Dave’s 1982 Mercedes 300CD Turbodiesel

Photos: Ohad Kab

Hey Dave, want to introduce yourself?

Hi. My name is Dave and I'm the owner and ice cream dude at Davey’s ice cream in New York City.

Tell us about the journey of becoming an ice cream shop owner? 

My journey to owning an ice cream company kinda started out as a joke. At the time I was a graphic designer working in advertising, and was slowly growing tired of the work. I was really craving to do something more hands on and more real. making ice cream was the joke, but I quickly realized it was the perfect medium. You could create anything and then eat it.

When I eventually quit I was only half serious about making ice cream but I invested that time seriously into agriculture and food science courses and dropped the business plan. In 2013, I opened Davey’s ice cream in September on a Friday the 13th in the East Village.

Tell us about Davey’s Ice cream, what’s special about it?

This year we're celebrating Davey’s ice creams. 10 year anniversary, and we're still making ice cream the hard way completely from scratch. There's no gimmicks, just the highest quality ice cream ingredients flavors. But what's really special about Davey’s is the shop staff and atmosphere and you want to make good ice cream but ice cream is really all about the experience.

What is the long term game with Davey’s ice cream?

Right now I'm just cruising and going with the flow. Covid hit hard and had to rebuild last year with three store openings back to back to back opening one store is hard enough but three in a row was really hard I just want to keep Davey’s local and homemade for as long as I can.

Alright, let’s talk about cars. What do you drive?

I drive a 1982 Mercedes 200 CD turbo diesel coupe I nicknamed it the cockroach because these cars are known to be indestructible.

What’s unique about it?

It is the less common coupe variant in the W123 model lineup. There were about 8000 turbo coupes produced for North America between 1981 to 1985. Mine was spec black paint on black leather which is an uncommon combo vs the usual bright earthy paint colors with MBTEX interiors.

What attracted you to this particular model and why did you decide to acquire it?

I was attracted to the W 123 model Mercedes because of their history and iconic looks when I imagine a car in my head it looks like a four door w123.

I actually found this car by accident I've been chasing these for years and so it doesn't before seeing a coupe even once. In 2018 I was test driving a wagon out in Jersey and as I was leaving I spotted my car under a tarp way out in the back in the grass it was grimy Windows stuck mismatched wheels but I realized it was pretty special close original black paint and real black leather interior.

What do you love about the car? 

What I like about this car is the experience when you get into it that loud clunky diesel engine that classic Mercedes leather smell and the huge 360 panoramic view from inside the cabin.

What is it about cars in general and vintage cars in particular that you like? How did the love for it start? 

For me enjoying vintage cars is a Type Two fun, which is a term outdoor enthusiast use to describe their adventures. It's an experience that can be miserable in the moment, but afterwards, you will never regret a thing. Collecting and driving vintage cars is on that same vibe. It's all about the journey from endless rabbit holes of research. Those crazy maintenance bills breaking down on the road, long summer drives without air conditioning, you know, it's super fun.

What is your favorite road or driving route in New York City that offers a true New York experience with your car? Is there a specific landmark or neighborhood you enjoy cruising through?

My favorite New York car experience is night time driving and hitting diners in Uptown Manhattan. One of my favorite night time parking spots is along the Hudson River Park by 96th Street - the sunsets hit different.

What are some of your favorite things to do in Brooklyn with your car?

Early morning car meets with your car friends and driving out of Brooklyn with no traffic!

What do you think of the car culture in Brooklyn? What would you add or change?

It's beyond cool to see the car culture thriving in Brooklyn when the logistics (parking, tickets, damage) are stacked against it. The car collections and enthusiasts in NYC are built different.

What’s your dream garage?

My dream garage is all Mercedes-Benz: Red Pig, 190E EVO II, CLK GTR

Best food spot in NYC?

Best food spot in NYC is Woorijip in K-Town. It's Korean food, fast.

Best coffee?

The best coffee is by my dude Reuben, who does it right at Paloma Coffee in Greenpoint.

What’s your favorite Ice cream flavor?
Davey's Chocolate Chocolate Ice Cream - so good. Gang gang.

Photos : Ohad Kab