W114/W115 Mercedes-Benz W114/W115 Estates by Crayford

I found some scanned Mercedes Enthusiast articles on my computer as I was cleaning it out. I didn't post this these yet.



If you want to know more about Mercedes estates before Mercedes officially produced them, this is well worth reading.

The Scans

Any Crayford owners on this forum? I am restoring a 1975 W116 280SE Estate. Originally Thistle Green, it has been repainted a bright green, but otherwise fairly original. The alloys are not M-B wheels (copies), the interior is fairly tidy and after a bit of tuning and sorting it drives well. I use it regularly doing small jobs now and then - today I am going to fit a left-hand door mirror - but it will get a full on bare metal respray to 'Thistle Green' eventually. I know where the other three in Australia are, and two more in England, any others out there? Or any other W114s?
All the best,
Chris M.

Ah, you found it!

I have seen a W115 State on the road once time I travelled to Portugal. In this country there is a great passion for states versions of all models. So I confirme the existence of W115 States.

Greetings

misabou said:

I have seen a W115 State on the road once time I travelled to Portugal. In this country there is a great passion for states versions of all models. So I confirme the existence of W115 States.

Greetings

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I am still waiting for the day when I can see one of the street!

Hi

Just seen this thread. My father owned a Crayford estate but not sure of the model W??? I know it was a 280SE 3.5 litre and was the same blue as the one in the picture in the magazine listed at the beginning of the thread. It was a 1972 and UK registered, it also had the stacked headlights. I hope this is of some use to anyone. It also featured in the Telegraph motoring section of the paper as he had the original copy with the car.

scottley said:

Hi

Just seen this thread. My father owned a Crayford estate but not sure of the model W??? I know it was a 280SE 3.5 litre and was the same blue as the one in the picture in the magazine listed at the beginning of the thread. It was a 1972 and UK registered, it also had the stacked headlights. I hope this is of some use to anyone. It also featured in the Telegraph motoring section of the paper as he had the original copy with the car.

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The 280SE 3.5 was a W108 S-Class, not a W114/W115. To my knowledge the W108 S-Class was never converted into an estate by Crayford.

[image no longer available]Mercedes-Benz-300_SEL_6.3_AMG_1971_photo_02.jpg


You are probably confusing it with a 280 W114.

[image no longer available]Mercedes-Benz-240_D_3.0_1974_photo_01.jpg

Nope it has the wrong lights, my dads car had the stacked headlights. i have since found a picture of it on another site but am waiting to contact the sites owner as he has it listed as a W109 300se 6.3 litre. The reg number was GNJ 32L and is pictured here
Gallery-Other-Crayford-Conversions

He states it was destroyed by fire but i have yet to contact him to find out more info. I used to clean this car with my dad and remember the details of it vividly but couldnt remember the name of the coachbuilders until someone posted a link on the BMW forum i use. I am going back a few years!

scottley said:

Nope it has the wrong lights, my dads car had the stacked headlights. i have since found a picture of it on another site but am waiting to contact the sites owner as he has it listed as a W109 300se 6.3 litre. The reg number was GNJ 32L and is pictured here
Gallery-Other-Crayford-Conversions

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Great link.

The term "W109" is an error - it's a W108.

I can see that Crayford did indeed turn a W108 into an "S108". They even did some funky jobs with a C107 SLC! Damn!

I was dubious about the W number as i dont know much about these numbers, same with BMW and their E numbers.

I have been in touch with the guy who runs the site and says the info he has lited was copied from the Crayford Club magazine.

I cant get any more information on it at the moment as i dont speak to my father, but i hope to try and get some photos of it if he has any. He should have as he wass very proud of it, however he didnt look after it and let it rot. I tried to buy it from him but he sold it on to someone else for next to nothing.

S

scottley said:

I was dubious about the W number as i dont know much about these numbers, same with BMW and their E numbers.

I have been in touch with the guy who runs the site and says the info he has lited was copied from the Crayford Club magazine.

I cant get any more information on it at the moment as i dont speak to my father, but i hope to try and get some photos of it if he has any. He should have as he wass very proud of it, however he didnt look after it and let it rot. I tried to buy it from him but he sold it on to someone else for next to nothing.

S

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Would be great if you could get more info on your dads Crayford.

The internal chassis code for that particular S-Class was W108 at Mercedes. Perhaps Crayford had a system where they named it W109?

Sadly my father passed away in early February of this year.

I had asked him about the car and to see if he had any photts or infirmation on the car. He did say he had a folder which containe the Sunday Times motoring section write up on the car along with phots but this was stolen from his work car along with all his tools some years ago.

I have cleared his house completely and there are no photos or documents left for this vehicle. Im absolutely gutted that this unique vehicle is lost forever!

How about a 450 SEL Crayford in California....

GreaseMonkey said:

Any Crayford owners on this forum?

I know where the other three in Australia are, and two more in England,

any others out there?
Or any other W114s?

All the best,
Chris M.

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Hi

My brother owns a 1976 450SEL Crayford. RUST FREE CAR !

It's blue now, and has some nice , unique options....

he's somewhat of a buff, when it comes to MB wagons and pretty knowledgable.....

Alex

Hi Guys found this site when looking for info on Crayford Mercedes Benzs and BMWS

Here below is resources I have found so far as hobby of mine is indexing and helping people find information from car magazines

M-BENZ W114 ESTATE 230 LWB Estate Autocar (GB) 1974 MAR 30th page 28 vol 141 Issue 4041 News World Wide Comments bw photo rear 3/4 view Dachshund 9 seater -photo only
M-BENZ W114 ESTATE 250 Auto Autocar 1972 JUN 15th page 52 136 3974 advertisment in the the United Kingdom Reg YPN 350J; shown in 1/2 Black and white photo A4 -offical distributors Sargent & Brooker +Crayford Developmemts adv
M-BENZ W114 ESTATE 250 Autocar 1972 SEP 14th pages 42-43 vol 137 Issue 3986 Brief test in GB Reg FKK 250L ; this particular car to be exported to South America
M-BENZ W114 ESTATE 250/280 1975 Auto Classic & Sportscar (GB) 1983 JAN 1999 Vol1 Issue 10 4SALE GB Classified but no photo very rare (assume Crayford) ps central locking exceptional clean 2495pounds
0483 232959 UK

M-BENZ W114 ESTATE LWB Motor (GB) 1974 MAR 16th 12 Estate conversion on 230 LWB Limo called Dachshund brief news (This one extended rear - Sadly a similar one was Banger Raced) I think a site called http://banger-maddness contained photos of unusual cars that were wrecked

older Big Mercedes -Benz

M-BENZ S ESTATE 300SEL 6.3 Classic & Sportscar (GB) 1985 JUN 120 4 3 pvte (RT) 4SALE GB classified but no photo ; unique; Dark green with black vinyl roof ; cream leather upholstery ; 1 previous owner ;61000m ; exceptional condition throughout ; 7250 pounds ; we are not told the year Crayford 1969 1985 EYY 193H 1 previous owner GB Dark green with black vinyl roof ; cream leather upholstery RHD tel (0536) 73550 evenings uk
M-BENZ S ESTATE 300SEL 6.3 1969
Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1985 MAY page 88 Vol 12 Issue 8 Discovery
A photo in United Kingdom Reg EYY 193H; discovered owner decided it has to go to make way for a 1928 Sunbeam 16 tourer by Nick Baldwin & Michael Ware 1 previous owner Dark green with black vinyl roof ; cream leather upholstery and RHD
M-BENZ S ESTATE 300SEL 6.3 69 but converted post
Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1986 JUL page 155 Vol 13 Issue 10 4SALE-pic GB Classified Reg EYY 193H; 1 previous owner 61000miles; Tel 0536 73550
M-BENZ S ESTATE 300SEL 6.3 1970
Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1989 SEP Page 233 Vol 16 Issue 12 4SALE 1 of 3;ex McAlpine family; text only;no pic;Brewster Green,ivory interior;89000m,(0206-STD)

As for the later Mercedes-Benzs S ie 280SE-450SEL - Yes around 3 or more were manufactured under license in Australia by a company called Burrows

Burrows Stories in the Press in 1977 in Australia

M-BENZ S CLASS ESTATE Modern Motor (Aus) 1977 OCT page 9 Volume 24 Issue 5 Under licence from Crayford (GB) also called Crayford Burrows (AUS) brief snipet of news CONVERSION 72-80 S class -280SE ; car shown discribed as gold metallic shown
M-BENZ S CLASS ESTATE Australian Motor Manual 1977 JUN Pages 26-27 Under licence from Crayford (GB) also called Crayford Burrows (AUS) Preview 280SE Wagon Reg OXY-150 owned at the time by Neville Hawken; conversion by David Burrows of Surfers Paradise
Convertibles - Several W123 were made so far my records are (1000s of magazines still to do)

M-BENZ W123 230CE Conv1981 RHD
Classic & Sportscar (GB) 2004 DEC page 82 Vol 23 Issue 9 4SALE GB 1981; RHD ; 2995pounds by UK dealer Justin Banks Classic Cars ; Godin Banks - Fuelling Desire

M-BENZ W123 280CE Conv
Popular Classics (GB) 1991 SEP Page 86 4SALE-PIC GB ; Reg NOT 451R;Hampshire dealer for sale 1991; car inc custom built 280CE Hard top that when its put up does not look like a convertible!

Licence for Convertible W123 was also sold to US company GRAPHIC DESIGNS (USA)
Here is a comparsion test for a Mercedes-Benz 280CE Conv 82 see FEB82 Motor Trend Pages 31-32;34;37-40
vs Mazda 626 Conv; Jag XJS conv;Nissan 200SX Conv


then there was the 1 off
M-BENZ 350 SL ESTATE Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1986 OCT Page 111 Discovery Sold as a Crayford Condor Estate Reg RKM 71W