UPDATE 08/21/2021: This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is still searching for a new home, and it remains just as desirable today as it did when it was shiny and new. Barn Finder Larry D has spotted it for us, so thank you for that, Larry. Few of the details have changed, but it is now listed for sale here on eBay. The BIN remains at an eye-watering $1,395,000, but now there is also the option to make an offer.
When I first spied this 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL prominently positioned in front of a chic shopping area, I thought of Detective Axel Foley’s (Eddie Murphy) line in the film “Beverly Hills Cop” where he turns his totally trashed Chevy Nova over to a car valet and asks, “Can you put this in a good spot? ‘Cause all of this $@:! happened the last time I parked here“. Normally a beautiful car, this Gullwing Benz could use some help in the aesthetics department, so let’s look it over in detail and see what’s what. It is located in Astoria, New York, and is available here on Gullwing Motor Cars website for $1,395,000 (Yikes!)
Besides this car’s provenance, its rareness and the existential nature of what it is drives its value. Offered between 1954 and 1957, this Benz is one of approximately 1,400 produced. There was a convertible or roadster version, but it obviously didn’t have gullwing doors. The “SL” designation supposedly stands for “Super Light” due to the design architecture. That said, the coupe’s weight of 3,300 lbs. doesn’t sound light, much less super light, for a two-seater.
This 300 SL is claimed to have been in the same family for 60 years. It was originally purchased by an L.A. film director and was then sold to a real estate developer who decided to paint it red. The car passed through the developer’s family, who parted with it in 2016. At that point, it had not run for ten years. Auctioned off in 2018, it ended up with a new caretaker who decided to strip the red paint, and what was revealed underneath was the original, born-with white paint hue. So, all of the rubbing and scrapping would seem to have taken both finishes down to the bare metal in places, but the underlying steel shows as sound – no obvious sign of repair, damage, or rust. The chrome and trim still present pretty well too.
The seller claims that the 240 gross HP, 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine was reawakened in 2018 after a twelve-year slumber. Stated is, “…the Gullwing was entrusted to a factory-trained Mercedes-Benz specialist who set about returning it to running order. After carefully turning the engine over by hand and servicing the oil, fuel, and cooling systems, the Gullwing roared to life for the first time in over a decade. Within minutes, the 300SL’s engine settled to a smooth and steady idle“. There is no mileage recording claimed for this four-speed, manual transmission-equipped car.
This coupe’s interior shows quite well, there is very little evidence of wear, maybe a bit of discoloration or fade, but it is in surprisingly clean condition for being 65 years of age. Even the step-over bolsters seem to be free of distress or scuffs. I have always appreciated the Teutonic instrument panels in German cars – all business!
Yes, the price puts this 300 SL into rarified air territory, but it seems that a respectable paint job (not Earl Schieb for this baby), while expensive, especially with bodywork prep, is all this Mercedes Gullwing really needs to be presentable. Someone will make a move on this rare Mercedes-Benz. It won’t be me, but how about you…?
They must have people beating the bushes, looking in garages and barns and paying for leads to turn up cars like this ’56 Gullwing 300SL.
Peter actually does employ a lot of “searchers”, who simply pour over classifieds, marque specific forums, Craigslist, FB, and all the usual classic car for sale sites. They are commissioned on what they find and report directly to Peter. I assist a lot of people in selling their classics and have been contacted multiple times by several of his people. and… sold a few to them as well. Each one must have had a buyer already lined up because I never saw them listed on the Gullwing Motorcars site.
The thing is, they really still do exist in barns and fields and garages, etc. I see them all the time (not 300SL’s but “Barn Find” type vehicles).. and that is just here in CT, southern New England.
I saw this system of “Searchers” in operation a few months ago.
In my small town of Still Pond, MD [population of about 200], and about 3 miles away from my building, was an old farmhouse with a detached garage nearby. No one alive today in the town, [or the county], had knowledge of what lay slumbering in that little wooden garage, as the license plates were more than 50 years old, and it was said the car had not been driven since 1960.
So a “searcher” saw a local Craig’s List ad about the car, placed by a relative after the owner had recently died. The car was immediately snapped up by a well known company out in the L.A. area who, like Gullwing Motors, loves to buy unrestored and expensive cars.
The car: a completely original 1951 Mercedes-Benz 220 [with the 6 cylinder motor] 4-door sedan, with US specification parts like a MPH speedo, and USA lighting.
I’m told this was the first time since 1960, that the car was let out of the garage. Fortunately in a small town news travels fast, so I was able to get photos before it was loaded onto the truck, bound for California. I’m not going to reveal the purchase price, but I can tell you [if my source was correct] there were only 4 digits to the left of the period.
If someone is contemplating the purchase of this car or now owns it, and wants to see what it looked like fresh out of 60 years of confinement, just contact me and I’ll send photos.
Yep, if there is a gullwing out there to be found, guaranteed that Peter will be hot on the trail.
He was even a guest on an episode of Chasing Classic Cars when Wayne needed assistance with classic Mercedes – I can’t remember at the moment if it was a gullwing.
If I could afford it (which I most certainly can’t), I’d leave the outside as-is, take out for a drive every once in a while and take it to lots of shows
Most places you leave it outside and pretty soon you’ll never see it again.
It is not an original paint natural patina. It was repainted and then stripped down to what you see here, so what is the point?
I cant afford this, but always one of my favorites
Available for $1,395,000. Good luck with that.
Go figure the cost of a gullwing restoration is a 250’000$ job, and $1 m at
MB classic center. Nothing worst of an experience than driving a worn out one. Unless those 300sls are dialed in and fresh, they are not fun. This one was better left red. Can not figure why anyone wouldn’t just buy a good car, For the same money, ready to enjoy, as most of the buyers are in their 60s now anyways and who wants a project with the cost nowadays.. I can imagine the Professional inspection on this one , will be 50 pages long. Simply put, 65 years of dry weather makes everything brittle except that sparkle “”my little pony “” plastic interior.
This is an incredibley solid car.
This car has ZERO body filler.
The leather is soft
The bushings are solid
It drives amazing
This car is crash and rust free.
And not another trailer queen.
Full resto cars do not bring out the emotions that this car does in this condition.
It becomes, “what I’d do to it” or “wtf” or “amazing”
All of these gullwings are covered in a skim coat of Bondo under shinny paint. With fake interior fake paint fake chrome on and on.
This car is so real mist people can’t handle it.
Watch out for the Mist People.
Although with this car SL could well mean Second Life, Mercedes-Benz used Sport Leicht and Super Leicht interchangeably until 2017 when a chance discovery in its corporate archive clarified the abbreviation stood for “Super Leicht”.
The German definition, Leicht , means light (as in weight, amount, and feeling, for instance) or easy (as in little effort). For this abbreviation in English language, the definition light is used.
@AutoArcheologist and Pebblebeachjudge: Thank you both for your comments which were very educational.
Will probably sell for pretty close to the ask…1.1 maybe? This car looks rough but the interior and under hood looks to be in excellent condition
No matter the condition of the paint, The SL is still one beautiful car. It’s easy to become mesmerized by it in in any condition. One that can afford her do not know how lucky they have it.
Theres a black one about 15 miles away from me in similar,but better,unrestored condition…paint flaking all over….i see it going down the road about once a year……….the owner has a rather large car collection
On my list of favorite car designs. If you owned this and an XKE coupe to park next to it you’d be in car heaven. Both at the top of the “chair, beer and just sit and look at it” list.
@bobess I personally prefer the Gullwing and the E type convertible myself.
I saw one of these when I was about 10 years old, in San Francisco at Coit Tower. I was mesmerized! It has been at the very tip top of my “beautiful car, oh Daddy I want one” list ever since.
Oh, how I wish I was one of those who would consider 1 million+ a bargain! For this machine, yes, it is, but considering the needed work I’d try to bargain a bit, at least!
One of my favorite cars … you drive this one and not worry too much.
Im a bit surprised to see this here. Earlier this year a friend of mine was involved with removing the layers of paint to get down to the original finish (or what was left of it). The majority of paint removal was done carefully by hand with a razor blade…it took countless hours to complete. I spoke with the owner about it and he was into it…but I guess when it came down to the results, he turned sour on the car and sold it to Peter?
Oh well…money plays. I hope someone out there will take this car to the next level. Its a very good one with a great back story and it deserves a good home.
I’d put on my werewolf mask and gloves and drive it as-is like I stole it, which I’d have to to own it!
I used to drive by one a parked one of these, in my Austin Healey, on Whitter Blvd. in Whitter California. Thinking that I would stop and ask if it was for sale. Never did. Later I knew someone who had one. They said they sold it because the fuel pump kept going out. The year was 1966.
I had a “worker ride” in one of these at the Steamboat races 20+ years ago. While prepped for vintage racing, it also felt like when you were through you could drive it another 500 miles back home and not have the slightest worry or discomfort. Just out for a Sunday drive…
Too hot to drive in Florida anytime of year. No A/C or, relatively speaking, opening windows. My least favorite M/B.
My #1 favorite Benz.
You know, you take the flares off over the front wheel wells , get rid of the gull wing doors and you pretty well have a ‘63 Corvette.
Except the ‘Corvette is better looking and can be had in excellent condition for a million dollars less.
I hope you’re kidding, but sadly, you’re probably not.
The lines are similar, that’s all I’m saying.
Look at both cars from a side view and they are petty close.
Cuba is close enough to S.Florida, which is close enough to NY. Haha…anyway, if I can get away with my joke I’ll let you get away with yours!
With restored examples bidding 1.1M to 1.4M on BaT, this car at this price point has better feature cosmetic restoration included with sale.
$1,395,000.00 with yellow plug wires installed by a “professional”?
Nope…
I’m just here for the Beverly Hills Cop reference. Well played..
That’s the kind of humor I want to see on my car blog.
I dunno but it looks like a rot hole under the drivers door? All that coin\
and it needs a 200k resto?? Geezus.
Stay safe and happy motoring
GPC
I’m not sure what the hole is for so I won’t speculate, but I do know that all Gullwings have the same hole in the same place. So, not rot… you can feel better making your offer now.
I seen one on Barrett Jackson auction about 3 years ago seal for 600000.00 . I think 1 million 35o thou. is a little much . But it won’t take much to be more presentable.
This is aluminum, right? And if so, why the razor blade scrape?
No, steel body. There were about 20 alloy body cars built for racing. The late one I saw sold for 8 million IIRC!
For production it was decided to make 29 gullwings , only the bodywork was in alloy, and the result was an all-up weight of 1,134kg compared with 1,225kg for a regular steel gullwing. That’s 109 kilos difference.
The alloy cars were delivered with Rudge knock-off wheels, uprated brakes, springs and the engines were giving an extra 15bhp,through higher compression and a new camshaft. Not all were raced, In fact very few were raced.
There used to be one of these that would come into the dealership I worked at in Pasadena California. I never got to drive it though but I sure wanted to.
looks appealing even in sanded (or is it deteriorated?) condition. BUT
this is this guy’s business model. He sells them to some 1 who he restores for them.
A bit different than bev hills car club, no?
This would kill someone wallet restore this body back to stock originally Mercedes not cheap restore
It’s okay, but I don’t see why it’s presented without a paint-job ? If not for being a MeBe, it looks like a backyard project of a teen
I will be happy to keep on looking at my die cast 300SL Gullwing and Roadster set, since I don’t have the garage space anyway and I won’t have to sell my home in order to be able to afford this! In actual fact, if given the choice I would choose a Roadster over the Gullwing, since you could actually use the former. The Gullwing is not easy to get into and especially out of. I remember sitting in a BMW i8 and I couldn’t get out without help.
Mercedes Benz Classic charges $975,000 for a full restoration on a car in this condition. Mr. Paul charges the same. Klaus in Germany charges 800’000$, Hans the same. Brabus $1.3 Million. It takes 2500 Hours to restore one. No matter how original, an old 300SL cost a bundle to restore. If they are unrestored without a good regular history of use and professionally maintained they are not fun at all. Restored they are wonderful and in fact a Supercar. I remember the late PT saying, you never know how the will drive until your finished the job, they all drive different – roadsters and gullwing. Some are great, some are not great – even with ”visual restorations”. Best buy from a good provider a done car.
I can’t be the only one who thinks these are just plain ugly. The ‘slashes’ over the wheel arches, the rounded corners to the glass, and those ghastly bulbous hubcaps.
Hmmm …..
A coworker had one in 1962, and was whining because a distributor cost $75!
That’s what I remember about mercedes when I was a teenager. Buy a mercedes, pay mercedes prices for parts.
Years ago mid 70s a guy brought his gull wing to the dealership I worked for and never came to pick it up. I traced it back to when he brought it in and charged him 3 years of storage. It was a basket case all the way around, tranny inside the car etc. I tracked the owner down and he paid the storage and hauled it away. I was hoping he wouldn’t pay so I could put a mechanic’s lien on it and then own the car. Didn’t work out.
Yes very cool, they have 119 cars listed, many i would rather have than this.
No way I refinish this car with fresh paint. Leave it just as is, drive it, enjoy it. (Plus it would drive the Gullwing “Club Members” OCD to new levels). This car is fabulous and wears its history proud!
I really did not think there were any 300SL gullwing coupes left anywhere in the world that had not been found and restored. Wonders never cease.
i could buy a town for what they want
You must have watched the CBS news highlight about the guy who bought Cerra Gordo, a ghost town for 1.4 million….. was interesting.
When I see these stratospheric priced cars, I have to wonder about who will pay the price for these 10,20,30 years from now? The big collectors are OLD or getting there. Soon a lot will be dead. Car collecting has become an old rich-guys thing. Kids in their 20’s and 30’s don’t care about old Packards. Are they gonna part with millions for a car they can’t drive and have no connection to? I have to play in the shallow waters, and my kids have already told me to sell ’em before I die because they don’t want them.
Actually… maybe your kids don’t want these “old cars” but check out the recent copy of SportsCarMarket magazine and their special on 40 under 40… 40 top classic car specialists all under 40 years old.. three of them are personal friends of mine. They are but a small contingent of those out there who will purchase these multi million dollar cars before they’re 70 years old and who are part of the culture.
Now, I have to say I agree that car prices have gotten a bit our of hand of late and may have limited the hobby a bit.. but one can still easily get into a beautiful classic for a less than most new cars and there are now several ways to finance that classic if one so wishes.
Another thing to consider… What will the car market in general look like in 20-30 years? Will only electric cars be allowed and so the value of these internal combustion dinosaurs will go up even more.. or drop like a stone.. or will people come to their senses and see that electric vehicles are no better for the planet and create just as much pollution, just in slightly different ways…?
bikefixr,
When I was in high school in the 1960s I heard the same claim about the expensive cars back then, no one is gonna want the Packard V-12, Rolls-Royce Phantoms, Duesenbergs, M-B 300 Gullwings, and other rare coachbuilt examples, yet 60 years later, those very same cars keep finding buyers at ever increasing prices.
However the “average guy’s cars” have failed to even keep up with inflation. A Ford model T sedan is worth less today than 50 years ago. [Adjusted for inflation.]
The reason for the expensive cars doing well is because they are always considered excellent investments that can be used and enjoyed, unlike paintings that simply hang on the wall. And the cars are rare enough that there will probably always be a select few willing to pay those high prices.
The “every man’s cars” won’t do well as investments because there are more cars available, than people who want them. Simple supply and demand.
I’m seeing this in the antique toy market, average toys of my generation and before are selling for less today than 5 to 10 years ago. Only the best, MINT [often with original packaging] toys are selling well. Toy collectors today are looking for “Unopened Blister-Pack” action figure toys, but anything marked “Collectible”, in a word, ISN’T!
“The reason for the expensive cars doing well is because they are always considered excellent investments…”
I think you mean ‘money launder’
Steveo,
No, I do not mean money laundering. Public buying/selling expensive vintage titled vehicles is not considered one of the better methods to hide or legitimize money. Especially at large, well publicized auctions.
Not even paying huge amounts of $ with restorers or parts/service providers is a good way to legitimize large amounts of cash. Too many paper trails.
Agree wholeheartedly. Hence the reason dealers and auctioneers are always trying to con buyers that some multi-100k made model is “rare” just because somebody ticked three specific boxes on a 50+ optional extras sheet! When will people wake up?!
So this is $1.4 million. What are restored Gullwings worth?
One thing that blew my mind are the “spears” over the wheels. They are not part of the fenders, they are add on’s. What was the idea to them, was it something with aerodynamics?
Want a laugh? Check out this R&T ad from 1964:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/classic-classified-300-sl-gullwing/
The last roadsters were only 10 grand new. Didn’t realize how much cheaper the gullwings were. But a new Leica was 50 bucks then too. The mark was about a dime.
I personally love these. And will never afford one at this point of my life. Oh, well. But, I am fairly good at simple math…the price passed on to the new buyer is $ 270,000 for having that red paint “carefully” removed. Huh.
Im interested how many of the 1400 are still out there. Is there a registry for this model that can tell whats left, what was destroyed, etc?