1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK

SEE EBAY OR HEMMINGS FOR FULL DESCRIPTION. WORD LIMIT PROHIBITS
1987 CMC Gazelle Mercedes SSK Replica
Only 248 Miles
White Exterior / Red Interior
Chevrolet Chevette Drivetrain
CMC Car Number: B9899
VIN: SOS299581LL
Evolve Motors and Chicago Car Club are pleased to present this 1987 CMC Gazelle
First off, what is it? CMC (Classic Motor Carriages) was a Florida-based company that sold fiberglass kits of various iconic classic cars throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s. This model was called the “Gazelle”, and was a replica of the Mercedes-Benz SSK sports car of the late 1920s. From a mechanical perspective, this car is a re-bodied Chevrolet Chevette. The fiberglass SSK body sits on a Chevette chassis and is powered by a 1.6L Chevette motor and 3spd GM Hydramatic automatic transmission
We purchased this Gazelle from a woman in Chicago who was selling off her late husband's collection following his passing. He had owned an auto-parts supply warehouse, and had amassed a small, eclectic car collection. This particular car was assembled by one of the techs that worked for him, having come in on weeknights and weekends to put the car together. The car was assembled in the early 1990s, and was used as a parade vehicle in the coming years. As it was used so sparingly, the car remaining in tip-top condition and was even featured in a Hemmings Magazine spread in the early 2000s. As it sits, this is surely one of the nicest Gazelles on the market. It has only covered 248 miles since being built, and was always garage-kept. We have since given the car a comprehensive inspection, changed the fluids and battery, and begun to rack up the mileage
The Exterior
This car presents in nearly perfect condition, as would be expected from a garage-kept car with under 250 miles on it. White paint is free of any significant chips or blemishes. There is one very minor scratch on the hood that has been touched up and is only visible upon extremely close inspection. Chrome has a mirror-like finish, polished Western wire wheels are mint as well. The front end looks great with yellow “Euro” foglights and grille badging. A thick brown leather belt holds the bonnet in place, one of our favorite parts of the car. The only thing I can really knock on the car is that there are a couple of buttons missing from the boot cover and convertible top
The Interior
Red leatherette interior really pops against the white exterior and black carpeting. Wooden wheel suits the car well, and is in excellent condition. Both front and rear seats have no tears, scuffs, stains, or discoloring of any sort. Dash also is in great shape, and all gauges are functional, as is the Targa radio. All lights and signals are clear, crack-free, and functional. Glass is in excellent shape, and wipers are functional
Under the Hood / Under the Car
While maybe not quite as exhilarating a drive as the real Mercedes-Benz SSK, this car is still a lot of fun. It has a ton of crowd appeal, bystanders always get a kick out of it. With the Chevette drivetrain and automatic transmission, this car is as easy to drive as any. It has front disc brakes, which work very well. Looking underneath the car, the brake rotors still shine bright silver, with not even any rust or road grime on them. The underbody is in excellent shape throughout, with the only spot of any rust being some surface rust on the heat shield covering the catalytic converter. The rest of the underbody is very, very nice. The 1.6L Chevrolet inline-4 only makes just over 60 horsepower, but with the low-slung doors and drop-top, the car is plenty fun. The car runs nicely; it starts right up, idles low and cool, tracks straight under both acceleration and braking, and doesn't make any noises of concern when soaking up speedbumps. This would make an excellent parade vehicle, or even just a fun weekend cruiser
Overall, this is a very nice, low-mileage example with the fantastic white/red colorway. Fo