1929 Mercedes-Benz 630 K Town Car
- Engine
- 6.24L SOHC supercharged inline-six, 100 bhp normally aspirated / 140 bhp with supercharger engaged
- Colour
- Dark brown with olive green wings
The 1929 Mercedes-Benz 630 K Town Car, chassis 36278, is one of a small number of Model K examples bodied by Milan's Carrozzeria Castagna, making it among the rarest of the 267 total Model K vehicles built between 1926 and 1932. Delivered new to New York in late 1929/early 1930, it passed to a prominent Tulsa oil family and remained with them for over three decades. Subsequently restored and a regular concours winner, it was later featured on the cover of The Star, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America's magazine. The car has been in consistent private ownership since a 2009 Bonhams Paris auction sale.
Ownership
- 2020-08-14Auction saleEstimate US$1,000,000 – US$1,400,000
- 1929 →Factory deliveryRobert Crawfordfull documentation
Resident of 745 7th Avenue, New York City; identified in original factory build records as the intended recipient. May have purchased on behalf of the Murray family.
- 1929-11-05 → 1929Factory deliveryMercedes-Benz Company of New Yorkfull documentation
Factory records confirm the car was consigned to the New York distributor on behalf of a named client; served as intermediary in the delivery chain.
- → 1964Acquisition unknownCharles Murraypartial documentation
Affluent Tulsa oil businessman who, along with his wife Marion, kept the car in New York before relocating with it to Tulsa; a German chauffeur was employed to drive it. The car remained with the family until the death of their daughter Marion.
- 1965 → 1969Private saleDr. Charles Eadspartial documentation
Tulsa-based owner who undertook a near year-long restoration with his mechanic, returning the bodywork to its original dark brown and olive green colour scheme and refitting the interior. The car earned multiple concours awards during his tenure.
- 1969 → 2000Private saleHarry Rinkerpartial documentation
Newport Beach, California owner whose purchase of the car was notable enough to warrant a local newspaper report in Tulsa. The car won numerous awards at Southern California and Mercedes-Benz Club events during his ownership.
- 2000 → 2009Acquisition unknownThe Marbella Collectionpartial documentation
Spanish-based collection that held the car for roughly a decade before consigning it to a Paris auction.
- 2009 →AuctionCurrent ownerpartial documentation
Acquired at the Bonhams Paris Retromobile sale in 2009; has maintained the car to a high personal standard alongside comparable vehicles.
Competition
- —Concours events during Dr. Eads ownershipMultiple concours wins
Car regularly participated in and won concours competitions during the mid-to-late 1960s while based in Tulsa.
- —Mercedes-Benz Club of America eventsSouthern California and M-BCA concours eventsNumerous awards
Under Harry Rinker's ownership the car accumulated many prizes at regional and club-level concours gatherings in Southern California.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1965Restoration
Comprehensive restoration carried out by Dr Eads and his mechanic over the better part of a year, encompassing a repaint in the original dark brown and olive green colour scheme and a re-trim of the interior in a more restrained style.
Work completed in Tulsa shortly after Dr Eads acquired the car in 1965.
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