This 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,858 roadsters built during a six-year production run and is among 249 examples manufactured in 1960. Chassis 002442 was delivered new on October 22, 1959, to Mercedes-Benz dealer Handelsmaatschappij Kusters in Curaçao, at the time a part of the Netherlands Antilles. The car was soon after imported to the US, where it was purchased by a California World War II Navy veteran and entrepreneur who retained it for four decades. It was then sold in 2005 to a retired Army serviceman and business owner who is said to have driven it in the 2008 Copperstate 1000 and California Mille before it was purchased by its current owner in 2011. Finished in its factory shade of Fire Engine Red, the car is powered by a 3.0-liter M198 inline-six that features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication. Additional features include a four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted four-wheel drum brakes, four-wheel independent suspension with a low-pivot rear axle, body-color 15” steel wheels, a beige convertible top, tan leather interior upholstery, and a Becker Mexico radio. This W198 roadster is now offered on dealer consignment with a copy of its factory data card, a copy of its Gullwing Register entry, a set of fitted luggage, a tool kit, owner’s manuals, a shop manual, and a California title.
The roadster variant of the 300SL entered production two months after its debut at the March 1957 Geneva Motor Show, superseding the coupe model as the final Gullwings left the factory. Construction incorporated a reconfigured version of the coupe’s tubular space frame with the sill trusses lowered to accommodate conventional doors and the rear segment revised to create usable trunk space. Like its predecessor, the roadster featured steel bodywork with aluminum utilized for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, sills, floors, and bulkhead.
This example left the factory finished in Fire Engine Red (534) with a beige soft top, and areas of rub-through in the paint are shown up close in the photo gallery below. A replacement soft top is said to have been fitted during work in the 2000s that also included the replacement of the windshield. Exterior features include North American-specification headlights, bumper guards at the front and rear, pivot-out door handles, narrow-profile rear rocker panel end flanges, a fender-mounted driver-side mirror, a fender-mounted antenna on the passenger side, a lockable fuel-filler door, and rear reflectors.
Body-color steel wheels feature chromed rims and wear matching covers with chrome accents. Pirelli P4000 SuperTouring tires measuring 205/70-15 are mounted all around. Servo-assisted braking is handled by finned aluminum drums at each corner, with actuation via dual floating shoes up front. The brake master cylinder is said to have been replaced in the 2000s.
The cabin was re-trimmed under previous ownership in the 2000s and features tan leather over the bucket seats, door panels, dash, center tunnel, and aluminum tonneau panel. Additional features include beige square-weave carpeting, an ivory-color shift knob, roll-up windows, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a locking glovebox, a dash-mounted ashtray, and a Becker Mexico radio with a Reims shortwave adapter. A St. Christopher badge is affixed to the glovebox door.
The ivory-color steering wheel sits ahead of VDO instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, and a rectangular combination gauge with English lettering. The five-digit odometer shows 74k miles, and true mileage is unknown.
The 300SL roadster model’s 3.0-liter M198 inline-six was carried over from the fixed-roof variant and shares its canted orientation, Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, and aluminum cylinder head. The competition camshaft that was optional on the coupe was made standard for the roadster, which also gained a dual-point/dual-coil ignition system and various fuel system refinements. The injection pump was reportedly overhauled in the 2000s under previous ownership, and service in preparation for the sale included an oil change, cleaning of the oil filter, and fluid checks.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. The roadster’s four-wheel independent suspension utilizes a single-pivot rear axle with a compensator spring for improved stability over the coupe’s double-pivot design.
Engine number 198980-10-002490 is shown stamped on the engine block and tag above, matching the number listed on the factory data card. Rear axle number 2597 is shown stamped on the differential case in the gallery, as is a 3.89:1 rear-end ratio, also matching information listed on the data card.
The factory data card notes delivery to Curaçao as well as the original colors and component numbers. The car’s entry in the 2007 Gullwing Register entry is also viewable in the gallery.
A set of fitted luggage trimmed in tan leather is included in the sale, as are four spare hubcaps, a tool kit, owner’s manuals, and a shop manual.
The California title is marked as a duplicate and utilizes engine number 19898010002490 as the car’s identification number.
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