A dab of vintage oppo| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/6/12 1:06 p.m.

Do you guys get over to the Classic Motorsports side very much? It's not just concours and auctions: we do retarded things over there too. Like rallycrossing a 45-year-old Mercedes. If you're not familiar with our Fintail Benz project, now's a good time to check it out. It's not very powerful, but it's quirky, crazy fun.

I still haven't figured out the HVAC controls in that thing. There are so many levers, none of them are marked, and that doesn't even count the under-dash A/C. I always end up driving with the heat on and the windows open.

http://classicmotorsports.net/project-cars/1966-mercedes-benz-230s/mercedes-rallycross-debut/

mazdeuce New Reader
3/6/12 1:11 p.m.

I love you.

Stealthtercel HalfDork
3/6/12 1:13 p.m.

Couldn't you get a copy of a period Owner's Manual and try to decipher it? There must be SOMETHING out there in Internet-land. Heck, someone on here probably has two copies in his garage right now, one in English, one in German.

Or maybe M-B would reproduce one for you, the way they will reputedly (for a price) come up with any part needed to repair any vehicle they ever built.

oldtin SuperDork
3/6/12 1:16 p.m.

Dig the fintail - oozes cool

Something about the shelby rubs me wrong - the stickers are verging on fake patina - it has plenty of real. Makes it seem like it's trying to represent something it isn't.

Marjorie Suddard General Manager
3/6/12 3:40 p.m.

I agree about the stickers--in a perfect world, the car could be a pure example of patina--but the reality is that we're also a commercial venture, and when Ford Racing offers to put your car in their booth at a major show, you'd be an idiot not to at least be sure it has your name on it. So we went for the Classic stickers and had a little fun with the others while we were at it.

Margie

mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/6/12 4:31 p.m.

looks like fun with the MB

iceracer SuperDork
3/6/12 5:02 p.m.

We had a similar one run an ice race with us.

Streetwiseguy SuperDork
3/6/12 6:49 p.m.

I really wouldn't bother trying to figure out the heater controls. Nobody, anywhere, ever has figured out what they do. German, you know.

Its a bit like trying to pick up the Martian stations on the old Becker radios they used. I figure they must have been Martian, because they never seem to pick anything up around here...

Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/7/12 8:49 a.m.

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

Glad I'm not the only one completely baffled by the thing. But hey, the loud pedal and shift lever are in the right places. That's all that matters, right?

mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/7/12 8:55 a.m.

I can only suggest moving one lever at a time until the heat goes away...