1957 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

190SL Convertible

1.9L I4

Manual

1210427500147

Clear

0 0 1 920 5250 Goodman Reed Corporation 43 12 6158 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE Offered for sale is an exceptionally original, mechanically strong, extremely solid and honest, matching number, two Southern California owner 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster finished in ever stately, factory correct White (DB 050) over Black. Originally sold to Mr. Roy Wayne Temple of Rosemead, CA, the car would remain in the Temple family’s possession for nearly 53 years until his widow sold the car to a Santa Ynez Valley vintner in 2010. The second owner’s intentions were to use the car as an incredibly original, sound and complete platform for a Concours quality restoration, but pressing business interests forced the restoration to the back of the his priority queue. We were fortunate enough to come across the car earlier this summer while negotiating the purchase of a sister car, a 1960 Mercedes 190SL also in the vintner’s collection. Hidden under a cover in the depths of a barn on the vineyard, upon inspecting the car we realized just how straight, pure and original it was and knew we had to have it. Whether you’re looking for an incredibly original weekend driver or, like its second owner, are on the hunt for an honest original and complete platform for restoration, we feel as though you’ll undoubtedly feel the same way about this example as we did. We believe the car’s White finish to be largely original, and consequently it has a number of imperfections throughout – cracking, chips, etc. That being said, the finish cloaks a thoroughly straight and entirely original body, never in an accident or subjected to the elements. The panel fits and gaps are factory perfect and the body has absolutely no evidence of rust, repairs or any bondo. Always properly stored in a dry Southern California environment, the trunk and undercarriage are also both completely solid and original. The car is also extremely complete, retaining all of the original chrome trim (which is entirely presentable as-is), as well as both of its original tops. The soft top was re-covered at some point, and will need to be re-covered again, however it retains all of its original frame, hardware, etc., all of which are difficult and expensive to replace. Per the original owner, the original hardtop was covered in the 1970s in a patterned material comparable to the vinyl “Landau” roofs popular of the era. While in our opinion not unattractive, were it up to us, whenever the car is cosmetically restored we’d return the top to a body-matched finish. Like the car’s exterior, the car’s interior is nearly entirely original, the only exception being the seats, which were at some point reupholstered during the first owner’s tenure. All of the original interior panels – including the dash and door cards – remain original, as do the carpets, which are aged and tattered. The Becker radio remains intact, as does the original clock, the original rear “kinder seat” and the original sun visors, and the glovebox houses the original owner’s manual and catalog (with cover) as well as a stack of original California registration documents in Mr. Temple’s name. The car is completely numbers matching and mechanically excellent, retaining its original engine as well as the original Solex carburetors, just rebuilt by our in-house German master mechanic. The time-tested 1.9L Inline 4 Cylinder starts effortlessly, idling with sewing machine precision and pulling strongly and smoothly through each of the original 4-speed transmission’s gears. Compression is consistent and strong across all cylinders and the car is a joy to drive, whether tooling through town, winding through the back roads or bombing down the highway. We’ve also just rebuilt nearly every aspect of the braking system and the car’s ride quality is excellent – smooth, carefree and entirely straight and sound – completely ready for its next owner to enjoy.= This is an excellent and uncommon opportunity to acquire an incredibly honest, solid and extremely original example of one of Mercedes’ most beautiful classic designs. Whether you’re a serious collector of originals or a weekend enthusiast with designs on an easy restoration, this California example has all the right things going for it: strong matching numbers mechanicals (including the original Solex carburetors), original factory spot-welded fenders, the original stamped hood, an exceptionally straight, entirely original and rust-free body and a dry California provenance with a resultantly solid original undercarriage. With 190SLs continuing to appreciate at dizzying rates, this is an investment-grade example that deserves the consideration of any serious buyer. Please Note: While 24 pictures appear on this site, we have an additional 20+ pictures that can be sent to any interested buyer upon request. We want this car to go to great home and would be happy to answer any questions, so please feel free to email us or call us at 805-202-4557. You can also visit us online at GoodmanReed. Goodman Reed Motorcars We’ve always had an appreciation for classic European cars and over the years have created an eclectic personal collection. We only buy cars that we’d personally be interested in owning and generally only sell them to make room for other acquisitions. That time has come for this Mercedes (if the price is right, of course – this isn’t a fire sale). We try to give accurate descriptions of the cars we’re selling, but we’re enthusiasts, not experts, and we encourage and are happy to help facilitate personal or professional inspections. But please do so before bidding, as the alternative harms our ability to make sales to other interested parties who have done their proper due diligence before bidding. For U.S. buyers a 10% non-refundable deposit is required within 3 days of the auction’s end, the balance to be paid within 7 days of the auction’s end. Foreign buyers must pay in full within 7 business days of the auction’s end. Buyer is responsible for shipping, however we’d be more that happy to help with recommendations and arrangements. The car is listed locally and we reserve the right to end the auction at any time should it sell prior to auction’s end. Thanks for your interest.