When we found the diesel-powered 1953 Mercedes-Benz 170 Da on eBay last year, one of our editors remarked it'd be the perfect project car - if only it were a pickup. Perhaps his wishes were heard, as we've now stumbled across a factory-built 1953 170 Db pickup up for grabs on eBay.

Admittedly, this example is much more finished than the sedan we found; there's actually more than primer on the Benz's body panels, and the interior is nicely trimmed in custom two-toned leather. Like the sedan, the 170 Db makes use of a 40-horsepower 1.7-liter I-4 diesel, which was reportedly rebuilt a year back. Don't expect a Torqueflite backing up this mill; a four-speed manual lets you choose your own cogs.

We're not sure if the bed is original (factory examples tend to look like this), but this design looks slightly more practical - and with matching side strakes, fittingly handsome, to boot. We like the way it looks, but $35,000 is a good chunk of change. However, with just under 5,000 170 Db's built in 1953 - and only a handful of them being pickups - it might not be that unreasonable.

+ eBay: 1953 Mercedes-Benz 170 Db Pickup