[G43 Collector]

Hello,
I recently purchased two cars from a faimly of a deceased vet. The cars are a 1937 Mercedes Benz and a 1937 Greif junior. The faimly has very little info concerning them other than they thought they where brought back after the war. The Mercedes was last registered in 1952. They have been sitting in a hay mound as long as any of the faimly can remember. Has anyone else evere heard of cars being brought home returning soldiers? I will be picking them up in the next couple of weeks and will post pictures. When driving in the countryside you never know what is in some of these old barns.

Thanks
David

 

[gremlin1945]

If they've been sitting outside,especially on top of a hay mound,which is a sponge for water accumulation,you probably bought a
bonanza of iron oxide.At best the Mercedes might yield a bunch of resellable parts.The Greif Jr. could be a money maker too,if you can find buyers.

Stower-Greif Jr 1936-40. Stoewer Greif Junior-It would make a cool street rod
The Mercedes can be one of a bunch made in 1937.-

 

[Turbo Archie]

I would think you would have to be up the food chain to get those home..


..

 

[geladen]

There were some brought back. I remember a 2 door Mercedes with looooong hood in Corpus Christi, TX, around 1963. Don't know the story, it was parked on the street for a long while in front of a rather small house with no garage. It had the German plates under the Texas plates. Model year would be around 1937.

I sure did want it.

 

[limpetmine]

Buy the car, not the story.........:laugh:

 

[USMCsean]

I have to see these....

 

[G43 Collector]

Hello
I did buy the cars and not the story!

The Mercedes is a 170H, It has some of Porches engineering it and was meant to compete with the VW. It looks very much like a VW. Both cars are in really good shape with straight rust free bodies and floors. Some of the glass has seen the wrong end of a bb gun but other than that pretty decent.

Thanks
David

 

[G43 Collector]

Come on Sean, you think I can only find guns!

 

[Trenchwarfare]

They sound very cool. Look forward to seeing them. Anybody in the supply-side of equipment shipping could possibly ship vehicles home. All you had to do, is "grease" the right officer. Or, he WAS the right officer. With the magnitude of materiel going back and fourth, who knows what got shipped home.

 

[John Sukey In Memoriam]

Some years ago Herman Goering's mercedes was for sale in Switzerland. The advert ran "if you can't travel to Switzerland to see it, you can't afford it!"

 

[scotty1418]

Id think you'd want to get the engine mfg plate details and contact the manufacturer for more details. Usually you could get some information this way.

 

[gremlin1945]

Hello
I did buy the cars and not the story!

The Mercedes is a 170H, It has some of Porches engineering it and was meant to compete with the VW. It looks very much like a VW. Both cars are in really good shape with straight rust free bodies and floors. Some of the glass has seen the wrong end of a bb gun but other than that pretty decent.

Thanks
David

You're saying it was parked outside for years in a pile of hay and there's no rot on the chassis of either car?I would like to see pics.

This would be a cool street rod also.Kinda looks like a cross between a Fiat Toppolino and a 1948 Austin.
www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5842384337/

 

[boltactionsforever]

They have been sitting in a hay mound as long as any of the faimly can remember. Has anyone else evere heard of cars being brought home returning soldiers? I will be picking them up in the next couple of weeks and will post pictures. When driving in the countryside you never know what is in some of these old barns.

hope this helps with your image.


BAF

 

[Wapruf2]

I know of a Gotha police dept. motorcycle brought home by a vet at the end of the war; he was in Air Corps Intel and had a C47 at his disposal. He and his buddies loaded it up w goodies, flew into a secondary field in the Southeast via the Azores, set down, unloaded their stuff, and then flew on to official destination and went back for the goodies later. He also brought back an inflateable liferaft (gone by the time I ran into him).
As far as stuff in barns is concerned, years ago there was a rumor of a Panther Bergpanzer sitting behind a barn somewhere in NH but so far as I know nobody ever found it...

 

[gremlin1945]

They have been sitting in a hay mound as long as any of the faimly can remember. Has anyone else evere heard of cars being brought home returning soldiers? I will be picking them up in the next couple of weeks and will post pictures. When driving in the countryside you never know what is in some of these old barns.

hope this helps with your image.


BAF

I missed the last sentence about the barn.They are both cool cars and I wish the owner well and hope he can get them in running order.

 

[capricekid]

Back then, I am sure anything was possble. The rules were not quite as strict. No matter if they were brought back by a soldier or not they are cool old cars. I am not telling you what to do, but these are uncommon cars in the states. Please try not to make street rods out of them. I am sure an original collector or a re-enactor would love to return these to their former glory. In my personal opinion street rods generally just cut up and ruin historic cars. For common cars or really roached vehicles it is no big deal, but these do not sound like they are in poor conditon and certainly not common. Again, they are yours, but just an opinion.

Joe

 

[gremlin1945]

Back then, I am sure anything was possble. The rules were not quite as strict. No matter if they were brought back by a soldier or not they are cool old cars. I am not telling you what to do, but these are uncommon cars in the states. Please try not to make street rods out of them. I am sure an original collector or a re-enactor would love to return these to their former glory. In my personal opinion street rods generally just cut up and ruin historic cars. For common cars or really roached vehicles it is no big deal, but these do not sound like they are in poor conditon and certainly not common. Again, they are yours, but just an opinion.

Joe

You're right about not rodding a car in good condition.I saw a 1930 Rolls Royce on one of the TV auctions.It had a big block chevy and updated interior and mechanicals.The broadcaster said the car was a mess when found and that to bring it back would have not been cost effective.So at least it was saved from the crusher or being parted out.
Here's the 1937 Greif Jr.Looks like a cross between a Fiat Topolino and a 1948 Austin.
You have to follow the link to get to the pics.It's listed under German cars under Stoewer.
www.kfzderwehrmacht.de

 

[G43 Collector]

Capricekid,
No need to worry. They will both be restored to original condition with no expense spared. I have talked to the Grief museum in Germany and they are behind the Grief restoration 100% and will locate any parts I might need. Both are very low production cars that I doubt many servived the war. The Greif museum only knows of one car being exported to the United States and it was done in the late 30's for a test car. I have not contacted the Mercedes museum in Germany but will do so in the next few days. Will keep everybody posted and will put up some pics.

Thanks
David

 

[G43 Collector]

Gremlin,
Thanks for the link, some very interesting info.
Thanks
David

 

[gremlin1945]

Gremlin,
Thanks for the link, some very interesting info.
Thanks
David

Your welcomed.When you finish the resto maybe if you're near NJ you'll stop by and give me a ride.My project 1964 Rambler station wagon should be done hopefully and we can go for a cruise in it.:thumbsup: