We find one of the rarest right-hand-drive load carriers in Mercedes-Benz’s history, belonging to an owner who put in a lot of effort to get the car into this condition.
Words: Wilhelm Lutjeharms
Photos: Kian Eriksen
Three. That, according to Silverstone Auctions, is the number of 230 S Fintail Estates (W111) that were imported into the UK when they were new. During the firm’s classic auction in July of 2017 a very neat example of this rare station wagon was auctioned for a respectable £39 375 (R950 000). A while ago, we headed to George where one of these cars is part of a huge Mercedes-Benz collection.
History
Mercedes-Benz didn’t produce these cars itself. Although the chassis and drivetrain were obviously supplied by the Sindelfingen-based company, the car’s body was manufactured by IMA Mechelen of Belgium. At the conclusion of the assembly, a unique chassis plaque bearing the relevant details and IMA’s name at the top was affixed to the car. Incidentally, the company was also responsible for building other specialised vehicles (such as ambulances) based on the same chassis.
At the time there were four different engines on offer in the range, which was known as the Universal. The entry-level 200 (70 kW, 2.0-litre), the 200 D (40 kW, 2.0-litre diesel), the 230 (77 kW, 2.3-litre) and finally the 230 S (88 kW, 2.3-litre). The 230 S versions were only produced for three years from 1966 to 1968 and were 145 mm longer than the three other versions. Although not fitted to this model, Mercedes-Benz also offered a 60:40 split second row of seats – adding another level of practicality.
This 230 S Universal’s story is not straightforward. The owner realised it was a rare car when he came across its incomplete body; he felt compelled to buy it. However, at the time, the “car”, which he bought around 2003, only comprised the body, rear seats and their mechanisms, all of which are specific to the Estate.
The restoration project
This collector had tackled several extensive restoration projects before and he realised this one would not be any different; the car’s underpinnings, drivetrain and many interior components were missing and the body had a lot of rust.
“I mentioned to the collector who I bought the body from that I was looking for a dashboard for this car. When the car arrived, there were six Fintail dashboards in the car! I was able to use some of these dashboards in my other cars as well.”
He imported the body to South Africa and started searching for a Fintail sedan. He found a very neat donor car, which he stripped and used the scavenged parts to finish the Fintail Estate. Then he found another Fintail, which he used to finish building the donor car and eventually sold it. The result is that this Estate is now an automatic version, whereas W111 Estates came standard with a four-speed manual gearbox.
His plan was to paint the Estate Sea Foam White, but when he visited the paint shop for the first time, they had already painted the car beige, at least a period-correct Mercedes-Benz colour. Although the original colour was grey, the beige does portray the car in a much more stylish way than grey would have done.
W123 Estate owners may recognise the roof rails. The Universal was offered with roof rails (featuring eight feet that connect them to the roof gutters), but the ones on this car are from a W123. They may not be original, but they do befit the car.
“As expected, I had to research a number of specific details and features while I was restoring this car. Some of those were really simple things, such as the position of the aft number plate. It was also a challenge to source the tail light lenses,” he adds. “People tend to stare at this car as they don’t know this shape.”
Behind the wheel
Before I get behind the wheel, we pause to peruse and appreciate the exterior detailing of the Fintail Estate. The sheer road presence of his car is immediately noticeable. Even though there is much more bodywork and window surfaces around the rear compared with the sedan, the small fin tips are still pronounced – they’re reminders of the American influence on exterior design of this period.
As I discuss the car with its owner, I notice the interesting end piece of the single exhaust pipe, which has a triangular cut in its bottom half. Apparently this alteration was done to allow the exhaust gas to be blown down rather than straight out, the latter of which would potentially dirty the car’s bumper.
I open the tailgate to find that the hatch of this car still features its original hinges – impressive! In front of me is a wooden deck divided by hard rubber linings. There is an abundance of space – even with the second row in place. This second row can also fold down, should maximum utility space be required.
When you want to make use of the third row of seats (which faces rearwards), simply fold the rear bench’s backrest up, then the seat bottom up, and within seconds you have a seven seater. There are no seatbelts – but to view the world disappearing in your wake must be an astonishing way to travel. Even in the rear the interior is trimmed in carpet, while the spare wheel position is also visible.
At the front, the interior is presented as you would expect from a Fintail. There is a vertical instrument pod with a coloured bar that rises up as the car’s speed increases, but there is no rev counter. The latter adds to the relaxing nature of driving the car, as you can’t watch the revs rise or fall – you are encouraged to focus on the road ahead or join in the conversation with your passengers!
The rest of the cabin is fairly plain, but stylish. The two shades of brown leather trim perfectly complement one another and give the cabin a very warm aura. Meanwhile, the indicator stalk is located to the right of the steering column and the column shifter of the four-speed automatic to the left. The Fintail Estate’s seats are comfortable and I am availed a clear view of the road with the fenders behind each headlamp standing proud adjacent to the sides of the bonnet.
The transmission tunnel cuts the cabin for the front and second passenger rows in two, which unfortunately limits leg and feet space for the middle occupants. At the same time, the benches contribute to a very cosy cabin, especially compared to modern individual front seats and sometimes significantly sculpted rear seats.
Although not technically a bench, the large front seats are connected by a sizeable armrest and a similar-sized piece between them, which effectively creates a “full bench effect” at the front. Because of the large windows, you have a near 360-degree visibility from the cabin, which is not the case in modern ‘Benzes.
The engine has a lazy nature and picks up speed at a pedestrian pace – after all, the 230 S tips the scales at a claimed 1 520 kg, while the 2.3-litre engine is only rated at 88 kW at 5 400 rpm. If you’re going to load the car fully with passengers and cargo, you preferably shouldn’t be in any rush to reach your destination.
The power-assisted steering system, together with the larger diameter steering wheel, allow for super easy manoeuvring. Once on the move, minimal effort is needed to direct the car while there is notable body lean through corners.
The W111 Estate was fitted with Mercedes’s early air suspension system, which was developed to keep the car level even when loaded and is made up of a single-joint swing axle with a hydropneumatic-compensating spring and level control.
These estates also came with 15-inch wheels, larger than the standard 13- and 14-inch wheels fitted to the Fintail sedans. According to Mercedes’s brochure, the Estate could swallow 2.7 m3 and up to 650 kg when the second and third rows of seats were folded down – a copious amount of space for almost any situation.
Rather appropriately, the sales brochure illustrates the W111 in the vicinity of a stable, where horse riders could load/unload their riding gear, as well as parked next to the river, ostensibly from where it could tow a small boat trailer home.
Even if more than three W111 230 S Estates were imported to the UK, it remains one of the rarest Fintails. It is undoubtedly a car you want to share with people. Be it to transport detritus for a day at the beach or picnic baskets and a couple of blankets to enjoy an afternoon in the country – this Fintail will not disappoint.
Specifications
Model: Mercedes-Benz 230 S Universal (W111)
Engine: M180 VIII, 2.3-litre, six-cylinder petrol
Power: 88 kW at 5 400 rpm
Torque: 178 N.m at 4000 rpm
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, RWD
Weight: 1,520 kg
Top speed: 170 km/h
Years produced: 1966 – 1968