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1963' Mercedes-Benz Sl Class
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£59,995Published 5 April 2025ID: 9FWkCQ
- Kent
- +44Show phone
Information from the owner
Body: Sports Car
Age: 62 years
Mileage: 30000 km
Fuel: Petrol
Transmission: Manual
Exterior color: Red
Seller's comments about 1963' Mercedes-Benz Sl Class
This is certainly one of the most glamorous cars ever produced and ours has to be one of the best value on the market. This is a very late, 1963 Mercedes-Benz 190SL, Left Hand Drive, an older restoration and finished in Red with Black Leather interior. She comes with the rare factory Large Window Hardtop in addition to the Black Soft Top, and is ready for its next proud owner.
For those insufficiently wealthy to afford its hyper-expensive, race-bred sports car - the 300SL - Mercedes-Benz offered the less exotic but no less refined 190SL. Announced in 1954 and based on the 180 saloon, whose all-independently-suspended running gear it used, the 190SL did not enter production until January 1955, the delay being caused by alterations aimed at strengthening the saloon's shortened platform to compensate for the open body's reduced stiffness. "Very few new sports cars have been so eagerly awaited or so long in coming as the moderately priced SL version of the Mercedes-Benz," observed Road & Track magazine.
Mounted on a detachable subframe along with the four-speed manual gearbox, front suspension and steering, the power unit was a 1, 897cc overhead-camshaft four, the first such engine ever to feature in a Mercedes-Benz. Breathing through twin Solex downdraft carburetors, this M121 power unit produced 105bhp at 5, 700rpm, an output sufficient to propel the 190SL to 100km/ h in 14. 5 seconds and on to a top speed of 171km/ h. The fact that the 190's ride was more boulevard than sporting, and that many contemporary sports cars could outperform it while costing a good deal less, did nothing to deter sales. The model was a big hit in the US, where a good percentage of the slightly fewer than 26, 000 produced between 1955 and 1963 found homes.
Understood to have been sold into the U. S market new in the 190SL's final year of production in 1963, chassis the details below is understood to have spent much of its life in the sunny climes of Florida, owned by a lady named Ms. Weeks until it was found and moved to New York City after being purchased on behalf of a Mr Nicholas of Deodar Road, London, UK by Ms. G Hitchcock in early 1993, there are US titles in the history file to confirm this and the car was then shipped to London immediately afterward. It is understood that around this time, the car was completely stripped for a ground-up overhaul into the attractive colour combination of Red with Black Leather interior that the car presents in today, there are photographs on file to show the restoration work.
On inspection, the car still presents very well and has evidently been subject to an extensive body overhaul which has held up very well, with the Red paint appearing bright although now aged. The Black leather interior appears very original as it has matured very well in line with the age of the car, with the original Ivory steering wheel also charmingly patinated. The car has been trimmed with a good-looking Black mohair hood that perfectly suits the car and comes with an original hard top in body colour. Mechanically, the car is in good health with a noticeably easy start thanks to a set of Weber 40 DCOE Carburettors replacing the original Solex PHH44's. The tyres appear to be relatively fresh and on our inspection all controls selected easily, the previous owner spent around £10k in 2022 on mechanical refurbishment after a period of inactivity.
This Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is a really good, honest example of the stylish classic roadster, in the nicest period colour, which is in sound mechanical order. While the next owner may wish to invest in some light cosmetic refurbishment, it is eminently usable as-is. It was restored well and is ready for use this summer. A really great value purchase.
For those insufficiently wealthy to afford its hyper-expensive, race-bred sports car - the 300SL - Mercedes-Benz offered the less exotic but no less refined 190SL. Announced in 1954 and based on the 180 saloon, whose all-independently-suspended running gear it used, the 190SL did not enter production until January 1955, the delay being caused by alterations aimed at strengthening the saloon's shortened platform to compensate for the open body's reduced stiffness. "Very few new sports cars have been so eagerly awaited or so long in coming as the moderately priced SL version of the Mercedes-Benz," observed Road & Track magazine.
Mounted on a detachable subframe along with the four-speed manual gearbox, front suspension and steering, the power unit was a 1, 897cc overhead-camshaft four, the first such engine ever to feature in a Mercedes-Benz. Breathing through twin Solex downdraft carburetors, this M121 power unit produced 105bhp at 5, 700rpm, an output sufficient to propel the 190SL to 100km/ h in 14. 5 seconds and on to a top speed of 171km/ h. The fact that the 190's ride was more boulevard than sporting, and that many contemporary sports cars could outperform it while costing a good deal less, did nothing to deter sales. The model was a big hit in the US, where a good percentage of the slightly fewer than 26, 000 produced between 1955 and 1963 found homes.
Understood to have been sold into the U. S market new in the 190SL's final year of production in 1963, chassis the details below is understood to have spent much of its life in the sunny climes of Florida, owned by a lady named Ms. Weeks until it was found and moved to New York City after being purchased on behalf of a Mr Nicholas of Deodar Road, London, UK by Ms. G Hitchcock in early 1993, there are US titles in the history file to confirm this and the car was then shipped to London immediately afterward. It is understood that around this time, the car was completely stripped for a ground-up overhaul into the attractive colour combination of Red with Black Leather interior that the car presents in today, there are photographs on file to show the restoration work.
On inspection, the car still presents very well and has evidently been subject to an extensive body overhaul which has held up very well, with the Red paint appearing bright although now aged. The Black leather interior appears very original as it has matured very well in line with the age of the car, with the original Ivory steering wheel also charmingly patinated. The car has been trimmed with a good-looking Black mohair hood that perfectly suits the car and comes with an original hard top in body colour. Mechanically, the car is in good health with a noticeably easy start thanks to a set of Weber 40 DCOE Carburettors replacing the original Solex PHH44's. The tyres appear to be relatively fresh and on our inspection all controls selected easily, the previous owner spent around £10k in 2022 on mechanical refurbishment after a period of inactivity.
This Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is a really good, honest example of the stylish classic roadster, in the nicest period colour, which is in sound mechanical order. While the next owner may wish to invest in some light cosmetic refurbishment, it is eminently usable as-is. It was restored well and is ready for use this summer. A really great value purchase.
