Vehicle Description
This beautifully restored 300SL Roadster was delivered new in 1959
to official North American Mercedes-Benz importer, Max Hoffman, in
New York City. According to Gullwing Group records, its first-known
owner was a Mr. Leonhardt of St. Louis Missouri. Mr. Leonhardt
owned the car until 1983 at which time it had accrued 53,000 miles
since new. The second owner, also of Missouri, was a Mr. Schwent
who reportedly chased the car for several years and ultimately was
able to buy it from Mr. Leonhardt. Over the next two years, the
Roadster was restored and given a very 1980s color scheme of Fire
Engine Red with a red interior and a black top. Strangely, after
chasing the car for so many years and then restoring it, Mr.
Schwent sold the car in 1985 to car collector, sports-team owner
and business turnaround specialist, Floyd Hall. The transaction was
facilitated by John Olson of the SL Market Letter. Over the next 28
years of ownership, Mr. Hall added just over 20,000 miles to the
odometer. In 2013 when Mr. Hall's car was advertised via Olson's SL
Market Letter, the roadster had just received a full mechanical
rebuild that included the brake system, engine and gearbox. After
the car was purchased from Mr. Hall, it was stripped to bare metal
and given a full cosmetic restoration that returned it to its very
desirable factory livery of DB 040 (black) over a Red Leather
interior and a black soft top. The work was entrusted to
world-renowned 300SL expert, Rudi Koniczek, of Victoria, B.C.
During the lengthy and careful restoration, "blackie," as it was
called in the shop had all of its chrome re-plated, a complete new
interior installed, the gauges were rebuilt and restored. The
convertible top assembly was restored as well and the engine and
gearbox were removed, serviced and detailed and re-installed with a
new clutch. The 300 SL's cosmetic presentation is to concours
standards and looks today just as it did when the work was
completed in 2014. It has been lightly exercised over the past few
years and just as one would expect with a restoration done by a
specialist, no problems have appeared.
