<<<...look for the 1963 film 'The Prize'..... Near the end of the film, Paul Newman, Elke Sommer and Edward G. Robinson escape from their would-be Communist captors by being winched out of the Fintail-filled hold of a German freighter..... Elke instruct Paul on how to start and column-shift that Diesel while he's laying on top of her on the car floor.>>>

Hell yes, thats worth repeating - just in case somebody searches archives: Movies .... Films.... at this forum.

Can also recommend the Alfred Hitchcok flick "Charades" where wide eyed lovely Audrey Hepburn keeps checkin the mirror of her 113 230SL with irresistable doe-in-headlights look while she being followed by secret agents.

...may have been in the 1962 Billy Wilder film "One Two Three," set in cold war Berlin, in which a Pepsi executive (James Cagney) was driven about in a 300 Adenauer limosine...several high speed comic chases with the stately 300 exhibiting very undignified body roll.

Film also showcased Pamela Tiffin, a period hottie, and Horst Bucholz, the one of the Magnificent Seven whose name nobody can remember.

The 1960 film 'Butterfield 8' ends with Lawrence Harvey, driving a 300d 'Adenauer' persuing Liz Taylor's Sunbeam Alpine until she drives off a cliff. Liz's performance won the Oscar.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

The now all-but-invisible Buick was once a "glamor" car...due to the product-placement efforts of West-Coast distributor Charles Howard in the '30s and '40s (he also owned Seabiscuit) Buicks were the preferred mode of gangsters in dozens of Warner Bros movies, many starring Humphrey Bogart (that's a '40 Buick convertible sedan he drives to the airport in "Casablanca"). The Duke of Windsor drove a pair of custom-built Roadmasters into exile. The last great Buick "gangster car" is the '40 Model 90 Limited that carries "The Turk" in the first Godfather movie. Of course, there's that Roadmaster that plays such an important part in "Rain Man."

Buick, like Mercedes, lost a lot of "bad boy" glamor in the postwar decades, and the exotics took over. Today the bad guy or good guy in any movie is more likely to drive a Hummer, a classic, or something else as today's cars become more utilitarian and lacking in any kind of "statement" they can make about a character's character. Both makes, and almost everything else, is just too bland.

Yet another movie, this time a gangster movie w/ Robert DeNiro (one of the umpteen millions) set in the sixties in New York, had a lot of sweet Detroit Steel in it. Especially abundant were Cadillacs. The choice of the high roller gangsters of that era/area.

__________________
63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

Joshhol,
Sounds like the 1990 Martin Scorsese gangster epic 'Goodfellas', co-starring Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino and Joe Pesci. A friend gave me a full size 'Goodfellas' movie theater poster that he found in a vacant house he was working on.
Might be worth something.

Speaking of postwar Buicks, I like the razor-edge styling of the early-mid '60s
Electras, but my favorite is the first generation '60s Riviera coupe. Those look especially sinister in black!

And speaking of bland styling, I'd rather have a bland looking car in my driveway than one of the current crop of hideous 'Bizzarro'
cars. The newest Caddy and Rolls look like some designer crossed them with a Hummer!

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

I looked it up, as I should have.
Actually it was a 1993 film called "A Bronx Tale" (not cheer),
DeNiro's directorial debut. Chazz Palminteri co-starred, Joe Pesci was in the flick.
Anyway, it really looked like it was filmed 30 years ago, they must have done it in Technicolor or something. Where did they get all those Caddys, Chevys and others?
How different American cars were back then.

Speaking of the hideous 'Bizarro' looking cars, those 'trend' cars will be seriously unfashionable in short order. Maybe they'll make a comeback in 25 years as collectibles

__________________
63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

Speaking of future collectables, I wonder how todays automobiles, with their multi/mega-computer systems, will fare when they're 25 (or 40) years old. Unless some future wealthy enthusiasts start up some sort of cottage industry, maybe in China, to reproduce the various modules, ECMs, sensors and control units found in todays cars, future collector cars may be suitable for display only. And, even if parts can be found, who will be able to diagnose and repair future 'vintage' automobiles?
I have friends that are finding it nearly impossible, today, to get the electronic systems on their 8 or 10 year old cars repaired, even at the dealer.

A neighbor, who works at a body shop, brought home a mid '90s Mercedes S class after his shop lost it's storage lot to redevelopement.
It's been sitting in his driveway for a month because it won't start. He thinks something electronic - antitheft or fuel pump module - has died. Unfortunately these days, things like fuel pump modules can cost several hundred dollars and aren't returnable, so it's no easy thing to just pop in a new one and see what happens. Meanwhile, Miss Daisy just keeps happily plugging along (but safe in my driveway this week, until the next rainstorm washes the salt away).

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

Mark's comment is so valid. Rather than taking my wife's, out of warranty 98 into a dealer for some work, I took it to a reputable shop that specialized in that manufacturer. He apologized for not being able to help me because he only worked on the non-computerized models. His reasoning was that his small shop couldn't afford the quarter of a million dollar investment required for the diagnostic equipment to service all of the different computer systems of the newer models. I asked him what my options were? His answer was that, in most cases now, you are committed to the new car dealer with his $80+ hourly labor fee. In addition, car companies are not required to manufacture replacement parts for more than ten years past the model year. After that time, our hi tech cars with all the bells and whistles and multiple circuit boards will become garage queens if one develops a crack. Who is going to invest the money to duplicate a mother board and software to match one particular cars options? I guess will just have to scavange the junk yards to find an exact duplicate of our car and hope its circuit boards are good for another couple of years and then what? I'll bet I'll still be driving my non-computerized engine, brakes, transmission, driveline, enviormental controled 1963 220SEb!

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Gregg:
http://photobucket.com/albums/d142/GBambo/

These big convertibles are my favorite postwar cars. And some of the nicest things about them are their simplicity, the level of their engineering, materials, and refined construction. Like my '40 Packard convertible sedan, it can be kept running almost perpetually, problems figured out, parts obtained at reasonable cost...and you can carry three friends for a fresh-air spin!

I've been thinking about it, maybe it will be easier to get parts for a 60's Benz in 15 years than it will be to get parts for the recent wave of circuit infested money pits. Based on what you guys were saying about parts PRICES for the fiddly bits and that manufacturers wont make them after 10 years. Not to mention that diagnostic tools will not be out there for the cars made in this period. However, diagnosing a 60's car will always be about fundamental automotive know how.

Also, that old Benz's are generally accepted as collectible, so there is a place for them neccesitating the need for spare parts.
There is some worry about Benz scrapping the Classic division as they possibly face large losses in the wake of their declining quality problems and apparent mismanagement. (Proliferation of MORE trouble prone models instead of narrowing the focus and improving existing products) among other things. This is a scary thought. But I wonder, what amount of overhead could it be to run such a division? Surely it wouldn't take much to keep what's already in place. I sure hope so.

What do you guys think?

__________________
63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

I've enjoyed that Mercedes is one of the last marques that still makes parts availible for the old ones but I often wonder, with todays marketing and cost cutting trends and the Chrysler merger, how long that will continue. In another 15 years, I'm not so sure about it being easier to get parts for one of our vintage cars but it will still be easier for an experienced DIY owner to keep one going than an aging computer-chip car.

Unfortunately, many mechanically unskilled vintage car owners, are today finding themselves between a rock and a hard place, as fewer mainstream repair shops have the skills or are willing to deal with such ancient automotive arts as carburetors, point ignitions, drum brakes and generators.
The pair of ancient 'defective' Solex carburetors that several repair shops wanted to replace for Miss Daisy's original owner, are still working fine for me.
Personally, I'd rather revive an antique carburetor than to try and coax an ancient and neglected fuel injection system back to life. (Been there & done that!).

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

'Designer cars' is the best way to describe the current crop..... same as fashion designer blue jeans with fancy zipper pockets or detailed stitching that sets them apart. Yep, available bells and whistles have gone over the top........ saw an S-class sedan that even had electrically remote adjustable rear view mirror for those who dont like to adjust the inside mirror above the windshield with their hand.

The real question is whether or not gimmicks and gadgets will interfere with classic value - or will these gizmos define classic appeal..... like the '63 Ford Gallaxy equipped with electrically retractable rear window.

Btw, Car and Driver magazine recently ran comparison test between the new C230 and almost identical Hyundai product..... each priced competitively in the mid-$20G's..... whata bummer to read.

I recall a luxury car road test from
several years ago in one of the auto mags - Car & Driver I think. They tested a Mercedes, Jaguar, Lexus and Infinty. I recall the writer lamenting that of all the cars tested, the Mercedes still required that (Horrors!) one had to actually use the key to unlock the car! Of course all the other cars had one of those little key-ring transmitters.

I think I heard a quote from a Mercedes spokesman who, sometime in the '50s was asked why Mercedes didn't offer power windows like Cadillac or Lincoln. The response was "If you can't operate the windows, you shouldn't be driving!". (Don't know if that's true or one of those 'urban legends')

As to wether or not gadgets will enhance the value of future collector cars, I'd say probably not unless they're all still working. That electric window was probably a very rare option on a '63 Ford, but items like built-in GPS, power seats with three-way memory, On-Star and so many other gadgets are becoming standard on todays luxury cars and items once considered luxuries, like power windows, cruise control and electric mirrors, are common now on economy cars.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

Back to the original thread - I dug out my copy of the mid-80s British film 'The Hit'. The Mercedes getaway car appears to be an early Fintail 220S (No dash speaker grill and one scene with the hood open shows that it's carbureted) with Euro headlamps. It's cream colored, customized with added-on chrome body side moldings from a 300SE, 'salt & pepper' black and grey cloth upholstery and a FABRIC sunroof (I thought all the Fintail sunroofs were metal), plus 6 inch round foglamps.

Also through the magic of the VCR, I recently reveiwed 'Marathon Man' and the Fintail 220S in that movie had a simpler rear bumper tacked on, from a base model, 220 or 230.
Back in the mid-70s, we did the same to my Dad's $150 220SE. The chrome on his rear bumper was horrible, but we could only find a decent used one off a '66 230 (for $75!). It looked OK if you didn't know what the original was supposed to look like.

Yesterday, I drove Miss Daisy, and a friend, to lunch, When we left the restaurant, there was a tall, middle-aged gentleman smiling, pointing and shouting at my car. When I told him it was my car and asked him why he was so excited, he shook my hand and said he used to own one many years ago when he lived in Germany. He was just so happy, after so many years, to see another one. One of those things that makes owning a Fintail, fun.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW