Mercedes-Benz W114/W115 Crayford Register

During the 1970s, Crayford Auto Developments Ltd based in Westerham, Kent, England, converted approximately 400 Mercedes-Benz W114/W115 saloons (known as "Stichacht" in german or "/8" or "stroke-eight" in english) into estates. Crayford Auto Developments started in 1962 and was successful in converting BMC cars into convertibles when they began to show interest in the estate market. Apart from the W114/W115 series, Crayford converted a number of W116 (S-class) saloons into estates, as well as a very small number of W108/W109 saloons (the "old" S-class). A very high percentage of the Mercedes-Benz W116 estates by Crayford did survive, especially when you take into consideration that only 15 or 16 were built. From the 400 W114/W115 estate conversions, only two are known today. The intention of this register is not to collect the W114/W115 "stroke-eight" conversions that still exist (two other internet sites already do this, and you will find excellent information at John Greens MB Spares & Services site) but to find evidence of the remaining 398 or so. Sources may be old magazines and road tests, the Crayford Convertible Car Club archive or any privately taken pictures. Enough said, here is the list. If you want to share information on the whereabouts of one of the W114/W115 Crayford estates, contact me!

Number plate	Model	Color	Year built	Series	Appearance	Source	Date of source	Still alive	Added
?HP 188F	?	medium	?	1	Auto, no rear wiper	"White Lion" photograph	?	?	05-12-2008
EGC 273H	?	920 blue	?	1	Roof rack, 4cyl front bumper	Photographed by Barry Priestman long ago (1) (2)	?	?	15-06-2009
XPM 848J	250	dark green	<= 1970	1	Auto, roof rack, brown leather or MB-Tex interior	VDH, Crayford press photographs and again photographed by Barry Priestman long ago	?	Last registered 1983	05-12-2008
XNJ 250J	250	white	1970	1		Photograph in MB-IG book	2009	Last registered 1986	21-01-2010
YPN 350J	250	blue	1971	1		Crayford sales brochure. Also in Autocar June 1972 page 52 in an advertisment - shown in 1/2 Black and white photo A4 - offical distributors Sargent & Brooker, Crayford Developments advertising.	?	Last registered 1984	27-11-2010
EUF 331L	280 E	white	?	1		Owned by Barry Priestman long ago	?	?	15-06-2009
C?? 79?L	?	bright	?	1	Roof rack, no rear wiper	"White Lion" photograph	?	?	05-12-2008
JPW 2?0L	?	bright	?	1		"White Lion" photograph	?	?	05-12-2008
FAP 750L	250	red	<= 1972	1	Auto, no rear wiper	Crayford press photograph and brochure and "White Lion" photograph	?	Last registered 1990	05-12-2008
FKK 250L	250	bright	<= 1972	1	Auto, leather	"Autocar" magazine 1972 September 14th pages 42-43 vol 137 Issue 3986. This particular car was said to be exported to South America.	14-09-1972	?	05-12-2008
HNJ 725L	220D	920 dark blue	1972	1.5	Roof rack, red leather, sliding roof	Belongs to webmaster	2007	YES	05-12-2008
OPN 522M	250	860 green	1973	2	Auto, no rear wiper	Crayview, now belongs to webmaster	Winter 2006	YES	05-12-2008
SLC 5	250	920 dark blue	<= 1973	1	Auto	Appeared in two films: "Steptoe and son ride again" (1) and "I Don't Want to be Born" (2). Belonged to Mercedes-Benz Club UK member Kevin Sutton of Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire in 1974, who worked as sound recordist for both films (3, from the Mercedes-Benz UK Club Gazette June/July 1974).	1973 and 1975	?	08-04-2009
None	250	cream	?	2		Crayford brochure	?	?	05-12-2008
None	?	bright	?	2	No vinyl roof	"What Car" magazine	?	?	05-12-2008
TJ 131-112 (South Africa)	280	bright	?	2	Second series car without headrests	Cooper-Crayford sales brochure	?	?	26-12-2010

Last updated 28-Dec-2010