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Wow Ewan it's amazing how photographs can be so deceptive.

Most definitely silver.... It also seems to have an 'extra' bit of metal (flash ?) under the air tank

Earlier on page 2 of this thread Brad showed us his Mercedes with standard all in one direction crosshatched base, but with 2 abbreviated base tow marks and no bumper extension. His comment was that it was too bad these tow base marks were 'snapped off' and not complete. Well, I am looking at a very Mint version identical to his that I bought at Macungie. It seems that those short base hash marks for the tow guide are not broken Brad, they are a very early base casting done before these two side marks for the tow guide were extended further towards the front as we see on all of the later ones. The plastic bases with these short sides had to have been ready before the extended license plate bodies, we both have examples like that now. These 'short' side guides were used for a short time without the plate, and then redesigned longer to 'close' the tow guide. If we examine more of these Mercedes, we may even find these shorter base sides used with the 'new' extended license plate under the bumper. The Great news is that your model is all original Brad! It is another plastic base casting variation, not broken as you and I had originally thought. I wonder if Antonin has noticed these shorter side braces on the plastic bases before us??
I now have to look through the windshields of all mine to check to see which rivet braces each of my variations has. I am glad he reminded us of that difference recently, I had missed his earlier Post on the early and late rivet post braces..........kwakers

kwakers wrote:Earlier on page 2 of this thread Brad showed us his Mercedes with standard all in one direction crosshatched base, but with 2 abbreviated base tow marks and no bumper extension. His comment was that it was too bad these tow base marks were 'snapped off' and not complete. Well, I am looking at a very Mint version identical to his that I bought at Macungie. It seems that those short base hash marks for the tow guide are not broken Brad, they are a very early base casting done before these two side marks for the tow guide were extended further towards the front as we see on all of the later ones. The plastic bases with these short sides had to have been ready before the extended license plate bodies, we both have examples like that now. These 'short' side guides were used for a short time without the plate, and then redesigned longer to 'close' the tow guide. If we examine more of these Mercedes, we may even find these shorter base sides used with the 'new' extended license plate under the bumper. The Great news is that your model is all original Brad! It is another plastic base casting variation, not broken as you and I had originally thought. I wonder if Antonin has noticed these shorter side braces on the plastic bases before us??
I now have to look through the windshields of all mine to check to see which rivet braces each of my variations has. I am glad he reminded us of that difference recently, I had missed his earlier Post on the early and late rivet post braces..........kwakers

well i just checked them...and you are right Dick...they arent broken off...i used an eye loupe to check them...but i just assumed they were broken off...thanks for the info Dick...now who has a keen eye!?