1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is For Sale

Giancarlo Perlas July 17, 2015

1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (1)

A 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster. (Photo by: Auctions America)

A 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is set to hit the auction block tomorrow (July 18, 2015) at the Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar in an event organized by Auctions America.

The 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is a very rare find. Only 25 units of the auto were made from 1936 to 1940. It was unveiled at the 1936 Paris Motor Show as one of the cars that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the invention of the first automobile by Carl Benz.

There’s a major catch in the car which will be offered in the auction block tomorrow though because it was not originally made as a 540K Special Roadster. Based on the auctioneer’s website, it was initially a Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet B.

The source claimed that the current owner acquired the roadster from a broker and collector of high-quality European cars in Los Angeles. It should be noted that the previous owner purchased the auto from Dr. George Bitgood, a veterinarian and renowned collector of prewar Mercedes cars that included Hermann Göring‘s Special Roadster called the Blue Goose.

According to Auctions America, the car was in a state of disrepair when it was purchased from Dr. Bitgood. So it was converted instead to a Special Roadster.

Cass Nawrocki, a legend when it comes to shaping metals, was chosen to mold the new body of the car in order to perfectly resemble the Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster. After that, it was taken to Jim Friswold, a well-known figure in Mercedes restoration, to complete the job. Despite the modifications, the stampings found on the engine bay and chassis of the car were retained.

The price of the car wasn’t officially released by the seller yet.