History

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was a groundbreaking sports car upon its release in 1954. With its striking gullwing doors and a top speed of 163 mph, it set the record for the fastest production car of its time and achieved numerous podiums as a race car. That said, its exclusivity made it inaccessible to the general public so Mercedes had to come up with an alternative.

The solution was the 190 SL, or Super-Leicht (German for Super-Light), built from 1955 to 1963. While it shared the overall styling and engineering of the 300 SL, it used a shortened version of the W121’s unibody frame to save on manufacturing costs. Under the hood was the new Type M121 BII 1.9 L straight-four SOHC engine fitted with dual Solex carburetors that put out 120 hp.

The 190 SL could be had either as a soft-top convertible or also with a removable hardtop. Early models featured a small acrylic windshield, spartan one-piece leather bucket seats, and aluminum doors. In 1959, the hardtop’s rear window was enlarged. Only 25,881 examples were built over the eight-year production period.

This Car

This particular example, Chassis # 12104010022163 is said to have spent most of its life in CA with few owners. Benefiting from the dry climate, this example remained a running/driving example that by the late 1990’s had received a sympathetic cosmetic restoration and was retained as a driver with the long time owner. It was then acquired in the early 2000’s by the current owner and during their ownership further restorative efforts were carried out on the interior and updates were also completed mechanically. It was one of many in a collection of sports cars and was seldom used. 

Inspired by the likes of the German Restoration house Mechatronik, well known for their modern Mercedes-Benz conversions, the decision was made to complete a modern conversion on this 190SL. Over the course of nearly three years, from 2019 to 2022, this 190 SL had its 1.9 L straight-four engine replaced with the 2.3L straight-four engine from a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E. The conversion was completed by Ragtops and Roadsters, a well known restoration shop known for their showing winning restorations.  A total investment surpassing $150,000 was made to ensure this conversion was completed to the highest standards. Numerous parts had to be adapted or fabricated from scratch to make the swap feasible with the entire process having been documented in 85 pages of detailed invoices. This was, in the end, a very well engineered conversion completed to a very high standard with a lot of miles added to properly sort and diagnose any loose ends or overlooked aspects. Today it is turn key and impressive to say the least. 

Upon purchase, the new owner will receive all of the owner’s manuals, the original jack and spare tire, the original 1.9 L straight-four engine, and all of the service records on file. While not original, the conversion on this 190SL brings this car into a completely different realm of reliability and usability, providing a unique experience that retains all of the wonderful looks one seeks in a classic Mercedes-Benz. 

The Market