Kienle Automobiltechnik, a family business specializing in the restoration of high-quality Mercedes-Benz classics in Heimerdingen near Stuttgart, has received a major order worth millions from a Southeast Asian kingdom. Two Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman saloons built in 1971 and 1973, a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster from 1936 and a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A built in 1937 are to be extensively restored from the ground up at Kienle over the next few years.
The four restoration objects recently arrived in Heimerdingen. Over the next few weeks and months, they will be professionally dismantled, examined and carefully reassembled after worn or defective parts have been overhauled or replaced. Each of the four automobiles was purchased by members of the royal family as a new car and has been in the family ever since.
"With the work already underway on other projects and this additional major order, the 85 restoration specialists in our workshop are well occupied in the relevant departments for the next few years," reports company owner Klaus Kienle. Although the two 600s are in good condition on the outside, some of the mechanics are badly worn and the highly complicated hydraulics no longer work.
The two pre-war Mercedes, which are in unrestored original condition, are also in need of repair and will be restored to their original condition according to the original documents. However, the exact scope of the work can only be estimated after a detailed analysis with partial disassembly. The two supercharged eight-cylinder Mercedes are among the particularly high-quality classics. Only 25 examples of the 540 K special roadster were hand-built at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen between 1936 and 1939. The Cabriolet A of the 540 K was produced in 83 units.
A total of 24,000 working hours planned over two to three years
Kienle estimates that it will take over 4,000 working hours to restore each of the two 600s and over 8,000 hours for each of the two pre-war Mercedes. The vehicles to be restored have been out of service for decades, so they are also likely to show severe structural damage. Kienle expects to have completed the restoration work in two to three years. The total cost of the restoration work is also likely to be in the tens of millions of euros.
In over 33 years, Kienle Automobiltechnik has built up a good international reputation with numerous restorations of Mercedes-Benz classics - including 300 SLs, 600s and pre-war cars in particular. Customers from Europe, Asia, North and South America and Australia entrust their automotive treasures to the Heimerdingen-based company for maintenance, repair and restoration. Founded in 1984, the company is managed by Klaus Kienle in collaboration with his sons Alexander and Marc and is one of the world's leading companies for the restoration, repair and maintenance of high-quality Mercedes classics.
With a spare parts stock of more than 40,000 items of new and used parts for vintage and classic Mercedes cars, the Heimerdingen-based company is one of the largest suppliers in the industry worldwide.
Trading is also part of the business: at least 50 valuable collector cars - from youngtimers and the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing to rare pre-war Mercedes and even modern high-quality sports cars - are always part of the Kienle range.
Further information can be found on the Kienle website.
