Paul Russell and Company

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For those of you who were not fortunate enough to attend this fall's Lime Rock Vintage Festival, you missed a special treat: a 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 Grand Prix race car under full throttle. We had been commissioned by the renowned Collier Collection to collaborate with them on the research and then follow-up with our specialized services to return this historic Silver Arrow to its 1939 racing configuration. The fragile original body panels required old-world skills to repair, retaining their original hand-hammered character and minimal silver paint. The engine rebuild being already underway at Crosthwaite and Gardner, we stripped the chassis completely, returned it to its original blue-black coloring and rebuilt the suspension, brake system, etc.  Along the way authentic details such as hose clamps, Argus fuel and oil fittings, lightweight hardware and even the fuel cooler had to be re-created.  Hand-painted race livery, period team spares box and quick jacks completed the package.

We were especially pleased when the Mercedes Classic Center Germany declared it fit for duty upon its first foray. Following laps by the Mercedes Museum test driver Gert Staub (watch the video on YouTube), event chairman Murray Smith had the honor of taking the wheel for the weekend demonstration runs at the Lime Rock Vintage Festival - seventy years after it was driven to second place by Manfred Von Brauchitsch in the Belgrade GP, on the last day of the Mercedes 1939 Championship season. It was quite a visual and aural feast, growling its way around the track. 

Read more about the history and restoration of this rare car in The Star magazine, "W154: Back on the Track".