Exceptional to the core and restored by W198 marque expert Hjeltness Restoration in ‘body-off’ fashion, this matching numbers 300SL Roadster is a multiple-time Best of Show winner presenting today in the captivating Mercedes-Benz factory colors of 512 garnet metallic paint over 1060 cream leather. Having resided in the same family since 1988 and blessed with the pedigree of multi-year Gullwing Group Presidential ownership, this fastidiously-kept example comes with factory hard top, fitted matching luggage, polished wheels and only 52,426 original miles.
Highlights
- Multiple show winner
- Hjeltness “body-off” restoration
- GW Group President ownership since 1988
- Matching numbers
- Chassis no. 198042-8500158
- Engine no. 198980-8500187
- Body no. 198042-8500157
- Mercedes 512 Garnet metallic
- 1060 Creme leather
- Factory hard top
- Matching Crème soft top
- Polished wheels
- Becker Mexico Radio
- Owners manual, tools and jack
- Copy of factory data card
- 52,426 original miles
Star Of The Show, Wherever She Goes
According to its factory issued data card, this 300SL Roadster was delivered from Mercedes-Benz at Stuttgart-Unterturkheim on December 17th, 1958 as a model year 1959 example, destined for importation into the United States. The Roadster was designated for delivery to Daimler-Benz of North America Rockefeller Center, New York, fitted with 4-wheel drum brakes and a cast iron engine. This 300SL was delivered new dressed in DB 190 graphite grey paint with a DB 180 silver grey metallic hard top and 1079 red leather upholstery with a 708 grey soft top delivered separately in a box. Further delivery specifications included instruments in English, sealed beam US headlights, a Becker Mexico radio and a 1:3.89 rear end ratio.
As confirmed by the official Gullwing Group Registry for 300SL Roadsters, chassis 8500158 has remained in the United States since new and was originally purchased by Martin Haurin of Philadelphia, Pa. Subsequently, the car was owned by another Pennsylvania native, William Whelen of Philadelphia and, in 1979, the car was then acquired by noted San Francisco Bay Area car dealer and Ferrari Collector extraordinaire Thomas Price of Colma/Daly City, Ca. Later, in the early 1980’s, Southern California based German native and long time friend to Scott Grundfor Company, Helmut Reiss of Newport Beach, Ca, acquired the 300SL.
In 1988, this W198 chassis Roadster was purchased by its current and longest tenured owner from Thomas Taffet of T.T. Exclusive Cars, Inc in Redondo Beach, Ca. who was acting as broker for then owner of the car, Mr. Helmut Reiss. At the time of purchase by the current owner, the car was showing 47,000 original miles and was in very original but tired condition, wearing grey paint and original red leather with a hard top painted in silver. The car driven sparingly for several years with a planned restoration looming.
In 1991, the current owner of chassis 8500158, a resident of Rancho Santa Fe, California and President of the Gullwing Group from 2002 – 2005, enlisted highly regarded 300SL marque expert Jerry Hjeltness of Hjeltness Restorations in Escondido, Ca to perform a no-expense-spared, ‘body off’ restoration on the then very original Roadster. Over the course of two years, culminating in 1993, the restoration of 300SL Roadster 8500158 was exhaustively carried out by Hjeltness Restoration, leaving a near-flawless car in our midst to this day and one well described as retaining superior levels of quality throughout.
The 300SL is finished today as completed in 1993 in a dazzling, deep strawberry metallic paint color known as ‘Garnet’ in the Mercedes color catalog, a shade which is perfectly set off by sumptuous 1060 crème leather paired to beige carpets with a beautifully matched German canvas soft top. The Roadster’s original factory hard top is finished in Garnet and has been fitted expertly to the car, while the wheels have been polished for an extra level of panache with body color painted hubcaps. Fitted matching luggage for the trunk space rounds out the one-of-a-kind look of chassis 8500158 and cements it as one of the absolute prettiest 300SLs one will ever come across.
Every nut and bolt of the car was attended to during the comprehensive, 2-year ‘body-off’ restoration performed by Hjeltness with almost no wear present today given the low amount of use the car has seen and the fastidious care it has enjoyed. In addition to the eye watering level of quality found in the still immaculately kept cosmetic work performed during the restoration by Hjeltness, every mechanical component was refurbished to the highest of marque expert 300SL standards as the car was restored to exhibit a level of performance to match its aesthetic prowess. Full rebuilds were performed on the engine and gearbox as well as the rear end, front end and brakes to ensure ‘as original’ performance which is felt to this day when behind the wheel at speed.
Hjeltness Restoration, a 300SL specialist firm known for producing some of the finest 300SL show cars the Concours show scene has ever seen, did some of their finest work on chassis 8500158. While shown only a few times, the car received numerous awards when it has graced Concours lawns, always stealing the show no matter where she goes. Each time the car has been shown, it has received accolades to match its inherent qualities, winning Best Of Show on both of the occasions that it was shown and judged at 300SL Gullwing Group meets, and also winning a Best of Show Award at the yearly Palm Springs Classic event. The car also received 2nd in Class at the 2020 La Jolla Concours in a class of 300SLs, which was the last time it was shown.
Today, this fantastically restored 300SL Roadster retains its factory installed engine with an original compression-matched head and also has both original front end spindles, rear differential, steering box, body and chassis along with original frame, firewall and interior body tags. Mechanically the car is very strong, having recorded just under 5,000 carefully driven miles since completion of the restoration which included a full mechanical recommissioning of the car and since, the car has been fastidiously-kept in a climate controlled garage. The quality of the restoration work performed by Hjeltness combined with the doting care shown the car since restoration yields today an inarguably elite concours quality 300SL today.
With 37 years running of fastidious, enthusiast care by a multi-year Gullwing Group President, this Concours restored, still-ready-for-show 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster presents today in the striking Mercedes-Benz factory color of Garnet metallic paint over a beautifully kept 1060 creme leather interior with matching canvas soft top, chrome wheels, fitted matching luggage and factory hard top. The 300SL comes with a copy of its factory data card, original books, tools and jack. Chassis 8500158 is an example well-suited for show on any concours lawn in the world, with fully known history from new and a level of curb appeal and over visual prowess that few 300SLs in the world can match, this W198 Mercedes-Benz is ready for new adventures and a next chapter of driving enjoyment.
