What if the Ocean Reef Club threw a car show and 19 rare, vintage Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupes and roadsters showed up? That would be quite a shindig in our books! Here at Napleton News, we take pride in being a bit vintage ourselves, so it was a no-brainer that we had to attend. Take a look at how the weekend turned out and what we found!
Ocean Reef Club’s Vintage Weekend has been on the calendar for the past 29 years. Located in the eastern end of Key Largo, the resort community boasts a world-class hotel, an airport, excellent restaurants and two 18-hole golf courses. There are also homes, condos and other amenities so once you are there, you never have to leave!
Attending the Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend.
Located approximately 60 miles south of Miami, the Ocean Reef Club is easily accessed by taking the Florida Turnpike to the last stop in Homestead, FL. A private club, ORC is opened to the public only during Vintage Weekend.
And what a weekend it was.
As in years past, the event features a marque that has strongly influenced motoring enthusiasts around the world. This year’s honoree was no different, being the Mercedes Benz 300 SL. This legendary sports car was based on the 1952 W198 racecar. Construction occurred between 1954 and 1957 for the gullwing coupe and 1957 to 1963 for the roadster. The 300 SL coupe could reach speeds of 162 mph, making it the fastest production car of the time.
In total, 3,258 were built. Nineteen of them showed up at ORC during this weekend.
Racing Royalty, and then some.
Besides famous street vehicles, there was racing royalty as well. Bob Smalley brought his Aston Martin continuation car complete in British Racing Green. It gleamed in the sunshine during perfect “chamber of commerce” weather in the Florida Keys. That weather was good enough to bring out actual royalty in the form of three-time IndyCar Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and his 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster.
There were plenty of other 300 SLs to fill out the field. These included pristine examples ranging from the 1956 300 SL “Gullwing” to the 1962 300 SL Roadster of Randy Smalley. These aren’t trailer queens, either. Following the awards ceremony held Sunday morning, a group of 300 SL Roadsters and Gullwings (and their owners) took off for an overnight trip to Naples, following a cross-state run to Palm Beach for two nights at the world famous Breakers Hotel and resort. But we can dream.
Also on hand were several successors to the 300 SL. These included a 280 SL Pagoda, and a Mercedes AMG SLS. The Pagoda is actually shorter than the 300 SL, while the SLS brought back the iconic gullwing doors. Another interesting Merc was the short wheelbase Galendawagen or G-Wagon for short. The Shah of Iran, a Daimler shareholder, asked for the G-Wagon be developed as a military vehicle for his army. It saw action in the Falklands conflict and as they say, the rest is history. In 1979, the G-Wagon was offered as a civilian vehicle and has continued to evolve into the G-wagon that we see on the highways today.
View our Ocean Reef Club Vintage Weekend Gallery (below) for more exciting photos
The action at Ocean Reef Club wasn’t confined to just the pavement. There were plenty of opportunities to look sea- and skyward for other well-preserved and thrilling visuals. These included watercraft open houses featuring famous shipbuilders like Burger, Rybovich, Huckins, Merritt, Boston Whaler and Feadship.
The Spirit of Tradition award went to “Well Done,” a gorgeously preserved yacht which featured a spot for its owner’s puppy to do her business while at sea. Another favorite was the PBR 44, which won the People’s Choice for most popular boat. Number 44 was one of the fiberglass-hulled Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR) boats used during the Vietnam conflict. Lightweight, they were dropped into the river by helicopter, for quick relay to a needed position. Although this one didn’t have that kind of pedigree, a similar boat played a major part in the film “Apocalypse Now.”
Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane! Yeah, it’s a plane.
The air show had showgoers looking skyward this year with one of the most exciting displays we can remember. It began with the Titan Aerobatic team, which featured three AT-6 trainer aircraft lit for night flying with illuminated engine bays, and lighted smoke trails. Redline Airshows brought more Pyro-excitement with their RV-8 Vans Aircraft shooting fireworks while in flight.
Taking a walk on the wild side was wing walker Samantha Tryggvason and her husband Mike, who thrilled with their Grumman AgCat airplane. This former crop duster has been modified with a pylon that tethers Sam to the upper wing. The skill, grace and sheer guts they displayed amazed everyone.
But, the real showstopper moment occurred with a roar and a streak from the afterburner of Bill Culbertson’s MiG-17. This plane was a surplus jet owned by the Polish Air Force. It has been re-painted into the colors of the Viet Cong Air Force. Flying at speeds over 700 mph, he showed off the skills needed to fly an aircraft developed in the 1950s Soviet Union. The Soviet, Polish, and Vietnamese air forces all flew it. Reports say the North Korea Air Force still does.
Thirty years on with no signs of slowing.
Having celebrated the 29th Anniversary of ORC’s Vintage Weekend, planning has already begun for the 30th running of this event. We’ll be there and will file a full report next year.
Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend Photo Gallery
