1929 MercedesSSK

[sjordan2]

kennb has moved on to the On The Workbench forum and it looks like he's off to a good start.

[Plastheniker]

Skip, I reviewed everything I have upon the SSK and SSKL. I found some photos of chassis that were obviously not made for display because they are rather dirty.

SSK

SSKL

On these pictures are some chassis parts that are not white, f. e. the rear shock absorbers, the battery boxes end the lateral brackets for the fenders or the running boards.

Did Mercedes spray the SSK/SSKL chassis only white?

I found no explicit information about that, but in my oppinion it is a question of plausibility.

• I found no clue that there was any works coachwork in a different colour than white. This seems consequential because both SSK and SSKL were meant for racing and the German racing colour was still white. There were several cars with red or black fenders ( besides white the other colours of the German flag in those days) but the chassis always remained white.
• If a buyer of a rolling chassis wanted his bespoke coachwork in a different colour, was it nevertheless delivered in white, only primed or sprayed in the colour of his choice? The latter seems to me least probable, because in Europe there were no standardized paints before the mid-thirties; that is why the paint of the chassis would hardly have matched the paint of the future cochwork. A primer coat only seems not very likely either, because the chassis looks so rugged and difficult to be sprayed neatly that presumably parts of the chassis were sprayed white already in that factory where they had been manufactured. Finally a I think there was no other colour choice than white. Remember that the price of SSK/SSKL was between 30.000 (SSK Chassis) and 40.000 Reichsmark (complete SSKL). Today this would be a purchasing power of roughly estimated 1.000.000 $. For a buyer who was willing and able to spend such an amount for a car it should not have been any problem to take the chassis down partially for a matching paintwork. But this all remains speculation.

By the way I found a picture of the SSK that won the Mille Miglia 1930. It had red fenders that look similar to the fenders of the Lindberg model.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Plastheniker

[sjordan2]

I went back and looked through my files, and your bottom shot appears to be one of just a few examples with Erdmann & Rossi coachwork. The bottom picture below seems closest to the Lindberg kit.

Edited May 10, 2013 by sjordan2

[kennb]

I may have to do one of these in a larger scale...................................it looks like it could be a great build.....in plastic of course,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The kit does not do this car justice................thanks for all the information on this..............................I almost bought the 1/16th scake 35 mercedes today..........but resisted,,,,,,$80...........

[kennb]

Do you know of a set of accurate drawings for this that I can work from....................................

[sjordan2]

I may have to do one of these in a larger scale...................................it looks like it could be a great build.....in plastic of course,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The kit does not do this car justice................thanks for all the information on this..............................I almost bought the 1/16th scake 35 mercedes today..........but resisted,,,,,,$80...........

Keep watching the 1/16 on eBay. $80 is ridiculous, but up to $65 with shipping is reasonable. Bookmark this -- you'll find a Buy It Now for $49.95. Same kit boxed under many different labels.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=1%2F16&_sop=10&_osacat=2580&_from=R10&_pcats=1188%2C220&_armrs=1&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=1%2F16+mercedes+ss&_sacat=2580

By the way, the late Martin Swire was working on turning that kit into an SSK by shortening the chassis. It was his last work, and here's where he was at the time.

[Plastheniker]

Skip, I was wrong. My photo at the bottom shows Carraciola's 1930 car in which he arrived sixth. Of course he won in 1931.

My picture is a scan from a book where it is much clearer. Regarding the picture in the book more closely I am quite sure that it shows a standard works coachwork added by unique fenders for the Mille Miglia.

Indeed there is a strong resemblance between your second picture and the Lindberg model even if the top of the coachwork seems to be more roundish.

[Plastheniker]

Kenneth, I saw your request for drawings. I have some scale drawings for SSK/SSKL. If you want them, please let me know. Then I would post them tomorrow.

[sjordan2]

Do you know of a set of accurate drawings for this that I can work from....................................

Can't vouch for the accuracy here

http://www.the-blueprints.com/vectordrawings/show/1602/mercedes-benz_ssk_l/

This is a factory brochure drawing

Here's a better image of the last one:

http://www.mgussin.freeuk.com/plans/Mercedes-SSKL-1929.jpg

Edited May 10, 2013 by sjordan2

[sjordan2]

I also made the following post in kennb's work in progress thread, but I thought it made as much sense to post it here...

For those who are interested in building a box-stock version of the Lindberg kit, I found several shots of a very similar car at the link below. Click through the slide show. As Jurgen mentioned in the kit review thread of this subject, leave off the bumpers.

http://www.autoevolution.com/image/mercedes-benz-typ-ssk-w06-1928/16403.html#sjmp?slide=1

Edited May 13, 2013 by sjordan2

[kennb]

Thanks you both for all the great information on this car,,,,it will certainly help me building it....................... may go back to the .ssk body and go from there....

[Eshaver]

Thank you everyone as to the great photos you ALL have sent in on this car !

[sjordan2]

By the way, I just noticed that the standard SSK drawing I posted on the last page is backward (exhausts should be on the right side), though right-hand-drive versions were common.

[kennb]

thanks,,,i will keep that in mind

[sjordan2]

Here's a pretty nice color reference for this car. Note the copper-clad brake drums.

Click to enlarge

Edited May 24, 2013 by sjordan2

[charlie8575]

I think the Lindberg kit is trying to capture the general flavor of this car.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/316431,10058/1929-Mercedes-Benz-SSK_photo.aspx

This is a really neat site I found that documents an all-original SSK. I love the quote from the owner's manual that's on the first page.

http://louwman-ssk.mercedes-benz-classic.com/

While the Lindberg kit might not be 100% accurate, I actually rather like the look of it. And, as these cars could be ordered for custom bodies, a body like that is within reason.

The cream/brown sounds like a nice combination. I might actually try that. Orange wheels and a tan interior would set that off rather nicely, I think.

Charlie Larkin

[sjordan2]

I think the Lindberg kit is trying to capture the general flavor of this car.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/316431,10058/1929-Mercedes-Benz-SSK_photo.aspx

This is a really neat site I found that documents an all-original SSK. I love the quote from the owner's manual that's on the first page.

http://louwman-ssk.mercedes-benz-classic.com/

While the Lindberg kit might not be 100% accurate, I actually rather like the look of it. And, as these cars could be ordered for custom bodies, a body like that is within reason.

The cream/brown sounds like a nice combination. I might actually try that. Orange wheels and a tan interior would set that off rather nicely, I think.

Charlie Larkin

Google the Bburago 1:18 diecast for a look at one of their SSKs, which was issued in cream/brown and looks very nice.

[StoneyGaming]

Can someone help? Please. 

I am in need of the instruction manual for the lindberg 1/24 model. Does anyone possibly have the instructions or photos of then they could upload. I lost my instructions in a move. And dont feel like buying the same model just for the instructions. 

Thanks if anyone can help

[SfanGoch]

HERE it is.