Volume 48 - Vol 5 | October 2026 | | |
View Through The Star
by Marisa Hegyesi, President
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As I take the gavel in hand to complete Rusty Duncan’s term, I look forward to the challenge of leading our chapter into 2027. I am grateful for the opportunity to help our chapter grow and for the friendships that have come from being a member.
For those that do not know me, I have served as a Board Member at Large, Secretary and Vice President. Some members have read the Member Profiles I have written over the last three years. I also assist with aspects of Membership and the Concours. I was honored to receive the Jim Partain Memorial Award in 2025.
The dedication of Peachtree’s remarkable officers and volunteers makes this club successful. To finish 2026, we have several exciting events on the schedule:
October 11th: WAGONfest (at MBUSAHeadquarters in Sandy Springs).
October 18th (rescheduled from October 4th): Concours d’ Elegance (Several Categories of Competition, even a Lemon category for “Project” cars). While at the Concours, RBM has asked us to assist them in writing postcards to the Veterans at the Decatur Veterans Hospital. RBM will provide the postcards, and I will provide helpful ideas in case you cannot think of something to write. RBM will deliver postcards for Veterans Day to the hospital. Please participate and let them know that they are not forgotten! Read More
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Member Spotlight
Karen Myers
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by Marisa Hegyesi
Karen Myers
Karen was born in Pennsylvania, moved to New Jersey, and landed in Atlanta in 1983. She is divorced and not looking. Karen has two sons in the Atlanta area, a daughter in Nicaragua, and three grandchildren (1 Atlanta/2 Nicaragua). Her grandchildren are what makes her laugh the most.
She has a BA in Biochemistry/Nutrition from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MS from NCSU in Food Science. Karen was a nationally ranked swimmer and received a full ride to college.
Karen worked in food manufacturing directly out of college. Her first job was as a Chemist at Kraft Foods in Decatur. When she left, Karen was the Lab Supervisor. After her children were born, she switched careers and worked as a pre-school teacher for 25 years (obviously she has a lot of patience).|
In her spare time, Karen enjoys working on her 25-year-old R129. “There are a lot of old plastic items to replace” and “I’ve done much bigger jobs on it than that.” She stated that she is enjoying her MBCA Peachtree membership where she has “met may really nice people.”Read More
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10/11 | WAGONfest | register | map
10/16 | Trunk Show at J. McLaughin | register | map
10/17 | MBCA Peachtree Board Meeting | Contact President
10/18 | Peachtree Concours | register | map RESCHEDULED from 10/4
10/17 | DC Motorwerks Octoberfest 5-9 pm | map
10/24 | Deutsche Car Show | register | map
10/25 | GAS ATL Meetup Noon-3pm | map
10/29 | Event Planning Workshop for 2027 | register | ZOOM
| | by Gary Edwards, Technical Advisor | |
W124 400 E Power Steering Pump
When I lived in Chesapeake Virginia, my next door neighbor was a nuclear engineer and Mercedes enthusiast, Jim Freeh. I was a long term Porsche hobbyist and Jim was always trying to lure me over to Mercedes. One day, when my 1983 Porsche 944 was driving me up the wall intermittently not starting, Jim brought over a 1993 400E, wanting me to drive it and saying he was thinking of selling it. I drove it for a day and was surprised by how a relatively stodgy looking car with a relatively comfortable ride could corner so well. The next day I told him I wanted to buy it, he said he wasn’t sure he wanted to sell it. He did sell it to me, however, and it became my first (of many) Mercedes. I used it as a daily driver for many years, but lately I’d been neglecting the car.
I finally decided to fix its issues and start driving it more often. The car had a large power steering fluid leak to the point where I had to add fluid every couple of days. Researching this, I learned that there are generally two power steering leak sources for these cars. One was the rubber hose that leads from the power steering fluid reservoir to the pump inlet. The other was the pump seal itself. I also learned that there are two different manufacturers of power steering pumps for these cars and the pump rebuild kits are different, so it was necessary to determine what pump I have. The name plate data on the pump is on the side of the pump and if you have a leak, I can guarantee that this will be totally obscured by grime and dirt. I expended about a can of brake clean on it and with the help of my iPhone camera I was able to determine that I had a ZF pump, so I was able to order rebuild kits (I ordered two). I was also to use this information to order the right hose for the pump inlet line (they are also different).
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MORE TIME TO SHINE UP YOUR MERCEDES – Event Rescheduled from October 4, 2026
Registration is open for the 2026 Peachtree Concours d’Elegance, and we want YOUR Mercedes-Benz on the field!
📅 Sunday, October 18, 2026
⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for participants
📍 RBM of Alpharetta
This year is extra special as we celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz automobile and the 70th Anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America!
You don’t need a perfect show car to participate. Enter your Mercedes in Concours, Street, Custom, or Show & Shine—there’s a class for almost every Mercedes you love to drive and display.
🚗 Registration: $45 per car
⏳ Deadline: October 14
Wash it. Wax it. Show it off. Register today and join us for one of Peachtree’s signature events!
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Event for the Ladies of Mercedes!
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Trunk Show at J. McLaughlin's
Avalon
Friday, October 16 11:00 - 1:00 pm
| Geri Whaley-Ewers Event Planner
Join the ladies for a stylish afternoon at J. McLaughlin in Avalon. Browse the latest fall fashions, enjoy great company, and shop for a good cause.
J. McLaughlin will donate a portion of event sales to Second Chance Greyhounds, helping retired racing greyhounds find loving homes.
As an added highlight, we will be treated to a live performance by Philla, a talented cello artist, providing the perfect musical backdrop.
Fashion, friendship, and philanthropy—all in one delightful afternoon!
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EVENT PLANNERS WORKSHOP
October 29, 2026 7:00 pm
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Have a great idea for a Peachtree Chapter event? Help us put it in gear!
Join us for an upcoming MBCA Peachtree Event Planning Workshop as we brainstorm drives, tours, social gatherings, technical sessions, dining experiences, and other fun activities for our members.
No event-planning experience is needed—just bring your ideas, enthusiasm, and willingness to help. Whether you’d like to lead an event, assist behind the scenes, or simply contribute suggestions, we’d love to have you involved.
Help us map out the road ahead and make the next year of Peachtree Chapter events our best yet!
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HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
December 5, 2026 11:30 am
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Ernie Smallman, Event Planner
Celebrate the season with your fellow Peachtree Chapter members at our Annual Holiday Luncheon on Saturday, December 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the award-winning Table & Main in Roswell.
Enjoy wonderful Southern cuisine, holiday cheer, and time with friends as we wrap up another great year together.
🎁 Don’t forget to bring a new, unwrapped toy for oys for Tots and help us share a little extra holiday joy with children in our community.
We hope you’ll join us for this special Peachtree holiday tradition!
Registration is OPEN. Please register by Saturday, November 28th.
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Mercedes-Benz Model Cars for Sale
A longtime Mercedes enthusiast is downsizing and offering several high-quality 1:18 scale die-cast metal models from his personal collection.
Models are $20 each, with one approximately 6-inch glass paperweight model available for $10. These are priced to find new homes with fellow Mercedes enthusiasts.
Contact: Keith Waldrop at kawaldrop@earthlink.net if your interested in any of these Mercedes-Benz model cars.
Keith plans to attend the October 4 Peachtree Concours and can bring purchased models for pickup there. Other pickup arrangements can be made for buyers unable to attend.
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Rare Mercedes-Benz Picnic Basket
Douglas Geganto, is a Past President of the Peachtree Chapter, Past Regional Director, and Past National President of MBCA is selling this unique collectible for the Mercedes-Benz enthusiast! This Mercedes-Benz Picnic Basket is brand new and never used, complete with its original packing material. It is no longer available through the Mercedes-Benz Lifestyle Collection. Price: $195 — shipping (estimated $40 value) included. For more information or to purchase, contact: Douglas Geganto,
📧 dgeganto@charter.net 404-754-9955.
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MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION
Saturday, July 25, 2026
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Ernie Smallman, Event Planner
Fifty-two registered Peachtree members and guests registered for the event. J.D.s on the lake is an old Georgia fish camp that has been somewhat updated-a deck added and new restrooms. The weather cooperated with a mild temperature as attendees dined in an enclosed screen area and on the deck.
The buffet lunch included three entrees-fried Mississippi Catfish, spicy blacken Grouper, and fried Chicken Tenders. Both fried entrees were a specialty of the house-J. D’s Calabash fried with the moist meat. Calabash is a specific style of lightly breaded flash fried fish and chicken that originated in the small fishing town of Calabash, North Carolina. The entrees were accompanied by sauteed southern green beans, spicy Mexican corn, cold slaw, and desert of banana pudding. Several commented how good the fish was indulging in second helpings. The deck provided a view of boat dockage on Allatoona Lake.
After lunch Rashaum Bosley provided a video of scenes he filmed for a documentary he is producing on Peachtree and the Mercedes Benz Club.
As an older club member once remarked, “Peachtree knows how to eat when they are not driving”.
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Mountain Drive Poker Run – A Winning Day!
September 19, 2026
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Nineteen participants joined us on September 19 for the Mountain Drive Poker Run, enjoying a beautiful drive through North Georgia with stops at several area wineries along the way.
Participants collected playing cards at each stop, hoping to build the best five-card poker hand by the end of the route. The day wrapped up at Stoney J’s Winery with lunch, plenty of conversation, and the announcement of our winners.
A big congratulations to Allen Smith, our first-place winner!
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this a fun and memorable Peachtree event. Great roads, beautiful scenery, friendly competition, and Mercedes-Benz camaraderie made for a wonderful day!
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Tea, Treats & Great Company!
September 25, 2026
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Eight Ladies of Mercedes enjoyed a delightful afternoon at The Ginger Room in Alpharetta on September 25. The group shared tea, sandwiches, scones, sweet treats, plenty of conversation.
It was a charming afternoon filled with friendship, laughter, and Mercedes fellowship!
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Mercedes-Benz Celebrates the Brand’s Legendary Heritage and Future Icons at the 2026 Pebble Beach Automotive Week
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- The Mercedes-Benz Future Classics Auction House debuts at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
- A beautifully curated display showcases future collector vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach.
- A near-identical twin of LeBron James' personal Mercedes-Maybach S 680 showcasing MANUFAKTUR craftsmanship highlights how personalization, exclusivity, and bespoke design are shaping the collector vehicles of tomorrow.
- Mercedes-Benz Classic celebrates 140 years of innovation and proudly displays the 1905 American Mercedes and 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Streamliner.
For 140 years, Mercedes-Benz has created vehicles that define their era and endure as benchmarks for generations. From the game-changing invention of the automobile and the iconic 300 SL to today's highly compelling product portfolio, the brand has continually shaped automotive culture through an unwavering commitment to innovation, performance and design. At the 2026 Pebble Beach Automotive Week, Mercedes-Benz will celebrate this legacy while exploring a question central to collectors and enthusiasts alike: Which vehicles from today will become the collector icons of tomorrow?
Mercedes-Benz Future Classics Auction House
This year, the prominent Mercedes-Benz brand presence includes the Future Classics Auction House, an immersive showcase inspired by the world’s most prestigious collector car auction houses. Seamlessly blending vehicle displays, collector-inspired installations and exclusive experiences, the exhibition presents a carefully curated selection of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach models and offers a compelling perspective regarding the qualities that elevate exceptional automobiles into collectible automotive icons connected by the brand’s unmatched legacy of innovation.
| | Peachtree Chapter Officers | | | | |
