A 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is headed to an RM Sotheby’s public sale subsequent month in Phoenix, Arizona. It is being provided up from a group generally known as the Open-Touring Collection, and is scheduled to go below the hammer on Jan. 25.
The 1938 540K, which bears chassis quantity 408338, was initially bought with a Cabriolet B physique, which meant it shared many options, together with a chassis, drivetrain, lights, wire wheels, and instrumentation, with the extra fascinating Special Roadster cars which totaled round 60 models solely.
This impressed one proprietor to change the physique to the Special Roadster after the unique Cabriolet B physique got here right into a state of disrepair.
The new physique was constructed by metalworker and coachbuilder Cass Nawrocki of Moose Lake, Minnesota, and took round two years to full. Nawrocki had already rebodied an unique 540K Special Roadster throughout a earlier restoration job, and had the patterns and jigs to create one other physique, in addition to a set of rusted unique fenders, doorways, and numerous different physique panels to use as a reference.
With the physique full, it was up to Portland, Oregon-based Mercedes restorer Jim Friswold to rebuild the automotive. According to the itemizing, no expense was spared for the rebuild which took a further three years to full.
There had been a complete of 9 physique kinds initially provided by Mercedes for the 540K. Production of the 540K along with the associated 500K was dealt with at Mercedes’ Untertürkheim plant close to Stuttgart, Germany, between 1934 and 1939. A complete of 760 chassis had been constructed, with 406 of those being the 540K powered by the supercharged 5.4-liter inline-8. The engine delivers an estimated 180 hp and is mated to a 4-speed handbook transmission.
The estimate for this 1938 instance is between $1.75 million and $2.25 million.
HIGH-RES GALLERY: 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster bearing chassis no. 408338 – Photo credit: RM Sotheby’s
This article was initially printed by Motor Authority, an editorial companion of ClassicCars.com
