1962 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster

1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Sold for $1,127,500 Including Commission
RM Auction, Monterey, CA. 2014
Chassis no. 198.042.10.002992
Engine no. 198.980.10.003062
Body no. 198.042.10.00254
215 bhp (DIN), 240 hp (SAE), 2,996 cc overhead-camshaft inline six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, coil-spring independent front suspension and coil-spring single-point swing axle rear suspension, and servo-assisted drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5 in.
•A wonderful recent discovery
•Offered from 40 years of single-family ownership
•Factory European-specification disc brake car
•Original leather interior and removable hardtop
There was no doubt that Mercedes-Benz had a hit on their hands with their spectacular 300 SL Gullwing. The car’s looks, performance, and brilliant engineering captivated the automotive world, and it proved to be a runaway success for Mercedes-Benz. As production was soon coming to an end for the iconic 300 SL Coupe, the marque grew more eager to add a convertible version to its lineup.
A prototype of this new model was first spotted by German magazine Auto, Motor und Sport at Stuttgart in the summer of 1956, and the production model would later debut at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show. By the end of that year, the final 70 of the 1,400 Coupes and the first 618 of the 300 SL Roadsters were assembled.
Along with a convertible top, the 300 SL brought a host of advancements to the already state-of-the-art platform. The central section of the 300 SL’s space-frame chassis was lowered and smaller sills and enlarged doors were added to improve entrance and egress. Its strength was maintained, nonetheless, with the addition of diagonal struts bracing the lowered side sections to the rear tubular members. The suspension was also revised to allow for a more comfortable ride and improved handling. At the rear, the spare tire was repositioned below the trunk floor, necessitating a smaller fuel tank but also maintaining reasonable luggage space. Even though these revisions added some 250 pounds, the majority of which were associated with the convertible top and its mechanisms, the car remained an excellent performer, with a factory-claimed 137 mph top speed.
Just like the 300 SL Coupe, the Roadster proved to be the vehicle of choice for those with brilliant taste in aesthetics and cutting-edge engineering. As such, many wound up in the garages of celebrities, racing drivers, and other financially successful individuals. With a list price of $11,000, ownership of a 300 SL was a dream to most when the car was new, and to those with the funds to spare, the car was worth every penny. To those looking to make a statement with the purchase of a new car, there was simply no better option.
MR. ROJO’S PUERTO RICAN ROADSTER
The factory data card of the 300 SL Roadster offered here, chassis number 198.042.10.002992, records that it was originally delivered in Ivory (608) and came with a Black (040) removable hardtop and Red (204) leather upholstery. Importantly, its chassis number falls into the range of late Roadsters that were equipped by the factory with disc brakes, which the car retains to this day. In addition, the car is an original European-delivery example, and therefore, it has worn its desirable full-lensed headlamps and original factory fog lights since new.
Ownership is recorded in the Gull Wing Group’s Roadster Registry as far back as the early 1970s, when the car was owned by V. Schafharst, of Amsterdam, Netherlands. While in Mr. Schafharst’s ownership, the Roadster was maintained by Agam-Kronenburg B.V., the Mercedes-Benz dealer in his hometown.
In 1974, Agustin Rojo Jr., a successful businessman from San Juan, Puerto Rico, traveled to Europe in search of his dream car, a 300 SL Roadster. He acquired this car from Agam-Kronenberg B.V., by which time it had already been repainted its present color. He proceeded to spend two months driving the car throughout Europe, with no hotel reservations or fixed schedule. His daughters joined him for the last part of this “once-in-a-lifetime” journey, which, it is reported, cured its owner’s “midlife crisis.”
The following year, with the Roadster now safely in Puerto Rico, it was registered with the Gull Wing Group, which recorded 99,175 kilometers on its odometer. The registration form documents that by this point the car was already fitted with its present engine, number 198.980.10.003062, which, interestingly, is only three numbers off of the engine originally fitted.
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Robert Myrick Photography