Owls Head Transportation Museum to exhibit 1904 Mercedes Simplex at Misselwood Concours d’Elegance in Beverly, MA

On Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 the Owls Head Transportation Museum will, for the third consecutive year, be represented at the renowned Misselwood Concours d’Elegance at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. Following an invitation from Concours organizers, Museum Trustees Norman and Molly Shanklin, Executive Director Russ Rocknak and several members of the Museum staff will journey to Beverly to represent the Museum. The team will participate in the 60 mile Tour d’Elegance on Saturday, running Mr. and Mrs. Shanklin’s 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Alpine tourer under the OHTM banner. On Sunday the Museum’s exceedingly rare 1904 Mercedes Simplex will be displayed on the Concours field.

In 2013 OHTM participated in the event for the first time, running their fully-restored Stanley Model K “Semi-Racer.” Though the rare steam car had a few troubles along the tour route it caught the eye of reporters at The Boston Globe who wrote a feature on the vehicle following the showing.  Additionally the Stanley was awarded first place in its class, Brass and Nickel through 1925, at the judged Misselwood Concours event. In 2014 The Museum exhibited Mr. and Mrs. Shanklin’s 1930 Bentley Speed Six, realizing top honors in two classes: Classics and Significant to 1932 and the Bentley class.

This invitation represents the Owls Head Transportation Museum’s ongoing effort to expand the
horizons of the Museum through the ambassadorship opportunities available throughout the region.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum’s 1904 Mercedes Simplex, Chassis #2626, is one of only a handful of such vehicles extant.  With a power rating of 40/45 horsepower, honeycomb radiator, four-speed gated transmission and a top speed in excess of 80 kilometers per hour, the Simplex represents one of the world’s first “modern” automobiles.  Born of the first model to bear the name Mercedes – the 35 horse car of 1900 – the Simplex was so called due to improvements aiding ease of operation.

The slogan, “Comfort by means of simplicity,” no doubt, served as inspiration for the new model name.

This example was donated to the Museum in 1984 by founder Tom Watson and remains one of the crown jewels of the ground vehicle collection.

Misselwood Concours d’Elegance was founded in 2009 and inaugurated in 2010. The show is billed as a celebration of “style, excellence and elegance on Boston’s historic North Shore.” The Misselwood Concours d’Elegance brings together high-end automobiles to raise funds for scholarship programs at Endicott College and provides an opportunity for the New England automobile community to congregate and showcase their exceptional vehicles.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum is home to a world-class operating collection of rare antique automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, bicycles, engines and more. It is located in picturesque Midcoast Maine near the small, culturally rich city of Rockland and neighboring Knox County Regional Airport. The Museum hosts over a dozen special events annually, when ground vehicles and aircraft from the collection are highlighted and demonstrated. The special event calendar for 2015 includes the highly anticipated Wings and Wheels Spectacular Airshow, Vintage Motorcycle Meet and the 38th Annual New England Auto Auction on August 22. Year-round Museum programs and activities include educational presentations, workshops and seminars with a focus on the multifaceted history of transportation.

For further information please contact Owls Head Transportation Museum Public Relations Director Jenna Lookner at 207-594-4418.

Photo Caption:

The Owls Head Transportation Museum’s 1904 Mercedes Simplex is one of few such vehicles extant. It will be exhibited at the prestigious Misselwood Concours d’Elegance at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts on July 26.