benz Manhattan showroom will be open for business while the expansion is developed on the southern side during the upcoming months. Scheduled for completion in Summer 2002, the expansion will offer state-of-the-art showroom technology and feature an evocative contemporary design to complement the existing classic showroom on the north side. When the new space is completed and open for business, the existing showroom on the northern side of the building will be closed for restoration. When both sides are completed, scheduled for late 2002, Mercedes-Benz will have tripled the current space from 3,700 square feet to 10,100 square feet.
Originally designed by Wright for the legendary foreign car importer Max Hoffman, the showroom at 430 Park Avenue has been one of Mercedes-Benz's premier showrooms since 1955. Wright designed the space with a circular and sloping ramp reflected by mirrored surfaces which echoes the style Wright used for his later design of the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan.
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