duaneiac Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 I am not an automotive enthusiast by any means, but the photos accompanying this article about Ella Fitzgerald's 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300D Cabriolet sure had me "oooooh"ing and "ahhhhh"ing. Wow! Beautiful car, now up for sale if you are interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 For some reason this reminded me of Jon Voight's Chrysler LeBaron convertible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Mileage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 57 minutes ago, JSngry said: Mileage? The article says 90,000. That is truly a gorgeous vehicle but it ain't worth $500,000 when you add in dealer prep and CA taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 60+ years old and only 90K miles....wow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) Beautiful car but I wouldn't want to drive it. I've become very spoiled. Today's cars drive much better than these older vehicles. You need to take off your rose-colored glasses if you buy a vintage car like this. It won't be as fun to drive as you might think. Edited November 17, 2020 by bresna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonnymax Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Well I am guessing any potential buyer gets to test drive it. Didn't they have power-assist steering by then? Are lap belts legal if that's all they had back then? I have to assume so ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Drive it? Like out on the highway? Why? Drive it to a party or some special occasion, period. A wedding maybe. Drive it in the parade on International Ella Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 6 minutes ago, JSngry said: Drive it? Like out on the highway? Why? Drive it to a party or some special occasion, period. A wedding maybe. Drive it in the parade on International Ella Day. Well I see plenty of cars around this vintage that people take out on sunny weekends. That's a lot of money to keep it garaged or under a cover. What gets me is that as I get older "antique" car plates go on vehicles that were kinda pieces of shit when they were new. If you have a Pacer that runs, can you get antique plates for it now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Anyway back in the days the guys who designed and built that Mercedes Benz, were the same guys who designed and built the cars that ReichMarshalls' chaffeurs drove on war fronts, for sure is an indestructibile piece of mechanics that should last for 1000 years like the Reich, so 60 years old? It's still a baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 4 minutes ago, porcy62 said: Anyway back in the days the guys who designed and built that Mercedes Benz, were the same guys who designed and built the cars that ReichMarshalls' chaffeurs drove on war fronts, for sure is an indestructibile piece of mechanics that should last for 1000 years like the Reich, so 60 years old? It's still a baby. Things still need to be replaced , even if the vehicle is in a climate-controlled garage and not driven - all kinds of rubber hoses, rubber gaskets, fluids, insulation, etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Dmitry said: Things still need to be replaced , even if the vehicle is in a climate-controlled garage and not driven - all kinds of rubber hoses, rubber gaskets, fluids, insulation, etc.. Of course, I was joking. I have had few old bikes (BMW) in my life and I know what a pain was to keep them in order, and a motorbike has lots of parts less then a car. Edited November 17, 2020 by porcy62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 26 minutes ago, Dmitry said: Things still need to be replaced , even if the vehicle is in a climate-controlled garage and not driven - all kinds of rubber hoses, rubber gaskets, fluids, insulation, etc.. https://scottgrundfor.com/for-sale-the-ella-fitzgerald-1959-mercedes-benz-300-d-cabriolet/?fbclid=IwAR2XC2nZ9scczRt9LXL3jyE1mXGG8brAxXosSliZBm5nLGLSC8I4coMInSw Looks like that's all been taken care of: The Ella Fitzgerald 300 D was acquired in 2016 by the current owner, an internationally based collector with a taste for history and historical relevance in his stable of exceptional cars spanning many marques. Since purchasing the car, the current owner has seen fit to treat it to dutiful preservation care while in the collection and, equally important, it has been given the very best in expert mechanical maintenance attention, affording this incredibly significant historical artifact continued life as an at-the-ready driver when it is called to use. A comprehensive, “bow-to-stern” mechanical sorting of the car was undertaken by Mercedes-Benz expert mechanic Rene Luteraan of Van Nuys Sports Cars, with receipts totaling a robust $40,000, resulting in a precise “as original” driving experience to match the cosmetic beauty, powerful presence and historical gravitas possessed by the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Historical gravitas...shit, they are trying to milk this for every pfennig. I think it's stem to stern, not bow to stern... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 2 minutes ago, Dmitry said: Historical gravitas...shit, they are trying to milk this for every pfennig. I think it's stem to stern, not bow to stern... $40,000 added to the price for verifying its bona fides. I guess that's the cost of doing business. And I think you re right, stem to stern except it ain't a g-damn boat anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Dan Gould said: Well I see plenty of cars around this vintage that people take out on sunny weekends. That's a lot of money to keep it garaged or under a cover. What gets me is that as I get older "antique" car plates go on vehicles that were kinda pieces of shit when they were new. If you have a Pacer that runs, can you get antique plates for it now? Yep. As long as it's old enough, it doesn't matter what it is. (Not sure whether it's 20 or 25 years.) Like you, I've seen plenty of ratty old junkers with those tags. It makes me laugh. 1 hour ago, JSngry said: Drive it? Like out on the highway? Why? Drive it to a party or some special occasion, period. A wedding maybe. Drive it in the parade on International Ella Day. I want to watch the International Ella Day parade. Sounds more fun than the Macy's parade. Edited November 17, 2020 by HutchFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 42 minutes ago, JSngry said: https://scottgrundfor.com/for-sale-the-ella-fitzgerald-1959-mercedes-benz-300-d-cabriolet/?fbclid=IwAR2XC2nZ9scczRt9LXL3jyE1mXGG8brAxXosSliZBm5nLGLSC8I4coMInSw Looks like that's all been taken care of: The Ella Fitzgerald 300 D was acquired in 2016 by the current owner, an internationally based collector with a taste for history and historical relevance in his stable of exceptional cars spanning many marques. Since purchasing the car, the current owner has seen fit to treat it to dutiful preservation care while in the collection and, equally important, it has been given the very best in expert mechanical maintenance attention, affording this incredibly significant historical artifact continued life as an at-the-ready driver when it is called to use. A comprehensive, “bow-to-stern” mechanical sorting of the car was undertaken by Mercedes-Benz expert mechanic Rene Luteraan of Van Nuys Sports Cars, with receipts totaling a robust $40,000, resulting in a precise “as original” driving experience to match the cosmetic beauty, powerful presence and historical gravitas possessed by the car. It's certainly not a daily driver, but this car was meant to be driven, so I hope the future owner will not just garage it. One like this (minus Ella as previous owner) sold at a Mecum auction in 2018 for $245k. It looks like Grundfor has this on consignment, so it will likely be headed to auction. I've seen some crazy shit with cars because of owner history. I wonder if the fact Ella owned the car for 37 years, coupled with low original miles will make all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Yep. Provenance is a HUGE factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonnymax Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 51 minutes ago, Dmitry said: I think it's stem to stern, not bow to stern... Where I come from, the phrase is "from stem to stern". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted November 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 I first became aware of this article about the Ellamobile from a post on the online Songbirds group. One of the members of that group is James W. (Jim) Blackman who knew Ella and who shared these memories about this car: Ella loved this car and she considered it to be her main car. In 1979 or so Norman Granz came over and told Ella to go outside to see her Christmas present which was a 1980 Rolls Royce. When she looked at it she told Norman but I already have a car. They were only so many cabriolets made that year and Ella told me Dean Martin had one. He told Ella that he was sorry he had gotten rid of his -- he wished he had kept it. Every Saturday Chester, her driver, would drive her around Beverly Hills and shed always want to go to Santa Monica to look at the houses. I went with her one time and she would look at a house and say oh I’d like to buy that and I’d tell her that that she really had a nice house and she said she just loved to look at houses and was just having fun. We were going down Sunset one day and a car next to hers honked and Chester opened his window and the driver wanted to know the history of the car. He didn’t notice who was in the passenger seat which I thought was kind of funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Dan Gould said: Well I am guessing any potential buyer gets to test drive it. Didn't they have power-assist steering by then? Are lap belts legal if that's all they had back then? I have to assume so ... The specs for the 300D says that it has 4 wheel drum brakes - hydraulic but not power assisted. Oh fun. You probably have to stand on the brake pedal with both feet to stop that heavy car quickly. I know, I had a car like that. Although power steering was an option, the dealer listing on Ella's car doesn't mention it so I assume it doesn't have that either. That's not a problem when you're moving along the road, but almost a necessity in a parking lot. I haven't had to drive a vehicle without power steering in a long time but I do remember how tough it was at slow speeds. And there are no seat belts visible in any of the pictures. My 1965 Chevy Impala did not have them but they were optional by then. No idea if they were available in 1959. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 6 minutes ago, bresna said: The specs for the 300D says that it has 4 wheel drum brakes - hydraulic but not power assisted. Oh fun. You probably have to stand on the brake pedal with both feet to stop that heavy car quickly. I know, I had a car like that. Although power steering was an option, the dealer listing on Ella's car doesn't mention it so I assume it doesn't have that either. That's not a problem when you're moving along the road, but almost a necessity in a parking lot. I haven't had to drive a vehicle without power steering in a long time but I do remember how tough it was at slow speeds. And there are no seat belts visible in any of the pictures. My 1965 Chevy Impala did not have them but they were optional by then. No idea if they were available in 1959. Hey, you just need to find Chester. Problems solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) 8 minutes ago, JSngry said: Hey, you just need to find Chester. Problems solved. Or buy a new convertible that you can enjoy driving yourself. Look - and it's $350,000 cheaper. Edited November 17, 2020 by bresna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted November 17, 2020 Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 It's got an FM radio! I'm pretty sure the steering is hydraulic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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