Here’s a once-in-a-lifetime restoration opportunity for Mercedes-Benz collectors—a 1959 190SL Convertible that’s not only complete, but comes with an astonishing trove of original and spare parts. This car has been in the same family for over 50 years and has been stored in a dry Maine barn since 1983. It’s just now listed for sale here on craigslist for the first time in decades, located in Westford, Massachusetts. Thanks for the tip T.J.!
The vehicle itself is a disassembled but complete 1959 190SL, including the body, chassis, interior, and both the factory hardtop and soft top. While it will require a full ground-up restoration, the foundation is all here: original gauges, seats, trim, bumpers, lighting, glass, steering wheel, and door panels. The body reportedly rolls and steers for ease of transport, and the metal appears restorable.
What truly sets this apart from typical barn finds is the massive cache of spares. Included are three additional engines, making for a total of four complete Mercedes 190SL engines. There are also four transmissions, multiple sets of Solex carburetors, NOS front sheet metal and headlight buckets, two full sets of bumpers, extra hubcaps and trim rings, spare radiators, camshafts, tachs, starters, water pumps, and more. It’s a parts collection that would take years and thousands of dollars to replicate.
Whether you’re an individual restorer, a restoration shop, or a collector looking to build a world-class 190SL, this package saves considerable legwork. You’ll have the ability to choose the best parts from multiples, keep extras on hand, or even build a second car from what’s here. And with 190SL values continuing to climb, this could be a very smart investment as well.
Complete projects with this level of originality and supporting parts are nearly unheard of in the 190SL world. Would you keep it period-correct or build something unique from all the spares?
This is one that is for the big boys! An original valuable car with spares….Bring your checkbook! My guess…. a $250K restoration that is worth half a mil!! I’m not a MB guy but I know the 59 SL’s are big money cars!!
Doubt it.
My German friend told me that in Germany they were referred to a “queer” cars, as the real men opted for the 300SL. They languished for decades as the red headed step child, but as the 300’s have gone stratospheric in value, these little brothers have tagged along recently.
I recall seeing these in the late 70s and they were the the hair dresser version and were worth about as much as a used MGB then. Kind of like a late 90s Mercedes SLK vs the SL is viewed. You can get the late 90s SLKs dirt cheap now.
Secretary’s car then, secretary’s car after an $85,000 restoration.
YES YES YES.
Make this: https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/cto/d/westford-rare-1959-mercedes-190sl/7869880837.html
That one is ours. This is the perfect candidate. The SLR lightweight we have gets attention everywhere and people leave cards on it all the time to buy it. Done correctly, something like this could cost less and be worth more. Put the 190 Cosworth engine in it, and it will be awesome!
-Wayne
A very expensive but desirable project. The question is it worth it? It’s a 190 SL not a 300SL. Just my opinion.
Rare to see a project 190 SL. Not in horrible condition but needs a lot of love. I just finished restoring a 59 190. It was in much worse shape than this one. VERY expensive to restore. My customer had 22K in just bright work alone! Very hard to find trim items!
Too bad BF doesn’t allow pics anymore, I would post some pics.
You can post photos if you’re a member. That’s the only way we can prevent bad actors from uploading malicious files.
The last restoration I did was on a Klein Comp R road bicycle. What I learned was that in my nearly advanced age my hands don’t work like they use to and I am easily frustrated, not to the point of throwing/damaging things but I find that I begin to drool uncontrollably like an insane man! I also think I’m suffering from PTSD as a result of searching for too many hard to find parts…in short I am done with restorations. Sorry just needed to vent as this resto project has seriously triggered/tempted me!
I would just park this in my garage for a year or two and walk around it and admire with an adult beverage. No kids in the garage. It’s so peaceful. . .
Back in the day these were not sought after at all. They were bog slow and didn’t handle well at all. They weighed over 2500 lbs, had just over 100 hp and got to sixty in a miserable 14.5 seconds. They were (and still are) more of a “country club” sporty car. That is a car for well-heeled customers to take the country club for a round of golf rather that any serious driver’s car. I’m amazed that they have gone up this much in value, frankly, they are rare because nobody wanted them back in the day and they didn’t make that many because they were dogs. JMHO and qualified as such, but the pagoda models were much nicer driving cars, albeit still pretty slow. I think the “halo” effect of the price rise of the 300 SL is the only reason these are above the price of a older 230 sedan. If you can’t afford a 300SL then you can buy one of these that sorta looks like it.