Back in 1970, before the internet and specialized magazines dominated the collector car scene, enthusiasts like myself relied on the classifieds, particularly the Sunday New York Times. Its old car section was a treasure trove, mainly featuring vehicles available in the Northeast. I would pore over it every week, though most listings were financially out of reach for a medical student at the time. Duesenbergs were plentiful, but priced well over $50,000 – a substantial sum considering the modest income of a student in medicine.
My desires leaned towards something more practical, yet deeply rooted in automotive history, embodying sportiness and exceptional design – values instilled in me by my father, a passionate car aficionado.
My dad was a dedicated family doctor, content with his small practice within our home, serving the local community. Financial wealth was never his aim. His 1956 patient logbook, a simple record of his earnings, illustrates the modest income generated from house calls and office visits, typically charging between $3 and $4 per consultation. This very logbook page also shows the sheer number of patients he attended to daily!
Before his office hours began, I often accompanied him on house calls. While somewhat tedious for me in 1956, these trips were frequently followed by visits to local junkyards or used car dealerships. Back then, cars from the mid-1930s were only around 20 years old, and even then, my father recognized and helped me appreciate their potential future significance. He understood, even then, that cars with classic “sporting” aesthetics would inevitably become highly sought after by discerning collectors.
Returning to the New York Times classifieds of 1970, I spotted an advertisement from a gentleman in the suburbs offering his 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing. This iconic Mercedes, with less than 30,000 miles, was equipped with desirable Rudge wheels and described as being in excellent condition. The seller, a pool builder, had acquired the Gullwing in exchange for his services but found it unsuitable for his wife, who deemed it too unwieldy, hot, and impractical for everyday use.
Fortunately, 1970 represented a relative low point in the Gullwing’s valuation, making it an opportune moment. A deal was struck over the phone; I had saved enough cash to meet his asking price of $3,500.
I immediately called my girlfriend Jackie for a ride, knowing I would be driving the Mercedes home. The transaction was swift, and the car was, and remains, in remarkable condition, having weathered the years remarkably well. I used it as my daily driver, parking it on city streets. Aside from the theft of its Becker radio while parked briefly outside a hospital during an emergency, it has endured the past decades in great shape.
When I proudly presented my new acquisition to my father, taking him for a ride, his reaction was understated. He didn’t express effusive praise, but I sensed no disapproval of my choice, particularly as I had financed it myself.
A few months later, while driving past Jerry’s Used Cars, a dealership in the less affluent part of town where we grew up, I was surprised to see another Gullwing. This one, gleaming black, sat incongruously amongst typical American cars. On my way to visit Dad, I mentioned the black Mercedes. His response was a mild, “Well, we don’t need two of them.”
Perfectly reasonable, I thought.
I continued enjoying my Gullwing. About two months later, passing Jerry’s again, the black Mercedes was gone. “Jerry, what happened to that black Mercedes?” I inquired. With a sly grin, he responded, “Your dad bought it!”
Arriving home, the surprise was revealed. My father led me to the garage where he had already begun detailing the black Gullwing, enhancing its already stunning original black paint to a like-new luster. The bill of sale revealed he paid $4,750. Given my $3,500 purchase, I jokingly considered myself the shrewder negotiator!
As it turned out, he derived immense pleasure from his Gullwing. While I was immersed in medical studies, he dedicated himself to maintaining and showcasing his Mercedes. As seen in this photograph, he proudly won first prize at the 1971 New Hope Auto Show.
Beyond the car itself, his beaming face in the winner’s circle is truly memorable! Both Gullwings remain prized exhibits at the Simeone Museum to this day, testaments to a remarkable era of Mercedes-Benz and classic car collecting in 1970.
Adjusting for inflation, $3,500 in 1970 equates to roughly $21,000 today, while $4,750 is approximately $28,000 in today’s US dollars.
