Repro Gullwings

[Douglas]

With all this talk of Ford-powered Pagodas, I thought it was worthwhile posting this thread.

It's pretty surprising how nice these repro Gullwings are getting:

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/events/scottsdale/vehicles/cardetail_list.asp?id=182653

To the untrained eye, it certainly looks credible. (But your wallet will know the difference!)

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[hauser]

This car was built by Anton "Tony" Ostermeier in his California work shop.  I had the pleasure of discussing some of his work with him.  As it turns out Tony took apart his own Gullwing and made molds of all the differnt body panels.  The panels are made of fiberglass with some type of sprayed on aluminum material.  He said the same technique is used to build airplanes.  

Parts which were NLA were out sorced to places like Taiwan and Poland.  In fact his reproduction pieces were so good he sold many of these parts to owners of authentic gullwings and roadsters.  He even sold parts to MB in Germany!  Once the gullwing was done and a few examples were shipped off to customers he started building roadsters.

Tony is no longer building these fine examples due to health reasons.  Last I heard they are being built in England.  

Tony now spends his time working on airplanes as well as flying them.  

BTW most of the cars that Tony built were shipped to Japan and Germany.



1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[JamesL]

Hooper in Jersey (UK...) used to make them. Last I heard they were looking for somewhere cheaper to base themselves

Had an E-class motor, if I recall. I'd bet their website is still up

Yep, it is

http://www.gullwing.ch/en/history.htm

[114015]

 
It was somewhere around in the late 80ies, I was still studying in Münster (Germany) when I saw a beautiful silver-colored gullwing parking at the street.[:0]
I could not imagine but no one was paying attention to that beauty.
I got my old camera and took plenty of pictures. While studying the perfect condition and the details I fould out that the car had a turnsignal lever from a Volkswagen and air condition. Oops?  :oops:
Eventually I realized the the car had the same fuel filler door in the right rear fender as have these examples presented in the links.
Only then I realized that the gullwing was a(n almost perfect) replica but not an authentic one.
 :?
Best,



Achim
(Magdeburg, Germany)

[JamesL]

Rumour on the UK MB Club site is that MB are doing a W197 SLC "new Gullwing" for 2010. 700bhp V12 engine

And look out for the mule......

And start saving!

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by Tosh

Rumour on the UK MB Club site is .....

I get Autoweek.  Gotta love weekly info from the car media giants!
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/FREE/70716004/1039/FREE


Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Ben]

A group of us were at the show in Essen this year, where amognst the many 300SL's there was a company manufacturing replicas !

They were very convincing indeed, and full spec machines were priced at about €100,000 !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[66andBlue]

I am reviving this old thread because I am wondering whether there will be Repro gullwings again at the Techno-Classica after this court decision:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/03/22/mercedes-benz-cracks-down-on-illegal-300-sl-replica-bodies/

[w113dude]

What a waste, atleast this car would have been driven unlike all the Gullwings that are locked up in showrooms.

[Flyair]

if they produced this replica in China, where all the decent illegal copies are nowadays made, this and other Gullwings would be smoothly and harmlessly produced to the enjoyment of many