A gathering of the NQRFC Group (Not Quite Ready For Concours) at the Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance.
Ron playing in László's shop "I.P. Benz" in Mountain View, California. The shop was closed when László retired.
Photo: Jeff Miller / February, 1995
Ron with his 1961 W121 190b ponton with Webasto sliding sunroof. On the left, you can see his 1968 W110 Type 230 fintail sedan.
Interior of the 1961 190b. Note the Bakelite window surround and the wood dash top (typical of the Type 190 sedans) and the optional leather upholstery.
The proud Mercedes-Benz owner. This is a 1960 190b. Ron collects Mercedes like some people collect coins and stamps. Sheet metal (doors, hoods, bits and pieces) have been organized along the perimeter of his back yard. The blue wagon behind Ron is a Volvo Type 145.
Ron's bride Thoa in his 1958 220S cabriolet
Ron and Thoa in the wedding getaway car
Ron's 1958 220S cabriolet and Tom Shields' daughter's 220S sedan
Photo: Jeff Miller / April 1997
Ron's funky 1966 W110 230 "Universal"
The former owner was a surfer / beach bum.
UNIMOG present from Michael Smith
Ron's 1962 Type W111 220Sb
Ron's W124 300TE. There are still a few Mercedes (pontons, fintails, square-backs, etc.) in Ron's collection that are not shown here.
Ron (far right) and friends (Jurgen Klockmann in the middle) with a 300SL "Gullwing" coupé. The guy on the left was restoring his 220S cabriolet (in Jurgen's garage).
Photo: Jeff Miller / September 8, 2001
Ron with his 1958 220S cabriolet
Photo: Dave Sandlin / November, 2002
The factory color code is DB356 "light blue"
Photo: Dave Sandlin / November, 2002
1985 W123 280TE wagon. Ron writes, "Note the Oregon license plate. It was brought over from Germany by a guy from Oregon who owned it in Portland for a few years. Also, a local chap had it here (Palo Alto, California) for a few years before I bought it.
Photo submitted: December 21, 2002
The 280TE has the "European preferences" of a five-speed standard transmission, manual windows, and cloth seats. However, it has air conditioning and cruise control and even dashboard-controlled headlamp height adjustments. I bought it as the third owner in 1997 for about the cost that the first owner paid to have the DOT/EPA work done."
Photo submitted: December 21, 2002
Ron's 220S cabriolet "project car" being transported to its new owner in December, 2002
Type 180Db / 190Db Ponton taxis. Len Sokoloff's house (North Carolina) was grafted to the top of Albrecht Stachel's Brooklyn Motoren Werke (Wisconsin). Photo- collage by Ron van Seventer circa 2002.
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