1935 MERCEDES-BENZ 200/W21 LONG WHEELBASE CABRIOLET B

CHASSIS NO. 812426 // ENGINE CHASSIS NO. 129345

Pre-war Mercedes-Benz automobiles occupy a unique space within collector car history. Built during a period where engineering, coachbuilding, and craftsmanship still relied heavily on hand assembly and individualized production, surviving examples today are often viewed more as historical artifacts than simply collector vehicles.

This 1935 Mercedes-Benz 200/W21 Long Wheelbase Cabriolet B stands apart not only because of its rarity, but because of the extraordinary provenance archive accompanying the vehicle. Included are decades of original Daimler-Benz correspondence, technical documentation, factory archive research, registration history, ownership records, microfilm operating materials, parts sourcing correspondence, and enthusiast communications tracing the car’s history from postwar America through the early internet era.

Rather than presenting a simplified or overly polished narrative, the archive preserves the complexity and intrigue surrounding the vehicle’s origins and evolution, much of which was actively researched by Mercedes-Benz itself beginning in 1971.

VEHICLE OVERVIEW

YEAR: 1935
MAKE: Mercedes-Benz
MODEL: 200/W21 Long Wheelbase Cabriolet B
CHASSIS/VIN: 812426
ENGINE CHASSIS NO.: 129345
ENGINE: Inline 6 Cylinder
TRANSMISSION: 4 Speed Manual
DRIVETRAIN: Rear Wheel Drive
BODY STYLE: Cabriolet B

THE MERCEDES-BENZ W21 PLATFORM

Introduced in 1933, the Mercedes-Benz W21 represented a major advancement over the earlier Stuttgart 200 platform and helped establish Mercedes-Benz as one of the most technically advanced luxury manufacturers of the prewar era.

The W21 incorporated:

• Independent front suspension
• Swing axle rear suspension
• Hydraulic braking systems
• Improved ride quality and stability
• Refined inline six cylinder powerplants

The platform was available in both standard and long wheelbase configurations, with the long chassis examples generally reserved for more luxurious touring and formal coachbuilt body styles.

Factory production figures included within the archive indicate:

• Approximate total W21 Type 200 production: 9,281 examples
• Approximate total W21 Type 200 Long Wheelbase production: 6,341 examples

Most surviving long wheelbase examples were delivered as formal sedans or Pullman limousines. Genuine Cabriolet variants are exceptionally uncommon today.

FACTORY ARCHIVE RESEARCH AND HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION

Included with the vehicle is an extensive archive of original correspondence between prior owner Jack R. Christensen, Mercedes-Benz of North America, and Daimler-Benz AG Stuttgart-Untertürkheim beginning in 1971.

The correspondence reveals that Mercedes-Benz historians and archive personnel undertook a direct investigation into the vehicle’s unusual identity and configuration.

Factory archive findings confirmed:

• Chassis/engine number 129345 belonged to a Mercedes-Benz Type 200/W21 produced in 1935
• The chassis originated from Mannheim production order series 10/21/51
• Original records associated the chassis with limousine bodywork
• Body number 812426 identified a two door convertible body
• Many original production and commission records were destroyed during WWII

Mercedes-Benz archive personnel ultimately proposed two primary theories regarding the car’s configuration:

POSSIBLE CONFIGURATION THEORY 1

The vehicle began life as a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 200/W21 long chassis and later received Type 230 drivetrain and mechanical components during the late 1930s.

POSSIBLE CONFIGURATION THEORY 2

The vehicle originated as a Type 230/W143 Pullman chassis that was later rebodied into Cabriolet configuration.

The archive preserves original factory correspondence discussing both possibilities in detail.

TYPE 230 / W143 CONNECTION

A significant portion of the documentation references Mercedes-Benz Typ 230/W143 technical materials and production records.

Included within the archive are:

• Type 230 factory technical sheets
• W143 drivetrain references
• Pullman limousine production references
• Cabriolet A, B, and D illustrations
• Long wheelbase coachwork diagrams
• Technical comparison sheets between W21 and W143 models

The included production records indicate approximately:

• Total Mercedes-Benz Type 230/W143 production: approximately 20,336 examples

Only a small percentage of total W143 production consisted of Cabriolet body styles. The archive strongly suggests that this vehicle may represent an unusual overlap between the earlier W21 long chassis platform and later W143 mechanical or body components.

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION AND MICROFILM ARCHIVE

Accompanying the vehicle is a remarkable collection of factory technical materials supplied directly by Daimler-Benz and Mercedes-Benz Museum Archive personnel during the early 1970s.

Included materials consist of:

• Mercedes-Benz Ersatzteilliste 21 factory parts manuals
• Type 200 and Type 230 technical specification sheets
• Wiring diagrams and electrical schematics
• Operating instruction microfilm references
• Factory drivetrain and chassis diagrams
• Coachwork illustrations
• German supplier reference sheets
• Engineering comparison documents
• Factory body configuration drawings

Technical documents included in the archive detail:

• Wheelbase dimensions
• Suspension layouts
• Gear ratios
• Compression ratios
• Fuel consumption
• Engine specifications
• Brake systems
• Ignition systems
• Electrical switchbox layouts

A surviving Daimler-Benz Museum Archive shipping document dated July 23, 1971 confirms shipment of operating instruction microfilm materials directly from Stuttgart to Christensen in North Dakota.

Also included are original Daimler-Benz envelopes and delivery documents associated with the archive materials.

THE SEARCH FOR PARTS AND INFORMATION

One of the most fascinating portions of the archive documents Christensen’s efforts to locate parts, technical support, and historical information for the vehicle throughout the early 1970s.

Included are:

• Mercedes-Benz dealer correspondence
• Salvage yard inquiries
• Technical identification requests
• Parts department communications
• Factory archive investigations
• Engine and cylinder head sourcing attempts
• Letters regarding the destruction of prewar records and tooling during WWII

Several surviving letters openly acknowledge the immense difficulty of locating prewar Mercedes-Benz parts even during the early 1970s.

One Mercedes-Benz response states:

“During the war, the Stuttgart plant was destroyed, and as a result, there are no pre-war vehicle parts made.”

Another archive response explains:

“Although we assume that almost all parts are no longer deliverable, we nevertheless try to identify which parts eventually could still be supplied.”

The archive effectively captures what preserving a rare prewar European automobile looked like before online registries, reproduction parts suppliers, or digital archives existed.

LONG TERM INDIANA OWNERSHIP

The vehicle later entered longtime Indiana ownership where it remained preserved for decades. Included Indiana documentation confirms ownership by Joseph L. Branch of Anderson, Indiana beginning in 1976.

Accompanying ownership materials include:

• Indiana registrations and renewals
• Antique registration certificates
• Antique vehicle documentation
• Antique car show ribbons
• Central Indiana Old Car Club materials
• Show display placards
• Historical ownership photographs
• Handwritten historical notes

A surviving ribbon documents participation in the 8th Annual Antique Car Show sponsored by Stanley Equipment in 1996. Period photographs included within the archive show the Mercedes-Benz finished in a dark exterior with tan convertible top and matching side mounted spare covers during its active Indiana ownership years. The vehicle appears to have remained complete and enthusiast maintained throughout portions of its ownership before eventually entering long term indoor storage.

INTERNATIONAL ENTHUSIAST HISTORY

The provenance archive continues into the late 1990s and early internet era, documenting communication with Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts throughout Europe researching surviving W21 Cabriolet models.

Included are:

• Early Yahoo Mail correspondence from 1999
• Danish W21 enthusiast club documentation
• “Uncle Erik’s Mercedes Club” materials
• International owner communications
• Discussions regarding surviving W21 Cabriolets worldwide

One enthusiast communication references another surviving military associated example in France, further supporting the longstanding theory that this car may have originally served governmental or staff related purposes during the prewar era.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Many collector cars survive. Very few survive with their stories intact. This Mercedes-Benz is not simply a prewar automobile. It is a preserved archive of decades of research, correspondence, ownership, and historical investigation surrounding one of the more unusual surviving Mercedes-Benz W21 examples known. The surviving documentation transforms the car into something far greater than a static collector piece. Every letter, factory response, technical sheet, handwritten note, microfilm shipment, and ownership document contributes another chapter to the story.

The archive preserves the reality of what it meant to own and preserve a rare prewar European automobile long before modern collector infrastructure existed. For collectors who value provenance, historical intrigue, originality, rarity, and documentation as much as the automobile itself, this 1935 Mercedes-Benz 200/W21 Long Wheelbase Cabriolet B represents an exceptionally compelling opportunity to acquire not only a rare prewar Mercedes-Benz, but a remarkable preserved piece of automotive history.

CONTACT

Brian @ MOTORVAULT
317-520-4663
brian@motorvault.com

Trusted enclosed transport assistance available nationwide.

TERMS AND DISCLOSURE

Due to the age, rarity, and historical nature of the vehicle, all information provided is believed accurate based upon available documentation, factory correspondence, historical records, and prior ownership materials. However, MOTORVAULT makes no guarantees or warranties regarding originality, completeness of historical records, production interpretation, or mechanical condition.

The vehicle is being sold as-is with no warranty expressed or implied unless otherwise stated.

Potential buyers are encouraged to perform their own independent inspections and historical verification prior to purchase.