1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster W198

1957 to 1970s

The Mercedes Benz production “Data Card” shows that the car was being produced for delivery to the Studebaker-Packard Corpn of South Bend, Indiana.  Since this was the site of the main Studebaker production facility, maybe the car was bought for evaluation against their 2-seater offering(!!), but maybe more likely it was bought for a Studebaker executive.

Mid 1970’s through to 1995

In 1995 the current owner agreed to purchase two WWII Supermarine Spitfires from Vern Schuppan.  During the 1970 and 1980s Schuppan was a high-profile racing driver winning a variety of races/series around the world, notably Le Mans.  He subsequently became a team owner, and then car manufacturer of the Schuppan-Porsche 962CR hyper-car, well documented across the internet.

Whilst concluding the deal in the hanger, interest was piqued in the 300SL that was also stored there.

From what we understand, Knapp bought the car in the 1970’s and kept it in his airfield hanger and just used it on the airfield and in the neighbourhood as a ‘run-around’.  Surprising as this limited use was, at that time the 300SL was not as revered as it is now and whatever its value then, it was a small number relative to Knapp’s collection of aircraft and show cars.  Evidently Knapp was something of an unusual character, and perhaps the idea of him having an unusual (albeit rather tatty) European sports car just for the purpose of driving around the airfield was something that he might have felt added to his personal charisma.

Schuppan bought the car from Knapp in 1992.

1992 to 1995

The following from Schuppan’s ‘Declaration of Provenance’ for the 300SL:

“In about 1992 I also bought the above named 300SL from Don.  At that time the car was in road use.  I test drove the car and I clearly remember that it was red and generally in a pretty ropey condition with a very smoky engine.  I cannot remember how much I paid for the car, but I bought it on the basis that it needed a full restoration.  Don introduced me to restorers specialising in SL’s but I have long since forgotten their name.  Work seemed to progress slowly and, travelling less to the US than I used to, I had little contact with the restorers beyond paying bills, and never really knew how the work was going.  In 1993 for personal UK reasons, I ceased the restoration, and I had the project shipped to the hanger in Florida where I was storing the two Spitfires.”

1995 to 1998

A deal was struck and the current owner bought the car, and it got rolled up into the aircraft deal.

Along with the two Spitfires, the car was packed into two shipping containers and arrived in the UK Sept-95.

1998 to 2002

The car lived in a collection of high performance and ex-race cars.  Amongst others, a Porsche 956 (ex Le Mans) and +2 Schuppan-Porsche 962CRs (both bought from Schuppan.  In 1998 the full restoration was commissioned. It was agreed that a race engineer (IM) should work on the car because his standard of work was so outstanding.  He was fastidious about accurate detailing and engineering perfection with historic Porsches. It was a happy arrangement, it then did not matter how many hours he worked on the car, and restoring the SL was the only work IM did for the next 2½ years.  He restored just about everything himself, reverting to specialists when he needed to and sourced a limited number of irrecoverable parts from the US and Germany.  He restored all the ancillary parts in the engine bay, the steering, suspension and all the body ancillaries.  He became very exacting and almost obsessive about the restoration and wanted “his” 300SL to be the best restored SL bar none.

In testimony to IM’s standard of work:

The UK’s two leading workshop/restorers of 300SLs are Martin Cushway (who has inspected the car) and Kevin O’Keefe (who completed its restoration).  Between themselves they restore/maintain just about every 300SL in the UK, from those owned by Bernie Ecclestone downwards.  In testimony to IM’s work, commitment and skill, they describe his work as “perfect”, “unbelievable” with bemusement at the effort that had gone into restoring the car.

2002 to 2020

Nothing at all happened to the 300SL over this period.

The SL was garaged here throughout this period and watched over by IM.

2020 to 2023

In early 2020 the owner commissioned Kevin O’Keefe to finish the car.  The engine and transmission were installed in his workshops, and KK finished the re-assembly of the car, bringing back to scratch whatever was necessary after 20 years of it languishing at my home.  KK coach trimmed the entire car (leather, carpets and hood) in its original 1957 colours and to the original patterns, finally preparing it for road use.  Like IM before him, KK’s work is to an exceptionally high standard befitting the 300SL.

The finished car returned to me in Dec-21, 23 years after the restoration first started.  This car is a genuinely remarkable restoration.  We have looked closely at other restored 300SL’s.  None of them are the match of IM/KK’s car.

Documentary evidence

In addition to MB’s Data Card and the 2022 letter of authentication from their Homologation Department, we obviously have all the paperwork that IM accumulated along the way and a copious photographic record taken by him.

A recent inspection by Martin Cushway concludes:

There is an extensive photographic file on the “body off’ restoration along with many receipts.

The Roadster has very low mileage since its full “body off’ restoration. Around 150 miles. Unmarked high quality black paint. Engine compartment – all period correct with correct locations for relays, inner wing clamps, wiring loom, hose pipe — water, fuel and oil correctly routed. Auxiliary engine components correctly mounted using correct size nuts, bolts, screws. Paint condition to engine compartment, chassis frame, radiator/oil cooler, air filter, Cam cover, steering box, polished/blast aluminium is all factory correct.  24 Windscreen wiper motor, linkage and wiper gearboxes have no slackness and are as new.

Mechanical evaluation.

Factory, matching number gearbox.

Photographic file shows engine rebuild was carried out at Jim Stokes Workshops. Waterlooville. lt also has pictures of the engine on an engine testing machine. The gearbox and rear axle, front axles, steering, brakes, pipework and fitting up of chassis frame components and mounting of body to chassis were carried out “in house” using correct equipment and very high attention to detail. The braking system was completely overhauled with many new components. Front axle, engine, gearbox, rear axle, body, exhaust and associated ancillaries received correct painting, plating and new mounting rubbers and brackets and have been positioned correctly. All pipework, flexible hoses, rubber hoses, brake hoses are correct to factory specification.