1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Originally ordered with Euro headlights, European instruments, Becker Brescia radio with Reims shortwave adapter and a cast‑iron engine block paired to drum brakes, this 300SL was special‑ordered new for Ramfis Trujillo, son of Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo. Delivered first to Madrid for Trujillo, it was immediately imported to the United States, a place he spent much of his time and where his lavish lifestyle combined with his habit of gifting cars to Hollywood starlets inspired the famous bumper sticker “This Car Is Not A Gift From Trujillo.”

Chassis 2438’s chain‑of‑ownership is exceptionally well documented from new. After Trujillo’s U.S. import of the car and a paper sale in early 1960 to B. Earl Wenger of Maryland, Trujillo appears to have retained access to the car until formally releasing his interest in 1963. Wenger’s ownership continued after 1963 through to 1972, followed by long‑term stewardship by Bob Wurtz of Upper Marlboro, Maryland until 1995. The car then passed to Arnold Gardemann in Wasel, Germany and visited the Mercedes‑Benz Classic Center in 1999 for inspection, before joining two further prominent European collections. In 2023, the car was acquired by the current US –based collector whose penchant for top‑tier, highly original Mercedes‑Benz and Porsche sports cars drew him to Trujillo’s exceptionally well-preserved low mileage 300SL Roadster.

Cosmetically, the car presents today as a benchmark for unrestored originality. The still vibrant DB 608 paint shows subtle and correct factory “orange peel” texture along with consistent paint meter readings that help confirm it indeed retains its factory‑applied original paint. Panel fit, including the precise alignment of the original two‑piece rear bumper and the satisfying, vault‑like door closure, underscores the absence of accident damage and the car’s careful, indoor storage over more than six decades. The original 1079 red leather and carpets remain remarkably well preserved, with excellent color, suppleness, and minimal evidence of UV exposure.

Highly desirable original factory and dealer installed accessories remain with the car today. These include a rarely seen performance upgrade in the form of dealer‑installed “cold weather curtains,” operated by levers beneath the dash to control airflow over the radiator and oil cooler. Also present are matching original 1079 red leather Karl Baisch suitcases in the trunk space which are original to the car as documented on the factory data card. Dealer‑installed Hickok seatbelts and the original Bosch Euro‑spec headlights are still in place, as is the original Becker Brescia radio that the car came with when new.

Mechanically, this 300SL has been maintained by recognized marque specialists for many years and is fully sorted for both touring and preservation‑class showing. It retains all of its major data‑card‑correct components as installed by Mercedes-Benz upon construction in 1959, including original chassis (2438), body (180), engine (2487), transmission (2618), front axle (2493/2493), and rear axle (2472 with 3.64 ratio). Under‑hood and undercarriage presentation sync perfectly with the car’s overall low‑mileage, unrestored character, with only limited cosmetic freshening in those areas occurring where necessary to support reliable road use.

The comprehensive history file accompanying the car today includes copies of original titles, the factory data card, entries from the Official Gullwing Group Roadster Registry, and a continuous paper trail of mileage as well as ownership from new. Supporting documents also include period press coverage and tabloid articles surrounding Ramfis Trujillo’s Hollywood exploits and in particular his relationship with actress Kim Novak, reinforcing the colorful backstory that surrounds this particular car.

Delivered new to one of the era’s most notorious playboys and preserved as it left the factory with extraordinary care ever since, chassis 2438 is an exceptionally well‑documented, highly original 300SL Roadster suitable for the world’s top preservation‑class concours events and also immediate grand touring use. This classic Mercedes-Benz car is, in every meaningful respect, one of the finest unrestored, low-mileage 300SL Roadsters in existence today.