Built in extremely limited numbers 419 chassis in all most of the Mercedes-Benz 540 Ks were clothed in elegant bodies designed by Sindelfingen, the official carrosserie of Daimler-Benz. The 540 K utilized an overhead valve, eight-cylinder engine and, with the supercharger engaged, delivered massive torque and a locomotive-like 180 bhp. According to a report by Jonathan Sierakowski on file, this 540 K, chassis 408420, was ordered new by German air force field marshal Erhard Milch as a Sindelfingen-bodied Cabriolet B in June 1939. While little is known of Milch?s ownership of the open-bodied 540 K, the car?s next known ownership dates to the mid-1980s, when Swiss coachbuilder and restorer Walter Kng of Basel, Switzerland, converted the Mercedes-Benz from its original Cabriolet B coachwork to sportier Cabriolet A-style coachwork.
By 1988, the 540 K made its way to England, and by 1991 the car was acquired by American car collector Fred M. Kemp Sr. of Missouri. Mr. Kemp founded the Kemp Auto Museum, a Mercedes-Benz museum in Chesterfield, Missouri, that contained multiple 540 Ks, where this Cabriolet was displayed in pride of place. Kemp, together with his family, exhibited the 540 K at numerous concours events throughout the US, often being awarded significant Mercedes-Benz and First in Class honors. These venues included the Meadow Brook Concours d?Elegance, Amelia Island Concours d?Elegance, and Cincinnati Concours d?Elegance, among others. Upon Mr. Kemp?s passing in 2015, the Mercedes-Benz was acquired by noted enthusiast Donald Davis of Fort Worth, Texas. In 2016, the 540 K became a part of the Munday Auto Collection in Austin, Texas. Bill Munday assembled a vast collection, which included Duesenbergs, V-16 Cadillacs, custom coachwork Rolls-Royce, and other notable classics. The previous owner acquired the 540 K from the Munday Auto Collection and had diligently cared for the car while only using it sparingly during his ownership.
Considered the pre-eminent Mercedes-Benz model of the Classic Era, no prewar collection is complete without a 540 K adorned with open coachwork.
Chassis 408420
Engine 408420 - The Pre-eminent Mercedes-Benz Model of the 1930s
- Beautifully Appointed in Maroon over Cream-Colored Leather Interior
- Multiple Concours Award Winner
- Beautifully Maintained Older Restoration
- A Classic Era Mercedes-Benz of Exquisite Design and Proportion
Price: $825,000
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