This 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,400 Gullwing coupes built during a three-year production run and was completed on June 30, 1955, with options including Rudge knock-off wheels before being delivered new in the US via New York. Chassis 5500428 soon made its way to the West Coast, where it was purchased in 1966 by a Gull Wing Group member who retained it for 44 years while participating in numerous annual group conventions with the car. After being sold to an East Coast owner in 2010, the car underwent a cosmetic refurbishment at the hands of Paul Russell & Company in Essex, Massachusetts, between 2011 and 2012 that included a repaint in the factory shade of Graphite Gray and an interior re-trim in factory-specified red leather. It then spent nine years with a Texas collector before being sold in 2023 to a New York collector who commissioned a mechanical refresh that included an overhaul of the 3.0-liter M198 inline-six before the car was purchased by the selling dealer in late 2024. Additional features include Bosch direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, a four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, four-wheel independent suspension with a rear swing axle, interchangeable sets of red leather and plaid cloth seat cushions, and a Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel. This W198 is now offered in Newport Beach, California, with a set of reproduction matching luggage, a tool kit, a wheel balancing kit, owner’s manuals, copy of its factory build sheet, invoices from the last three years, and an Arizona title.
Development of the 300SL was spurred by US importer Max Hoffman’s suggestion that Mercedes produce a sports car appealing to the American market. 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 Graphite Gray (DB190) and was repainted in its original shade during the 2011-2012 refurbishment by Paul Russell & Company. Features include front and rear bumper guards, a driver-side Talbot mirror, pivot-out door handles, wheel-arch “eyebrows” without welting, and fender louvers with twin horizontal aluminum spears.
Body-color Rudge wheels secured by two-eared knock-offs are listed among options on the car’s factory build sheet. Vredestein Sprint Classic tires measuring 185/70R15 were mounted in 2023 at each corner 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 and assistance from an ATE booster. The brake system is said to have been refreshed during the 2011-2012 refurbishment.
The cabin was re-trimmed during the 2011-2012 refurbishment in red leather (1079) as specified on the factory build sheet, and the seats were re-built with replacement horsehair pads. Interchangeable seat cushions include one set of cushions trimmed in red leather and one set in red plaid cloth. Additional features include red square-weave carpeting, black rubber floor mats, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror and ashtray, and an ivory-color shift knob. The dashboard was refinished in Graphite Gray during the refurbishment.
The Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel can be pivoted downward at its hub to facilitate entry and exit for the driver. VDO instrumentation includes 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 48k miles, approximately 380 of which have been added under current ownership.
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 was overhauled during the mechanical refresh performed by R&R Restorations in Mount Kisco, New York, between late 2022 and 2024. The cylinder head was replaced during the project, while the block and connecting rods were machined and the crankshaft was straightened, ground, and polished. The pistons, bearings, timing chain, chain guides, rockers, valves, valve springs, valve stem seals, duplex oil pump, and water pump housing were replaced during the overhaul, and the valve cover and various other elements were refinished, while an electric cooling fan was added.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. 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. Suspension work between 2022 and 2024 included the replacement of the shock absorbers and springs. Wear is visible on areas of the finish on the frame and underside surfaces.
Engine number 198.980.5500455 is shown stamped on the block and engine tag above, matching the number listed on the factory build sheet, and is used as the car’s identification number on its title. Chassis number 5500428 is shown stamped on the frame and chassis tag in the gallery below, where body number 5500411 can be seen stamped on the karosserie tag.
The factory build sheet lists the original color combination of Graphite Gray over red leather along with options including the Rudge wheels, high-gloss paint, special upholstery, bumper guards and other US-market equipment, a windshield washer, and a wheel balancing kit. A translation of the build sheet listing additional component numbers is viewable in the gallery.
The reproduction luggage set is wrapped in red leather and lined in plaid cloth with Paul Russell & Company badges. An included wheel balancing kit contains a protractor and a selection of weights, while a tool kit in a roll and a pouch containing owner’s manuals are also included.
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