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In
the1920s Ferdinand Porsche worked for Daimler
(which in 1926 merged with Mercedes and became
Mercedes-Benz) and designed a series of
supercharged cars that came to be regarded by
some as the best ever made. From K-type, a big
car with a straight six-cylinder engine of just
over 7 litres, the sporty S, and then the
shorter SS model (Super Sport) were developed in
1927. To crown it then came the SSK model with
45 cm shorter wheelbase (K accounted for Kurz,
"short"). The model was manufactured between
1928 and 1931, and was at that time the fastest
road car that could be purchased.
The SSK
model was specifically developed for the popular
hill climb races and was extremely successful,
as in the hands of
drivers like Rudolf Caracciola who, with the
SSK, became European champion in the hill climb
championship both 1930 and 1931. The
model also had great successes in regular road
competitions - in 1931
Caracciola managed to win the Mille Miglia.
The SSK
model was available with supercharger in
different sizes and power outputs from about
175-225 hp with the supercharger engaged. This
was used only when necessary and activated as
the accelerator was pressed to the bottom. Top
speed was depending partly on the rear axle gear
ratio, but could be as high as just over 190
km/h.
Total
production was only 33 SSK (the figures vary
slightly, partly because the factory modified a
few SS-cars). Of these, there are only a few who
have survived without major changes and a fully
known history, and our car is one of them.
Our car
was originally delivered to Finland where the
Finnish racing driver Karl Ebb had great
successes with the car
which often competed against our Bugatti 35B, in
Sweden, Finland and Norway. It also competed
against the other SSK car that raced in
Sweden, usually driven by owner P. W. Widengren.
The history of these gigantic racing machines
are often mixed together.
In the
hands of Karl Ebb the car won many competitions,
including the legendary Swedish Winter Grand
Prix, the Finnish Djurgården races and the
Estonian Grand Prix.
After the
war, the car came to Sweden and was mistreated
by various owners. When bought by Bertil
Lindblad in the beginning of the 1950s it was
almost a wreck. He then started on a nearly
50-year renovation of the car.
The very
complicated car is now running well and used for
demonstration runs etc.
/Björn-Eric Lindh 2015
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Technical
data |
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Make:
Mercedes-Benz |
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Type/Model:
SSK |
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Body:
2-seater race
car |
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Year of
manufacture:
1929 |
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Engine:
6-cylinder
in-line engine
with an overhead
camshaft |
|
Cylinder
capacity:
7065 cc |
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Power:
170/225 hk? |
|
Gearbox:
4-shift plus
back,
unsynchronized |
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Brakes:
Mechanical
4-wheel brakes |
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Wheelbase:
2950 mm |
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Maximum
speed:
about 190 km/h |
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Manufactured
quantity:
35 |
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The photo was
taken at a competition in the early 1930.
Karl Ebb runs
his Mercedes-Benz SSK in Sweden's Winter Grand
Prix, the car was then fitted with a radiator
shield.
Bargain
Condition - Mercedes-Benz SSK 1929.
Bertil Lindblad with his Mercedes-Benz SSK. |
