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11-30-2009, 08:41 PM
Filed under: Motorsports (http://www.autoblog.com/category/motorsports/), Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autoblog.com/category/mercedes-benz/), Misc. Auto Shows (http://www.autoblog.com/category/misc-auto-shows/), Specialty (http://www.autoblog.com/category/special-limited-editions/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_gullwing_dragster_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/)Gullwing dragster - Click above for high-res image gallery
This ungainly little creature had an area all to itself at this year's Essen Motor Show. Built over four years by Swiss drag racer Stefan Winter (http://www.swd-racing.com/) - who is a roofer by trade - the most important thing to say is this: Winter did not mangle a genuine 1956 Mercedes 300 SL to create this beast, and we can thank all the gods that be for that. He copied the body in fiberglass and placed it over a tube chassis, hiding a small block Chevy in front that's been bored out to 422 cubic inches.
With modified pistons, crankshaft, cylinder heads, and a bit more black-art-ness, the gullwinged monster puts 1,050 horsepower to the ground through a 3-speed transmission and rear tires 15 inches across. The 1/4-mile rolls off in 8.1 seconds at 166 mph. If nothing else, at that speed he shouldn't have any problem with keeping the car's interior cool, a problem the originals were known for...
Gallery: Essen 2009: Mercedes Gullwing Dragster (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/02_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/03_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/04_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/05_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)
[Source: Das Auto Blog (http://www.dasautoblog.com/2009/11/essen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html) (translated (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dasautoblog.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fe ssen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html)) via Autoblog.nl (http://www.autoblog.nl/archive/2009/11/27/gullwing-dragstar-1050-pk)]Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Read (http://www.dasautoblog.com/2009/11/essen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html) | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19256710/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/#comments)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_gullwing_dragster_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/)Gullwing dragster - Click above for high-res image gallery
This ungainly little creature had an area all to itself at this year's Essen Motor Show. Built over four years by Swiss drag racer Stefan Winter (http://www.swd-racing.com/) - who is a roofer by trade - the most important thing to say is this: Winter did not mangle a genuine 1956 Mercedes 300 SL to create this beast, and we can thank all the gods that be for that. He copied the body in fiberglass and placed it over a tube chassis, hiding a small block Chevy in front that's been bored out to 422 cubic inches.
With modified pistons, crankshaft, cylinder heads, and a bit more black-art-ness, the gullwinged monster puts 1,050 horsepower to the ground through a 3-speed transmission and rear tires 15 inches across. The 1/4-mile rolls off in 8.1 seconds at 166 mph. If nothing else, at that speed he shouldn't have any problem with keeping the car's interior cool, a problem the originals were known for...
Gallery: Essen 2009: Mercedes Gullwing Dragster (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/01_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/02_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/03_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/04_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/05_gullwing_dragster_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/essen-2009-mercedes-gullwing-dragster/low/)
[Source: Das Auto Blog (http://www.dasautoblog.com/2009/11/essen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html) (translated (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dasautoblog.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fe ssen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html)) via Autoblog.nl (http://www.autoblog.nl/archive/2009/11/27/gullwing-dragstar-1050-pk)]Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Read (http://www.dasautoblog.com/2009/11/essen-motor-show-2009---gullwing-dragster-mit-1050-ps.html) | Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19256710/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/#comments)