Highlights

Very highly presented collector-quality car in silver with black leather
Restored over five years by marque specialist John Furber as a labour of love
One of only 562 RHD W121 190 SLs built
First registered in the UK before spending many years in the USA
Acquired by current keeper in 2005 as a project completed in 2012
Full body, paintwork, chromework, trim and mechanical rebuild
Started regularly but never driven on road since completion
Restored using German parts with rebuild documentation and receipts included
Includes fitted suitcase set and accompanying tools

The Appeal

We owe it to Mercedes’ US importer Max Hoffman for the creation of the long line of compact ‘Sport Leicht’ Mercedes that continues to this day. After seeing the incredible SL Gullwing, he demanded Stuttgart build a smaller, less expensive roadster, but one that channelled similar style and comfort. The result was this car, the beautiful W121 190SL.

Since these sleek, effortless cars were built for the American market, just 562 were built for worldwide RHD customers, mostly in the UK. Sales here were also doubtless hampered by the car’s £2,693 purchase price. At the time it could have bought an average house or an XK150 with £1,000 in spare change.

All of which makes this 1958 RHD 190SL extremely rare. The ‘8’ in its chassis number confirms it as a genuine factory RHD car, built in autumn 1958, reportedly painted in strawberry red and first registered through Mercedes dealer Woking Motors. Rumours suggest a movie star first owned the car. With busy Shepperton Studios and Walton Studios not far down the road from Woking in the 1950s, that is a tantalising prospect. Soon after, the original keeper moved to the USA. The car was clearly loved because it went with them. It was subsequently dry-stored for many years before the current keeper acquired it in 2005 as a restoration project.

The car was repatriated to the UK and bought as a project by Mercedes specialist John Furber. Over the next five years it became his serious labour of love, finally resulting in the highly presented silver metallic car you see in the photos. The work covered bodywork, paintwork, chromework, trim and mechanicals, including the engine. John and his wife sourced and collected parts from Germany, including, reputedly, the last set of fitted suitcases, hand-made by a specialist and extremely rare. The completed car is a testament to John Furber's knowledge and fastidiousness. Since the car was completed in 2012, it has been started regularly and driven extremely short distances on a driveway, but never on the road. It has been deliberately left unregistered in the UK to limit the number of owners.

This is a 190 SL restored by a highly reputable specialist and with deep personal significance for the vendor. For those seeking one of the very best restored examples of one of Mercedes-Benz's most desirable post-war sports cars, this is well worth closer inspection.

History and Paperwork

Factory built in late September 1958 according to records
Various VIN plates as shown
VIN number RA12104085002122 shown on factory records and in plate photos
VIN’s ‘8’ refers to a genuine factory RHD car
First registered with Woking Motors according to VIN plate
Exported to USA early in life
Alabama purchase paperwork as shown
Acquired in 2005 by marque specialist John Furber in 2005 as a project
Restored by John Furber over five years
Factory handbooks
Documentation and photographs recording the rebuild
Not currently UK registered in order to minimise the total number of owners

The Condition

Restored car in classic silver with extensive body repairs and repainted
Professional bodywork repairs and repaint
Refurbished chromework in very good order
Over 4,000 nuts and bolts reportedly refurbished during the work
Steel wheels with matching spare and chrome hub caps
Blue roof in very good order with clear rear screen
Retrimmed black leather interior with matching tonneau cover
Correct two-spoke Bakelite wheel and Becker Europa stereo
Vendor describes exterior as being in brand-new condition following the rebuild
Hand-made bespoke fitted suitcase and tool kit accompany the car

It isn’t hard to believe that the restoration of this car took the vendor’s husband, a qualified engineer, five years of deep dedication. The car in the photos is the result of his work and that of professional specialists, including bodywork renovation and repainting. The car has been dry stored and unused for five years since the vendor’s husband died - it is a mark of the respect she has for it that she hasn’t even cleaned it in order to avoid risking damaging the paint.

Interesting details of the project include cataloguing and refurbishing over 4,000 nuts and bolts, plus several trips to Germany to collect parts. The car comes with a set of fitted suitcases, similar to the factory items, said to be the last set made by a well-regarded craftsman.

The Mechanics

Rebuilt 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine
4spd manual gearbox
Virtually no mileage since the rebuild
The vendor describes the mechanical condition as brand new

We are told that the car’s mechanicals and running gear were fully rebuilt during the renovation process. This included fitting a replacement 1958 1.9L rebuilt engine. Since completion, the car has been dry stored in a lock-up and started regularly. It was driven briefly on a driveway until five years ago. It is not currently UK road registered.

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