1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing & Roadster

This 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,858 roadsters built during a six-year production run and is among 249 examples manufactured in 1960. Delivered new in the US on April 1, 1960, chassis 002538 underwent a refurbishment between the late 1990s and early 2000s that included a repaint in its original shade of Fire Brigade Red and a re-dye of the black leather upholstery. After changing hands in 2002, the car received further work in 2006 including an overhaul of the Bosch direct mechanical fuel injection system, a freshening of the 3.0-liter DOHC inline-six, and a reseal of the four-speed manual transmission. The car was then purchased by its current owner in 2015. Additional features include dry-sump lubrication, hydraulic drum brakes, four-wheel independent suspension with a low-pivot rear axle, body-color 15” steel wheels, a black removable hardtop, a black soft top, and a Becker Mexico radio. This W198 is now offered on dealer consignment in Emeryville, California, with a Mercedes-Benz Classic certificate, a hand-written notebook documenting mileage between the 1960s and ’70s, an owner’s manual, service records, a tool kit, and a clean Massachusetts title. The roadster variant of the 300SL debuted at the March 1957 Geneva Motor Show and entered production two months later as the final examples of its fixed-roof counterpart were leaving the factory. Construction of the convertible incorporated an evolution of the coupe’s tubular space frame that was reconfigured with lower sill trusses to accommodate conventional doors as well as a revised rear design that facilitated usable trunk space. Bodywork remained in steel with aluminum used for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, sills, floors, and bulkhead. This example left the factory finished in Feuerrot (534) with a black (040) hardtop and was repainted in its original shade during work performed by Hatch & Sons in Wayland, Massachusetts, between 1999 and 2002. The body was stripped to bare metal during the project before repairs to areas of the quarter panels, doors, right-front fender, and header panel. The brightwork was replated, and a replacement black convertible top was installed. Exterior features include North American-specification headlights, bumper guards at front and rear, pivot-out door handles, narrow-profile rear rocker panel end flanges, large windshield-wiper nuts, rear reflectors, and a fender-mounted driver-side mirror. The front bumper is noted to exhibit hazing and aging of the top corner surfaces. Body-color wheels with matching covers were refinished in 2002 and are wrapped in 6.70R15 Michelin X tires, as is a matching spare housed in the trunk compartment. Servo-assisted braking is handled by finned aluminum drums at each corner, with actuation via dual floating shoes up front. Inside the cabin, black leather covers the bucket seats, door panels, dash, center tunnel, and aluminum tonneau panel and was re-dyed during the Hatch & Sons work. Additional features include black square-weave carpeting, lap belts, roll-up windows, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a locking glovebox, a dash-mounted ashtray, and a Becker Mexico radio. The ivory-color steering wheel and matching shift knob were replaced during the refurbishment, and the former sits ahead of VDO instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, and a rectangular combination gauge with English lettering. The five-digit odometer shows 31k miles. The 300SL roadster model’s 3.0-liter M198 inline-six was carried over from the fixed-roof variant and shares its canted orientation, Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, and aluminum cylinder head. The competition camshaft that was optional on the coupe was made standard for the roadster, which also gained a dual point/dual coil ignition system and various fuel system refinements. This example’s fuel injection system was overhauled in 2006 by RPM in Vergennes, Vermont, with work including a rebuild of the injection pump and the installation of remanufactured injectors. Engine work at that time included the replacement of the front and rear main seals, repairs to the water jacket cover, an inspection of the crankshaft, and cosmetic freshening. The radiator was repaired in 2011, at which time various hoses were replaced. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission that was resealed in 2006 and a 3.89:1-ratio rear end. The roadster’s four-wheel independent suspension utilizes a single-pivot rear axle with a compensator spring for improved stability over the coupe’s double-pivot design. Engine number 198980-10-002591 is shown stamped on the block and engine tag above, while the photo gallery below includes images of stamps on the transmission, differential, firewall, and frame. The Mercedes-Benz Classic Zertifikat lists the original colors, component numbers, and options as well as the original delivery date. Included in the sale is a notebook with hand-written fuel and maintenance logs dating between 1963 and 1974 and showing mileage between 10,950 and 25,716. Filed under: sl, w198