1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL (W121) |

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1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL (W121)

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£90,000

Mileage~22,000
TransmissionManual
Engine1.9L
LocationLeamington Spa

SOLD

1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL (W121)

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Glyn Parry

Professional Consigner

One of the original models that has arguably made the SL the go to car when it comes to roadsters.

This head-turning two-door luxury roadster was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1955 to 1963. It shares much of its basic styling, engineering, and detailing with the 300SL. Launched as a more affordable car compared to its big brother, it was a huge hit in the US, and was born out of a suggestion from a renowned executive and luxury car importer Max Hoffman.

This example has recently come out of a long restoration by Tom and his father Paul. The restoration was completed and the start of the year, and the car has been registered for use on UK roads. A matching numbers example, finished in the factory spec of white over red leather interior and black convertible roof, this example is ready for the summer shows.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Tom the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

We love our German cars, and have always dreamed of restoring an original SL, watching the transformation has been a pleasure.

Tom imported this car around 6 years ago with his dad as a project to restore. This car is a Californian LHD example, they have had the car worked through from a body restoration, interior re-trim and also had the engine rebuilt too.

Self confessed German car enthusiasts, they have a classic 911 Turbo (930) that they are also restoring. Now that this car has been completed and they've enjoyed a few trips locally in the car, it's time to find it a new home so they can concentrate on the Turbo. Tom will be happy to answer any of your questions about the car and restoration in the comments below.

Tom

Vehicle Owner

Tom saved £16,200* when they
sold their Mercedes with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

First shown alongside the 300SL, the 190SL shares the majority of its bigger brothers iconic styling from the 50's.

Wheels and Tyres

Chrome plates steel wheels with colour matching hubcaps, the wheels present in excellent condition as pictured. These '50s cars were so elegantly built and look truly glamorous today.

The wheels have Maxxis MA-1 whitewall tyres fitted, each tyre was replaced in 2019 and shows an excellent amount of tread. View the pictures to see the detail.

Bodywork

The bodywork looks excellent on this '50s roadster, all the panel gaps and shut lines look correct having been adjusted to a very high standard. Tom mentions that the car received a new floor as part of the restoration, and on our visit we didn't observe any corrosion on the car. There was some in the floors when they initially purchased the car and stripped it down, hence why any rust was cut out and new panels put in place.

The hardtop roof, pictured in the exterior photos matches the condition of the car, excellent with no areas of concern, it does need to some lining installed on the inside. The convertible hood looks great too from the outside, and just some minor areas of stains inside as pictured.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the bodywork on the 190SL.

Paint

Finished in the factory spec white, it's a timeless colour that really suits this '50s roadster, a popular choice with the later Pagodas too.

The finish on the paint is excellent, even in colour across all the panels, a deep lustre to it, and the finishing on the wheel arches and underside completed professionally. The only area to note we noticed was a slight bit of paint missing on an edge of the passenger's door jam, where it has likely slightly rubbed when first installed, you'll have to get really close to notice this.

Please remember to view the videos in high-resolution mode to see more detail on the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass features it's genuine Mercedes badging and looks in excellent condition across the car, along with the trim. The chrome trim is finished to a very high standard with no signs of pitting or corrosion.

All the window rubbers and seals look good with no signs of wear or degradation, including on the soft-top.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

An instantly recognisable cabin, the thin rimmed large steering wheel with metal horn insert is Mercedes-Benz through and through.

Seats and Carpets

The re-trimmed red leather seats and interior is a perfect contrast to the exterior, a popular choice with the SL's from the 50's.

The front door cards, leather pockets, and both front seats have been retrimmed in full-grain Nappa leather. The car still features what is thought to be the original carpet which has been cleaned and repaired. Please take a look at the detailed photos and videos for a closer view.

Dashboard

It's a true joy to look at all the details such as the chromed knobs, period radio, and huge dials that lay behind the steering wheel.

Just as you would expect, a properly refurbished dashboard which appears in excellent condition.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Featuring its original steering wheel, Tom and Paul went the extra mile and spent the best part of £500 having the wheel re-chromed and refurbished to an excellent standard.

The car also features its original wooden Mercedes-Benz gear stick found in the centre of the interior and inline with the rest of the condition of the car.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

A matching numbers example, a fully rebuilt M121 1.9L engine, loosely based on the legendary 6-cylinder M186 300SL.

Engine and Gearbox

Tom reports that the car is fitted with the original 121.921 engine block and gearbox. They went through the whole engine in 2018; re-bored, polish crankshaft journal, skim cylinder head face, full degrease and clean of the block, 4x new pistons, new head gasket, intake, and stem seals. All the work was carried out by SRS engineering in Surrey.

Please watch the video to see the engine fire into life and see the oil pressure rise quickly.

Suspension and Brakes

A proper professional restoration on this example has been carried out throughout Tom and Paul's ownership, the brakes have been given the attention they require, along with the suspension ensuring that everything works as expected.

View the photo gallery to see the work carried out on the underside of the car.

The Drive

The M121 offered the 190SL a top speed of 110MPH from the 120BHP on offer. With it being an original SL, this was actually more than enough power for the light roadster, we can imagine what it's like to take this car for a relaxed drive on a hot summers day.

Electrics and Other

All of the standard electrical fittings are said to be working correctly. Tom sourced an original radio at some expense which has been slotted in to the dash, is said to be working but hasn't been wired up as of yet. The clock is a later item that's been fitted and also is not currently plugged in/powered.

Please take a look at the images and videos for a detailed tour of this car's exterior and interior.

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History and Paperwork

A matching numbers example, finished in factory spec, fresh out of restoration, this is a beautiful 50's SL which is begging to be driven this summer.

Coming fresh out of a long father and son restoration project, this car is ready for new ownership to enjoy for years to come. Tom and his dad have had all aspects of the car worked on; a full engine rebuild to this matching numbers example, body and interior restoration in the factory white over red combination. The car was imported from America around 6 years ago, and now that the restoration is complete, the car has been registered for use on UK roads retaining the original LHD arrangement.

We have carried out checks on; Seller ID, V5C, HPi.