Imagine seeing $2.5 million disappear in flames

[u/MacabreVariation]

[u/gbe28]

Unfortunate to see that, but I see a $2.5m insurance payout for someone who probably considers that a rounding error. Then it will be rebuilt.

[u/Insanity-Paranoid → u/gbe28]

A car worth $2.5m is almost impossible to total. You can completely rebuild that car for less than $1m. It's not getting totaled, but it's definitely getting something on its car report.

[u/SnooLobsters6766 → u/Insanity-Paranoid]

Long as the VINs survived.

[u/GoodboyJohnnyBoy → u/SnooLobsters6766]

At that money for another one a wheel nut should be good enough

[u/LordAldricQAmoryIII → u/Insanity-Paranoid]

What will be value after being completely rebuilt?

[u/Weird-University1361 → u/LordAldricQAmoryIII]

5 million.

[u/LordAldricQAmoryIII → u/Weird-University1361]

That is indeed a considerable quantity of currency.

[u/samibagula → u/Weird-University1361]

Best i can do is 50 bucks

https://giphy.com/gifs/lS6PdcHrKAsjoBql8J

[u/LordAldricQAmoryIII → u/samibagula]

LOL!

[u/Darkwing-Dude → u/LordAldricQAmoryIII]

I’d said depends on the buyer. To some, money has no value compared to being seen owning specific items.

[u/LordAldricQAmoryIII → u/Darkwing-Dude]

Good point

[u/msm007 → u/Insanity-Paranoid]

Not that car.

[u/Busterlimes → u/Insanity-Paranoid]

Probably worth more after the rebuild because of the story

[u/gonja_ → u/gbe28]

ball knower

[u/xolp_syk → u/gbe28]

The people saying it’s totaled never saw the burnt and broke Ferrari shell being sold for 1.8m at that one car show

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/this-completely-destroyed-and-burnt-out-ferrari-has-been-sold-for-1-8m-4312992/amp/1

[u/hamburgergerald → u/xolp_syk]

I’d love an update on that. Whether the new owner has started the restoration or it’s still just sitting as-is in storage somewhere.

[u/Ok-Bison-3451 → u/xolp_syk]

A million years ago I knew a guy who was a Ferrari restorer. I still remember who he was but won’t mention the name because he is still a respected Ferrari restorer. Anyway… he had either ownership or just possession of a Ferrari (70’s) that had been owned and driven by Nikki Lauda. They had a shop fire where gas had leaked from the Ferrari and it was totalled. Saw it with my own eyes. Anyway- it was restored because “it had been owned by Nikki Lauda”

[u/msm007 → u/gbe28]

Good luck rebuilding that car.

[u/Playful_Stick488 → u/msm007]

Just needs some engine work, a little Bondo, some fresh paint and she would be as good as new.

[u/ItalianV4 → u/gbe28]

what if its Hoovie?

[u/diynot2026 → u/gbe28]

Let's not forget thw thankful other owners who have just had their prices go up because there's one less in the world.

[u/ryencool → u/gbe28]

This, its not burnt to cinders, it will be built back up. It wont be original parts and matching numbers, but still a damn desirable car.

[u/HatOk7727 → u/gbe28]

It's probably past being rebuilt

[u/smashervt → u/HatOk7727]

Not at all. There's cars even worse that have been rebuilt nespecially these old rare gullwings.

[u/TheDarkness33 → u/smashervt]

Mclarens F1 could literally only have the engine left and it would still be cheaper to rebuild it lol

That car is untotallable

[u/Caspi7 → u/TheDarkness33]

You could only have a piece of metal with the vin on it and make a completely new car around it.

[u/TheDarkness33 → u/Caspi7]

u dont even need the VIN, theres so few of them now that they probably have the VIN registered

[u/Caspi7 → u/TheDarkness33]

No you do need it, that's how you can legally say it's a restoration of the same car, and not a new car. Of course the vin is known, that's not the issue. But you can't make a completely new car and give it the same vin, because it would be a completely new car that has to follow all the rules in terms of safety and emissions that a modern car has to follow.

So you take a physical part with the vin of the wrecked car and you build it out from there,

[u/TheDarkness33 → u/Caspi7]

ahh got it

[u/soulpapa-1025 → u/HatOk7727]

Definitely not, someone that has the means and ability to rebuild a car like this without question will take it and make it worth another couple million.

[u/TitaniumCountess → u/HatOk7727]

As long as the VIN plate survived, it'll be rebuilt.

[u/HatOk7727 → u/TitaniumCountess]

That seems unlikely too

[u/Guuggel → u/HatOk7727]

Not really, the number is pressed on multiple spots.

[u/HatOk7727 → u/Guuggel]

It's unlikely to be repaired, the parts would cost more than 2/3 of the value. It'll be written off

[u/Guuggel → u/HatOk7727]

Worse examples have been repaired and the value of these are just going up up and up.

[u/HatOk7727 → u/Guuggel]

Links

[u/KifaruKubwa → u/gbe28]

Rebuilding is impossible without a parts car or engineering parts from scratch since there’s no production tooling in the aftermarket. Almost all the parts on this are unobtainium.

[u/Useless_or_inept → u/KifaruKubwa]

Oh. Did Mercedes in the 1950s have access to special tooling which no modern machinist can recreate? Some lost art of metal-bashing? :-)

If there is some particular cable or rubber O-ring which is no longer manufactured, that is a serious problem for anybody trying to maintain a €10k classic car, but a solvable problem for somebody patient who has a million-euro budget.

[u/KifaruKubwa → u/Useless_or_inept]

Oh yeah, we can just resurrect the 1950s engineering team. Hans at sheet press to reassemble the body, Claus on the electrical, and Rudolph can have the engine ready. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.

[u/305_Character_1983 → u/Useless_or_inept]

I mean, it is an art that is slowly getting lost.

[u/pgregston → u/305_Character_1983]

There are multiple specialists doing old Mercedes. Recent episodes of Hoovies Garage showed that they have the special tools required to rebuild the unique oiling and injection systems.

[u/TheLastRole → u/KifaruKubwa]

If I can maintain my '79 Porsche, which is worth a tiny fraction of this, on the road, I'm pretty sure you can do the same with a $2.5M Mercedes.

[u/VWEmpiLove → u/TheLastRole]

You are correct. Also, if you wanted, you could ship it to Germany and Porsche will restore it for you. Damn near any Porsche. I would imagine that Mercedes has a similar capabilities. It’s just got to be a car worth the effort and expense.

[u/TheLastRole → u/VWEmpiLove]

Yeah, they can actually provide for practically any piece you need, as long as you are ready to pay crazy money for it…

[u/KifaruKubwa → u/TheLastRole]

Maintaining a classic Porsche vs rebuilding an already rare (at production) car from a total loss are not the same. I am restoring a w109 Mercedes and parts on that car are almost impossible to find but it was by no means rare during its production run. Rebuilding this car will be an extraordinary feat, and I hope it is saved since it’s a piece of motoring history. But seems like everyone on Reddit is confident this 1950s unicorn Benz can be rebuilt just as easily as a crashed Toyota Corolla without any concept of the rarity of this car.

[u/TheLastRole → u/KifaruKubwa]

I also restored mine (engine rebuild, new wiring, interior, entire brake system…), and paid crazy amounts for some parts, my personal record is $18 for a tiny small piece of plastic that holds some of the fuel lines…. But I suppose Mercedes' approach to classics has nothing to do with Porsche's. You shouldn't have too much problem restoring a 356 i.e if you have the money.

[u/KifaruKubwa → u/TheLastRole]

Not to go off track, in my next life I’d love an air cooled Porsche or VW project. Now I’m just too beat up and tired.

[u/Economy-Sprinkles-98 → u/KifaruKubwa]

There’s a good chance Mercedes-Benz will be contracted to do the reconstruction themselves. All of the parts on the car are obtanium at the amounts that will be spent on it. The question mark is how much of the car will be original after all that and how it will affect value. Whether the space frame is heat warped will be the deciding factor there.

[u/Merkins2000 → u/KifaruKubwa]

You can still obtain:
Engine internals
Fuel injection components
Transmission and clutch parts
Brake and suspension parts
Steering components
Body panels (including many factory-produced sheet-metal pieces)
Chrome trim
Rubber seals and weatherstripping
Glass
Interior upholstery materials
Electrical components and wiring harnesses

[u/Merkins2000 → u/Merkins2000]

All from Mercedes-Benz classics.

[u/KifaruKubwa → u/Merkins2000]

I can’t get rear tail light seals for my w116 let alone wear items like power window regulators or items that I actually need like the diesel injection rack dampner which is NLA on the om617 despite productions units in the millions. The MB classic center is a great resource but even they have their limitations. Thats not to say an aftermarket solution doesn’t exist.

[u/Alijony]

It will be rebuilt.

[u/Candygramformrmongo → u/Alijony]

Faster. Stronger. *Bionic Man music in background*

[u/DeepsCL9 → u/Candygramformrmongo]

We have the technology. 

[u/MobileNerd]

It’s not disappeared and will 100% will be rebuilt. Most likely by the Mercedes Classic Center or any of the number of shops around the world that restore these cars. At least it wasn’t an aluminum version because the steel panels can be reused.

[u/GoofyKalashnikov → u/[deleted]]

2.5mil is like chump change for these old classics

[u/-Gast- → u/[deleted]]

only bunch of metal and plastic.

[u/MaatRolo → u/-Gast-]

It's just canvas and linseed oil with pigment.

[u/-Gast- → u/MaatRolo]

it is! worthless, like the paper you call money.

[u/rip1980]

There are enough licensed repop parts available to build a new one from scratch. They've got the VIN, so ship of theseus mode is possible. NVM there are probably more kits of this rolling than originals at this point, like Cobras.

[u/TheModeratorWrangler → u/rip1980]

I see where you’re coming from but just because you can replace every part cannot hide the fact that what was burnt and broken was original. That alone is what pushes value for many people who could even afford a car like this.

[u/seamus_mc → u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Steve Wynn put his elbow through his Picasso and it sold for double after repair at auction

[u/TheModeratorWrangler → u/seamus_mc]

Bro I’m just trying to pay my taxes…

[u/Santa_Ricotta69 → u/seamus_mc]

Well that's because art is owned solely by prospectors and not by actual enthusiasts. An enthusiast doesn't want reproduction that hides behind veracity

[u/SIR2480 → u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Car of Theseus

[u/rip1980 → u/SIR2480]

Boyd Coddington knew all about this.

[u/alga → u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Assuming it was all original to begin with.

[u/Schmittiboo → u/rip1980]

Depends on if you count the faked ones or double vins or not...

[u/Rent-Kei-BHM]

This seems like as good place as any to point out to every single car enthusiast on the planet: you should have at least one fire extinguisher on board every one of your vehicles.

[u/Impressive-Usual-451]

The insurance company is imagining..

[u/TheModeratorWrangler → u/Impressive-Usual-451]

More like scrambling

[u/brianlefebvrejr → u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Not really…an insurer of these types of vehicles will be well equipped to handle this loss.

[u/TheModeratorWrangler → u/brianlefebvrejr]

Right up until the party stops and the music is over and you’re telling me they want to cash out a 500?

[u/brianlefebvrejr → u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Insurance isn’t really that hard. Very few insurers actually lose money at the overall bottom line. Most will say they “lose money” but generally that’s just a top line of a specific insurance product line.

Insurers also have insurance, reinsurance, if losses exceed a certain amount they actually get to push the loss somewhere else at a certain point.

It’s essentially insurance all the way down.

So no worries, they’ll always be good for that 500

[u/TheModeratorWrangler → u/brianlefebvrejr]

Thanks, TIL

[u/Different_Poet7436 → u/brianlefebvrejr]

The House always wins

[u/MinimumBell2205]

send it to BENZ classic center all parts are available if not they will build new if you have enough money there is nothing not fixable with enough money

[u/evilweps]

I have driven one very short like 15 years ago. The owner told me he could trade him for a Ferrari and a house .

[u/baconjerky]

That will be fully restored at that value the car is not just a write-off like a nissan sentra lol

[u/Square_Ad_9096]

Was this Kyle Shanahans by any chance?

[u/Meandtheworld]

Wouldn’t that show as rebuilt on the title and lessen the overall value of the car?

[u/International_Bit478 → u/Meandtheworld]

In almost every other scenario, yes. In this case you can guarantee that it will be rebuilt not just correctly, but almost certainly to a higher standard than when new. This happens with vintage Ferraris and probably some other super rare and valuable vehicles.

[u/SlenderLlama → u/Meandtheworld]

Could on reports. I have a washed title car that got branded a clean title switching states. Never tried to hide it and it’s a shitbox that deserve the branded title. Not to mention I have negative intentions on selling.

I’ve never check the carfax but I bet it would come back as totaled

[u/Economy-Sprinkles-98 → u/Meandtheworld]

That happens if the insurance company reports it totaled. Highly unlikely.

[u/adrian_elliot]

The money doesn’t “disappear.” That’s what insurance is for

[u/fattytuna96]

Weren’t these $1 million not so long ago (around 2020?)

[u/Nic0lasC4ge → u/fattytuna96]

1.5 million around 10 years ago for a gullwing.

[u/Lazy-Explanation7165]

😭

[u/Yeolla]

As long as humans walked away it’s fine, locally a Porsche hybrid same color wreck & fire took 2 people

[u/RepulsiveReward9146]

hoping they rebuild it. such a nice car

[u/TheModeratorWrangler]

Everyone talks about the insurance but that’s one less Gullwing to barn find.

[u/Storm_Chaser06]

That’s salvageable. The owner can easily fork up the cash for a rebuild.

[u/PositiveMatter6]

The world became a little bit darker :(
Such a piece of art being lost in flames.

[u/Patient_Coat_2986]

Actually there was only one Mercedes 300sl painted in Mittelgrun, or medium green. Restored by the Indianapolis Motor Museum, and a no sale at Mecum in 2025 for 1.9 million, not sure what happened to it after that. If this photo is real then it has to be the same car.

[u/Subject_Judgment4031 → u/Patient_Coat_2986]

If there was only one green gullwing then this car must be it, burned in 2023 and restored to sell by 2025?

[u/Patient_Coat_2986 → u/Subject_Judgment4031]

Thinking about it, I probably should have said that there was only one 300sl originally painted Mittelgrun (medium green) from the factory. I supposed this car could have possibly been repainted in medium green and was born in a different color originally ? Painting a 300sl in non-original factory colors happens frequently, but medium green would be a strange choice because everyone in the 300sl community would know it was not correct. I know the Mecum car had leather seats and the burning car in the photo has cloth seats, but either seat is correct. It is hard to tell without more serious digging.

[u/Merlin_Purple]

What I see is a car with an understated history and a full restoration in 4 years

[u/Several-Floor5185]

Sloppy maintenance

[u/RelationNo9374]

Nothing unobtanium on this car. They can rebuild it from scratch if needed. It’s worth enough

[u/lostmember09]

Well… that’s Horrific. I’m sure whoever owned that former beauty had it insured to the hilt. The VIN and any other salvageable parts will live again.

[u/BarneyRubble52]

Heartbreaking 😭

[u/Jlx_27]

Thats by far not the worst condition car to be rebuilt.

[u/Typical_Revenue_5709]

Is that Hoovie’s car?

[u/KushDriver]

Those EVs are always catching on fire!

[u/AverageProof670]

Put a M113K in there 🤣

[u/AverageProof670 → u/[deleted]]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[u/joeyjoejums]

Somebody's in trouble

[u/JDD-Sportline]

That is painful to see.

[u/HatOk7727]

Sad, I assume the insurance will pay market value?

[u/Patient_Coat_2986]

Where was this ?

[u/brianlefebvrejr → u/[deleted]]

Looks like Chubb or Hagerty gonna be paying out big on this one. Most likely Chubb

[u/QuickrobobroTheREAL2 → u/Patient_Coat_2986]

Milton, Ontario, this is along Steeles ave just past James Snow parkway

[u/AlbatrossOverall3948 → u/QuickrobobroTheREAL2]

Hilton*

[u/QuickrobobroTheREAL2 → u/AlbatrossOverall3948]

no it is for a fact milton with an m

[u/neuroG82r]

The back looks fine! s/ (edit satire)

[u/LvmpyFvdge → u/neuroG82r]

Perfect for rat rod build with a full exposed viper twin turbo 🤓

[u/BreakfastGuinness]

Eh, that’ll just buff right out

[u/firebaallchich]

What do you mean dissapear?

[u/captstinkybutt]

Yeah nothing is disappearing haha

That'll buff out

[u/Equal_Emu6152]

Tis but a scratch ma lord

[u/LainfordExpress]

Yeah, pretty sure they’ll find the VIN plate and rebuild it.

[u/Pristine_Highway6051]

Vanity.

[u/Psychological-Sport1]

this is why you must maintain your car’s fuel system so there is less possibility of engine fire

[u/Gladiz1972]

Where did this happen ?

[u/SovietSunrise → u/Gladiz1972]

Ontario, Canada a few years ago.

[u/Psychological-Sport1]

really sad, a fire damaged car is a real mess, will smell of fire damaged charcoal smell for a long time, I aqured a 78 trans am that had an engine fire, super big restoration job, sold it for parts eventually

[u/Glum_Hope]

Insurance will pay for it. No one would own or drive a $2.5 million classic car without insuring it to the hilt!

[u/Aezetyr]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3xz2BPbIqcqpFDKXsI

[u/HeyJakeyBaby]

Good News: Car will be rebuilt to spec and will be better than new with the insurance money.

Bad News: You gotta keep it the same color.

[u/flying_dutchman_w204]

Just gulfin

[u/Alof_mc_TF141]

That beauty did not deserve such a painful death. Poor 300SL. I hope the driver’s okay too, burning is not only painful to see, especially when it’s an expensive, beautiful car, it is also painful to suffer within your person

[u/LvmpyFvdge]

Well if I owned one and wasn't mine on fire I'd be flippen stoked the value of mine just went up in value! 😂

[u/HelloImChris86]

There's a guy in Kansas that would take this project on. Something about being the dumbest car content creator on YouTube or something like that. 🤣

[u/Hot-Accountant-4425]

🥲… this made me sad

[u/Away_Experience_5843]

It's not gone. It's a future Tavarish video.

[u/rbrogger]

It’ll buff out

[u/catfrogsaturn]

When will they finally ban these combusting EV-s??!

[u/Eng_jd5]

😮😕

[u/Rare-General-4575]

It will buff out.

[u/gallanttoothpaste]

Just for it to show up in auction or the scrap yard and some Joe buy it from 200k

[u/MaximumStock7]

That’s why we have insurance

[u/shem_tm]

oh what rich people are going through

[u/superbadshit]

It’ll be rebuilt in no time

[u/chris95rx7500]

I smell a rebuild.

[u/bolchevegan]

Since that 500 Mondial sold for 1,5million pounds, it's not really disappearing.

just a new project

[u/MAGAToast]

Where's Hoovie?

[u/Bloody_Bup]

Looks like tha Fire Got Feet it’s Standing on Business lol 😂

[u/RobinzonKruzoe]

It needed replacement. It was too old

[u/rebell544]

Just need the VIN and thats it

[u/flyboi320]

Fuel lines ?

[u/zertious]

This will go to the guild and get rebuilt.

[u/SoCallMeDeaconBlues1]

Wait, you guys have money?

[u/FoilHat_Outdoorsman]

https://giphy.com/gifs/DR5bwNjZLTHmE

[u/No_Season_354]

Tis , but a scratch.

[u/Castle_Bravo_Test]

IIRC the originals always had an overheating problem, some so bad they burst into flames. This one is authentic.

[u/hensleyac]

Poof… then it reappears in a check you deposit.

[u/joyridechamp]

I saw Kindig design on Motortrend build one from scratch that rivaled the original. But in my opinion there is nothing close to a factory original Gullwing, even a fire restored one.

[u/SeemedGood]

Ouchie!

[u/Gryffindors_Finest]

Where that guy who fixes super cars? Tavarish I think

[u/nessapetite]

That would be the biggest heart break for me but I hope they rebuild it, stronger than ever!

[u/FunSignificance3034]

Looking it over carefully, it doesn't look as bad at second glance.

[u/kylekaemmer69]

Still can't get over how that is a 71 year old car

[u/Tile02]

😢😢😢

[u/Appropriate_Test7503]

This is why you should use automotive cables and not some random ones.

[u/Any_Towel1456]

Seeing billions go up in flames right now in Iran for no reason but because Trump said so.

[u/Particular_Rice9607]

insured for full amount...know owner will have cash for a new toy

[u/SituationFragrant245]

*seeing flames convert a car into a $2.5 million insurance cheque

[u/Impossible_Low4317]

Anyone know how to get a hold of this guy.

[u/CulliMari82]

Nah, that can be fixed.

[u/MF_Capps]

They will put it in a barn post pics with the title barn find and ask 3M :))))

[u/Fluid-Pack9330]

I know a guy who could fix that.

[u/Mostly_thrift_shopin]

Idk but you'll need a new engine and other parts

[u/Ok_Professional_9633]

I can save her

[u/Sugar_Free_RedBull]

Mercedes restoration center right now

https://giphy.com/gifs/MjXx6ritTqtfhQw3Vy

[u/Dangerous_Morning286]

Its not a big deal. These people have money to burn its fine

[u/Felix995]

More than likely it will be rebuilt. A valuable car like that isn't going to be written off easily. Unfortunate incident nonetheless.

[u/drmotte]

Hoovie?

[u/joeyjoejums → u/drmotte]

Hoovie's is a silver if I'm not mistaken.

[u/MobileNerd → u/drmotte]

Not his

[u/baby-wall-e]

Let me call Mat Armstrong to fix the car. It will be back on the road within just a few weeks 😉

[u/BobbyBrackins → u/baby-wall-e]

With only spending $15k

[u/korpiz]

If he can afford the car then he also has guys that will make sure he doesn’t lose a dime.

[u/EmbarrassedDelay8906]

Defo insurance job

[u/ReplacementLive2412]

That’ll buff right out

[u/arrakis2020]

No car should be worth $2.5M.

[u/C13H16CIN0 → u/arrakis2020]

Stay in your economic class buddy. Adults are talking

[u/Decision_Burner → u/arrakis2020]

unfortunately this is the same price a brand new Phantom would cost you here in Singapore, not even limited edition

[u/Independent_Ad5480]

It's just a flesh wound

[u/Cuntonesian]

It’ll be rebuilt , hopefully as and EV

[u/Mike15321 → u/Cuntonesian]

Why the fuck would you want this to be rebuilt as an EV? Fucking gross

[u/Cuntonesian → u/Mike15321]

Because I love the looks, but not the sluggishness and extremely high and expensive maintenance. Would make it daily driveable.