Unveiled in 2021, the current-generation Mercedes-Benz SL traces its roots to a race-bred coupe that has develop into extremely sought-after. The 300SL shocked the world with its gullwing doorways when it landed in 1954, and a one-of-a-kind instance is about to cross the auction block.
One of many highlights from Mecum's Glendale 2023 sale is a 1955 300SL assigned chassis quantity 5500263. One in all about 1,400 items constructed from 1954 to 1957, it is reportedly the one instance completed in Mittelgrün (Medium Inexperienced) with a grey leather-based inside. Mecum notes that this SL was initially delivered in New York. Whereas its first few a long time on the street stay a thriller, the coupe joined the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Basis's assortment in January 1973 and stayed there for a very long time.
This one-of-a-kind SL is alleged to have obtained a whole restoration within the late 2000s. The race monitor's museum dealt with the majority of the work however a few of the match and end was outsourced to California-based Mercedes-Benz specialist Scott Grundfor Firm. The listing of labor carried out contains honing the cylinders, rebuilding the fuel-injection pump, and reupholstering the inside. New window seals have been put in, the intense exterior trim items have been polished, and the suspension system was overhauled. All advised, this SL appears pretty much as good because it did in 1955 (if not higher). It is not solely unique, although — the inside color was modified from grey to beige throughout the restoration.
One attention-grabbing level is that early SLs weren't all the time helpful and sought-after. There was a interval after they have been merely thought of cool outdated automobiles, and a few ended up modified, pushed into the bottom, or each. This one has seemingly been spared: Mecum claims it is nonetheless powered by the unique, numbers-matching 3.0-liter straight-six that sends 225 horsepower to the rear wheels through a four-speed handbook transmission.
When the restoration work was completed, the SL returned to Indianapolis and was sometimes displayed within the monitor's museum between 2015 and 2020. It is now searching for a brand new residence, and it is being bought with quite a few paperwork (together with a replica of the manufacturing facility construct sheet), footage taken throughout the restoration course of, and a handful of spare components. Including a contact of inexperienced to your assortment would require forking over a large quantity of inexperienced: Mecum expects that this 1955 300SL will promote for wherever between $1,850,000 and $2,000,000.
If that is an excessive amount of, or if traditional Mercedes-Benz fashions aren't your cup of (inexperienced) tea, the public sale catalog contains one thing for each fanatic. One other spotlight is a 1990 Ferrari F40 with simply 3,413 miles; it might promote for as a lot as $3.5 million. How about a 1956 Ford flatbed? It is provided with no reserve, and it can save you on transport by placing one other traditional on the again earlier than driving residence. American roadsters are nicely represented, there's something from a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette (that is the primary yr of manufacturing) to a 2004 Cadillac XLR, and there is a stunning variety of trendy automobiles like a 2022 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Personally, I might take the 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto.
Mecum's Glendale 2023 sale runs March 29 to April 1 in Glendale, Arizona.
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