Talk about a family with good tastes: this pair of Mercedes 300SLs, one a Gullwing coupe and the other a Roadster, have been in the same family ownership for 60 years after originally being purchased by a father and son. That must have been quite a pay day at the office when dad and his junior decided to purchase this impressive pair. Find these highly original Mercedes specimens here on TheOldMotor.com. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Doug M. for the find.
Said to have been lovingly maintained for all those years by the same original-owner family, the Gullwing wears a striking shade of British Racing Green over tan leather and has only covered 16,000 miles from new. Can you say multi-million dollar sale? This 300SL was purchased through the legendary Max Hoffman dealership in New York and remains unaltered from stock condition.
The corresponding 300SL roadster wears just slightly more miles under its tires, clocking in at a mere 38,000 miles. The best part? It retains its complete Karl Baisch luggage, which will certainly add to the final sale price. Like the Gullwing, it remains almost completely original. Both of these garage finds will be auctioned by Gooding & Company in August, so bring your checkbook (and first born…and inheritance…and, well, your entire portfolio) if you’re anxious to bid.
Thanks for posting this. The far end of the spectrum of what can be viewed on this page. Amazing.
Barns Finds for the Rich and Famous!
Probably the Wretch and Infamous.
Kind of reminds me of Robbing Hood, who Stole from the wretch and gave to the Peer.
OMG, makes my ’81 380sl look VERY pedestrian.
I second that motion, Anthony R
This makes me SO happy……..and jealous
Yum. Great spot ..
Impressive!
A million dollars plus each just the way they sit i’d bet in today’s market.
Will they be auctioned separately and finally be split up or together, so they can spend the next 60 years as a pair. If cars had the same emotions as us enthusiasts, one would think of it as siblings being put up for adoption and moving to two different cities. Then one would hope the buyer of the first car (I’m willing to bet the roadster will cross the block first, so the younger sibling) will have even deeper pockets.
Its hard to even imagine, how this came about. You can’t help but think of the money, but then you see the picture of the two sitting side by side, and you just think “How cool is this”, I could never sell them. Of course as they say money talks, and B.S. walks!
I love the garage. wish I had a space like that. I wonder what the other car is peeking out from the left?
Wow! Stunning pair of cars!
One for winter and one for summer ;)
Absolutely incredible! The gullwing broke ground in so many ways. MB had quite a range of diversity in its 1955 offerings…180 sedans, 300 (better than a period Rolls Royce), 300 S vert and the gullwing. All of this within the historical timeline following the end of WW ll.
I am calling BS on those mileage claims. Especially the Gullwing.
Way too much wear showing on these supposed low milers.
Great story, Tes. I’m not buying it.
Auctioneers don’t need to tell the truth they have a disclaimer that absolves them and their sellers of any liability including inaccurate descriptions.
Someone will buy it………magnificent thoroughbreds in any event. I hope someone has the means and will to keep them together. They look perfect as pictured, next to each other.
I agree, Luki. And if they’re so beloved, why not a couple of cheap car covers to keep the dirt off? Heck, we used sheets on our 356 until the kids gave us a proper cover. Better than all that dust!
Okay, call B.S. on the mileage. . . I’m guessing you likely won’t be a buyer for either of these.
The potential buyer, though, will likely have things checked out prior to dropping high-six-figures to low-seven-figures on one or both of them. Does it seem realistic that anyone would attempt to shine on the provenance of a car like this, let alone a pair of them?
Occam’s Razor suggests not. The simplest explanation is likely the most accurate: Daddy owned the pair forever and they’ve been lovingly cared for since day one.
So, I need to be the buyer to express my opinion on a mileage claim?
I’ll file that comment under CS.
Run them through Barrett Jackson either Friday Night or Definitely Saturday Night and it’s a Multi Millions Sales each!!
Growing up, my next door neighbors son had the same Gull Wing, except red w/ tan. It was his college driver. As a strange coincidence, the son just died last week. I mentioned the gull in his memorial. All us younger guys were so envious. To him, it was just a set of wheels.
I knew the owner of a metal fabrication shop in Ontario who worked at the M-B factory before leaving for Canada.In his office he had a photograph of 10 Gull Wings lined up with the luggage placed behind the cars waiting for the rich and famous to take delivery of their new automobiles. True story? Who knows? But it was a great story.
My father has one of these, red with a tan interior. my mom bought it in 1962. he is an old WW2 vet. He keeps the car and drives it a couple times a month, as long as the weather is good here in Kansas. I remember being taken to high school in it, people would ask what it was. Beautiful cars pops will be 90 June 29th and nobody can drive that car but him. by his rules
May he keep driving for another 90 years. Good luck to him and you.
@jmuder-great story and thanks for sharing it with us.