In Wisconsin, Karl Middelhauve keeps Mercedes-Benz’s dictator specials running.
In 1966, Karl Middelhauve bought a Mercedes-Benz 300SE. When its engine blew up on Germany’s autobahn, he had AMG install the 6.3-liter V-8 from a Mercedes 600 “Grosser” limousine. It was the beginning of a lifelong obsession. In the decades since, Middelhauve has become an internationally recognized 600 authority. The car long favored by celebrities and heads of state—from John Lennon to Idi Amin—is now catered to by a quiet, one-man operation in Wausau, Wisconsin. Just less than 2700 600s were built from 1964 to 1981, each with an air suspension and a complex hydraulic system powering everything from the windows to the cowl vent. Middelhauve has worked on or restored more than 200 of them. His shop, an 11-bay pole barn jammed with 19 6.3-liter V-8–powered vehicles, is a treasure trove of Grosser gold. We headed deep into cheese country for a closer look.
Keep Reading: Ancient Grease: Keeping the Mercedes-Benz “Grosser” 600 Parade-Ready – Feature
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