THE EARLY MERCEDES 170V
THE 4-DOOR EXPORT MODEL
(1936-38)
Yes, there was a 170V export model! The modified features are minimal but nonetheless significative for the restorer. With them Daimler-Benz A.G. probably tried to satisfy foreign regulatory requirements (but not only that). It is ironic that we sometimes see before & after pictures of non-German 170V cars the owners of which have unknowingly replaced rare original elements of their cars by much commoner German counterparts.
The most relevant features were originally identified by Carlos Fonseca (of S.Pedro da Cova, Portugal) through his own car (of May 1937 vintage, seen above at left) and other similarly old Portuguese 170Vs, and confirmed by me through contemporary pictures. They are:
- the front bumpers are straight, with characteristic escutcheons; rear bumpers are similar;
- the plate is mounted laterally with a stop/illumination light mounted above;
- the head lights are chrome-finished (the body is painted with only the rim chromed in German cars).
| below: Hungarian 170V in a ca 1941 photo |
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below: unrestored Swedish 170V |
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| below: Carlos Fonseca's 1937 4-door showing the front and rear bumpers and the back plate support and light. His original plate light was an oval Bosch issue, almost identical with the Hella replacement seen in the pictures below. Other non-German cars seen use either a round tail light or an oval one- rarely two similar ligths are used right and left but maybe the second light was not a standard issue. My car has the same bumpers (seen in the banner on top of this page), is missing the lateral plate holder and light and has chromed headlights. Carlos' car had also the original chromed headlights but he decided to paint them, as in German cars, for aesthetical reasons. |
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A gallery of export
cars from several countries
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| Portugal (a late 1930s-40s picture- notice the chauffeur in typical period attire- the bumper and plate light are clearly visible): |
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| Switzerland (at a meeting- notice the bumper, plate holder and chromed headlight): |
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| Sweden (a restored 1939 model- notice the symetrical oval back lights) : |
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| Great Britain (image from "The Motor" of Nov 22, 1938- besides the bumpers, plate light and chromed headlights, the car has lights on fenders): |
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2007-May-05