11 replies to this topic

[D-Type]

I'm totally confused about the evolution of the Blitzen Benz or Benzes. Information on the internet is ambiguous to say the least.

There were four different World land Speed records set by the Blitzen Benz, but not necessarily the same one
1909 by Victor Hémery at Brooklands
1910 by Barney Oldfield at Daytona
1911 by Bob Burman at Daytona
1914 by L G Hornsted at Brooklands
(The Daytona records were one-way and not recognised in Europe)

Different photographs show:
The car with a flat radiator, apparently the original version or possibly the 1908 GP car, and mostly with a streamlined body.
The streamliner sometimes has stub exhausts, sometimes a high level exhaust at the same level as the pipes come out of the bonnet and sometimes a single exhaust at low level with four pipes coming down and merging into itl.
In colour it is either silver, white or blue (Hornsted' I think).
It sometimes has "Blitzen Benz" painted on the bonnet, sometimes has a German eagle coat of arms and sometimes both.
The radiator cowl can be dark (black?), brass or chrome.

I think that Hémery, Oldfield and Burman drove the same car but the Hornsted drove a different one.

The preserved cars confuse things further: the Mercedes-Benz Museum car has stub exhausts while the US-domilciled re-creation has a low level exhaust.

Sorry, I'm not sufficiently computer-literate to be able to post photos and the links would be numerous.

I think the sequence for the streamlined cars is:

Hémery: white with brass radiator surround and low level exhaust
Oldfield: white with brass radiator, low level exhaust, "Blitzen Benz" signwriting and German eagle
Burnman: silver, chromed radiator, stub exhausts, "Blitzen Benz" signwriting and no eagle
Hornsted: blue, high level exhaust

and the other variations appeared when the car was track raced in the USA by Oldfield and Burnham

Can anybody help sort this lot out?

Edited by D-Type, 11 June 2011 - 23:16.

[fbarrett]

Duncan:

I, too, was always puzzled by these cars. But all was revealed by the definitive (and only) book on the Blitzen Benzes, Karl Ludvigsen's The Incredible Blitzen Benz, published in 2006 by Dalton Watson, ISBN 139781854432230. Highly recommended.

Frank

Edited by fbarrett, 12 June 2011 - 00:04.

[Arieb]

Not all was revealed by Ludvigsen, and there still is conflicting information that could mean that Ludvigsen did not have it all correct!
Unfortunately, in some instances you have to assume certain elements in that story, and there is no evidence (yet) to support some of these assumptions.

For example the 1909 record streamliner driven by Hemery: before and after this Blitzen Benz #1 did have the high collector manifold exhaust system, but there is no evidence that I have seen that the car had that system when setting the Brooklands records!
The same car participated in the Frankurt Kilometer run and the Semmering Hill Climb, but that was, according to Ludvigsen and some other sources with the GP body, while there are pictures of the car with a streamlined body daid to be at the Frankfurt run!

If you count the replica's of the Blitzen Benzes made, there are a total of 8 Blitzen Benzes in history, with for two of those (non-racing cars) very little information.

So, while looked into by more rthan one automobile historian, the situation is definitely not all clear yet!

[D-Type]

Did the Brooklands silencer rules apply as early as 1909? If so the Hémery car could not have had the stub exhaust and the high level exhaust looks more likely to possibly include a silencer.

Thanks for the references to the two Karl Ludvigsen books. Unfortunately as a footnote in racing history it only merits a half page in German Racing Silver

Edited by D-Type, 15 April 2023 - 19:09.

[Tim Murray]

Silencers didn't become mandatory at Brooklands until 1924.

[D-Type]

While waiting for the rain to stop in Montreal I've been surfing for links

This article explains some of the history.

Mercedes-Benz seem a bit unsure of their history - but that may just be the publicity department!

Here it appears to be the low exhaust version with "Blitzen Benz" and a small eagle.

This contemporary photo appears to be Burman at Daytona
 

Edited by D-Type, 15 April 2023 - 19:10.

[Arieb]

Mercedes-Benz indeed do not seem to have it all correct (at least not all departments seem to). The least one can say is that there are still a number of discrepancies.

The white Blitzen Benz with the small imperial eagle crest is the version in which Burman set the 1911 LSR at 141.732 mph (or 228 km.h) that was used extensively by Benz in their adverts of the time.
The same car Blitzen Benz #1 was used by Erle at FRrankfurt and Semmering, Hemery at Brooklands and Oldfield at Daytona among others.

That also is the version as restored by Bill Evans using Engine #9141 the Chassis from "Schlanker Joseph" a.k.a. Blitzen Benz #3, original parts from both the George Waterman collection and the M-B Museum, and newly manufactured body, transmission, wheels etc…

[Steve L]

Does anyone know the story behind the Blitzen Benz being raced at Goodwood this weekend please? Is it an original one?

[Lee Nicolle]

Does anyone know the story behind the Blitzen Benz being raced at Goodwood this weekend please? Is it an original one?

I believe so,, how original after a 100 years though is another story. Being driven by The Stig.

Plenty of those land speed cars being road raced,, highly suitable,,NOT. But do put on a display.

And do a better job than a modern landspeed car on the circuits. Or even a dragster or funny. Brakes are not much worse either.

[Lee Nicolle]

While waiting for the rain to stop in Montreal I've been surfing for links

This article explains some of the history.

Mercedes-Benz seem a bit unsure of their history - but that may just be the publicity department!

Here it appears to be the low exhaust version with "Blitzen Benz" and a small eagle.

This contemporary photo appears to be Burman at Daytona
 

I got one that said no content and another with a red warning not to go there. I suggest you delete these links.

[2F-001]

That was twelve years ago though... there must be countless posts on the forum that are much newer than that, and have dead links!

[arttidesco]

Does anyone know the story behind the Blitzen Benz being raced at Goodwood this weekend please? Is it an original one?

 

I was not there this year, but a recreation of a Blitzen Benz has appeared at Goodwood before with an original engine from No:3 :- https://www.psychoon...k/tag/oldfield/