1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

Lot details
Registration No: UN-REG
Chassis No: 198.042/7500644
Mot Expiry: None

Following post-WW2 reconstruction, the Daimler-Benz factory was remarkably quick to get back into car production with their rugged, though hardly very exciting saloons for the taxi ranks of Europe. By the early 1950s, however, it became obvious that the basic strength and reliability of the 300 motor could stand further power output enhancing development. The modified engine was employed by engineer Rudi Uhlenhaut and his team to power an entirely new streamlined fixed head coupe with the express intention of achieving high publicity success in international motor racing events for the marque. Just like Mercs had done in the good old days!
The prototype was completed in 1951 and, after the factory Racing Department had won five races outright in 1952, a limited production run was produced with a tubular chassis, hence the very high door sills and the resultant top-hinged `Gullwing' doors were fitted with steel body panels but only the doors and bootlid were alloy. The engine was canted over to reduce bonnet height and lower the centre of gravity and the resultant 300SL Gullwing coupe, the first production model to employ fuel injection, went on sale at the 1954 New York Motor Show. The 150mph top speed potential was absolutely incredible in those days as was the price tag - £5600 compared to £1400 for an XK120 Jag!
An open-top roadster version was launched at the 1957 Geneva Salon with Californian dollars in mind and indeed the model quickly became an essential status symbol for the movie glitterati of tinsel-town. The compression ratio was increased from the coupe's 8.5:1 to 9.5:1 for the roadster and the single overhead camshaft profiling from the works team sports racers was recreated to give the open production car more power (250bhp at 6200rpm) and counter the extra weight of the reinforcing work needed around the cockpit.
The 1959-manufactured 300SL roadster on offer today is fresh to the European market having only recently returned to the UK, via Germany, from the wonderfully dry climate of Cape Town South Africa where it has been in a private collection for the past two years. Purchased by the present owner from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Car Centre in Stuttgart the history file informs us that the first owner was Herr Axel Springer, the famous German newspaper publishing magnate and a well known collector of fine motor cars and both Axel and his wife Freda particularly enjoyed using this car. The SL seems to have had only a further three owners until Herr Peter Fischer in Frankfurt bought it to fulfil a lifetime dream. Not being a mechanic, when he decided to restore the SL in the mid 1990's he chose the best available - Kuhler Crass, Bugatti specialists, for the bodywork and the world famous Kienle Automobiltechnik for the mechanics. She was the subject of a total body-off restoration in the mid 1990's to exacting standards and it is a testament to the quality of the work completed that she is still in absolutely magnificent condition today and presented in silver with the black interior and complete with a full set of fitted and matching luggage to the boot.
Various sensible modifications were made during the restoration process including repositioning the oil pump to the front of the engine with all the necessary modifications, a heavy duty fuel pump and an electric fan with switch under the dashboard have been fitted and the former drum brakes have been converted to discs all round - a very popular factory update with 300SL owners.
The history file contains photographs recording the restoration work as well as bills from both the above mentioned companies and others, its FIVA documentation, the original German logbook with all the previous owners listed and other paperwork.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is surely one of the best looking of all the truly great classics and H&H are delighted to be able to offer you this stunning example which is arguable the very best example available in today's market.