1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

This 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,858 roadsters built during a six-year production run and was delivered new on October 16, 1958, in Reykjavik, Iceland, as one of 324 examples manufactured for the model year. Chassis 8500280 is said to have been refurbished in Germany in the early 1990s before being relocated to France, and later Italy, where it was purchased by the current owner in 2011. Further refurbishment work was carried out in the early 2010s and involved bodywork, a repaint in white, a refresh of the interior in red leather, and the installation of a black convertible top. Power comes from a fuel-injected 3.0L inline-six paired with a four-speed manual gearbox, and features include dry-sump lubrication, body-color 15″ steel wheels, hydraulic drum brakes, and four-wheel independent suspension with a low-pivot rear axle. This W198 was brought to Monaco in 2023 and is now offered there on dealer consignment with a copy of its factory delivery note, partial service records, and Monégasque registration.

The roadster version of the 300SL was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957 and entered production that May as the final Gullwing coupes were leaving the factory. A reconfigured version of the coupe’s tubular space frame featured lower sill trusses to accommodate conventional front-hinged doors as well as a modified rear design allowing for trunk space. Like the coupe, the roadster utilized steel bodywork with aluminum panels for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, sills, floors, and bulkhead.

This example underwent bodywork in the early 2010s prior to being refinished in white and fitted with a replacement black soft top. Exterior details include US-market headlights, front and rear bumper guards, pivot-out door handles, a left-fender-mounted mirror, a locking fuel door, and brightwork extending from the fender vents onto the doors.

Body-color steel wheels are fitted with by body-color hubcaps and chrome trim rings. Servo-assisted hydraulic brakes utilize finned drums all around, with duplex actuation at the front wheels.

The cabin was refreshed in the early 2010s and features bucket seats trimmed in red leather along with matching upholstery over the door panels, dash, sills, center tunnel, and aluminum top cover. Color-keyed square-weave carpeting covers the floors and seatbacks, while a rearview mirror, ashtray, and cigar lighter are mounted atop the dash. Lap belts, roll-up windows, and a locking glovebox are further appointments. Discoloration is visible on the seating surfaces, and the radio has been removed.

Framed by an ivory-color steering wheel with a chrome horn ring, VDO instrumentation includes a 270-km/h speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, and a rectangular combination gauge with English lettering monitoring coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level. The five-digit odometer shows 15k kilometers (~9k miles), approximately 2k of which have been added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown.

The 300SL roadster model’s 3.0-liter M198 inline-six was carried over from the fixed-roof variant and shares its canted orientation, Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, and aluminum cylinder head. The competition camshaft that was optional on the coupe was made standard for the roadster, which also gained a dual point/dual coil ignition system and various fuel system refinements.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. The roadster’s four-wheel independent suspension utilizes a single-pivot rear axle with a compensator spring for improved stability over the coupe’s double-pivot design.

The delivery note lists the original colors, component numbers, and options including instruments in English, sealed-beam headlights, and a Becker Mexico radio. Additional information on the note includes:

• Order number: 930152
• Type and construction: 300 SL Roadster
• Model: 198042
• Paint: 50 weis (white)
• Upholstery: 641 leder rot (red leather upholstery)
• Soft top: 872 gummistoff schwarz (black rubber)
• Chassis number: 198042-8500280
• Engine number: 198980-8500284
• Body number: A 198042-8500280
• Delivery day: October 16, 1958
• Gearbox number: 295
• Front left axle number: 279
• Front right axle number: 279
• Rear axle number: 288
• Steering box number: 297