1968 & 1969 6.3 discussion + M-100 Group

[mpmorris]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This thread is cleaved off of this OWNER thread.


Hi all -I am excited! I first saw this '94 with 87k miles in early 2020. I had had a '92 & a '93 which I gave up in a settlement in 2019. It has taken 2 years of patience, but it is finally mine. I collect it the end of this month and it still has 87k miles! I will give it its much-needed 60k service and drive it home to Kentucky. Time for a Sports Sedan again!

 

[gerryvz]

Welcome back!

Curious to know more about the DB906 6.3 next to your new E500.

Looks like the same color as my old one that I sold in 2003, with 58K miles on the odometer, which was the same 906 gray-blue metallic with a red leather interior.

 

[mpmorris]

Former Briggs Cunningham 6.3

 

[gerryvz]

Ahh, the 10th 6.3 produced. A 1968 car. Very cool.

Claimed Ex-Briggs Cunningham: 1968 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3

Learn more about Claimed Ex-Briggs Cunningham: 1968 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3 on Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online.

bringatrailer.com

 

[mpmorris]

yes, not actually the 10th. car but kind of cool -vin is 000109 -the correlation is 6.3 vin being 109018 (300SEL with the M100 6.3 engine). The car was purchased from Cunningham's grandson through Bring-A-Trailer. It is now a daily driver and participates in Road Rallys -unrestored but well-maintained.

 

[gerryvz]

Ahh -- I was looking at the VIN in the BaT article, and it says 1090181200010. I guess they were in error.

109018 = chassis + sub-model
12 = automatic transmission
0000109? = VIN in production sequence

My former 6.3 was produced in July 1969 (a late 1969 model) and was #2665. It had elements of the newer and older cars, including the vacuum advance distributor, and bullet front turn signals, but later center-console-mounted window switches, and unlike your early car the later-style gear layout with "Park" at the top. And ZERO emissions crap as with all 1968 and 1969 cars. I always loved how the fuel tank vented directly to atmosphere directly behind one of the rear bumper side extensions I hosted the M-100 Lode Fest in Portland, OR in 2001, where Erich Waxenberger came. He drove my 6.3 around the track for hot laps and cooked my brakes but good

 

[mpmorris]

My goodness! George Von Klan, Felix from Germany and Axle as well as ' Dan the man' were at that meet! I've heard so much regarding that meet over the years -still talked about -Good Job! Good to make your acquaintance!

 

[gerryvz]

I guess I'd better cleave off all of these 6.3 posts into a separate thread so as not to clutter your OWNER thread for your E500.

Dan Smith was a very close friend when I lived in Portland. We used to to drag racing together with our 6.3s, both in Portland and in Seattle. Here are some photos of him preparing his "Silver Bullet" 6.3 for drag racing. I recall the Silver Bullet was sold some years back at auction.

He and I bought a wrecked 6.3 together out of Oklahoma and had it trucked to Portland. He probably still has it. I haven't spoken to him in many years.

One weekend in the fall of 2003 I took Dan out for a ride in my then-new-to-me E500 in the farm roads near his house. We got up to 130 MPH and he was surprised at the rock solidity of the car at that speed - he said his 6.3s would have been shaking apart at that speed!

Yes, Axel and Felix came to Portland. Karl Middelhauve drove his W100 600 Hearse from Pennsylvania to Oregon, as well.

Dan actually filmed me in both of the videos below. These are from late 2003.

 

[mpmorris]

Great pictures -thank you. Saw Dan at an m-100 gathering, Portland, 2015? We just hosted an M-100 event at Karl's in Wis last August -yes, I suppose we should continue this conversation elsewhere. By the way, my most notable 6.3 was the David Crosby car that I got from him in 1979.

 

[alabbasi]

I still have my 6.3 but it needs a heater core and I'd rather pull my own teeth out than pull the dash.

 

[mpmorris]

I still have my 6.3 but it needs a heater core and Id rather pull my own teeth out than pull the dash.

15 hours to R&R Al!

 

[gsxr]

15 hours to R&R Al!

So, less work than a 140!