MERCEDES 6.3 - THE ULTIMATE STEALTH ADVENTURE

It's the early 90's and I'm restoring classics, mostly 60's MBs, for fun & profit. It's around 10 in the morning, and I'm heading across the GW Bridge in one of my beater 6.3s (flat maroon paint, rust spots, bent grille, perfect drivetrain, 225/60 tires on W126 7x15 alloys & working sunroof...) on my way upstate to work on my current resto for my customer (a W113 280SL). As I approach the exit for the Palisades Parkway, a late-model Guards Red Porsche 911 whips by going at least 90MPH. I love a challenge... 

So I put my foot down and within half a minute I close to within a car length and pull in behind him. We're now charging up the Palisades at 120MPH in the fast lane on a beautiful sunny Fall day. Don't know whether he's trying to speed up, but I'm glued to his rear bumper and he's not getting away... 

After about 20 minutes or so, we pass over the State Line, back in NY. Then we blitz up a gentle incline which blocks our forward view, and as I reach the top I'm presented with what can only be described as the most surreal scene of my life:

- There's a NY State Trooper standing in the center of our lane, in front of his car, which is parked across the lane, beacon flashing, blocking it. He has his hand up in the classic "Stop" signal. I can still, to this day, see the moustache and the sunlight glinting off his sunglasses...

- Parked on the left grassy median right next to our lane are at least half a dozen more cars, nose to tail, beacons flashing, each with at least one Trooper standing in front with his arms crossed.

I hit the brakes as hard as I can and veer into the slow lane. Then I toddle on past as they're reading the riot act to the poor Porsche piloto. I can imagine the conversation: "Hey, what about that Mercedes? It's been chasing me for the past half hour! It was going as fast as I was!" "That heap? You gotta be kidding me..." I manage to make it to the next exit with fingers crossed, and immediately get onto 9W and do my best to drive inconspicuously. No one follows me...

Back in the 80's and 90's, 911 drivers were often considered outlaws, especially by the cops. You wouldn't be able to get away with that kind of behavior in that car...but you could in a 6.3 (even one in good cosmetic condition). 

You still can today.