{"id":1908,"date":"2023-04-16T11:31:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T09:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/benz-books.com\/blog\/?p=1908"},"modified":"2024-03-22T00:29:03","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T22:29:03","slug":"mercedes-540k-w29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/benz-books.com\/blog\/1908\/mercedes-540k-w29\/","title":{"rendered":"Mercedes 540K W29, an icon of the 1930s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mercedes 540K: Instrumental in development of the new generation of cars such as the 380, 500K and 540K<\/a> was Hans Nibel<\/a>. He was the chief engineer for Benz<\/a> before the merger with Daimler<\/a> in 1926. He succeeded Ferdinand Porsche on his departure in early 1929. Nibel had gained much of his experience on the enormous Blitzen Benz<\/a> racers before WWI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He and his colleague Hans Wagner had cooperated on the independent suspension that was first seen on the new 380<\/a>. His last contribution would be the supercharged 500K<\/a> engine, as he died of a stroke soon after in 1934.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A 1937 540K Special Roadster, formerly owned by the King of Afghanistan, shows that the design initially did not change from the respective 500K predecessors<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With cars like the S and SS models<\/a>, the 770 <\/a>and the 500K<\/a>, Daimler-Benz was prior to World War II arguably the world’s most prestigious European automaker. It was followed by Rolls-Royce, Maybach, Bentley, Horch, and Hispano Suiza. These were the cars of kings and captains of industry alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A larger engine was introduced<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So in order to stay ahead of the pack, management decided that the 500K<\/a> could do with a bigger M24<\/a> engine. At the end of April 1936, its displacement was increased to 5.4 liters. This was achieved by adding 2 mm to the bore, while the stroke was lengthened by 3 mm. This increased the power output to 115\/180 hp without and with the supercharger engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A 540K Cabrio B<\/a> and part of its interior<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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New were sodium-cooled exhaust valves that withstood even brief overstress. The Jumo fuel pump had now found its place on the right side of the cylinder block. An automatic ignition adjustment was also among the innovations. The vertical double carburetor, whose two air funnels supplied the four middle cylinders and the front and rear pair of cylinders separately, had been taken over from the 500K. The air filter and intake manifold were also replaced.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It was obvious that the 5.4-liter engine was now on a par with the chassis. This way it was better able to compensate for the high weight of the chassis and superstructure. The engine proved to be as refined as ever and conveyed its power even more unobtrusively at best. The improvements to the intake system dampened the screech more effectively than on the 500K<\/a> when the rotary fan was switched on. The Mercedes 540K was the last Daimler-Benz model to feature a honeycomb<\/a> radiator.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A very elegant looking 540K Cabrio A<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chassis of the Mercedes 540K saw only little improvements over the 500k<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The chassis of the Mercedes 540K<\/a> had like the 500K<\/a> a wheelbase of 3290 mm and was again available in two versions. In addition to the standard version, there was a variant in which the radiator, engine\/transmission unit, steering gear and seats were all set to the rear by over 10 cm. As an additional option, which was not included in the price list, it was also possible to order a chassis with the shorter 2980 mm wheelbase. It was used for a Roadster or Cabrio A body.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A rhd 540K Cabrio C and its interior<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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The 500K’s overdrive transmission was adopted for only a short period of time. It was replaced just six months after the 540K’s introduction by a conventional four-speed transmission. The fourth gear acted as a direct transmission, but the first was still unsynchronized. Despite the synchronizer of the three upper gears, the manual still recommended an intermediate clutch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the 1939 Berlin<\/a> Motor Show, the 540K<\/a> then received a five-speed transmission with almost the same gearing. The top gear was an integrated highway gear with a 1:0.80 ratio. But let us go back now to the car\u2019s launch.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mercedes 540K Autobahnkurier<\/a> and its interior<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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It was September 1936 before the model designation was brought into line with the increased displacement. The Mercedes 540K had its official launch in early October at the Paris Motor Show. Initially the same body variations that could be ordered for the 500K were also available for the successor model: <\/p>\n\n\n\n