As one of only 70 Gullwings produced by Mercedes-Benz in 1957, this rare and desirable final year of production 300SL Coupe has spent the past 40 years in single owner enthusiast collector care, having never been offered for sale publicly. The car presents today in its as-delivered factory original colors of DB 190 graphite gray over 1079 red leather. Worthy of note as a particularly rare original delivery option, chassis 7500028 sports chromed and mirror polished rims as it did when delivered new in 1957.
Highlights
- Final year of production example
- One of only 70 1957 300SL Gullwings made
- Owned for 40+ years by Gullwing Group enthusiast
- Chassis no. 198040-7500028
- Engine no. 1989806500332
- Body no. 1980407500028
- Transmission no. 6500370
- Matching numbers
- Original colors
- DB 190 graphite gray paint
- 1079 red leather interior
- Factory mirror polished chrome wheels
- Flat wood Gullwing Nardi wheel
- Becker Mexico Radio
- Original belly pans
- Superb history of mainenance
- Restoration records and photos
- All original factory tags
- Original books, tools, jack and spare
- Copy of factory data card
The video featured above spotlights Gullwing 7500028 with commentary by Dr. Ron Ogren, the longest tenured and most recent owner of this rare 1957 300SL Coupe. Full description is below…
This rare, late production 300SL ‘Gullwing’ left the Mercedes-Benz Factory at Stuttgart-Unterturkheim on 2/27/1957 destined for delivery to Mercedes-Benz Distributors of New York, USA. As a 1957, final year of production example of the W198 coupe, chassis 7500028 is quite rare. To emphasize the rarity of these final year of production examples, a mere 5% of the 1,400 300SL Gullwings produced between 1954 and 1957 are of the 1957 model year variety, making these final cars desirable today from a collectibilty standpoint.
As per its accompanying factory issued data card, Gullwing chassis 7500028 was delivered new as it presents today in DB 190 Graphite Gray paint with a 1079 Red leather interior. Of special note and rarity, this car was delivered new with chrome plated, ‘mirror polished’ disc wheels and body color painted hubcap centers, a wheel finish option that is often replicated on restored 300SL Gullwings, but one very rarely noted as original to the car from new on the factory data card, as is the case with chassis 7500028. Additionally, this 300SL Coupe was optioned with special upholstery, instruments in English, sealed-beam headlamps, 5×15” wheels and Super Dunlop tires.
As recorded in the official Gullwing Group Registry and as documented within this rare 300SL Gullwing’s history file, chassis 7500028 has had only four private owners from new. Early Midwestern United States ownership tenures include that of Don W. Capehart of Norman, Oklahoma and later, Mark Babich of Witchita, Kansas. Monte N. Fite of Denton, Texas would later become owner of the car and, in 1984, Fite would sell the 300SL to Dr. Ron Ogren of Ridgecrest, California. Dr. Ogren, having dreamt of owning a 300SL Coupe since his youth, would subsequently go on to care for and enjoy his prized late production Gullwing for the next four decades.
Dr. Ogren, a long-time enthusiast of classic Mercedes-Benz cars and member of the Gullwing Group 300SL Club for over forty years, is this W198 Coupe’s longest tenured owner, not just its most recent. Scott Grundfor Company, in particular Scott himself, knew well of Dr. Ogren’s passion for his beloved Graphite Gray Gullwing; for many years during Dr. Ogren’s ownership of chassis 7500028, our company, at the time located in Panorama City, Los Angeles and called Scott Restorations, serviced the car diligently. With his recent passing, Ron Ogren left a legacy of over-the-top enthusiasm for his treasured Gullwing through passing the car to his children, continuing a history of passionate respect and care that began decades before within the family.
In addition to service work performed over the years by Scott Grundfor Company, our friends and fellow 300SL experts at Hjeltness Restorations of Escondido, California, who would eventually fully restore the car for Dr. Ogren, spent many years servicing the car and making sure it was always in top running condition. Dr. Ogren, who was an avid historian of 300SL’s as well as a consummate driver of his car, never saw the Gullwing as a static showpiece. He always used the car and enjoyed it, which coincided with a superior regimen of care provided to his car.
As illustrated through a robust history file that accompanies the car today, Dr. Ogren only allowed 300SL experts to perform upkeep on his Gullwing, a habit that led to the car always being ready for the drive and for maximum performance. Everyone who knew Ron, including those who worked on his car, understood that he truly understood the value of its engineering, and that he loved long touring journeys in addition to daily trips around his hometown of Ridgecrest, California.
On top of consistent maintenance performed over his four decades as owner of chassis 7500028, Dr. Ogren enlisted 300SL marque expert restorer Hjeltness Restorations to perform a full cosmetic and mechanical refurbishment of the car beginning in 1992. The decision was made to restore the car to its original specs, in the desirable factory colors of DB 190 Graphite Gray over 1079 red leather. Further, in an effort to keep the car true to its rare and desirable original specification, the rims of the wheels were re-chromed and mirror polished to match the appearance that would have been seen on the car when it left the factory as a rare 1957 build 300SL Gullwing.
During the comprehensive restoration process, all trim pieces on the car were refinished to the highest standards, both interior and exterior. The entirety of the interior, from the leather and headliner to the dash gauges and carpets, were fully restored during work performed by Hjeltness. Curiously, and still speculated to be part of the rare original specification of chassis 7500028, the interior headliner was completely redone in leather. Leather headliner in a 300SL Gullwing was one of, if not the rarest, original spec options available for a special order 300SL Gullwing during the 1954 to 1957 production run. So rare in fact is the leather headliner, that we were required to enlist the knowledge of long time 300SL interior specialist Jon Cumpton whether he had ever seen original leather headliners in 300SL Gullwings during his 40+ years of working on these cars. Mr. Cumpton noted that he had pulled three original headliners out of 300SL Coupes over the years, making this more than just an interesting curiosity of chassis 7500028. A complete rebuild of the engine was performed during the restoration, and in the cars history file are photos of the restoration, along with receipts from this period.
Today, Dr. Ogren’s Gullwing is in excellent running condition and drives as one would expect of such a well cared for, often used 300SL. The patina accrued during use over the 25+ years since restoration was completed, in addition to over 10,000 miles of extremely well cared for use, is indicative of a car that was certainly exercised, and never neglected. The paint overall is in a very good condition despite having been applied nearly 30 years ago. There are some paint flaws that have developed around the eyebrows of the car, a commonly seen issue of degradation found on many older 300SL restorations, and there are the as-to-be-expected small paint chips in the front of the car that have been touched up over the years as a result of Dr. Ogren enjoyment of the car at speed. Chassis 7500028 still displays what can only be described as an exceptionally straight body with typically spectacular, precise fits; a characteristic Hjeltness Restorations has become well known for in 300SL circles over the years. The interior shows well today with patina suggestive of regular, but also caring use while the chrome has wear present but remains structurally near perfect.
The underside of the car is, and seemingly always has been, rust free, while the engine bay presents very nicely with correct show quality finishes that have stood the test of time. This 300SL Coupe is a fully matching numbers example, today retaining its original chassis, body, engine and gearbox. As further testament to the originality of its components, the car retains not only all of its original factory stampings but also sports its original tags throughout. Original tags retained by the car include firewall chassis tag, firewall color tag, chassis frame tag, “Made In Western Germany” tag and engine block tag.
With a wonderful history of ownership in truly long-term California based aficionado care, chassis 7500028 is a rare 300SL Coupe by any measure. As one of only 70 300SL Gullwings produced in the final year of production and as an example presenting today in its spectacular factory original colors, it would be hard to find a more pure and desirable W198. With chrome plated, mirror polished wheels as originally delivered, and with a superb service history file, original books, tools, jack and spare, there are few more enticing 300SL Gulllwings for collection inclusion and use to be found anywhere.
