MB Ute

[Garry]

A Mercedes workshop gathering this morning and a sausage sizzle.  A few nice and also different cars.

[MikeSimon]

O.K. this may not be politically correct...but after a Ford Ranchero and the Chevrolet El Camino, it looks like we also had a Mercedes Çiftlik…...

[Hugh]

Garry I looked below your name to see if you had that silver MB 300SL Gullwing listed as a new purchase of yours? They might get too hot to drive in the summer in Australia. I see your are getting the all electric Volvo SUV. That is a good for the environment and balance out the bit of gas the Pagoda uses...

[Montreal V8]

  Must say the MB Ute looks to be well executed, the lines nicely harmonious. Have owned my current el Camino since '94, having previously owned an earlier one, and two Rancheros. As a teenager in NZ I was smitten with Utes, coveting Holdens  and (the very rare ) Zephyr 6 s.   As an impecunious apprentice, however,  I only ever rose to a humble Standard 10 pickup.

[Garry]

Hugh,


There was a 300sl with a hard top in the workshop having an engine rebuild as well that i really coveted but unfortunately my pension does not cover the running cost let alone the purchase. I wish.......


As for an electric Volvo, well i am over 70 and they said you are allowed a Volvo with a hat on the back shelf when you reached that age and given i am building a Passivhaus that is all electric including solar panels and battery’s i thought it is time...


Sad but true........

[mdsalemi]

One must remember that Paul Bracq designed a Ute based upon a 600. He actually designed two of them and both were built by Karl Middlhauve.  One is called El Benzo, the other Benzomino.

https://www.mbgrand600.com/

[Montreal V8]

Oh boy, where can I buy one of those ? Certainly outclasses the humble Holden or the rare Zephyr 6, or even my treasured '87 el Camino.

[MikeSimon]

Watching MotorTrend TV and all these shops cutting up and rewelding cars, it would be an easy task to do for one of these guys. You just have to have deep pockets.

[mdsalemi]

Oh boy, where can I buy one of those ? Certainly outclasses the humble Holden or the rare Zephyr 6, or even my treasured '87 el Camino.

I believe that Karl Middlehauve would sell either or both, El Benzo or Benozmino at the right price. As these were done a number of years ago, nobody has met his price I guess.

[PSB]

A friend of mine working in the UAE sent me an amateur iPhone video he shot a year ago of a Mercedes Collection belonging to a local prince ... Around 100 MB and one was an SL pick up conversion very similar to the one in your photo....

[Jonny B]

Well, you finally made me go look at the Middlehauve site. Interesting stuff. I was more than surprised to see a SWB 600 with a six speed manual transmission!

[Montreal V8]

   Well, not only did I look the site up, I've had the temerity to ask the price of the Silver/Blue, awaiting the reply - I suspect it's an "If you have to ask sir, you can't afford it" situation.

[mdsalemi]

Well good luck on getting a price...

My assessment of that guy is that he is what one might call a “piece of work.”

Some years ago we were looking for a 600 for the Concours Of America at St. John’s, for a special class of Mercedes-Benz. We could not seem to find any locally...

So we invited Karl.  He agreed to come but then put all these kinds of conditions on his appearance including the event paying for his driving the cars as well as putting him and his wife in the hotel etc. The Concours simply does not do this for any invitee. This Concours like others are all charity events and they don’t pay for people to come.

I believe at one time many years ago Karl might have been a very reasonable person to deal with but I suspect now he has an over inflated idea of pretty much everything which is why so many things he has for sale have remained unsold for years...

While we never did get a 600 for this particular show, the following year Dan Caron brought one. The year after that we found another from Guy Lewis in Florida, and later our friend the dealer in Toledo bought one and has brought it to the show.

One MBCA member who is a former national president commented to me once that the reason why the 600 is so large is so that you can bring your mechanic with you...Because you will need him! He should know because he owned one once!!

[Vander]

Mike,

I agree with you. If you do get a price, I don't think it's one even a Saudi prince would pay. I know Karl is extremely knowledgable on the 600's, but I don't think we will ever see him sell any cars due to the fact he is so out of touch with the market, or as you said over inflated idea (greed).

I have been following the 600 market closely as I own a low mileage swb example. It would be interesting to see what some of his modified creations would do, but that is a day we will have to wait to see.

[Montreal V8]

   Surprisingly enough I had a reply this morning. Suffice it to say I shall continue to cherish my fully loaded, mostly original "87 el Camino. Reluctant to publish price, unless it is felt to be ethically OK.

[Vander]

I say post it. Maybe someone will read this thread, be interested and Karl will get a sale out of it.