Subastan el Mercedes-Benz de la "Argentina potencia"

1927 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Sport/4

This 1927 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Sport/4 was sold new in Germany in 1928 and is believed to have spent time in Argentina before it was imported to the US under previous ownership. It was purchased by Howard Kizer, the brother of Karl Kizer, the IMS Museum’s first curator, in the 1960s. An ensuring refurbishment was carried out with help from IMS Museum restoration manager Bill Spoerle before it was acquired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in 1972 and incorporated into the IMS Museum collection. It was refurbished again by IMS Museum staff in the 1980s and was subsequently put on display as part of The Basement Collection tour. In 2020 it was featured as part of the museum’s From the Vault exhibition. The car is finished in red over tan leather upholstery, and power comes from a numbers-matching, supercharged 6.8-liter inline-six paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Features include a tan soft top, a folding windshield, dual spare wheels, dual spotlights, external exhaust pipes, and a Junghans eight-day clock. Service performed in 2021 included fuel system flush as well as a cleaning, stripping, and repainting of the fuel tank. This 26/120/180 Type S is now offered with an instruction book, period literature, 1972 IMS museum sales paperwork, 1979 correspondence with Mercedes-Benz of North America, service records, and a clean Indiana title.

The 26/120/180 Type S was designed by Ferdinand Porsche and was based on a modified short-wheelbase Model K chassis, which itself was derived from the Mercedes-Benz Type 630. Type S cars were introduced in 1927 and campaigned in races across Europe in the late 1920s and 1930s. Driver Rudolf Caracciola drove a 680 S to victory in the inaugural race at the Nürburgring in June 1927 and notched the majority of his 10 additional victories that season behind the wheel of one. Just 146 examples of the 26/120/180 Type S were produced.

This example wears bodywork by Mercedes-Benz and is said to have been repainted in its current red in 1983. Features include dual brake light clusters, running boards, dual cowl-mounted mirrors and spotlights, a top-hinged hood with leather tie-down straps, a polished radiator grille, and a Bosch horn. One of the rear fenders was repaired and painted by Floyd Dreyer of Brownsburg, Indiana, in 1999. Wood accents were added to the door handles during the 1980s refurbishment, and leather cushions on the rear folding top supports were also added at that time. The tan soft top features a plastic rear window and can be seen up close in the gallery.

Body number 917 119 is shown stamped on the Mercedes-Benz Karosserie tag as well as several panels in the gallery, and it is listed as the factory body number in the September 1979 letter from Mercedes-Benz of North America below. A replacement hood wearing body number 35960 was added under previous ownership.

The yellow-painted wire wheels wear two-eared knock-off hubs and are mounted with 6.50/7.00–20 Dunlop tires. Twin matching spare wheels are mounted under covers out back. The Type S retained the 130″ wheelbase shared with the Model K, but under the direction of Ferdinand Porsche, the chassis was lowered and the engine placement was moved rearward by nearly a foot. The suspension features solid axles with semi-elliptical leaf springs at all four corners and Andre Hydro-Telecontrol shock absorbers out back, while stopping power is provided by four-wheel mechanical drums that were copper-plated from the factory to aid in cooling.

The cabin features front bucket seats and a rear bench that were reupholstered with tan pleated leather over foam rubber cushions in 2001. Matching leather covers the door panels, and tan carpets are attached to the replacement floorboards with Velcro. Period upholstery labels were reportedly found in the car during the refurbishment and are included in the sale.

The four-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel features hub-mounted controls and fronts a wood dash with a reverse-sweep 200-km/h speedometer, Junghans eight-day clock, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 77k kilometers (~48k miles). Repairs on the steering wheel spokes can be seen up close in the gallery.

The M06 inline-six was derived from the Type 630’s 6,240cc six and featured 4.7:1 compression, a single overhead camshaft, and a 4mm-wider bore for a displacement of 6.8 liters. The front-mounted Roots-type supercharger engages at wide-open throttle, increasing rated output from 120 horsepower to 180. The engine features two spark plugs per cylinder as well as dual carburetors, the latter of which were fitted with new seals in 2001. The car is said to have been fitted with incorrect hardware, fittings, and wiring during the 1980s refurbishment, according to the seller.

Engine stamping 66530 matches the chassis tag listed in the gallery below and is listed on the title as the VIN. It is also shown on the build sheet copies presented below.

ower is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. New outer clutch plates were installed in 2001, and the fuel tank was cleaned, stripped, and repainted by Gas Tank Renu of Swartz Creek, Michigan, in preparation for the sale. 

The September 1979 letter from Mercedes-Benz of North America lists the body number and notes that the car is a German-market example that was likely exported to Argentina.

Build sheet copies supplied by automotive historian Jonathan Sierakowski identify this car as a 26/120/180 Modell S and list the original chassis and engine numbers. Order entries via Buenos Aires are also shown, along with Sindelfingen shipment.

Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on the support of visitors, members, donors, and corporate partners to make possible their daily operations, exhibits, restoration and preservation initiatives, and educational programming. To learn more about the IMS Museum and the many ways you can show support, including their “Adopt-a-Car” program, please click here.