Classic Cars in South Africa

Make	Benz	History
Year	1897	As early as 1896 Mr John Percy Hess of Pretoria made the decision to import a Benz "Velo" from Benz & Co of Mannheim Germany to South Africa, this is believed to have been the first car in the Southern Hemisphere. During the same year this car was shipped to Port Elizabeth and then transported to Pretoria. It was the start of a business relationship which lead to Mr Hess becoming the sole agent for Benz & Co in South Africa.On Monday, January 4th at 4pm.1897 at Berea Park in Pretoria, in a widely advertised event, Mr John Percy Hess first drove the car with a Mr A.E. Reno (his business Partner and co-founder of the Pretoria News), and a Dr W.J. Leyds, then State Secretary of the Transvaal, as passengers. President Paul Kruger was also invited to ride on the car, but he preferred to just watch the event. In honour of President Paul Kruger attendance a "vierkleur" flag was attached to a pole on the carriage and a gold medal was minted to commemorate this occasion. A large number of spectators who came to see this spectacle had to pay an entrance fee of 2 shillings and 6 pennies.The following week, the Benz was shown at theWanderers in Johannesburg and then sold to Mr A.H. Jacobs, a coffee importer. Every customer who purchased 500g of coffee from his shop in Pritchard Street was allowed to see his car. Unfortunately, some months later, this car was destroyed in a fire.
Model
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours
Registration Numbers		References

Make	Benz	History
Year	1899	Belonged to an elderly German in Cape Town, then to Ernest Gearing before going to the Jeffs Watson around 1946, later owned by Tony Watson. Sold through the Internet Motor Company to someone in Germany in December 2002.
Model	Velo
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours
Registration Numbers	TSN-1899/SAF	References	Photo: KR Stewart; BNoik

Make	Benz	History
Year	1901	Purchased by Jacobus Marais who lived at Timour Hall in Cape Town. In 1933 a UCT engineering student convinced his Aunts, who were living at Timour Hall, to let him use the car in the Varsity Rag procession. The car was towed to UCT behind a friend's Riley Nine. They managed to get the car started and wound rope around the wheels as the tyres had disintegrated. Unfortunately the car broke down and had to be towed back to the University. The Aunts were then persuaded to donate the car to the University and it was stored in the Mechanical Engineering Department. In 1957 the car was handed over to the Royal Automobile Club of South Africa. The car was then restored during the 1960s by Angus Kinnes in Plumstead. Before the RAC and AA merged the Benz was transferred to the Crankhandle Club's curatorship. This is understood to be the oldests vehicle in South Africa.
Model	Ideal
Chassis No.
Engine No.	3387
Coachbuilder
Body Style	Phaeton
Colours
Registration Numbers		References	Crankhandle Chronicle Jul 2019; Photo: Unknown

Make	Benz	History
Year	1913	Believed to have been imported into South Africa in the 1930s. Found in pieces on a farm about 12 miles from Johannesburg in 1956 by Jimmie Hall. Restored in 18 months. Later owned by Cyril Richmond 1984, Peter Hall, sold to the Scharrighuisen collection. Acquired in 2000 from the Scharrighuisen collection auction by Waldo Scribante. Single rear door with folding front seat to allow entry to the rear passenger seats. The Buhne body seems to be the second body fitted to this car as Buhne only came into existance after WWI.
Model	8/20PS
Chassis No.
Engine No.	24906
Coachbuilder	Carosserie H. Buhne
Body Style	Convertible tourer
Colours	Dark colour in 1959, White with beige soft top and tan upholstery
Registration Numbers	TJ-1916/SAF, BENZ-WP?SAF	References	Photo: Unknown, Automobilist 10/4, Unknown, SCOMC Newsletter Jun 2021

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