May Be The Nicest One of Its Kind Ever Offered in USA

Stunning California Beauty
Vintage 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190Db
Restored to Show Quality Condition

First-Quality Body Restoration

 

This beautifully restored 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190Db four-door sedan needs nothing. Everything works as new. The body is refinished with the finest OEM German Glasurit 90-Line waterborne basecoat/clearcoat 2-stage system. The car is painted in the original color of DB 335. commonly known as "Mercedes Blue. " The front and rear bumpers are brand new polished stainless steel. exact factory replica units. manufactured by Group Harrington LTD. of Bath. England. The authentic German "Hella Classic Chrome" fog lamps are new. as are the exterior Hella and SWF turn signal light units. rubber lighting gaskets. and lenses. The headlamps are also new. and they are the correct. high-intensity quartz halogen H4 Bosch units.

The door handles are freshly re-chromed. and new rubber pads are installed underneath each of them. New rubber pads are also installed underneath the trunk lock. gas lock. grill shell. exterior mirror. etc. In fact. all of the rubber body seals. window seals. door seals. front and rear windshield seals. trunk seal. window channel materials. vent window seals. etc. are new. You will enjoy hearing the superb. solid-sounding "Mercedes thud" when you close the doors firmly. augmented by the soft and flexible new rubber body parts and the heavy OEM sheet metal body components.

The radio antenna is also new. and it is a tasteful reproduction of the classic "Hirschmann Red-Tip" design. which is the correct antenna for this period of German car. The front radiator grill honeycomb is attractively decorated with an array of period correct and appropriate international grill badges. a Mercedes-Benz mileage award. and traditional Mercedes-type rally medallions. However. this is just the beginning. Read on. and you will learn why this vehicle may be the nicest restored 190Db ever offered for sale in the USA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meticulous Interior Restoration

 

The interior has been completely restored to like-new condition. The interior features a stain-resistant cream-colored headliner. custom-made nylon-core wind lace trimming sewn in the car's navy blue accent-color. matching hand-sewn sun visor covers. matching padded rear deck panel. three layers of flooring sound insulation with new marine plywood panels fitted as per the original configuration. accent-color covered marine plywood kick panels. accent-color edged gray closed-loop carpets. original design two-tone covered marine plywood door panels with plush polyester batting for extra sound absorption. OEM rubber door seals. OEM front and rear windshield gaskets. OEM rear-view mirror glass. and OEM brake and clutch pedal rubber pads. and more.

 

The front and rear seat belts are also new. and they are the correct ones for the car. manufactured by Andover Restraints. Inc. These belts are the high-end aviator-style heavy chrome buckle type restraints utilizing Andover's classic "Roll-a-Belt" retractors. which are attached to the left and right outboard front seat belts. Andover Restraints. Inc. is the recommended seat belt supplier for the 1950's and early 1960's Ponton-era cars. Seat belts were first mandated in the USA beginning in 1966: although this car is technically "seat belt-exempt. it has been appropriately retrofitted with Andover front and rear restraints. so you'll be able to enjoy driving this rare classic every day. The seat belts attach to reinforced floor anchors with clasp-type fasteners so removing them for car shows is fast and easy.

 

To give you some idea of the thoroughness of this restoration. please note that all of the gauges and instruments have been reconditioned and now work as new. The red indicator hands on the dash gauges. instruments. and clock were meticulously refinished in red epoxy paint by a professional clock painter. the mat-white reflective coating on the back of the inside of the instrument cluster was re-coated. and all of the miniature dash light bulbs were replaced. A gentle and pleasing warm glow now streams from the sparkling 54-year old dashboard during evening trips. The "eight-day clock" keeps perfect time; just remember to wind it once every week. because it does not use electricity. Additionally. the original beech wood dash trim and the beech wood hub on the ivory steering wheel are beautifully refinished with six coats of UV-resistant high-gloss coating. The beech wood hub on the steering wheel is an extremely rare factory-original option.

 

Of course all of the upholstery is new. with each seat pleat tube on the front and rear seats individually hand-stuffed. making the seats soft. luxurious. and like new. Premium-grade UV-resistant navy blue thread was used in all of the upholstery work. together with Spralding brand marine-grade vinyl material. which requires no maintenance and will long outlast leather. Even the interior of the glove compartment is relined to match the two-tone interior color. and the gray rubberized OEM doorsill covers are new. imported from Germany. In fact. all of the interior coverings are new. except of course for the original Bakelite moldings. which have been cleaned and refitted.

 

During the upholstery work. a matching custom-made booklet pouch was sewn to keep the owner's booklets and travel documents safe and secure within the glove box. (You may wish to stow the pouch in the smaller. newly relined storage compartment located on the driver's side dash area. ) No detail has been overlooked. As you can see. the result is simply stunning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive Chassis Restoration

 

All of the chassis parts that normally wear or deteriorate on these vehicles have been replaced using only first-quality OEM parts. The new parts installed include the complete braking system. i. e. new master cylinder. new front and rear wheel cylinders. new front and rear flexible brake hoses. and newly relined front and rear brake shoes. together with a complete hydraulic system flush and refill with genuine "ATE Blue" brand German brake fluid. During the chassis restoration. new inner and outer front wheel bearings and new front hub grease seals were installed. Additionally. the flexible boot at the rear axle pivot point has been replaced. as well as the outer rear axle shaft seals. outer rear axle bearings. grooved bearing lock nuts. and the associated locking plates.

 

Unlike the all-too-common practice of those who are not perfectionists. the rear axle drive pinion seal has been replaced correctly. with the grooved pinion nut tightened to factory specifications. This is very important. because if the special tool is not used and the pinion bearing preload is not properly preset. the pinion bearings will eventually be destroyed. NOTE: The factory service manual stipulates a pin wrench # 120 589 01 07 (original part number) with 14 - 16 mkg of torque applied to the pinion nut (101. 26 - 115. 72 ft. lbs. ). The new part number for the special pinwrench socket is 136 589 00 07. and this tool was properly utilized during the pinion seal replacement process. A new circular lock plate was installed on the grooved pinion nut. Needless to say. the SAE 90 hypoid gear oil in the rear axle has been replaced as well.

 

Finally. the four-speed manual transmission is freshly filled with ATF (not gear oil). per factory specifications. New nylon shift lever bushings and a new rubber shift lever cuff make driving this car a particular pleasure. Even the rubber seals in the steering gear box are new. and the steering gear has been freshly filled with SAE 90 gear oil. also per factory specifications.

 

Again. any and all parts that normally wear or deteriorate over time have been replaced. such as the front and rear engine mounts. sway bar bushings. etc. In summary. all chassis systems are now in like-new mechanical condition. much as they were when the car was purchased in 1960. Even the whitewall tires are the correct modern equivalent-size for the car: 185/80R13. As a result. you will enjoy many years of trouble-free operation with this vintage vehicle.

 

Mercedes-Benz Diesel Engine History—The Legendary Long-Lived. Frugal Fuel Miser

 

Mercedes-Benz Diesel engines are reputed to be the longest-lasting automotive engines ever built by any company anywhere. Amazingly. some of these vintage vehicles from an era when durability and honesty were still virtues are reputed to have clocked several million miles for their owners and are still going strong—virtually indestructible engines built to last.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with these legendary engines. please note that they are also astonishingly fuel-efficient. often achieving 35 to 40 MPG on the highway. which is remarkable for a vehicle this heavy and strong. And the engines are relatively easy to work on because they are very simple compared with today's over-engineered electronically-controlled engines. which are designed to fail frequently and to create repeat business for dealerships.

Routine maintenance on these engines is minimal. with no conventional tune-ups required. This is because there are no spark plugs to replace. no ignition points. no distributor. no distributor cap. no rotor. no wires. no ignition timing to adjust. etc. Even the wire element in the oil-bath air filter is permanent. with no costly paper replacement elements to purchase. You or your mechanic simply wash out the wire element and renew the oil in the canister periodically.

It's best to adjust the valve clearance every 15. 00 miles and to replace the engine oil and filter every 3. 00 miles. or even more frequently if you are a also a perfectionist. It's very important to replace the fuel main filter and top up the engine oil in the injection pump at the 15. 00-mile service intervals. There are grease fittings on the front suspension. drive-shaft. and rear axle that require periodic lubrication. The transmission fluid and gear oil in the rear axle are changed once per year.

The odometer on this car currently reads 4. 32 miles and it is working perfectly. These odometers start-over again every 100. 00 miles. so they are not used for recording the total mileage covered. We keep a notebook in the document pouch in the dash storage compartment containing a running history of the mileage covered. service dates. and periodic maintenance records.

 

Brilliant Engine Restoration

 

Looking back through Mercedes-Benz Diesel history. we note that the OM 621. 910 engine of the 190Db used only three main bearings. whereas beginning in 1966 the OM 621. 918 engine of the 200D model was improved to include five main bearings. Another improvement in the five main bearing model was the inclusion of valve rotators. commonly called "rotocaps. which allow the intake and exhaust valves to rotate continuously on the valve seats. resulting in increased valve life because of the more even cooling and uniform wear patterns achieved. The exciting part about all of this is that OM 621. 910 and the OM 621. 918 engine blocks are interchangeable. They look the same from the outside: the same external size. shape. and configuration. with the same external mounting template and the same external bolt patterns. etc. They also use many of the same parts.

 

During the restoration. the decision was reached to upgrade to the stronger. five main bearing engine with the improved valve cooling system. The upgrade has made this legendary diesel vehicle even more rugged and long-lived while preserving its visual originality and giving the car a bit more horsepower than that of the original power plant. Another advantage is that the five main bearing engines exhibit less operating vibration than the three main bearing models. As a result. the best of both worlds has been achieved: carefully planned performance and reliability improvements along with preservation of the engine's outward appearance. which is identical to that of the original vehicle.

 

The professionally rebuilt engine includes new pistons. rings. wrist pins and bushings. main and rod bearings. timing chain and tensioner. chain guide rails. chain sprockets. oil pump. camshaft and rocker arms. pre-combustion chambers. intake and exhaust valves. valve guides. water pump. fuel injectors. glow plugs. gaskets. and seals. The new engine consumes absolutely no oil. does not smoke excessively. and runs fairly quiet for a vintage Diesel. Additionally. when the engine is fully warmed to operating temperature. the oil pressure gauge is pegged (fully maxed-out) with the needle pressed against the upper-limit stop. For example. this is the case even at an extremely slow idle following a long highway run in warm weather. All internal oil clearances are tight and correct.

 

All accessory engine systems were renovated simultaneously during the engine replacement process. For example. the leather governor diaphragm at the rear of the injection pump was replaced. New rubber o-rings and copper seals were installed in the pressure valve pipe unions at the injection lines. the generator brushes were replaced. etc. Needless to say. the injection pump has been flushed and refilled with Castrol GTX Diesel 15W-40 engine oil (the same oil used in the new engine).

 

A new clutch pressure plate. release bearing. and friction disc were installed while the engine was out of the car. As a matter of principle the transmission was resealed and the pilot bearing in the crankshaft was replaced. In addition to the engine overhaul and transmission reseal. the engine compartment has been carefully detailed. with the heater boxes restored. control cables reconditioned. heater water valves disassembled. cleaned. and rebuilt. etc. New heater water pipes were fashioned out of copper tubing per the original layout. Even the metal engine compartment partition panels that protect the battery and insulate the passenger compartment from sound and heat are intact. properly insulated. and fastened in place. This is remarkable: typically engine compartment divider panels are missing from these vintage cars and are difficult to locate and replace.

 

All flexible water and fuel hoses. hose clamps. fan belt. etc. are newly replaced with premium materials. The heater hoses were replaced with high-end silicon-based green hose stock. The battery hold-down. cable ends. firewall sound insulation padding. etc. are also new. All under-hood systems have been completely renovated and are in perfect working order.

Additionally. new metric bolts. washers. and fasteners were used where appropriate. giving the engine compartment a stunning show quality appearance. No detail has been omitted; as a result. the engine compartment looks absolutely amazing. And yes. the insect screens for the heater/defroster air intake are intact. reconditioned. and refinished. Original-design. factory-style engine compartment. windshield. and chassis decals. along with warning labels. are even in place. Who wouldn't be proud to take this collector Mercedes to vintage car shows and automotive club events?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the 190Db Enhanced Sub-Model

The 190Db is an enhanced version of the standard 190D model of the era incorporating an improved braking system with wider brake drums featuring external cooling fins. Other “b” sub-model enhancements include wider chrome front and rear bumpers. a wider front grill shell. taller rear taillights. and an array of subtle modifications to the interior styling. These manufacturer-upgrades were intended to attract buyers who wanted a more refined and sophisticated driving experience than that of the basic 190D model offered by Mercedes-Benz during the 1950's and early 1960's.

A Perfect Period-Classic 400-Watt Becker Europa II Stereo Audio System

Compatible with iPhone. iPod. iTunes. and Other Modern Digital Music Devices

 

The professionally designed audio system features an authentic Becker Europa II Stereo AM/FM receiver. which is mounted within easy reach. just beneath the center of the dash console. The remainder of the audio system components are modern and are either unobtrusive or completely hidden from view. The ultra-powerful audio system incorporates a 400-watt. 4-channel power amplifier that is completely hidden behind the dash center console Bakelite panel. A Sony CD player is stored out of sight. tucked inside the glove compartment. along with an additional female 12-volt cigarette lighter connector to power your favorite GPS device. recharge your iPhone (or other phone). power your iPod. or power another music playback device.

 

Left and right side genuine "Undercover" brand bass/midrange/treble cabinets are tucked conveniently out of view beneath both front seats. There are also left and right side surface-mount mini-box midrange cabinets fastened inconspicuously in the forward area underneath the dash. leaving adequate clearance for your legs. feet. pedals. parking brake lever. and hood release handle. To complete your concert-style audio experience. there are left and right side. ultra-thin high-range tweeters lying flat and unobtrusively in the rear deck. The rear tweeters are so thin that they are barely noticeable. No holes were cut or drilled in the rear deck to install them. The heavy-guage speaker wiring was installed while the upholstery was out of the car (prior to the refinishing of the passenger compartment and trunk interior floor systems). The speaker wires are enclosed within a protective. custom-made harness. securely fastened to the chassis.

 

A dedicated Becker auxiliary adapter fitted into the back of the receiver head unit facilitates switching to the CD player. iPhone. iPod. or other music playback device from within the glove compartment. The radio signal is canceled and the auxiliary music device becomes active when the mini-plug is inserted. All music device output signals are all channeled through the 400-watt amplifier and six speakers. while still utilizing the beautiful Becker head unit for volume. bass. and treble control. Although extremely sophisticated. the system is easy to use. Enjoy your own personal music library via virtually any modern device in concert-hall fidelity. The sound system combines classic appearance with symphonic clarity at a decibel level one would expect in the most expensive of contemporary cars.

 

 

 

 

 

Also Included: An Array of Special and Rare Original Equipment Accessories

 

This car boasts an authentic set of historic California YOM (Year of Manufacture) front and rear license places. registered and fully compliant with current regulations. These are the correct plates for the year of the car. as California used a 1956 plate with the addition of a blue 1960-year sticker on all new 1960 vehicles registered in the state. The historic yellow plates with black lettering are attractively showcased within antique solid-brass Mercedes-Benz lettered license plate frames that have been polished and clear-coated and mounted with new hardware including new mounting spacers. If you live in another state or country and are required to use different license plates on the car. you should still keep these plates with the car's accessories. as part of its history in California. which can then be passed-on to future owners.

Also in the package are the original OEM factory issued tool kit. OEM jack. and matching spare tire. along with a custom-made trunk carpet set and companion spare tire cover. The trunk carpets feature blue-accent colored edging that matches the vehicle's gorgeous two-tone passenger compartment color scheme. These cars were originally delivered with textured gray rubber floor and trunk mats instead of carpeting. In the interest of authenticity. new OEM German-made rubber mats have been installed under the custom-made carpets in the front passenger compartment and in the trunk. The passenger compartment and trunk carpets have been designed to be easily removed for car shows where absolute authenticity is required. NOTE: Originally. the four chrome wheel hubcaps were finished in the same color paint as the body. But collectors often choose to leave them all chrome. as these are.  

What makes this particular vintage Mercedes-Benz unique is the accompanying 4-inch-thick loose-leaf binder containing a comprehensive documented history of the vehicle. Beyond the standard-issue OEM owner's booklets. OEM factory parts catalog. and other customary original OEM vehicle documentation. the binder contains the original vehicle data card (factory build-sheet) from Stuttgart. Germany. specifying the factory unit numbers. key numbers. color specifications. and other vital car-system component identification codes. The car uses three different keys. One key fits the ignition. another key fits the driver's and passenger's door locks and fuel door. and the third key fits the trunk lock. Included with the sale are three complete sets of keys (nine keys total). You can have a locksmith change the glove compartment lock tumblers to match the trunk key if you wish. This configuration would then be factory-correct. so it is recommended.

 

Also included are records and receipts documenting the extensive restoration process. along with an array of OEM factory sales brochures for the 190 and 190D model. a collection of period-correct road maps of California and the High Sierra Mountains. a German-to-English translation of the data card information. color swatch samples of the carpet and interior materials. booklets for the audio system components. reproduction Hirschmann-design antenna instructions. Glasurit 90-Line paint system specifications with the numeric color formula. Hella fog light documentation. Andover seat belt instructions. and more. Simply put. there is no other Mercedes-Benz 190Db like this one anywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terms of Sale

 

The California title to this vehicle is valid and clear. State Farm auto insurance for the actual replacement value is in place. The vehicle is housed in the historic Old Quad neighborhood of Santa Clara. California. USA. We recommend that you purchase your own insurance prior to shipping or taking delivery of the car. We reserve the right to end the auction early if the car sells locally. However. international buyers are welcome: we will deliver the vehicle to the Port of San Francisco—a distance of 40 miles—if desired. For a buyer traveling to the area to take personal delivery. we will meet you with the vehicle at San Francisco International Airport or San Jose International Airport.

 

A $1. 00 deposit is required via PayPal or via certified check within 48 hours of auction close. with the balance to be paid in cash. certified check. or wire transfer within seven days following the auction close. All funds must be paid in full in $USD prior to release of the signed (interest release) title and vehicle. All certified checks and wire transfers must be verified. cleared. and funded by the issuing bank prior to the release of the signed title and vehicle.

 

The cost of shipping. if applicable. is the responsibility of the buyer. If you are shipping the vehicle. we will Express Mail the signed title to you after all funds have cleared. and we will assist you with arrangements for domestic or international shipping. Otherwise we will deliver the signed title to you in person when you take delivery of the vehicle. This vehicle is being sold as-is. where-is. and without warranty. The buyer assumes all safety and financial risk in purchasing and using this vehicle. This sale is final.

 

Thank You for Looking

 

This auction represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the most reliable and desirable cars ever built—a California classic in exceptional. show quality restored condition. and bearing an astonishingly well-documented history. Given the stunning. like-new condition of this collectible antique Mercedes. the legendary reliability of OM 621. 918 five-main bearing engine. and the meticulously documented. intricately detailed restoration program. this could be the last car you will ever need to buy. Remember: there is no smog test required for California buyers of Diesel automobiles. Don't miss the chance to own this unique California Beauty. We invite your email questions and comments and will respond promptly.

Good luck and happy bidding!

On Jul-18-14 at 16:41:28 PDT. seller added the following information:

LISTING UPDATE: We've had many inquiries from international buyers asking for help with shipping to Germany and other countries. We are happy to assist. Just select a shipper and forward us the details. We will Express Mail the signed title to you. and your shipper may pick up the vehicle in Santa Clara. California. or we will deliver the car to the Port of San Francisco. We also recommend that you purchase full-coverage auto insurance with an agent in your own country or state. in addition to any insurance offered by your shipper. Again. thank you all very much for your interest. Great questions! Happy bidding and good luck.

Also published at eBay.com

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