Mercedes-Benz Offerings At Mecum In Monterey
The Mecum Daytime Auction in Monterey, Calif., has consistently offered some of the most unique, desirable and highly respected vintage race cars, European classics and more. Though this year is no exception to that variety of remarkable offerings, Mercedes-Benz is one marque that is standing out from the crowd with an exceptional lineup of more than a dozen classics including no fewer than four 300SLs. Detailed below is just a handful of what will cross the auction block this Aug. 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course.
“Mecum is pleased to present an incredible group of Mercedes at this year’s Daytime Auction,” notes Mecum Auctions’ President and Founder Dana Mecum. “Wonderful examples from both pre- and post-war era are sprinkled throughout all three days of the event with values ranging from entry-level to investment-grade collectibles. This type of variety is something one can only find at a Mecum Auction.”
Auction gates will open daily at 8 a.m. and general admission will be available at the gate for $20 per person, per day; children 12 and younger will receive complimentary admission. Portions of the auction will be broadcast on NBC Sports and Esquire Networks and on Mecum’s website at www.mecum.com. Mecum.com is updated daily with the latest consignments including detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles. To view the list, to consign a vehicle or to register as a bidder for the Monterey auction, visit www.mecum.com or call (262) 275-5050.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Lot S188)
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing was one of the automotive sensations of the 1950s and today remains one of the most iconic cars of the entire 20th century. Inspired by the lightweight racing coupes that dominated the Carrera Panamericana, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometers in 1952, the 300SL actually improved on the performance of the racers with the use of Bosch fuel injection on the slanted three-liter inline-6 engine which, in addition to the gearbox, independent front suspension and swing-axle rear end were borrowed from the 300 S saloon model for budgetary reasons. The famed gullwing doors were necessitated by the 300SL’s novel multi-tubular space frame, which incorporated stressed side sections for increased structural rigidity. The subsequent high side sills dictated that the doors be hinged on the roof, actually constituting the side windows and part of the roof itself. Slanting the six-cylinder engine and converting it to a dry-sump oiling system reduced the height of the front bonnet, improving aerodynamics and aesthetics at the same time. The 300SL’s virtually unadorned body gave the car an elegant, even unaggressive air that belied its astonishing performance.
The idea for a road-going 300SL was the product of the fertile mind of New York City imported-car dealer Max Hoffman. Known as the Baron of Park Avenue, the Austrian-born businessman was almost singlehandedly responsible for the deluge of European cars that flooded postwar America, including vehicles from Volkswagen, Porsche and Alfa Romeo. Watching the success of the lightweight SL racing coupes, Hoffman brashly guaranteed an order for 1,000 production Gullwing coupes for the American market, prompting the factory to abandon production of its competition cars and opt for the cash flow that would result from Hoffman’s proposal.
While the production 300SL was best known for its rally career, which included wins in the Liege-Rome-Liege event and the 1956 European Championship, it also scored such notable road racing achievements as John Fitch’s fifth place overall finish in the 1955 Mille Miglia in one of 29 alloy-bodied versions, all underscoring the 300SL’s bedrock reliability.
A previous owner of this restored 300SL drove it in the 2011 Colorado Grand rally as a last-minute substitute for the car he originally entered. With no preparation, he was able to drive the entire 1,000 miles with absolutely no issues. In addition, the car toured from Vancouver, British Columbia, to the Arctic Circle in Alaska, a trip of over 2,600 miles. Beyond its legendary reliability, the 300SL is one of the handsomest cars ever. Originally finished in Silver on Blue, this superb 300SL now sports a gorgeous Red leather interior with custom-made matching Red leather luggage.
According to its build sheet, this 300SL left the factory with coveted Rudge knock-off wheels, a rarity today because they were often damaged and were expensive to replace. While it wore standard wheels for the photography, it will be offered at auction with a fully reconditioned set of factory original Rudge wheels.
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (Lot S191)
This early-production 1957 300SL Roadster was delivered new to its first owner in Monterrey, Mexico. In the early 1990s it was sold to a classic-car dealer in Mexico City who performed a frame-off restoration and engine rebuild. The next owner, a Florida collector, kept the car in excellent running condition. It was delivered to Classic Restoration of Denver, Colorado, in 2012 for a complete no-expense-spared restoration. In addition to exacting body and paint work, the interior was completely refurbished to extraordinary quality, exceeding factory original standards. Sound-deadening and heat-reflecting materials were installed throughout the interior to reduce road and mechanical noise to an absolute minimum, resulting in an exceptionally quiet ride. Using the original radiator tanks, Classic Restoration equipped the car with its racing radiator conversion, a new offset core increasing cooling capacity by 30 percent while maintaining stock appearance. More subtle cosmetic modifications were performed during the restoration that set this magnificent 300SL apart from almost all others. The front bumper guards and outside mirrors were removed, further adding to the car’s clean, uncluttered beauty. Additionally, the right front fender, which is normally almost imperceptibly asymmetrical to the left side, was altered to perfectly mirror the other side. The overall effect of these revisions is one of the most beautiful examples of the 300SL Roadster in existence. In 2013 the completed 300SL was invited to the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Monterey, California, and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where it won the Mercedes Star of Excellence and was in the running for Best in Show. Significantly, because it was built in 1957, it is eligible for such historic and vintage events as the Mille Miglia. Considered by many as one of the best sport touring cars of the period, one minor drawback of the 300SL and many sports cars of this vintage is engine heat spilling into the cabin. The heat and sound-deadening material and the alterations to the cooling system make this first-year 300SL Roadster a joy to drive on a warm, sunny day. It is perfect for the collector who demands exclusivity and award-winning finish and presentation.
1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (Lot S168)
This 1963 300SL roadster was acquired by its present owner, William E. Wuesthoff, a long-time Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mercedes-Benz dealer, in 1973. The first owner, Mr. Bernard Gruenke of Brookfield, Wisconsin, purchased the car from AFL Motors, Inc. of Milwaukee, taking delivery at the factory in Stuttgart in March of 1963 and driving it in Europe before shipping it home. The car was finished in Graphite Grey with Red leather interior, White Grey hard top and a Black soft top. Beginning in 1961, 300SLs were factory equipped with four-wheel disc brakes; this Roadster was also optioned with a Becker Grand Prix radio, boot-cover container, Whitewall tires and antifreeze, bringing the final price to $8,971.04 including taxes.
Because Mr. Gruenke often drove the car short distances in Wisconsin’s extremely cold winter without allowing the engine to reach proper operating temperature, the mechanical fuel injection would flush the cylinder walls with fuel, washing away oil from the cylinder walls and causing wear. Mercedes-Benz replaced the aluminum engine block and pistons under warranty, a fact confirmed in a sworn affidavit signed by Lothar Altman, a Mercedes-Benz Master Mechanic with Daum Motors of Milwaukee, which had taken over the AFL Motors franchise. The rest of the original engine components have remained with the car ever since, during which time it passed through two more owners before its acquisition by Mr. Wuesthoff in 1973.
In the late 1980s Mr. Wuesthoff took the car to 300SL specialist James Werner’s Werner Coach Werken in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Mr. Werner reconditioned the car with new Silver Metallic paint, new carpets and soft top and a complete detailing. To keep the car in top condition, in 2012 Mr. Wuesthoff delivered it to a noted 300SL technical specialist in Iowa to overhaul the engine, which was removed from the car, allowing the entire engine compartment to be cleaned and detailed.
Mr. Wuesthoff estimates he has driven the car between 4,000 and 5,000 miles, bringing total original mileage to 42,164 miles. Its two major outings have been in the Colorado Grand road rally and a showing at the Milwaukee Masterpiece, where it won its class in 2012. Documentation includes the new vehicle invoice, contract of sale and confirmation of order for European delivery.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Lot S152)
In 1955 Guatemalan Mercedes-Benz dealer, collector and veteran sports car racer Manfredo Lippmann imported three new 300SL “Gullwing” coupes to Guatemala for the Central American market. Of the 300 Gullwings built for export outside the United States, they were the only three sold to Guatemala. The first car delivered to Lippmann by Mercedes-Benz was this Silver Grey coupe, serial number 5500606. Its first owner was Mr. Guillermo Suhr, a wealthy young local entrepreneur. In 1957 it was sold to Alan Plihal who, after six years, sold it to Mr. Alfredo Peralta, whose father Enrique Peralta Azurdia was President of Guatemala from 1963 to 1966.
In 1973 the car was purchased by Mr. William Wilmeth, an American resident in Guatemala who sent the engine to a specialist Mercedes dealer in the United States for restoration. Mr. Wilmeth subsequently fell ill and the restoration was left unfinished. Wilmeth later returned to his home in the U.S. and placed the car in dry storage. It remained there for more than 20 years until December 2004, when it was purchased by Guatemalan automotive collector and restaurateur Mario Sueiras.
Mr. Sueiras then invested more than 2,000 hours of work in a nut-and-bolt restoration that was completed in November 2006. Still powered by the original matching-numbers engine and driveline, this extraordinarily rare Gullwing coupe is finished in Silver Grey Metallic Glasurit® paint and features a Blue leather interior with fitted matching luggage by renowned interior specialists GAHH. Significantly, the original belly pans remain intact on the car, which was equipped during the restoration with chromed reproduction Rudge knock-off wheels. It also retains the original owner’s manual, books and tools.
This fabulous 300SL coupe is registered with the Gullwing Group, the world’s largest 300SL car club with members in 22 countries. Driven fewer than 200 miles since the restoration, it has otherwise remained in Mr. Sueiras’ climate-controlled personal garage, the crown jewel in his impressive collection, which significantly includes several other Mercedes-Benz classics including a 1960 220 SE (Lot S140), a 1960 190SL Roadster (Lot S196), a 1938 170 Cabriolet (Lot S197) and a 1953 220 Cabriolet (Lot S139).
About Mecum Auctions
Nobody sells more than Mecum. Nobody. The Mecum Auction Company is the world leader of collector car, vintage and antique motorcycle, and Road Art sales, hosting auctions throughout the United States. The company has been specializing in the sale of collector cars for 27 years, now offering more than 15,000 vehicles per year and averaging more than one auction each month. Established by President Dana Mecum in 1988, Mecum Auctions remains a family-run company headquartered in Walworth, Wis. For further information, visit Mecum.com or call (262) 275-5050. Follow along with Mecum’s social media news and join us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.
Schedule:
Mecum Monterey Auction
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa
Del Monte Golf Course
1 Old Golf Course Road
Monterey, CA 93940
August 14-16, 2014
Admission: $20 per person, per day; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission
Preview: Gates open at 8 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Auction: Vehicles start at 10 a.m. each day with Road Art 30 minutes prior
Live TV Schedule: Thursday, August 14, Esquire: 11 AM-1 PM Live, NBCSN: 3:30-6 PM Same Day Delay
Friday, August 15, Esquire: 11 AM-1:30 PM Live, NBCSN: 3:30-6 PM Same Day Delay
Saturday, August 16, Esquire: 11 AM-1:30 PM Live, NBCSN: 6-8 PM Same Day Delay
(All Times Pacific)
