To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 17
August 2019.
Estimate:
$1,200,000 - $1,400,000
- An ideal early-production 300 SL roadster for touring and
events
- Attractively finished in Medium Red over a tan interior
- Participant in the 2015 and 2016 California Mille rallies
- Extensively serviced by Canepa Design and Virtuoso
Performance
Though the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe is the ultimate icon
of collectible automobiles bearing the three-pointed star, most
aficionados will agree that the 300 SL roadster that followed it is
actually much easier to drive and more practical for the frequent
long-distance driving tours that owners of these cars enjoy.
When Max Hoffman, the U.S. distributor for Mercedes-Benz, convinced
Daimler-Benz in 1953 to put a customer version of the astounding
and successful 300 SL race car into production, the distinctive
gull-wing doors and comfort of a closed cabin led the product
planners to decide that the first version to be introduced would be
the coupe. Nevertheless, believing that there would be strong
demand for a roadster that offered the pleasures of top-down
motoring, Hoffman encouraged the company to develop an open version
with both a foldable soft top and a removable hardtop, which was
introduced in 1957.
The most obvious area that had to be changed from the coupe was the
tube frame with its gull-wing doors. By adding diagonal struts to
brace the lowered side sections and strengthening many of the
mainframe tubes, the engineers were able to maintain torsional
rigidity in the roadster while lowering the center connections
below the doors. Larger doors in a traditional sense were added to
make entry and exit easier. These also permitted the use of roll-up
windows, which made the car more comfortable when the removable
hardtop was fitted for foul weather.
In place of the unforgiving high-pivot swing-axle geometry of the
coupe adapted from the W186 chassis of the larger 300 sedans, the
roadster chassis used the low-pivot swing-axle rear suspension
adapted from the later 220a sedans, with a coil spring mounted
transversely above the differential, linked to the axles by
vertical struts to mitigate bump oversteer. The frame and
suspension redesign also allowed for the installation of softer
coil springs, providing the roadsters with a much softer and more
comfortable ride than in the coupes without affecting the sporty
handling.
Engine compression in the roadsters was increased to take advantage
of 100-octane gasoline becoming available, which increased hp by 25
to offset the 250 lbs of additional weight of the roadster chassis,
folding top, and wind-up windows. Making the sports camshaft
standard and installing the lower 3.89:1 rear end improved
acceleration at the expense of reducing top speed to 137 mph, both
more appropriate to U.S. speed limits and traffic conditions.
All in all, the roadsters, then and now, were more practical to own
than the coupes and sold well from introduction in 1957 to
conclusion of production in 1963, with a total of 1,858 units
produced.
This 300 SL roadster is an early U.S. model that was dispatched to
the Mercedes-Benz distributor at the time, the Studebaker-Packard
Corporation, bound for San Francisco, according to its factory data
card. Originally black with red interior, today it is very
attractively finished in Medium Red (DB 516) with a tan interior.
Importantly, the engine number matches the build sheet, while the
correct body-number stamping is visible on the firewall.
After an early life presumed to have been spent on the West Coast,
the 300 SL was restored in 2000 to concours standards while in the
care of its previous owner, Chuck Mountain. Mountain was an owner
and former engineer at Kar Kraft Engineering and was highly
involved in many of Ford's successful factory racing efforts during
the 1960s and 1970s. He hired an employee from Mercedes-Benz
Classic Center to help restore his SL, and most of the work was
done in his facility with parts purchased from Paul Russell & Co.
Once the restoration was complete, the 300 SL was driven only a few
hundred miles.
Looking for a great touring car for events, the current owner of
this 300 SL roadster purchased it in 2015 and has thoroughly
enjoyed driving it over the last few years. Canepa Design spent
over 250 hours on the car, addressing mechanical servicing and
cosmetic detailing, prior to his purchase. Upon acquisition, the
current owner successfully participated in the 2015 California
Mille, after which the 300 SL returned to Canepa for further
sorting. In 2016 he completed the California Mille once again,
proving what a great choice this 300 SL roadster is for
long-distance events.
Earlier this year, the roadster was sent to Virtuoso Performance of
Hayward, California, for a no-expense-spared service and mechanical
overview. The ignition, timing, braking, and fuel-delivery systems
were all attended to as needed, ensuring this 300 SL drives as well
as it looks. A two-piece set of fitted luggage for the trunk is
included, as well as a tool roll and several binders of extensive
service history and photos. The recipient of proactive servicing
and regular event use in recent years, this 300 SL shines as a
first-year example of the venerated 300 SL roadster model. It
should provide many more top-down motoring adventures for its next
caretaker.To view this car and others currently consigned to this
auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo19.
