Vehicle Description
1959 Mercedes Benz 190SL*COMPLETE CONCOURS RESTORATION* This
amazingly restored 1959 Mercedes Benz 190SL is a gorgeous sight to
behold. Colored in a metallic gray paint job with brown leather
interior and powered by a 1.9L straight 4 engine and 4 speed manual
trans, makes this running and driving classic Benz truly a
collectors dream. with only 462 miles since the concours
restoration showing on the odometer, this car is as close to
perfect as you can imagine. Complete, numbers matching, including 4
wheel drum brakes, full set of factory luggage and factory tool kit
with books are included. 13 inch factory wheels with BF Goodrich
185/80R13 tires. The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (W121) is a two-door
luxury roadster produced by Mercedes-Benz between May 1955 and
February 1963. Internally referred to as W121 (BII or B2), it was
first shown in prototype at the 1954 New York Auto Show, and was
available with an optional removable hardtop. The 190 SL presented
an attractive, more affordable alternative to the exclusive
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, sharing its basic styling, engineering,
detailing, and fully independent suspension. Both cars had double
wishbones in front and swing axles at the rear. Instead of the 300
SL's expensive purpose-built W198 tubular spaceframe, the 190 SL's
R121 structure used a shortened unitary floorpan modified from the
W121 base saloon. The 190 SL was powered by a new, slightly
oversquare 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp) Type M121 BII 1.9 L straight-four
SOHC engine. Based on the 300 SL's straight six, it had an
unchanged 85 mm bore and 4.3 mm reduced 83.6 mm stroke, was fitted
with twin-choke dual Solex carburetors, and produced gross 120 hp
(89 kW; 122 PS). In detuned form, it was later used in the W120 180
and W121 190 models. The car was available either as a soft-top
convertible (initially priced at DM 16,500/US$ 3,998) or with
removable hardtop (DM 17,650/$ 4,295). A small third-passenger
transverse seat was optional. During its first years the 190 SL was
available as a sports-racing model with small perspex windscreen
and spartan one-piece leather covered bucket seats and aluminium
doors. In 1959, the hardtop's rear window was enlarged. In 1956, a
few six-cylinder prototypes were built for testing. A 190SL with a
unique engine, using the 300SL block, squeezed into the engine bay
with a one-off mix of Benz-bin parts was entered in the 1956 Alpine
Rally, but the costs of production would be prohibitive. Two other
prototypes, fitted with fuel injected M180 220SE engines were
baptised the W127 / 220SL. In June 1956, Rudi Uhlenhaut and Karl
Kling lapped the N?rburgring Nordschleife circuit in the two W127s
a good 25 seconds faster than a regular 190SL. On 12 April 1957,
MB's board decided to build the W127, six-cylinder 220SL alongside
the 190SL, but production challenges postponed manufacturing until
it was overtaken by the 230SL 'Pagoda'. Both the 190 SL and the 300
SL were replaced by the Mercedes-Benz 230SL in 1963.