1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing for sale on BaT Auctions – ending July 30 (Lot #202,366)

This 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,400 Gullwing coupes built during three years of production and was shipped from the factory on August 26, 1955, to Mercedes-Benz Distributors of Manhattan, New York. Chassis 5500668 was purchased new by CCCA regional director and early Gull Wing Group member Hubert Martin Cook, who used it for participation in group events during 52 years of stewardship before his 2007 passing. After five years with the original owner’s son, the car was sold to a Texas collector who commissioned a refurbishment by Sport Leicht Restorations in North Carolina that returned the car to its original color combination of white over red leather. After the project’s completion in 2016, the car won the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Award of Excellence at the 2016 Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance before changing hands in 2018 and later being purchased by the selling dealer in 2025. Power is provided by a 3.0-liter M198 inline-six that features Bosch direct fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication. Additional equipment includes a replacement four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, four-wheel independent suspension with a rear swing axle, and body-color 15” steel wheels. This W198 is now offered in North Salem, New York, with a copy of its factory build sheet, invoices dating back to the 1960s, photos and invoices from the 2013-2016 refurbishment, a Taris Charysyn matching fitted luggage set, a tool kit, workshop and owner’s manuals, brochures, and a Florida title identifying it as a 1956 model.

The 300SL was developed upon the suggestion of US importer Max Hoffman that Mercedes produce a sports car to entice American buyers. The model was inspired by the company’s W194 sports racers, from which it inherited its upward-opening doors made necessary by the high sills of its lightweight tubular space frame. Introduced at the 1954 International Motor Sports Show in New York, the production version of the 300SL utilized steel bodywork with aluminum panels for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, rocker panels, and floorboards.

This example left the factory finished in white (DB050) and was repainted in Graphite Gray circa the 1970s before the body was removed from its frame, media-blasted to bare metal, and returned to its original shade after various metal repairs during the 2013-2016 refurbishment. The frame was stripped and repainted during the project, which also included re-chroming or replacement of the brightwork and replacement of the glass, body seals, and window trim. Features include bumpers with guards, a driver-side mirror, pivot-out door handles, and fender louvers with twin horizontal aluminum spears. Images of paint-meter readings can be viewed in the photo gallery below.

Body-color 15” wheels were refinished during the refurbishment and wear matching hubcaps and bright beauty rings. Michelin X tires measuring 6.70R15 are mounted all around as well as on a matching spare housed in the trunk. The hydraulic braking system incorporates finned aluminum drums at each corner, with duplex actuation at the front wheels. A refresh of the brake system during the 2013-2016 refurbishment included rebuilds of the master cylinder and booster and resurfacing of the drums.

The cabin was re-trimmed during the refurbishment in red leather (1079), matching the trim specification listed on the factory build sheet. Features include color-keyed square-weave carpeting, black rubber floor mats, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror and ashtray, and an ivory-color shift knob.

The two-spoke, ivory-color steering wheel can be pivoted downward at its hub to facilitate entry and exit for the driver. A body-color dash fascia hosts VDO instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, a windup clock, and gauges monitoring fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and oil temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 300 miles, approximately five of which have been added by the selling dealer.

Canted at an angle to allow a lower hoodline, the 3.0-liter M198 inline-six utilizes Bosch direct mechanical fuel injection and features dry-sump lubrication, an aluminum cylinder head mated to an angled block surface, a single overhead camshaft, and sodium-filled exhaust valves. Output was factory rated at 215 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. The engine and ancillaries were disassembled, and associated components were refinished or re-plated during the 2013-2016 refurbishment, which also included rebuilds of the injection pump, injectors, and generator. A battery cut-off switch was added during the project.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission that was resealed during the refurbishment, which also included machining of the flywheel. Four-wheel independent front suspension incorporates a double-wishbone front arrangement and a dual-joint rear swing axle, with both ends utilizing coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. The belly pans were stripped and repainted during the refurbishment, as were suspension parts and other underside components.

Engine number 198.980.5500707 is shown stamped on the block and block tag above, matching the number listed on the factory build sheet. Additional component stamps viewable in the gallery include transmission number 706, rear axle number 734, front axle numbers 690 and 551, steering box number 636, and body number 5500646.

The factory build sheet lists the original color combination, component numbers, and delivery to New York as follows:

• Order number: 759 110
• Chassis number: 198040-5500668
• Engine number: 198980-5500707
• Body number: A198040-5500646
• Destination: Mercedes-Benz Distributors of New York
• Shipping date: August 26, 1955
• Paint: Weiß (white) DB 50
• Upholstery: Leder rot (red leather) 1079
• Headliner: Crème L2
• Tires: Dunlop 6.50×15
• Gearbox number: 706
• Front axle numbers: 690 (left) and 551 (right)
• Rear axle number: 734
• Steering box number: 636
• Options: Special high gloss paint, special upholstery, instruments with English labeling, sealed-beam headlights, front and rear bumper overriders, protractor and balancing weights for wheels, 1kg extra white paint, windshield washer, seaworthy shipping crate

Photos and invoices from the refurbishment are included and the sale, as are invoices from the 1960s and 1970s and a summary of the original owner’s time with the car.

There is currently a lien on the car, and the selling dealer’s lender will need to be paid off before the title can be transferred to the new owner.