Last weekend my wife went off to the grocery store while I worked on some writing I had to get done. Just a bit after she left, I received a text message that she had “seen some weird old cars” that I might like. The next message was “Mercedes Camper van?”. That’s when I got excited. She was already most of the way to the store, so of course I asked if she would stop on her way back home to snap a few more photos. Then it got even better.
Parked innocuously on the side of the road, this giant Merc window bus is ready for some action. This thing would make an excellent retirement vehicle, cruising the back roads and interstates of North and Central America. What’s not to like? The thing appears to be in driving condition, though the rock behind the rear wheel worries me. No parking brake? Maybe it’s just a safety precaution. That’s a lot of truck/van/car after all. You wouldn’t want it rolling into your house.
Nice Plates…
Oh yeah, it’s for sale. No price listed, though.
That was when things got really exciting, because Wifey sends me another message that says “What’s a DKW?” I don’t know why, but I love these little things. The styling is unique, the look is all its own. Weird little German runabout from the good old days of unambiguous car design. These days most cars look like most other cars, but in the era of the DKW 3=6, car design was a statement.
This one was also for sale, and what do you know, it’s got a tow dolly on the front. Hmm. I wonder if the Mercedes wouldn’t have enough guts to tote this thing around? That’d be an interesting duo to drive.
[All photos ©2015 Hooniverse/Amanda N. Korendyke, All Rights Reserved.]
Vehicles My Wife Saw: Mercedes Benz O 319D and DKW F91 Coupe
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I just have no words. I remember seeing a Mercedes O-van at a marina in South Texas when I was about six years old. Of course I had no idea what it was at the time, being surrounded by Chevies, Fords, and Dodges, with the occasional VW Beetle or Renault Dauphine. I immediately purchased the Matchbox version to get a better look. Never seen one in real life. My wife always says “I saw an interesting car today.” then I say “Oh, what was it?” and she says “It was red. And it was an old car.” Love you, sweetie. Thanks!
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O-van and DKW 3=6. with four rings. I still can’t even comprehend this. I’m very tempted to drive to Nevada, actually.
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Couldn’t believe it myself.
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Speaking from experience, towing would be a lot less stressful if the attachment points for that Deek’s A-frame were farther apart. I need to redo mine farther outward. Again.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2828/9936422986_08df147532.jpg-
A bit wobbly?
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No, quite literally higher stress, particularly during low-speed sharp turns. Imagine the limiting case of trying to force the steering to turn via just a single attachment point at the center, as opposed to using two points, one near each edge.
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Hmmm, maybe buy a trailer…. 🙂
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I don’t see how that would help. I already own two trailers but the SAAB’s A-frame points are still too close together.
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Because you can just put the vehicles on a trailer and not worry about the A-frame or anything else being attached to the vehicle itself. You know, the way most vehicles are towed. On a trailer.
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Sweet rides Bradley. You married well young man.
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I don’t know anything about either of these except that now I need one or both!
Anyone know what that vertical pipe sticking out of the right side of the Benz bus is – exhaust? fuel filler? blinker fluid intake?-
Looks like the pipe used to put heating oil into basement tanks round these parts.. Maybe it’s used for the same thing.
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Huh, I didn’t realize these things were so big they had basements!
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That Mercedes is beautiful
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My wife grew up with a camper-converted O319B, not quite as long as this one. The B stood for Benzin, the slightly more powerful choice over the diesel. Only in a relative sense… They put tens of thousands of miles on it all over the US, never faster than 55 downhill and about 15 uphill, on that 1.8 liter car engine.
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There is apparently one for sale, in considerably worse condition.
http://slo.craigslist.org/cto/5166809509.html
http://images.craigslist.org/00n0n_4GBiWnRqCUF_600x450.jpg
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