The ex-Sam & Emily Mann, William Fleischman Collection
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe

2,996cc SOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Bosch Mechanical Fuel Injection
240bhp at 6,100rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front Suspension, Rear Wing Axle, Coil Springs
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes

*Long-time California and West Coast provenance
*Finely preserved Hjeltness restoration
*Includes owner's manuals, tool roll, Becker LeMans radio
*Powered by a replacement 300SL Roadster engine
*Retains original belly pans
*Hjeltness-installed air conditioning and electric cooling fans
*Extensively toured, recent Tejas Turismo rally finisher
*Eligible for the Colorado Grand, California Mille, and much more

THE MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL GULLWING

The immortal 300SL (for Sports Leicht) Gullwing coupe arguably competes for the title of "Greatest Sports Car of the 1950s," and surely qualifies for virtually any petrohead's Top 10 list of the greatest automobiles of all time. A period favorite of celebrities, it ranks today among the most coveted sports cars ever produced and is a benchmark of the collector car hobby.

The 300SL Coupe was the direct descendant of Mercedes-Benz' Le Mans W194 competition coupe, conceived in 1952 to wrest the World Sportscar Championship from Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Lancia, which were dominating post-war endurance racing. Mercedes- Benz historian W. Robert Nitzke writes that company management wanted to jump back into Grand Prix racing, where it had been so successful before the war, but lacked the time required to design, build, and develop a new single seater for the 1954 season. Instead, Chief Engineer Fritz Nallinger suggested the company build a new two-seat sports car utilizing the robust inline SOHC six-cylinder engine from its luxurious 300 "Adenauer" series. Because the engine and drivetrain were relatively heavy, the chassis would have to be extremely light. Test Department manager Rudolf Uhlenhaut, having some experience with tubular chassis design, sat down with construction engineer Joseph Müller, and laid out an extremely light (154 pounds) and rigid lattice-work chassis capable of accommodating the big six. One major problem soon presented itself: there was no way to mount conventional doors without compromising the rigidity of the chassis. The solution was to cut the doors into the roof, but that meant hinging them from the top, thus giving birth to this car's timeless signature design feature.

The 300SL's first racing trial was the 1952 Mille Miglia, where Kling finished second to Giovanni Bracco's open Ferrari, while Rudolf Caracciola was fourth, the two Gullwings being split by a Lancia. The third Coupe had gone off the road early in the grueling contest. Next came the Grand Prix of Berne, where a quartet of 300SLs took the start and swept the top three positions, Caracciola having crashed in what would prove to be his last race.

Then came Le Mans, where Uhlenhaut struck fear into the competition by bringing an SL coupe fitted with a hand-operated air brake mounted on the roof. While that particular car was not raced, Mercedes would tuck the idea in its pocket for future use. After the grueling 24-hour epic, a pair of 300SLs had finished in the top two positions...and were then driven back to the factory!

Mercedes-Benz sat out the 1953 and 1954 sports car seasons, to concentrate on its new Grand Prix car, but the SLs weren't done. They reappeared in 1955 as advanced, airbrake-equipped, 8-cylinder 300SLR, utilizing that feature and numerous more of the advancements successfully tested on the company's Formula One racing cars. The year would bring triumph and tragedy: 300SLRs winning at Buenos Aires and the Mille Miglia—where Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won at a record average speed of just under a hundred miles an hour—the Nürburgring, Spa, Zandvoort, Aintree, Kristianstad, Monza, Dundrod, and Sicily's Targa Florio. The only setback, and one that would have devastating consequences, occurred at Le Mans, where team driver Pierre Levegh and more than 80 spectators died in one of racing's worst accidents, prompting Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from racing for decades.

Max Hoffman, the influential and enterprising New York foreign car importer is credited with urging Mercedes-Benz to build a production version of the 300SL racing car – which some say became the original "supercar." The 300SL Gullwing, in final form, was unveiled at the New York International Motor Sports Show in early February 1954, and actual production began that fall. The new coupe differed slightly in appearance from the racing coupes and featured revolutionary new Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection. Between 1954 and 1957, a total of 1,400 Gullwings were delivered to eager purchasers, and in 1957, the elegant and refined 300SL Roadster appeared. These proved to be even more successful from a sales standpoint, with 1,858 units produced.

THE CAR OFFERED

Proudly offered here is chassis number 6500176, a US-market Gullwing delivered new to Los Gatos, California in July of 1956. According to registry information, this car was originally finished in DB50 White over a red leather interior. The known provenance traces its history through various California and Nevada owners, and it eventually made its way Eastward to join the renowned, world-class collection of Sam and Emily Mann in Englewood, New Jersey. Along the way, the car was treated to a comprehensive restoration by Hjeltness Restorations in Escondido, California – widely regarded as one of the premier 300SL specialists in the USA. At that time, the car was refinished to a high standard in DB180 Silver, which is a lovely complement to the restored red leather cabin.

After its time with the Manns, the SL returned to the West Coast to join the collection of Mr. William "Bill" Fleischman and it remained in his care for approximately 15 years. The consignor acquired the car in 2022 and has enjoyed it to the fullest while maintaining the crisp cosmetics.

At some point in its life, the original engine was replaced with a slightly later 300SL Roadster-specification unit. As part of the restoration, Hjeltness fitted an air conditioning system along with auxiliary electric cooling fans, developed by them specifically for SLs. The system is said to blow cold, and is indeed a welcome addition to any Gullwing, particularly for those residing in warmer climes. Accompanying items and fitments include owner's manuals, workshop manuals, a tool roll, Becker LeMans radio, a gorgeous Nardi steering wheel, and the oft-missing full underbody belly pans.

This beautifully turned-out Gullwing has enjoyed attentive care since its superb restoration and is both nicely mellowed and well-equipped for tackling prestigious tours, rallies, and road events like the Colorado Grand, California Mille, and many others. One drive in a well-sorted 300SL like this is enough to understand why these remarkable machines take pride of place in so many world-class collections.