Image: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Estimate: $2,000,000 - $2,500,000
VIN / Serial 1980405500263
Lot S98 // Saturday, August 17th// Monterey 2024
1 of 1,400 Produced, Fuel-Injected 3.0L Inline-6, 4-Speed
EXTERIOR COLOR Mittelgrun
INTERIOR COLOR Tan
Chassis no. 5500263
Purchased by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in January 1973
Meticulous body-off restoration by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in the late 2000s
Final fit, finish and service work completed by Scott Grundfor Co. in Arroyo Grande, California in 2022
Displayed in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Collection periodically from 2015-2020
Shown as part of the museum's Basement Collection when not displayed on the main floor
1 of 1,400 produced between 1954 and 1957
U.S. market example shipped from the factory on April 30, 1955
Delivered to Mercedes-Benz Distributors of New York
The only known example delivered in Mittelgrun over Green and Gray leather
Original matching numbers rebuilt 3.0L fuel injected inline 6-cylinder engine
Engine block thermal cleaned, bored and honed by Schmidt Automotive Machine Shop of Indianapolis, Indiana in 2007
Fuel injection pump rebuilt by Pacific Fuel Injection of San Francisco, California in 2008
4-speed manual transmission
Mittlgrun (DB229G) exterior
Refinished in Beige leather sourced from Landwerlen Leather Co. of Indianapolis, Indiana
Seats, dash pad, transmission tunnel and sills trimmed in leather
Green painted dashboard
Polished brightwork and refinished chrome accents
Powder coated frame by Indy Powder Coating of Speedway, Indiana
New rubber suspension components
Body color steel wheels with body color and chrome hubcaps
Michelin tires with period correct Michelin X spare tire
Copy of the factory build sheet
Restoration photos and documentation
Correspondence between previous owners
Service receipts from Scott Grundfor Co.
Also on offer:
Lot F86 // Friday, August 16th// Monterey 2024 - 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Estimate: $1,800,000 - $2,100,000
VIN / Serial 1980407500061
2996cc Inline-6, 4-Speed, 1 of 70 Built for 195
EXTERIOR COLOR Silver
INTERIOR COLOR Red
Very late production example, one of the last Gullwings built
1 of only 1,400 300SL Gullwings produced and 1 of only 70 built for 1957
Rudge-style wheels
Factory belly pans
Fitted luggage
Previously restored by Scott Grundfor
A more recent restoration and mechanical refurbishment was completed by Canepa Design
Solid Red leather seat inserts included
Engine no. 1989807500042
Universally recognized as a design and engineering tour de force in every respect, the 1954-57 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing continues to stand as one of the ultimate sports cars ever produced. Upon introduction, the roadgoing 300SL carried a virtually unbeatable reputation based upon the lightweight and devastatingly successful W194 competition coupes that returned Mercedes-Benz to racing and utterly dominated the 1952 international racing calendar.
The 1954 New York debut of the roadgoing 300SL marked a truly historic occasion as the first time a Mercedes-Benz model was launched outside of Germany. Its “SL” designation translated to English as “Sports Lightweight,” and its many race-derived features included an extremely light yet strong tubular spaceframe and fully independent underpinnings. Forward urge was delivered by a 3.0L (2996cc) SOHC straight-6 engine with dry-sump lubrication.
Bosch mechanical fuel injection was a production-car first. Power, rated at 240 HP at 6,100 RPM under American SAE testing regimes and 215 HP at 5,800 RPM under stricter German DIN ratings, was delivered through a 4-speed manual gearbox. Offered with a standard 3.64:1 final-drive ratio, the 300SL could be had with a choice of several other ring-and-pinion combinations, making the 300SL potentially the fastest series-production car of its time, with enthusiast magazines routinely quoting top speeds of 130 MPH and well beyond.
