Mercedes brochures from the mid 70s

[Charles Morgan]

I dined with a friend a few months ago and he enquired if I'd like an original Citroen SM brochure he'd picked up in the 70s as a boy, when he collected car brochures from dealers. My reply was to bite his hand off, and then I emailed a couple of days later to ask if he had any other Citroen ones or indeed Mercedes ones from the same time because of my W114 restoration. They arrived and now, with much less to do, I have started photographing them as they are in lovely condition. Here's the first batch from a general brochure.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I have a whole load more to be uploaded if anyone is interested.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Nice, wonder how many of those are still running.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Just checked the two UK registrations, no sign of the 220 on the MOT database but NMH210L last had an MOT in 2007 which it passed - but with rusty wings and rust elsewhere. I suspect the rust got it in the end, like so many.

 

[saff]

These are great, thanks for sharing them!

 

[D-18]

Even in the photos, you can feel the quality. They look like proper Mercedes - carved from the solid!

 

[tonysmb]

Great post. Reminds me that I have some 70s MB brochures, somewhere, that I'll now have to dig out.

Love the 450SLC shot, same colour as my old one.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Please dig them out, it would be great to see them.

What I really love are the colours, of the cars, the countryside and the entire colour palette of 70s film, so much more muted than digital.

Thinking about it, it's hardly surprising the W115 220 no longer exists, they parked it in seawater!

 

[alabbasi]

I have an inca red 450SLC 5.0 (Bright metallic orange) and used to own an Ikon Gold 450SLC 5.0. Oh how I love Ikon Gold.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Piccies please Al!

 

[Charles Morgan]

Light not great today for photography (I use a tripod to get the best framing without shadows and artificial light puts shadows of the legs everywhere), but looking at my 280S/E/L brochure the following luxuries are listed as options:

Automatic
Door padding
Level control
Car Telephone
Heated Rear Window
Radio
Headlight cleaning
Air-conditioning
Sunroof
Retractable aerial
Vinyl, leather or Velour uphostery
Orthopaedic seats
Metallic paint and many more!

An intriguing mix of genuine luxuries and the most utterly mundane, especially on the S class. I used to love MB for this!

 

[219]

Hi Charles ,

I have a load of these too , most of which I will already have scanned . When I get the time , I will upload them to Photobucket and post here .

 

[Ted]

Boot carpet used to be an extra.
Standard was a rubber mat!

 

[alabbasi]

Piccies please Al!

Here are some of my old Ikon gold car (#1143)

I'm going to have to take pictures of the inca red car which is buried in the back of the shop.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Hi Charles ,

I have a load of these too , most of which I will already have scanned . When I get the time , I will upload them to Photobucket and post here .

Fantastic Derek, I really look forward to those.

 

[gr1nch]

The SL and SEL, very classy.

 

[Charles Morgan]

The 280 S/E/L brochure - quite a thick one so I've winnowed out the small photo pages and text. There is a glorious one of the complete car in yellow against a swamp green background but it's a three page fold out and I need to take a snap without the tripod and with a ladder. I'll do that when all the other stuff is done.

A 4 speed manual box on an SE. I imagine this was one of the rarest cars out there!

The first Benz dash of the modern era. Note, like Royces, Benzes didn't come with unncessary nonsense like rev-counters (not sure if it was even an option).

Zebrano of this period is much richer than later ones. You can tell it's real wood as the imperfections on the top surface below the instrument binnacle are manifest. But if you wanted proper wood done well you didn't buy German.

Yellow on a green background. Yum..

Flat colours really work so much better with lashings of chrome.

 

[Charles Morgan]

A few odds and sods from the previous brochures

 

[philsmerc]

Like many in my generation, as a boy, I collected all sorts of things - stamps, matchbox labels, cheese labels, bottle tops..... including car brochures. It all started when my dad worked as a petrol pump attendant (remember those?) and I used to go to work with him at weekends.

We didn't have a Mercedes dealership anywhere near, but I managed to collect lovely brochures from various marques. The list (all from around the late 1950's to early 60's, which I still have today) include:

Rootes Group
Hillman Minx, Super Minx, Husky, Singer Vogue and Gazelle, Humber Sceptre, Sunbeam Alpine, Humber Hawk, Humber Super Snipe, Commer Cob, Commer Vans

Renault
Dauphine, 4L, R8

BMC

Morris Minor and Traveller, Austin 1100, A40, Austin A60 Countryman, A60, A110 Westminster, MG Magnette Mk3, Wolseley 15/60, 6/99, Riley 4/68

Vauxhall
Viva HA, Victor FB, VX4/90, Velox, Cresta and a Viva pre-launch dealer "confidential" pack, which includes various comparison charts with rival makes.

Saab 96 (including a Monte Carlo Rally Special brochure).

They are fascinating to look at and in particular, to see what you got for your pounds, shillings and pence (and what you could add in the way of optional extras or accessories - boot floor mat for a sunbeem alpine at £1 13s 6p anyone?)

 

[Charles Morgan]

It would be great to see some of those Philsmerc, I imagine they're all in glorious Monochrome?