Community Corner
Is it real or Is It Mercedes Faux?
Chuck Maddox's '34 Mercedes-Benz 500K is a real eye catcher. But you would need some expert eyes to note that it is not the real deal.
Chuck Maddox bought this 1934 Mercedes Benz 500K Roadster in 1998.
It is a real car but not a real Mercedes. Maddox bought this car from the original owner who spent over 900 hours assembling the kit on a 1975 Camaro frame. But this 'kit car' is hard to tell, outwardly at least, from the real thing.
Over the years Maddox has replaced the engine with a 350 Chevy V8, and added an automatic transmission, fuel injection and air conditioning. This is the second kit car Maddox has owned. The first, also a Mercedes, was built on VW chassis which Maddox says was "...not well designed for a tall person...". This one, at nearly 17 feet long, certainly is. Maddox has made many long trips in his car cruising the California and Oregon coasts and says, "This car is such a joy that I don't expect to be looking for another toy."
