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1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Barn Find!

How much is a parts car worth?  I suppose that depends on the quality, availability and price of new/replacement parts.  The ad for this 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL states “restore or use for parts”.  Based on the pictures, the “use for parts” option seems much more realistic.  For sale here on Hemmings in Brook Park, Ohio with an asking price of $36,500, this car is said to be a real barn find.  I’m certainly not a classic Mercedes expert, but is looks like you’d have a hard time finding $36,500 worth of parts to take off of this car to donate to another project.

This car looks like it was recovered from a body of water and not from a barn.  Maybe it was a wet barn?  According to the classic car insurance company Hagerty, the average value for these cars is $92,500.  With an asking price 1/3 what the average value is, this seems like a lofty goal.  I would bet the seller will jump at the first serious offer.  With no claimed racing history or other significant provenance of past ownership, I can not understand what would make this car worth anything close to the asking price.  Am I missing something?

Some of the interior trim pieces look intact, but it also looks like there are bits missing.  The upholstery may be original, but is it restorable?  There was clearly moisture on the outside of this car and you could reasonably assume that some of that moisture made its way inside.

The engine bay is rusty and crusty like the rest of the car.  However, if the engine is free and re-buildable, that may be the only redeeming part of this car.  The bottom line for this car is the old adage:  Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  Will the seller of this car be rewarded with a five-figure sale price?  What do you think?

Comments

  1. Avatar slickb

    its mint!!! I see a over the weekend project!!!
    as long as it stays under 25 cents price wise

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  2. Avatar Milt

    Make it a work of art. Restore the interior to like new and leave the rest as-is. Call this piece of art “before & after”. A guaranteed must see show stopper at any museum or car show. You can’t look away from a train wreck like this.

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  3. Avatar Chuck

    36,500 ? Take the tax write off, donate this heap to your local high school auto shop. ( do they still have those )

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  4. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    I’m not saying anything – anything and everything soon will be

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    • Avatar Mountainwoodie

      said

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Dolphin Member

    It’s pretty clear from the ad that the seller is hoping someone from Europe will spring for this, probably for a deep discount on the $36K asking. That’s about the only way this heap is going to sell.

    These topped out at a quarter million a couple of years ago, at least a perfect example was sold for that price at auction once. Now they often sell for under $100K in good driveable condition, so why would someone buy this pile of metal?

    This one? It has a VIN plate and a drivetrain but it’s hard to imagine someone in No America buying this instead one of the many 190 SLs that come up for sale in far better condition for not too much more money than the asking for this one.

    Apart from maybe the drivetrain, if the engine isn’t locked solid, and other big parts, and some rare trim or interior pieces, assuming they aren’t corroded to paper thin, this hasn’t got much going for it.

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  6. Avatar Daniel LARSON

    So sad to leave a classic to rot away. There intent enough metal left on that car to restore. It a real cancer patient.

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  7. Avatar Dave Wright

    These are my least favorite Mercedes and personally I don’t put much value in them but the market sure does. This is not a Parts car, it will be rebuilt. A Parts car for a 190SL is a 190 sedan. All the effected metal is available new. These are commonly eclipsing the 100K mark with no end in sight for the appreciation. I don’t get it but the market speaks.

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  8. Avatar TR

    All it needs is a SBC

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  9. Avatar Alex B

    Posted before a while back.

    https://barnfinds.com/abandoned-years-1957-mercedes-190sl/

    I guess Ebay didn’t sell…

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Righteous Bob

    E-bay has gotten so expensive, their listing prices, reserve pricing, and their % after it sells, and then Pay-Pal holds your money for 21 days, even with proof of delivery and a perfect feed back from the buyer.. why should pay-pal hold $5000.00 of my money after the fact???

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  11. Avatar Peter

    Looks like the brother of the other 190 one a few weeks back ( :

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  12. Avatar Richard

    I drove these when they were new and wouldn’t pay $500 for one if it was in new condition now. That’s how much I like them.

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  13. Avatar newfieldscarnut

    Kinda resembles what it used to be .

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  14. Avatar Jack Quantrill

    What a pity! Let it “rust in peace”!

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  15. Avatar Van

    Very soon a flood car will disappear, and this car will get a frame off restoration in the same day. Funny how that works.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Jeff

    I have had several cars featured on barn finds I never posted them but guess somebody found them and put them up anyway this 56 190 was dragged out of garage last week and scrap guy got called to pick it up he paid 100 bucks for it happens in California more than you would think and no rust

    Like 0
    • Avatar glen

      I bet the scrap guy was a very happy guy that day.

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      • Avatar Jeff

        He was after I paid him

        Like 0
    • Avatar glen

      Is this yours? very nice.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    I thought I was losing my mind. Yeah, this car was already on BF. Colonel Klink says: “DIS-MISSED!”

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  18. Avatar David Miraglia

    too far gone…

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    • Avatar Peter

      Who? Colonel Klink ?

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Mark

    This was on barnfinds October 31st . Showed it ended 8500.00 on eBay, Now back on barn finds , 25 days later, and now asking 36,000 after not getting 8501.00 . What gives?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Peter

      All war involves deception…

      I thought I recognised that gray blue paint on the door pillar.
      Cunning…. giving the disgruntled a second chance to buy it..

      Like 0
  20. Avatar Alvino

    Whoever will pay 36000 for this wreck must be smoking some good stuff. Send me some please.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Peter

    It may be a promo for a miracle rust kill product?

    Like 0
  22. Avatar tommy

    I like the see through sun visors!

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  23. Avatar Tara

    Just looking at it, I would say there is at the most £150 scrap weight.

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  24. Avatar Mike

    The most economical way to restore this and have a really nice vehicle is to scrap this piece of junk after removing any usable parts and buy one that has never had rust and is restored to the level you want you just cant lose like that!

    To ask $36000 for this……. I want some of what he’s smoking……just sayin!

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Madmatt

    Another case of “One of these sold for blah blah blah,
    mine must be worth a tidy sum”,no not in this shape mister!
    People often forget that values change overtime,
    and whats hot right now,may be a white elephant tomorrow!
    This car looks just like the last one you featured…..full of RUST!
    may not even be good for Scrap/parts,
    Some People are really crazy out there!

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Mark S.

    All I see here is a pile of junk. That beings said if a person wanted to work on his welding skill and auto body skill this would be an excellent candidate. Imagine the challenge here to make this body shell right. Good for a learning tool for a high school. I wounder if you can get a Dyna corn body for this year / model. Other wise slide it back into the hole it cam out.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Martin Sparkes
    • Avatar Peter

      Now you are talking…

      Like 0
  28. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Now James Dean would probably like that Vancouver car. He might call it “Medium” Bastard.

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Jeffro

    This is same guy who had rusty Porsche 912 for sale last week. I guess he collects rust

    Like 0
  30. Avatar Peter

    Good on him, he is a wiinner….+

    Like 0

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