{"id":9486,"date":"2023-10-05T14:36:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T14:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/?p=9486"},"modified":"2023-10-05T18:59:24","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T18:59:24","slug":"60-years-mercedes-pagoda-taking-care-of-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/?p=9486","title":{"rendered":"60 Years Mercedes \u2018Pagoda\u2019: Taking care of Baby"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Meet Baby. No, not my ravishing co-driver Julie, but the equally stunning 1963 Mercedes 230 SL \u2018Pagoda\u2019. With the Pagoda celebrating its sixtieth anniversary, we took the sleek SL out for a sunny drive along the Belgian and Dutch seaside.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mercedes 300 SL is steeped in competition history: Carrera Panamericana, Le Mans, Mille Miglia. In fact, the legendary Gullwing and the roadster road models were derived from the competition car, at the request of Mercedes\u2019 North American importer, Max Hoffman. The 300 SL transformed Mercedes\u2019 image in the fifties, adding glamour and even sex appeal to the predominantly serious and – whisper it – a bit dull German brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paul Bracq design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Early sixties, Mercedes needed to come up with a replacement for what had proven to be a successful formula. With the 300 SL, the company had a halo model, with the 190 SL, a cheaper four-cylinder \u2018junior\u2019 SL was on offer as well. The task to replace both cars befell what became known as the W113 SL, or the Pagoda, a reference to its typical kink in the roof. The hard top roof became a defining factor for the W113 generation of the SL, just as the gullwing doors did the trick for the W198 Mercedes 300 SL. The Frenchman Paul Bracq came up with the elegant and sporty design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Funny roof<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, the idea for the removable hard top roof in pagoda form was not Bracq\u2019s. It was Mercedes\u2019 safety pioneer B\u00e9la Bar\u00e9nyi who had come up with this idea \u2013 and patented it \u2013 earlier. But the new Mercedes SL was the first time this idea actually made it into production. Bar\u00e9nyi\u2019s influence on the W113 SL can hardly be overstated. The pagoda concept was purely a practical one: creating more headroom for the occupants in comparison with a classic-shaped roof. The hard top facilitated year-round functionality for the new SL, something the 300 SL roadster did not offer on the same level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on a shortened version of the W110 sedans, the 1963 Mercedes 230 SL featured more innovations, such as the safety cell with crumple zones at the front and rear, and the Bar\u00e9nyi safety steering wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Grabbing that last summer breeze<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s exactly this two-ringed, thin steering wheel that seems to float, that I am holding, as I guide \u2018Baby\u2019 along the coastal roads around the Knokke area. One minute you are in Belgium, the next minute you are in The Netherlands. No hard top today, the sun is out, and we want to experience that last breeze of warm wind stroking our hair. After that, it\u2019s OK, we are ready to surrender to winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 230 SL is just the right partner for this. It was presented 60 years ago, early in 1963 at the Geneva motor show. Whilst the new 230 SL did not have that pure performance component the 300 SL roadster carried in its DNA, you\u2019d be wrong thinking the W113 was a softie. In Tazio 10, out in December, we\u2019ll do an in-depth profile on that one time the W113 took on and won the toughest road rally of its time: the 1963 Li\u00e8ge-Sofia-Li\u00e8ge, also known as the \u2018Marathon de la Route\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faster without the roof<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The pull of the 2.3-litre is strong in the mid-range. This is a fuel-injected six-inline. It is no match for the 3-litre inline six of the 300 SL roadster, but it\u2019s a damn\u2019 lot stronger than the four-pot you\u2019d find in the 190 SL. With 150 hp peak power, it sits below the 175 hp-strong 300 SL. But the mid-range torque \u2013 max 196 Nm at 4200 rpm \u2013 make it a more than capable performer. Funny thing, the 230 SL was actually a bit faster (200 kph, 125 mph) without the \u2018Pagode\u2019 hard top .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leave it in third<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The four-speed manual has long gearing, on country roads you can pretty much leave it in third for the whole day. It never was intended to be a continuation of the pure-bred 300 SL, but as an oldtimer rally car, the W113 has its own cards to play. It\u2019s not just a much cheaper option, it\u2019s also highly reliable when taken care off, and it certainly has a charm of its own. This car, built in August 1963, has its own story to tell. It was delivered new to a Belgian owner, a mrs. Le Chien. The car was white with blue leather interior, just as we have it with us now. No whitewall tyres anymore, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Famous collector<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe car remained with its first owner until 1981, when mrs. Le Chien moved to the South of France\u201d, the current caretaker of the car tells us. Thierry Dehaeck is famous all over the world for his Citro\u00ebn SM and Chapron collection. A visit of his collection<\/a> through his Cadycars restoration workshop in Ypres is always worth the detour, as the Michelin guide would recommend. Next to the Citro\u00ebns, Thierry Dehaeck collected many of the automotive icons. \u2018Baby\u2019 \u2013 he gave it the personalized registration \u2013 holds a special place. \u201cI didn\u2019t call it Baby originally,\u201d he is quick to point out. \u201cBut this was how it was referred to by the previous family that owned it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Your car is waiting in the workshop, we kept her for you<\/p>\nBrussels salesman<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Le Chien left the car with a Belgian dealer, garage GXL in Brussels. It was here an American working in Brussels, stumbled upon it. \u201cDonald Newman was actually looking around to buy an Austin-Healey. Instead, he let his eyes wonder across this beautiful white Mercedes 230 SL in the Brussels garage he was visiting,\u201d Thierry Dehaeck says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holiday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe could not decide, and went on holiday to the United States. For the next two weeks, all he could think of was this beautiful Mercedes that was playing with his mind. As soon as he was back in Belgium, he rushed to the garage, only to find it was no longer in the showroom. He was disheartened, only for one of the salesmen to walk up to him and say. \u2018Not to worry mister Newman. Your car is waiting for you in the back of the workshop. We kept her for you.\u2019 On May 22nd<\/sup>, 1981, Donald Newman drove off with his Mercedes 230 SL, in exchange for 150,000 Belgian francs (4400 dollars at the time).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Daddy\u2019s Baby\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMister Newman took great care of the car, pampering it, some would say. He participated in many Concours and drove it on rallies. Within his family, it was known as \u2018Daddy\u2019s Baby\u2019.\u201d Baby remained with the same owner right up until 2010, when Donald Newman sold the car to his friend Brian Laudenbach. He kept it until 2012, at which point he advertised it for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the moment where \u2018Baby\u2019 tickled Thierry Dehaeck\u2019s curiosity. \u201cI was the CEO of the food manufacturing Group Pidy at the time,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe had factories in Belgium, France and in the United States. I was travelling in the US at the time, and I just came across this advertisement for a Mercedes 230 SL, \u2018sold new in Belgium\u2019. That tickled my curiosity: what was a Belgian car doing in the US. I got in touch with mister Laudenbach, and I was told the whole \u2018Baby\u2019 story. In December 2012, I had the car shipped to Belgium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Dennis Noten<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Still performing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dehaeck, only the fourth owner of this Mercedes 230 SL in sixty years, contacted Donald Newman. \u201cWe got in touch through Facebook. He was happy to learn the car had found a good home. I would call him regularly when I was travelling to the United States, and the plan was always to reunite mister Newman with his Baby if ever he would come to Belgium. Unfortunately, he passed away abruptly in 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixty years on, \u2018Baby\u2019 is still performing her old tricks. Joyfully humming over the wind, swiftly darting from corner to corner. \u2018Baby\u2019, sixty years on, I can think of just the one tune that perfectly captures this moment: \u2018I want you\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the Pagoda celebrating its sixtieth anniversary, we took the sleek Mercedes 230 SL out for a sunny drive along the Belgian and Dutch seaside.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[650,109],"tags":[1333,1337,1340,1339,280,1334,1336,1338,1335,211],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-9486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-epic-stories","category-historic-rallies","tag-60-years-mercedes-pagode","tag-bela-barenyi","tag-cadycars","tag-donald-newman","tag-mercedes","tag-mercedes-230-sl","tag-paul-bracq","tag-thierry-dehaeck","tag-w113","tag-zoute-grand-prix","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/14A0781.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9486"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9520,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9486\/revisions\/9520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9486"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taziomagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fthb-sponsors&post=9486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}