what a car.....

[Michel]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MERCEDES-BENZ-500K-THREE-POSITION-DROPHEAD-COUPE_W0QQitemZ150308668398QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150308668398&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

 

[Andrew280SEL]

As you quite rightly stated...what a car...

I'm curious as to what the "three position" part refers to though...?

 

[BenzBoy]

As you quite rightly stated...what a car...

I'm curious as to what the "three position" part refers to though...?

A three-position drophead means that there are 3 positions for the roof.
1. Fully closed.
2. Fully open.
3. Part open to shield the passengers in the back seat.
It's an old fashioned English coachbuilders' term and requires quite a complex mechanical arrangement to operate it.
For some reason, it is the most desrable of all cabriolet or drophead styles. Personally, I prefer a closed roof.
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[Andrew280SEL]

Ah thanks, Benzboy. Makes sense now.

 

[Styria]

Hi guys, i am on my first half of a small glass of port - just home after a hard day out in the sun.

Now, I don't wish to be contra(too lazy to spell the rest) but, as far as I am concerned, I see absolutely nothing, nor beautiful, nor desirable, in this particular Corsica bodied car.

Forget the rarity, if applicable, just look at the body and compare it with the REAL mckoy - there is just no comparison. I'll have my lowly Gleaming Beauty anytime. Ah...that's off my chest and I feel better for it. Apologies to whoever that said 'what a car' - if it was you, Michel, please, no hard feelings. I still think it's ugly, - no, unattractive. Regards Styria

 

[BenzBoy]

The sun can do strange things to one, Styria. I suggest a hat...
As you have said many times, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder', so while some of us like it, some of us will prefer something else. Imagine of we all liked the same thing? How ordinary that would be; how boring; how predictable.
No, we here on Topklasse applaud diversity and different styles.
Now, please, how many corks would you like me to hang from your hat? What about that dapper one with the feathers that you used to wear?
Regards,
BenzBoy
EDIT; The interested may care to have a look at - http://www.coachbuild.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=50&g2_itemId=752

 

[Styria]

Hi BenzBoy, not only the sun, but other things as well - you know how it is. I am trying my best, but there is only so much I can do.

Seriously though, and I accept your statement regarding 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' as being of what I advocate, but it refers to individual ownership and mods/whatever an owner may carry out.

I think it's fair to say that some cars will look better than others, and it's generally the "majority opinion" that can decide the fate of particular models. Hence my suggestion to compare it with an "original". Look what happened to the Mitsubishi 380 -very few people like its styling. It has not survived. .....and it's not as if the public doesn't like the Mitsubishi product - you just need to have a look at some of that company's other offerings. When I first saw the 380, I felt that it would not be acceptable by buyers of new cars overall.

I am grateful, however, for the list of coachbuilders that you have come up with. Some very interesting cars. Regards Styria

 

[Martin280s]

I'm with Styria on this. There are so many other models which are much more beatiful than this one.

 

[BenzBoy]

"Seriously though, and I accept your statement regarding 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' as being of what I advocate, but it refers to individual ownership and mods/whatever an owner may carry out." Now that is a fine definition of a coachbuilt car.
Regards,
BenzBoy

 

[GreaseMonkey]

I seem to remember Corsica was a small London based business, and I have seen some elegant sports cars - Bentley, Bugatti etc - clothed by them, all very nice.
Knowing what they could do, and what pre-war Mercedes were like, it may not have been the ideal chassis for their shapes, but I do suggest some of those photos are not doing it justice.
Possibly restricted by a narrow street, I am guessing someone has used a wider lens angle than is ideal?
Either way, it looks a bit less heavy and overbodied than the German Erdmann and Rossi built versions.
I have a book around here somewhere which has something about Corsica, my curiosity rekindled, I will go looking for it now.
Goodnight,
Chris M.

 

[HansKruger]

for that money you could own any merecedes car you wanted., a gullwing a 600 a 540k even

 

[GreaseMonkey]

A Gullwing AND a 600 !
That would do for me,
but I doubt you would get a 540K for that price now.
Each to his own though, and I see it has been relisted, but I am not about to make an offer.
I am guessing it is advertisied elsewhere, or through a brokerage, as I do not think it is really ebay material.
(Ebay used to be good a few years ago, but now it is mostly rubbish, and too many scams).
I will now go look through back issues of Classic and Sports Car to see what similar cars have acheived at auction recently.
C.M.

 

[Michel]

Guys.....

You don't have to buy it...

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Guys.....

You don't have to buy it...

Well, to be totally honest about my finances, I CAN'T!
Surprise, surprise.
Not even a tiny part of it!
Maybe a 1/43 scale model.
We can all dream though.
C.M.

 

[Michel]

Well, to be totally honest about my finances, I CAN'T!
Surprise, surprise.
We can all dream though.
C.M.

EXACTLY

 

[OzBenzHead]

Frankly, I think it's plug-ugly. Doesn't look like a real Mercedes at all to my eye. It's not balanced, the lines just don't flow together or complement each other. Looks more like some tragic eccentric British one-off piece. (Oh - it is.)

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Well, the seller is not going to get that money in today's market.
There is too much competition for the dollar, and it is not a great car.
Shame, but yep, for a million bucks I would have a 600 AND a 300SL Gullwing.
More class, more fun.
And get my Crayford finished with the change as a shopping car.
What would you rather have?
I suspect that one will take a while to sell.
C.M.

 

[Styria]

Frankly, I think it's plug-ugly. Doesn't look like a real Mercedes at all to my eye. It's not balanced, the lines just don't flow together or complement each other. Looks more like some tragic eccentric British one-off piece. (Oh - it is.)

Oh dear, here's trouble. Fellows, don't forget that Admin and/or Moderator have a sharp eye and a quick finger ! Seriously though, just because a car is old and/or styled by...whoever, it does not necessarily render it attractive nor beautiful.
Whilst I am quite partial to British carpentry of interiors, in this instance the transition from a German to a British dash leaves a fair bit to be desired - if you have a look at some of my pics under C. F. Mirbach, Amerang Museum or Salzburg Classic Days, tha dashes in some of those "K" models are far more attractive. Regards Styria

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Seriously though, just because a car is old and/or styled by...whoever, it does not necessarily render it attractive nor beautiful.
Regards Styria

Spot on there Styria.
Also, glamorous photos of expensive cars don't always show the quality (or lack of) underneath.
The only reason I am not afraid to take on the restoration of a Crayford wagon is that I have worked on Aston Martins in the past.
Now there is a badly made car if ever there was one.
They are (were) quite proud of the cars being 'hand built' but what was the point of using the expensive hand formed aluminium panels, and then adding god-knows-how-much lead to make them fit?
From what I have seen, Crayford employed similar methods to fit and finish, but at least they were truly low volume car makers.
Back to the subject car, yes Corsica were fairly small compared to G-N or Hooper etc in the thirties, but what I have seen was usually nice looking. The proportions somehow don't sit right on this one.
Another point to consider, is cars like this were originally built to order, presumably with some input from the customer, so I wonder who ordered this one?
C.M.