1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing & Roadster

This 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,858 roadsters built during a six-year production run and is among approximately 270 examples manufactured with a cast-iron block and four-wheel disc brakes. Chassis 002840 underwent a refurbishment between the 1980s and early 2000s and received a repaint in its original shade of Graphite Gray in May 2024 before being purchased by the selling dealer one month ago. Power is provided by a 3.0-liter M198 inline-six that features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication and is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Additional features include four-wheel independent suspension with a low-pivot rear axle, chrome 15” steel wheels, a color-matched hardtop, a black soft top, tan leather interior upholstery, and a Becker Mexico radio. This W198 is now offered in North Salem, New York, with a copy of its factory data card, invoices dating back to the 1980s, owner’s manuals, a tool kit, a matching luggage set, and a clean Florida title. The roadster version of the 300SL was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957 and entered production that May as the final Gullwing coupes were leaving the factory. A reconfigured version of the coupe’s tubular space frame featured lower sill trusses to accommodate conventional front-hinged doors as well as a modified rear design adding trunk space. Like the coupe, the roadster utilized steel bodywork with aluminum panels for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, sills, floors, and bulkhead. Previously finished in Fire Engine Red, this example and its removable hardtop were repainted in the factory shade of Graphite Gray (DB190) in May 2024, at which time a replacement black convertible top was fitted. Additional features include European-market headlights with single-piece glass covers, bumper guards at front and rear, pivot-out door handles, narrow-profile rear rocker panel end flanges, a Talbot side mirror, and a fender-mounted antenna. Chrome steel wheels are accented by body-color hubcaps along with chrome trim rings and wear 205/70VR15 Vredestein Sprint Classic tires that were mounted in 2023. Four-wheel servo-assisted disc brakes were introduced in 1961 beginning with chassis 002780. The brake system was overhauled during the refurbishment performed between the 1980s and early 2000s, while the booster was replaced in 2023. The cabin features bucket seats trimmed in tan leather along with matching upholstery over the door panels, dash, sills, center tunnel, and aluminum top cover. Color-keyed square-weave carpeting covers the floors and seatbacks, while additional features include lap belts, roll-up windows, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a locking glovebox, a dash-mounted ashtray and cigar lighter, and a Becker Mexico radio with a Reims shortwave adapter. Framed by an ivory-color steering wheel with a chrome horn ring, VDO instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer and a 7k-rpm tachometer flanking a rectangular combination gauge monitoring coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level. The five-digit odometer shows 30k miles, approximately 50 of which have been added by the selling dealer. The 300SL roadster variant’s 3.0-liter M198 inline-six was carried over from the model’s fixed-roof predecessor and shared its canted orientation, aluminum cylinder head, Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, and dry-sump lubrication. This example also features a cast iron block as opposed to the aluminum version introduced during the 1962 model year. The cylinder head and injection pump were overhauled in the early 2000s, and the head was again refreshed in 2023 with a reworking of the valve seats, grinding of the rocker heads, and replacement of the head gasket. The oil cooler was rebuilt in 2017, while the water pump was replaced in 2022. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. 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 198980-10-002898 is shown stamped on the block above and matches the number listed on the factory data card. Transmission number 003056 and rear axle number 003019 are shown stamped on their respective units in the photo gallery below, which also includes images of body number 198042-10-00112 stamped on the firewall and body tag. The factory data card lists the original colors and equipment numbers. Filed under: sl, w198