1955 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
- Engine
- 1.9L inline-four with twin Solex carburettors, 120 hp
- Colour
- Ivory over red interior (restored); originally silver-grey metallic over blue
A 1955-built Mercedes-Benz 190 SL from the second year of production, first registered in the United States on 1 January 1956 and delivered new to its first owner in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Originally finished in Silbergrau Metallic over blue, the car retains desirable early features including the simplified dashboard without a clock and the optional third seat. It was comprehensively restored in 1990 to a period-appropriate ivory and red colour scheme, and has remained in long-term private ownership, passing through only two American custodians before arriving in the UK in 2016.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate £90,000 – £110,000
- 1956 →Factory deliveryEugene Ramseyfull documentation
First registered owner, took delivery in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Original service book, owner's manuals, and workshop manual accompany the car, along with a title showing his name.
- → 2015Private saleCollector in western Pennsylvaniapartial documentation
Purchased the car a few years after its original sale and retained it for over five decades. During his ownership, the car underwent a restoration in 1990 and received documented mechanical maintenance including suspension and brake work; it was stored in a climate-controlled facility.
- 2015 →Private saleConsignorpartial documentation
Acquired the car from the long-term Pennsylvania collector and had it imported and registered in the UK in early 2016. Reports that minimal upkeep has been required since acquisition.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1990Restoration
A comprehensive restoration carried out to a period-appropriate colour scheme, changing the exterior to ivory and fitting a red interior with a black soft top, departing from the original Silbergrau Metallic over blue specification.
- —Engine rebuild
The original engine was replaced with a later unit at an undocumented point in the car's history.
Exact date and circumstances of the engine substitution are not recorded in the catalogue.
- —Mechanical
Suspension rebuild and brake overhaul carried out as part of documented maintenance, prior to the car being placed in long-term climate-controlled storage.
Work was completed with supporting documentation; the timeframe relative to the 1990 restoration is not specified.
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