Restoration of the MERCEDES Coupe Cabriolet

Anyone who ever saw the frightful thing only shrugged their shoulders when told that the car would be restored.

"Rafi, you should make photographs of your work. At least, when we see the pictures, we'll get a good laugh remembering the thing," he was told.

At that moment, in 1976, Rafi Hershkowich came up with an idea: "Really, why not photograph the automobiles? It's really the difference between day and night: the terrible wreck which is first brought into the garage and the beautiful work of art which emerges after the restoration". Rafi had the occasion to restore Mercedes automobiles three times. The first time, in the very distant 1976, when he restored a 1950s Mercedes. The owner of the automobile, a resident of Tel Aviv, was shocked when he found out the price of restoring the car in Europe. But what was to be done? The car was crumpled, like a tin can, but it was a pity to send it to the rubbish dump.

In those years, Israel had only the beginnings of the art of automobile restoration. Certainly, Rafi visited all the expositions and exhibitions. The owner of the Mercedes recognized his name, came to Ashdod, drew up an agreement and the restoration work began. There was no problem in finding literature on Mercedes. It was possible to find everything that one needed to know about Mercedes. German engineering - that said it all. But the work itself was difficult. The car had the most interesting combinations of iron and aluminum and had a wood interior finish. Aluminum stands, aluminum panels, an aluminum front and back hood. These were restored.

The restoration of the metal parts was more difficult. Everything was rusted. The floor of the car was full of holes. As soon as sanding work began on the car, more and more problems emerged. They were all solved. And how! Everyone who saw the car after restorations, and in motion, could not believe their eyes, could not believe that the same twisted hung of metal that was in the photograph was the same piece of art that was standing in front of them.

Rafi was called upon twice more to restore Mercedes automobiles. Once - even a Mercedes Pagoda automobile, a very expensive car. But mainly, the Pagoda had more mechanical work than body restoration: the carburetor, the gear shift, the rear axle. But that first Mercedes - the 1950s model - was the one that left a lasting impression.