In 1926, two of Germany’s premier manufacturers, Daimler and Benz, joined forces to create Daimler-Benz A.G. With a pair of factories now at the new firm’s disposal, the “Mannheim”-designated Mercedes-Benzes were manufactured at the former Benz works in the city of the same name. Among the most elegant and sporting of these offerings was the 17/75 HP 370, which helped pave a clear road for the development of future sporting cars bearing the Star and the Laurel. Indeed, the popular and historically significant 500 and 540 K models owe a part of their development and existence to the 370.

The 370 S utilized the shortest wheelbase when compared to its nearest siblings, the 350 and 380 models, as well as the supercharged 370 K. This gave the car a much sportier feel, and, as a result, the 370 S was considered much more a driver’s car. Performance was stately, as it produced a normally aspirated 75 horsepower and had a top speed of 75 mph—fast enough to cruise on the new autobahns, yet simultaneously comfortable, as the engine was mated to Mercedes-Benz’s three-speed manual gearbox with overdrive. Not just exciting to drive, the car was also exciting to look at, with beautiful bodywork with flowing fenders—especially noted in the convertible and roadster styles.

The Klein Sport Cabriolet is known to have been registered in 1954 to Ernst Vogl of Zell am See, Austria, as a registration document from that year is included within the file—importantly, picturing the car in obviously unrestored but solid and complete condition, and listing it by both chassis and engine number 87085, thus confirming its identity.

The Sport Cabriolet is next known to have been acquired from Barbara O’Shaughnessy of Swansboro, North Carolina, in November 1972 by Dr. Paul Dallas “D.P.” Cooper, an early enthusiast in Holgate, Ohio. It appears to have been at least partially restored in his ownership, as 1977 invoices for upholstery work are included in the file. Eventually it was inherited by his son, Donnie A. Cooper, from whom Rudi Klein purchased it in 1982. It appears to have essentially been left in storage in the Cooper barn in Holgate for the next seven years, and then afterward continued to be stored in nearby Lima until following Rudi Klein’s passing in 2001. At that point, in 2002, it was finally brought to Los Angeles, brought into the Klein junkyard, and has since remained in one of the outbuildings on the property.

While the car remains largely intact and a good basis for restoration, given the age of the work done for Dr. Cooper and the storage conditions since, it is best suited to that project rather than freshening. The original firewall serial number tag is no longer present, although the original karrosserie tag is included in the history file, along with the aforementioned documentation and other receipts.

This would be a wonderful pre-war Mercedes to restore and present, as an excellent example of the swift and sporty 370 S.