Ex Shah of Iran - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mamali · #1 02-20-2007, 10:16 PM

29 Years later and in the hands of a different Government. Most have been stolen these are some of the ones ramaining.

mamali · #2 02-20-2007, 10:24 PM

A few more cars

mamali · #3 02-20-2007, 10:29 PM

A few More

kerry · #4 02-20-2007, 10:40 PM

With thanks to Mr. Roosevelt.

mamali · #5 02-20-2007, 10:50 PM

Few More these are just stored.

t walgamuth · #6 02-20-2007, 11:29 PM

good looking cars. what is the gold exotic looking one?

i like the green fendered mercedes best. kindof looks like it might be a french body on it.

and i like the 53 studie coupe! he had good taste.

tom w

LaRondo · #7 02-20-2007, 11:49 PM

That Studebaker looks like a 'Golden Hawk'. A few made together with Packard.
I get dizzy when I see that 600 Landau.
They made a 300SEL 6.3 Landau for one of the Popes, the chauffeurs would open it, so he could stand up and step out of the vehicle.
The 'gold exotic' looks like an Italian animal, late 60's early 70's, maybe a Lamborghini Espada.

Actually not, the lights don't match:

cmac2012 · #8 02-21-2007, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

With thanks to Mr. Roosevelt.

Yup. They put that meek, timid, modest talent up on the peacock throne and we had our way with that country for 25 years -- best I can tell.

Jim B. · #9 02-21-2007, 01:57 AM

That looks like a Hooper bodied Rolls Royce in there. Tom W would know what year the Studebaker is, looks like a '53 to me but I'm sure it's not any Hawk, those came a few years after that.

The Landaulet is really rare, one of just 59 were produced.

I had heard about this collection but knew nothing about it. It's good to know that some of them were saved.

Just think, if Iran gets bombed, that collection could be lost. Sadaam had a good collection of cars too of which many were looted by Iraqis, crushed by US tanks or simply disappeared in the confusion surrounding the liberation of Baghdad.

http://www.caranddriver.com/carnews/8426/saddam-car-guy.html

t walgamuth · #10 02-21-2007, 05:45 AM

it is a 53 or 54. a lot less 54s were made so likely a 53. they were the basis for the hawks that followed. same basic car with mercedes style grill and fiberglass fins stuck on the back. it used the actual 53 rear fenders. all the basic metal of the body is the same.

yeah, i know a lot of misc. studie stuff. grew up in south bend. dad granddad and uncle worked at studie factory. dad owned a 53 almost identical to the one in the pic. i rode many miles sitting on the arm rest in the back seat (gives you an idea of my age and size). dad's was a fairly rare hardtop with v8. studies were fairly quick in their day. the little coupe with the six only weighed about 2800#. with the 920# v8 it weighed about 3300#. they would move out. and run about 110 top end. but with the speedo error that was typical for the era probably actually 100.

i just looked again at the pic. the bright trim under the gas door would not have been stock for a 53. could be an accessory or this could be an export model which might have some differences. the s with circle on the side of the car would mean a six cyl engine here but this car could be even built in 55 for example if the exports happended to be assembled from old parts... which would not surprise. but if it were a us model it would be probably a 54 from the wide trim piece that is on the trunk for lifting the trunk.

it is actually a pretty clean looking rust free car. i wouldn't mind having it. are the cars for sale?

so thinking of it as a hawk is not far off. if you had the parts you could actually make it into a hawk.

interesting pictures, thanks for sharing.

displaying the cars up on jackstands kindof sucks though with the car way up in the air and the wheels hanging down. is it a museum? where is it?

tom w

Jim B. · #11 02-21-2007, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

are the cars for sale?

is it a museum? where is it?

tom w

The museum is about 20km outside of Tehran. A place called Karaj. There are a lot of Rolls Royces and Mercedes cars in there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Car_Museum_of_Iran

The Iranian mullahs won't sell any of the cars, though that 500K that Hitler supposedly rode in (it looks like a one-off body) got an offer for $3,000,000.

They learned their lesson after that Bugatti 57C was sold out of the Shah's collection.

Jim B. · #12 02-21-2007, 06:55 AM

Also, did you know even *after* 1979 and the Iranian revolution, GM Cars
(the Buick Skylark/Chev. Nova '75-'79, Cadillac Seville '75-'79) continued to be assembled there for several more years until Khomeini zapped them in the mid '80s and it was over.

Here is someone in Teheran who owns a "1981" model Iranian assembled Seville.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/524367

A 1979 Iranian assembled Skylark:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2514883

more: Skylark, Nova, Camaros (in Iran)

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/675280/5
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2284576
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2084492
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/697807

Caprice, Pontiac Trans AM in Iran,

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2170566
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2316983

'66 Olds Toronado in Teheran
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2489334

'82 Buick Park Avenue in Iran
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/300767

I had seen some of these cars, and Buick Regals and Chevy Blazers of this area in some Iranian films at the film festivals in the SF bay area and was surprised about these cars existing there.

Kuan · #13 02-21-2007, 07:15 AM

Ah, to be born with a silver spoon in your... I mean, a Silver Spirit in your garage.

BENZ-LGB · #14 02-21-2007, 07:29 AM

Wasn't the Shah of Iran responsible for the creation of the G-wagen?

Eventually, the decisive factor to produce this car (the G-Wagen) was the Shah of Persia’s interest in the project in the mid-seventies. This then very important shareholder of Mercedes-Benz-ordered 20,000 units for the (then) Iranian Imperial Army. When the project finally had become reality the order was cancelled by the meanwhile governing leaders of the Islamic republic.

For more info on the G-Wagen:

http://mercedesgwagen.galeon.com/

I did not mean to hijack the thread. I was just surprised to learn that the Shah was, at one point, Benz's largest, single stockholder. Go figure.

mamali · #15 02-21-2007, 09:01 AM

They stopped selling the confiscated cars unless you know someone. A friend about 10 years ago managed to buy a 1973 Ferrari Daytona with 3K Km on it for less than 10K. Also a 300SL Roadster for about 15K. Sent both to Germany and made a killing. The Frerrari had a interesting story. In 1979 the owner was arrested and executed. The house and other property was taken over by the State. One day the people that live in the house (Usually poor people) after 20 years noticed a wall at the end of the garage that should not be there. They destroyed a piece of the wall and discovered the car sitting there for 20 years covered up.