QUITE DEFINITELY VINTAGE

QUITE DEFINITJELY ItINTILOIE SOME NOTES ABOUT A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD, 28195 MERCEDES

RATHER an unusual Mercedes has recently been purchased by a keen reader, George Frost, of South

Ealing. Said to be the first Mercedes to be imported into this country after the War, it is a six-cylinder “28/95,” the date of which is quoted as 1922/23 by Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft, of Stuttgart. Although only a touring car, and not supercharged, and, moreover of virtually pre-war design, yet this car has a speed of about 70 m.p.h. on a top gear as high as 2.39 to 1. This particular Mercedes was first owned by a gentleman who now lives in Chester and runs a Type 500 MercedesBenz, on which the old ” 28/95 ” was taken by the makers in part-exchange. He waited some twelve months for delivery of the ” 28/95 ” and kept it for ten years, looking after it personally— he commenced motoring in the tubeignition days. When it was changed for the modern Mercedes-Benz it was in excellent condition and, as it has been

taxed for only two quarters since, Mr. Frost has a quite unique vintage car. Its former owner’s only complaints were that it was under-braked for its speed and that all except two of the exhaust valves tended to under-lubrication, while these valves used to carbon up and stick rather frequently, though the inlet valves gave no trouble. The car has huge Zeiss dipping headlamps, extremely comfortable seats, and the mahogany finish is perfect.

The design reminds one of War-time aero-motor practice, for the six cylinders are cast separately in three pairs, and the o.h, camshaft drive and gear casings, and the water tubes, etc., are distinctly spidery—which is no indication of inefficiency, as those who had to do with the better War-time aero motors will confirm. The engine has an oh. camshaft driven by shaft from the front of the crankshaft, and a transverse shaft at the base drives the Bosch magneto on the off side and the water pump on the near side, while the fan is belt driven from the camshaft. There are two Pallas carburetters on the off side. The gearbox gives ratios of 8.9, 4.9, 3.2 and 2.39 to 1. The engine develops 92.4 b.h.p. at 1,500 r.p.m. and will run up to about 1,800 r.p.m., so it is an unusually low-speed unit. Mr. Frost believes that the makers only claimed 70 in.p,11. for fear of frightening the public and the original owner describes this as a very fast and fierce car, and one which had to be carefully handled on British roads. As usual, Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft have been most helpful in supplying data and they have provided an excellent instruction book, some of which, however, has been translated in rather a delightful style. For instance :—

He who runs into danger must expect to perish,’ applies especially to automobile drivers . . Only after conviction that no other tramcar is approaching in the opposite direction, can one overtake on the right side the car travelling in front.