1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupé

198.040.4500116roadGermany

Engine: 3.0L SOHC inline-six with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, 215 bhp (DIN)
Colour: Dark blue

A 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing (W198), chassis 4500116, representing approximately the 116th of 167 cars assembled in the model's inaugural production year. Originally delivered in White Gray with fawn vinyl and red plaid upholstery to a buyer in Heusenstamm, Germany, the car was subsequently exported to the United States. It has undergone a thorough bare-metal restoration to dark blue with tan leather interior, and a complete engine and transmission overhaul was performed by a factory-trained Mercedes specialist between 2013 and 2015.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Sold US$1,358,500
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
1954 →Factory delivery
Walter Schumacher
partial documentation
First registered owner, based in Heusenstamm, Germany; took delivery of the car with several factory options including chromed Rudge wheels and a Becker radio.
→ 2005Acquisition unknown
Mervyn Phillips
partial documentation
Based in the United States; served as president of the Western Great Lakes Chapter of the Gullwing Group at time of ownership.
2005 → 2005-11-01Private sale
The Last Detail
partial documentation
Classic car restoration business in North Chicago operated by Tom Snellback; acquired the car from Phillips before selling it on within the same year.
2005-11-01 →Private sale
Chicago-based sports car collector
full documentation
Commissioned a full bare-metal respray and interior retrim as part of the purchase arrangement, with restoration finishing in late 2007; subsequently had the engine and gearbox fully rebuilt by a specialist technician, completed early 2015.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

2007Restoration
The Last Detail
Comprehensive bare-metal repaint in period-correct dark blue and full re-upholstery in tan leather. Correct replacement parts were sourced from specialists including the Gullwing Group, the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, Paul Russell and Co., and HK-Engineering.
Restoration was contracted as a condition of the November 2005 sale. Completed October 2007.
2015Engine rebuild
Axel Knauz
Full overhaul of the original engine and gearbox, encompassing cylinder boring with new pistons, cylinder head refurbishment with fresh intake valves and guides, crankshaft machining and balancing, and final valve adjustment and head torqueing. The technician assessed the engine as likely never previously disassembled.
Work began in early 2013 and was completed January 2015. Photographic documentation of the teardown and rebuild is retained in the car's file, along with correspondence from the technician.

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