105 bhp, 1,897 cc overhead-cam inline four-cylinder engine, twin Solex carburetors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with coil springs, rear swing axle with coil springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5 in.

• One registered owner from new until 2012

• Sympathetic restoration of an excellent, original car

• Rare and desirable Strawberry Red Metallic finish

• Includes factory hard top, books, and tools, plus some unusual accessories

Knowing that the American market was ideally suited for convertibles, well-known importer Max Hoffman persuaded Mercedes-Benz management to build a simpler, less costly open model to complement the magnificent 300SL ‘Gullwing.’ The result was the 190SL. The example offered here was originally delivered to Dale Smith, of Ulysses, Kansas, by Economy Motors, of Amarillo, Texas. Smith drove the car on-and-off until 1963, when he put it away in his barn, alongside every other car he had ever owned, and there it sat until its sale to a Kansas-based restorer in 1991, where it remained until recently. Still with under 38,000 actual miles, the car has been substantially restored to factory standards in its original Strawberry Red Metallic (DB543), with a new, tan leather interior (1060), original hides included, a new soft top, also in tan, and an Ivory (DB608) hard top. Other desirable factory accessories include a spare fuel can and the optional plated gearshift knob, and it will be sold with its full tool kit and owner’s manuals, and even a platform stand for the hard top.

The restoration was commissioned with an eye towards preservation and was performed by a carefully chosen collection of award-winning specialists. The full history file is included with the car and will be available for review. Special care was taken to ensure that the fresh paint has the correct metallic density and that the windshield was replaced with NOS Sigla tinted glass, as when new. The chrome work is of the highest quality. The chassis was sanded, painted, and sealed. The mechanical work includes a rebuilt engine, a new clutch plate, new Bilstein shock absorbers, and two front springs, as well as attention paid to the steering and the fitment of a full, new Mercedes exhaust system. Inside, the 190SL retains its original dashboard and trim, its steering wheel (cosmetically repaired as necessary), its original-type radio rebuilt by Becker, and even the clock works!

This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy an impressively original open Mercedes of the 1950s, in striking colors and in excellent, “preservation-restored” condition.