Tammy Schakett, of Belle Center, went to Florida in January to get out of the cold and came back with a replica 1929 Mercedes Benz Gazelle.
Submitted photos
BELLE CENTER – Tammy Schakett knew when she saw the 1929 Mercedes Benz Gazelle, it had her name written all over it.
She and her husband, Larry Fleming, made the January trip to Florida to get out of the cold. Their destination was the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida. While they really weren’t in the “car-buying mode” – more like the “just-looking mode” – they had been to Mecum auctions before and knew it would be a fun time.
Once there, things happened quickly.
“When the car came across the stage, I was like, ‘that’s what I’ve always wanted – a roadster.’ Nobody was bidding on it. I raised my hand and I got it,” Schakett said. “We hadn’t even looked at it closely. We bought it ‘as is’ and it turned out that it was in really good shape.”
The kit car only had two previous owners: the man who built it and the person who purchased it from him. It sits on a Mustang frame with a Ford 289 crate engine.
The Flemings had the car shipped back to their home in Belle Center near Indian Lake. It now sits in a garage along with Larry’s 1966 Pontiac GTO and her ‘66 Chevrolet Malibu. She did manage to get the Mercedes out a few times during this year’s winter warm spells.
Mercedes named the car after the Thomson gazelle, a small, fast antelope found in East Africa that can reach speeds of 50 to 55 miles per hour. Only the cheetah, pronghorn and springbok are faster land animals.
“It’s just a comfortable, sharp, fun little car to drive around on the weekends when the sun’s out,” Schakett said. “I’ve had people give me the thumbs-up when I drive past them. I’m looking forward to taking it out in a few months when the car shows begin.”
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