Vehicle Description
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing with NSL Engine Factory Black
over Red Leather This German delivery 300SL Gullwing? presents
today in its very desirable original colors of DB 40 black over
rarely seen 1080 dark red leather with wonderful originality and
patina throughout. As a car used by its first owner as a rally
racing machine, this W198 coupe is special not only for its
originality and color scheme but also because it retains its
original engine stamped NSL? with accompanying sport components
yielding extra horsepower over a standard production car. This
timeless Mercedes-Benz classic has a fully known history from new,
comes with a copy of factory data card and retains original belly
pans, owners manual, tools and jack. Out of 53 year
ownership.Chassis no. 198040-6500053Engine no. 198980-6500072Body
no. 6500048 Special order German delivery NSL competition engine
Original colors Fully known history Out of 53 year ownership
Original engine DB 40 black lacquer paint 1080 dark red Roser
leather Factory chrome wheels Copy of factory data card Tools,
owners manual and jack Comprehensive history file According to this
W198 Coupe?s factory supplied data card, this Gullwing was
delivered new as it presents today in desirable DB 40 Black paint
with a rarely seen 1080 dark red leather interior. As a special
order example, this German delivery Gullwing was equipped with
fully chrome plated wheels affixed to Continental tires and, though
not specified in the options list on the standard data card
provided by Mercedes-Benz, the car today retains its NSL? stamped
original engine block with associated original factory block tag
featuring what appear to be genuine factory engine upgrades towards
use in sporting events.These upgraded engine components are seen in
all the ways one would associate with the factory NSL? sport
performance package, notably with regards to the NSL? stamping
found in the appropriate location on the engine block, a proper R3
injection pump and also a rarely seen larger distributor for better
spark towards performance ends. Whether this performance option
addition of NSL? components was as a last-minute addition prior to
delivery or applied to the car by Mercedes-Benz at a date shortly
after delivery remains unknown, however, given the notable racing
acumen of the Gullwing?s first owner, such an upgrade should not be
surprising however it was first implemented.This 300SL Gullwing
departed Mercedes-Benz at Stuttgart on March, 14th 1956 to its
first owner, Rolf Goetze of Goetze Werke AG of Dusseldorf, Germany.
Mr. Goetze, owner of a large Dusseldorf based manufacturing company
known for making piston rings and other engine components, was a
competition racer in period having driven mostly Porsche?s
competitively at numerous tracks around Germany as well as abroad
at famous tracks such as Spa and Monza. As notably shown in a black
and white photograph contained in the car?s history file, Rolf
Goetze is seen driving his black Gullwing sporting plate #1 at
Rally Trifels in Germany, 1956.Late in 1956, Goetze sold his
unique, rally-ready 300SL Coupe to Huntington Hartford of Long
Island, NY. Hartford would go on to own the car until 1959, at
which point the car was sold to Dr. Robert Robertson of Rumson, NJ.
On April 11th, 1970, chassis 6500053 would be sold to the car?s
longest tenured owner, Michael Quigley of Auburn, NY. The Gullwing
was purchased by Mr. Quigley for a sum of $5,000 with 40,500 miles
showing on the odometer. As noted in the 300SL?s ample history
file, at the time of purchase by Quigley, the car still had
original tires on the rear wheels, original dark red leather
upholstery, fog lights in the front, black paint, a 3:25/1 rear end
and a racing camshaft? as part of the NSL? engine package notably
equipped on the car to this day.Mr. Quigley would become the car?s
last private owner, spending 53 years of his life as caretaker of a
300SL that, today, is an undeniably special and very original W198
coupe. Though portions of the car have certainly received
paintwork, it appears to be the case that almost all the paint on
the car is in fact nitrocellulose lacquer, which is correct for the
type of paint used at the factory with respect to W198 Coupes when
they were new. Setting aside the potential that original paint
perhaps does in fact remain in certain areas, at the very least, if
the car did receive a full repaint at some point, such a repaint
occurred prior to 1970 when Mr. Quigley purchased the car, and
almost certainly at latest was done in the early 1960?s, which was
the time period when lacquer paint of the type used on factory
sprayed Gullwings gave way to more stable paint type compositions
such as those used on 300SL Roadsters.Today, showing a
believed-to-be-original 65,023 miles on the odometer, chassis
6500053 presents with patina galore from all angles of approach and
has a genuine original 300SL Gullwing appeal throughout. The black
paint, though marred by time, fits the car perfectly, while all
fits remain tidy and the patina of the chrome matches that of the
paint. The interior of the car sports original, and rarely seen
factory-installed 1080 Roser red leather that is accented by many
original details including original gauges on the dash, original
steering wheel and the charming original shifter knob with surface
cracks present in the clear.The engine bay and underside display no
rust and the car is in superb mechanical condition with compression
across all 6 cylinders at or around 150. In the engine bay, the car
retains its original engine block with factory block pad stamping
while the compression ratio of the engine itself is stamped as
8,24:1 both on the round pad below the original engine block tag
and also on the original head of the car. From a running and
driving standpoint, this 300SL is in excellent condition and is
ready for regular use.As a very original 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Gullwing with excellent history and today presenting in its
spectacular factory original colors of DB 40 black paint over rare
1080 dark red leather, this original engine example with NSL? sport
performance accoutrements has an exceptional pedigree of ownership
and is ready for touring use or preservation class concours
showing. This car comes with books, tools, jack and a well compiled
history file with hand written notes as well as copy of factory
data card. Price Upon Request
