Created with the American market in mind, the seductive curves and detailing along with the legendary build quality, firmly placed Mercedes as makers of quality open-top touring cars. The 190 SL was the first of the SL genealogy, introducing the brand's virtues of sporting elegance, safety and comfort.
Generally bought by the well-heeled, these cars lent themselves to careful ownership profiles, and its stock has been gradually rising over the years. As an alternative to its bigger 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ sister, it simply doesn’t have the power to measure up, but offers an emphasis on the experience of the journey, rather than getting to your destination quickly.
This well-restored convertible with a very rare “big-window” hard-top lived much of its life in Texas. It had been kept in storage after an extensive renovation in the late ’80s and has recently been recommissioned for use. As a later example of the series, it retains much of its original specification and is ready for UK roads.
The car has been in the UK since last year, having been originally been sold in the States. It was said to have been purchased by the owner’s family in Arkansas in the mid-70s’ and passed into their hands in 1985. The car underwent a refurbishment in 1989, which includes a body repaint to light ivory and received replacement inner wings, floor and boot pans at the same time. It was then subject to a complete interior upholstery overhaul.
Following a period in storage, it underwent a mechanical overhaul and service, specifically to a carburettor rebuild, replacement fuel pump and fuel tank and new spark plug leads, all of which were carried out three years ago. The spark plugs, points, fuel filter and shift bushings were replaced at the start of last year, with the addition to the clean up of the fuel pump at the same time. The owner also spruced up a few other issues to ensure that the car was more usable including a speedometer repair and replacement brake system. The battery is slightly older and may need replacing in the not too distant future.
An engine compression test was also carried out by an experienced Mercedes technician who concluded that the readings were all even. Shipped into the UK by a knowledgeable Mercedes enthusiast, circumstances due to a lack of storage and time means that the car is now up for sale.
The car comes with its original US title, which confirms the chassis number, previous owners details and road fees. The chassis number, frame numbers and body numbers match. The current UK owner has carried out extensive research on the car, deciphering the important checkpoints to ensure that the car is as genuine as possible.
The car comes with a V5 for UK road use, as well as theNOVA which notifies customs on the cars importation into the UK with its VAT and duty already accounted for. It comes with a complete tool kit and its original parts book.
The interior presentation has seen a high level of refurbishment and as a result, holds up well with no outstanding issues. The leather seats are good throughout with no signs of wear or damage with the stitching and piping looking good. All of the matching carpets are in a tidy state with no wear or discolouration and with no issues noted with the boot item.
The door cards are good, with no scuffs or damage just the odd mark in places. The dashboard is in excellent order, the top of the facia is well padded with unblemished leather and no suggestions of sun damage or rips. The chrome detailing is all original, so while it displays the expected signs of age to the chrome it complements the originality of the cabin. The dials are all legible and all said to function. The Becker radio, as always, is a neat feature.
The steering wheel is in very good condition, with no cracks or significant wear, the gear knob follows the same script and looks good. The hood interior lining is sagging somewhat and is loose at the front, with a handful of minor holes and should be considered an item for refurbishment. The hood well is good, with no signs of damage to the trim lining.
The 190 SL has a reputation for corrosion, so this particular car is good news for those looking for a solid example with no outstanding structural and body issues. The car has seen a renovation in the past, which saw the renewal of the floor pan, boot floor and inner wings. This encouraging news is highlighted by the solid condition of the jacking points, suspension mounts and engine bay chassis rails. The panel work is of a good standard with no significant blemishes or issues.
The neat ‘eyebrows’ above all four wheels, front wings and sills all look good with no immediate signs of under paint bubbles. There is just the lightest coating of surface corrosion noted on some of the lower edges of the lips of the arches. Panel gaps and fit are good, with no issues with the opening and closing of the doors, with all of the hinges doing their job well.
Their respective door rubbers are decent. Externally, the hardtop features the desirable bigger wraparound window option and is in good condition, with some signs of light corrosion on the inside front edge. Hard tops were a very rare factory option, let alone “big-window” ones and so this is another significant bonus of the car. Second hand ones in very poor condition, stripped of any glass, chrome and rubber, sell for upwards of £5k, and are known not to fit non-matching cars due to their hand-built nature. The soft top hood is complete and appears to be free from significant marks or damage.
Originally finished in white (050) from the factory, the car was repainted with a light ivory colour during the refurbishment. It has been finished to a high standard, with a very good lustre and captures the light with no paint swirls or flat spots. There are a handful of minor blemishes observed, the bonnet edges show very slight paint build up, a few blemishes on the hardtop and there is the odd chip and light scratch elsewhere but not enough to distract you from the cars elegant lines. Since being in the UK, the car has not been subject to any detailing.
The chrome work is in excellent condition, particularly in the case of the lighting trim, grill and bumpers. The factory original “Kinonglas-Kristall” windscreen is good, and the side windows are also believed to be original. All of the lights and lenses are good with no damage and function with no issues. The car is fitted with steel 13″ wheels with body-coloured matching accents and chrome trim, all are in good condition. The tyres are good, with plenty of life in them, but are likely to be over 20 years old.
The car was originally sold on an American auction site and described the car as driving well, with no issues with the steering, engine start and gear shifts.
Once the engine is ticking over, there appear to be no issues concerning its mechanical durability, with no knocking or unwanted noise coming from the blocks. Powered by the 1.9-litre M121 inline-four with dual Solex carburettors set up, the car initially produced sooty smoke on startup, due to the car standing for a while, but cleared up after it warmed up and ran without drama afterwards. The owner would advise a tune-up due to lack of use in recent months.
As referenced above, the owner elected to retain the factory Solex carburettors for originality. He mentions that these were always highly notorious with Mercedes aficionados and a very common swap is for the Weber carbs, which are much more reliable/less “sluggish” to start up. The engine’s presentation is positive despite not receiving any cleaning and is in a good clean physical condition. It looks like it's been in the hands of someone with mechanical sympathy.
With its traditional Mercedes traits of quality, usability and a good spares back-up, the 190 SL offers a unique opportunity for those who simply want to arrive in style in something completely different from the norm. With both the exterior and interior in excellent shape, this very rare hard-top example is still very recognisable and you’ll be hooked to the seduction of its style, comfort and romance of this impossibly glamour cruiser.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
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