THE MODERN 540K

The 300 Sc is highly desirable and considered by many to be the “ultimate” 300. It was introduced in 1955 with a 300 SL engine that had Bosch mechanical fuel injection, and was good for a factory-rated 175 horsepower, although the actual figure was nearer 200. The car also featured a new “low-pivot” swing axle rear suspension, which was yet another feature that had been developed and perfected on the 300 SL. The combination of the 300’s advanced oval tubular chassis, suspension, and powerful engine produced a powerful grand tourer, one that was ideal for long-distance travel throughout Europe.

The 300 Sc was the true spiritual successor to the 500 K and 540 K that are now so fiercely prized by enthusiasts. Only 200 examples were produced, comprising of three different body styles.

CHASSIS NUMBER 188.013.6500077

Chassis number 188.013.6500077 has an astounding, well-documented provenance, with known ownership since it was only a few years old. It was one of only forty-nine 300 Sc Cabriolets produced, and it was delivered from the Mercedes-Benz factory on April 27, 1956, to dealer Schoemperlen & Gast of Karlsruhe, in southwest Germany. Reportedly, while in the original ownership of a Karlsruhe-area brewer, the car was seen by an importer from New Jersey, who saw it while there on a trip and negotiated for its purchase and transport into the United States.

The importer sold the car to David Siegrist, the president of Montclair Studebaker-Packard in Montclair, New Jersey (this at a time when Studebaker-Packard dealers often acted as Mercedes-Benz dealers). It was acquired from him in 1960 by Ben Halsell, of the exclusive enclave of Greens Farms, Connecticut.

Mr. Halsell retained the magnificent Mercedes-Benz until July 1978, when he sold it to marque specialist Alex Dearborn. The car’s file retains Mr. Halsell’s correspondence with Mercedes-Benz of North America, from which he received information about 300 Sc production, verification of the dealer in Germany to whom the car was originally delivered, and a copy of the original handwritten build sheet, with a transcription in typewritten German and a transcription in typewritten English.

In correspondence that had been written at the time of the sale, which is also retained in the car’s file, Mr. Halsell notes that the luggage accompanying the 300 Sc appeared to be unused at the time and that in all the time he had owned it, he only added 39,000 kilometers to the odometer, for a total of 77,000. He closed his letter by saying that “to stand and see this machine leave our place might be like losing the warmth and other attractions of a Sophia Loren or a Raquel Welch.”

Mr. Dearborn retained the 300 Sc for four years before passing it on to Michael Hall, of Newport Beach, California. In correspondence to a subsequent owner, Dearborn noted that at the time “the car was completely original, including the paint, and beautiful enough to win the local MBCA Concours.” Mr. Hall entrusted the Mercedes-Benz to marque specialist Charles Brahms, who was one of the leading 300 Sc experts of the time and was respected for his excellent, thorough workmanship. The result was a flawless restoration and presentation.

Following several intervening owners, the 300 Sc spent well over a decade in the renowned collection of James Patterson in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Patterson entrusted the car to specialists at Hjeltness Restoration, of Escondido, California, where it was thoroughly inspected and any items that required freshening or correction were expertly executed. The front and rear carpeting was replaced and other cosmetic items were addressed, including a re-veneering of all the interior wood, a recovering of the leather dashboard and glove box door, a repairing of any nicks or blemishes in the paint, a replacing of the bumper guard rubbers, and having the radio rebuilt by specialist Charles Siegfried.

In addition to the cosmetic work, all mechanical items possibly needing attention were addressed, such as having the water pump rebuilt and the brakes serviced, which included having White Post Restorations sleeve the master and wheel cylinders. At the same time, the temperature and amperage gauges were repaired and reinstalled, various gauges and seals were replaced, and various other minor details were sorted, down to the battery cables and hold-downs.

Today, the 300 Sc has been properly maintained, receiving regular service and exercise, and it remains imposing and simply beautiful, with its dark blue paint, straight body panels, and impeccable chrome all being in excellent condition. The blue top is just as fine and is complemented by the grey leather upholstery, which exhibits only the faintest signs of wear. The luggage remains in excellent condition and shows little-to-no wear. The owner reports that the car won Best in Show at the Lake Mirror Classic.

Presented here is a truly magnificent example of one of Mercedes-Benz’s most desirable post-war products and the true heir to the 540 K.