Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 121.040.10.020932
Engine No. 121.921.10.021069
Ordering a new car is always a memorable experience, but it is even
more so when the delivery is fulfilled at the factory during a
European vacation. This is precisely what the first owner of this
1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL chose to do. Working through Ship Side
Car Delivery Inc. of New York, this 190 SL was ordered with both a
Coupe removable hardtop and a folding fabric Roadster soft top in
603 Ivory over Tan Roser leather with a Becker Europa radio.
Special instructions were given to have the car delivered with a
hardtop installed and the Roadster folding fabric soft top to
accompany the car. Further correspondence between the owner and
Daimler-Benz shows that the car was to complete production and be
received on 3 May 1961 without delay, as storage capacity was
limited due to the increased demand for tourist delivery. After
collecting the new car, the original owner traveled to Great
Britain, where it was first serviced on 8 May 1961 with 319 miles.
The short European jaunt concluded just nine days later when the
car was delivered to the port of Rotterdam for export and shipment
to the United States.
Leaving Europe on 17 May, the S.S. Harpefjell landed in the Port of
Chicago in early June, with the Great Lakes Overseas LLC issuing a
bill of lading on 12 June. The original owner accepted delivery of
the car in Chicago and drove it back to their home near Seattle,
Washington. It was next serviced by Doxon and Sons of Auburn,
Washington, on 18 July 1961 with 3,374 miles, as shown in the
accompanying maintenance book. The maintenance book further notes
the service history until mid-1963, with the car having 13,430
miles at the time. The digital history file accompanying the car
documents that the car was still registered in the Seattle region
through 1989. Impressively, the highly original 190 SL remained
under the care of its original owner until 2021, when it was
acquired by the current owner.
Today the car remains in outstanding and largely original
condition, a testament to the level of care provided for 60 years
by the original owner. The bodywork still retains a portion of its
original paint, including its hood, after a remarkable 62 years.
Some areas have been retouched before a clear coat was applied for
preservation purposes, creating an even shine across the car. Of
utmost importance to many collectors, the factory-fitted Tan Roser
leather interior and its matching tonneau cover are still present.
A look into the engine bay reveals numerous original,
factory-applied marks and finishes, including the set of Solex
carburetors that still feed the original, numbers-matching engine.
A largely original undercarriage was exposed during recent
preservation work, having been preserved under a thick protective
waxy layer. Today, this 1961 190 SL's high-level of originality
distinguishes itself as a superb example of the model and is
accompanied by an impressive history file, with many records,
receipts, factory build sheet, period photos of the car with its
original owner, owner's manual, and tool roll. Very few 190 SLs
have survived as intact and preserved as this example, with even
fewer pedigreed by an exciting ownership history in the hands of
just one devoted caretaker from new until 2021.
