The brainchild of legendary European car importer Max Hoffman, the first Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster was designed to serve as a more lifestyle-oriented complement to the high-performance 300 SL “Gullwing” coupe. Subsequent roadsters, including the more attainable 190 SL, proudly shared in their design elements.

This stunning 1956 190 SL is beautifully presented in white over red leather with an older black convertible soft top. Acquired by the seller in 2015, it was the subject of a thorough restoration completed in November 2019. A full tear down was executed by Harse Autocraft of Burlington, Ontario which targeted corrosion to the floor pans, firewall, and trunk floor. New front fenders, rear inner wheel arches, rear bumperettes, taillights, parking lamp assemblies, side mirror, and door seals were then sourced and fitted. Accompanying invoices list the equivalent of over $61,000 USD of work completed by Harse and K&K Manufacturing of Sparta, Michigan to address the suspension, braking, and steering systems; the chassis also received a full exterior refinishing and complete interior retrim.

Furthermore, the 1.9-liter inline-four cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission were completely rebuilt and are supplemented with a bevy of new components including the timing chain tensioner, engine mounts, exhaust system, spark plugs, ignition wires, distributor, and wiring harness. The car’s OEM-spec Solex carburetors have been replaced by a rebuilt pair of Weber units for improved reliability and ease of tuning.

The interior of this handsome 190 SL features a full suite of fresh red leather upholstery throughout, contrasted with an ivory steering wheel which fronts a full complement of VDO instrumentation housed inside the matching ivory dashboard. A Becker Europa AM/FM radio is centrally mounted in the dash between the two rebuilt seats—which have been provided with a set of red lap belts. The set of period-correct 13-inch steel wheels are fitted with color-matched hubcaps and presently shod in Vredestein whitewall tires befitting its classic aesthetic.

This attractive and refreshed 190 SL is now accompanied by a jack, spare wheel, a copy of the original data card, service invoices, and a photo set documenting the restoration.