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1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing VIN: 4500079 45,687 original miles One Owner Highly Optioned Numbers Matching In 1954 Leopold Poldi Bentley was the visionary importer of Mercedes-Benz cars into Western Canada. Akin to Max Hoffman in New York he saw the value of bringing these extraordinary cars to North America. An Austrian by birth, he fled Vienna with his family in 1938 and settled in British Columbia. He changed his name from Leopold Bloch-Bauer and founded a furniture and paneling veneer company called Pacific Veneer, that later became Canfor Corporation, the worlds largest exporter of softwood lumber. Having grown up with the Silver Arrows and legendary prewar Mercedes cars, he saw a market for these extraordinary cars in the growing metropolis of Vancouver. Using his escalating lumber fortune he put his money where his mouth was and ordered a fully loaded silver on red 1954 300SL. Optioned with everything but Rudge wheels (he had never seen them on a car so he opted for the stock wheels) he set about using the car to convert the people of Western Canada into Mercedes enthusiasts. Used solely as a factory demonstrator this Gullwing did just that, and Poldis new company, Mercedes-Benz Distributor West Ltd., opened on West Georgia Street in Vancouver. The year was now 1956 and 0079 had done its duty, and was due for its first owner. That first owner took the car to his summer home in Western Canada, and there it stayed for over 50 years, driving it sparingly. In the early 90s the care of the Gullwing was entrusted to noted 300 SL restorer Rudi Koniczek and his team at Rudi and Company in Vancouver BC. From that day to this they have maintained this car in excellent, original running condition. They repainted the car in the early 90s. The original single stage Mercedes paint was notorious for going flat after only a few years. While they were at it they did the interior leather and headliner. In line with their flawless level of workmanship they used original Mercedes type hides that are no longer available today. Also offered by Canepa is the owners other 300SL, a 1957 Roadster. The two silver 300SLs have remained in the original owners stewardship until now. Their availability is an unparalleled opportunity in the classic car world. Two 300SLs sharing the same one owner with unbroken histories, matching numbers, low original mileage, and highly optioned are unlikely to ever surface again. The Gullwing comes with its original belly pans, tools, books, and optional Nardi steering wheel. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PHOTOS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We thank you for your interest in Canepa. To request further information or submit offers, please call or email: Bruce Canepa 831.430.9940 bruce@canepa.com Please visit www.canepa.com to view our complete inventory of automobiles. - 
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STOCK/INV. NUMBER:
4572
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