Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé / Gullwing
Register #198.040 & #198.043

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+ 1000 informations as in the Standard Edition No. 2, 651 pages and 750 NEW pictures
Language: English, German, French, Italian

FOR MEMORY...

Foreword – Hans Hürlimann
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Register No.1 in 2006

FOREWORD on the Edition of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupe / Gullwing
I would like to go back a few years and start with the story of the creation of the register. In March 1956, I accompanied my father to the Motor-show in Geneva. There, on the exhibition stand of Mercedes, we discovered an ivory Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “gullwing”. My father was so fascinated by this car that he bought it and signed the contract on the stand. Shortly after the end of the fair, we received the car used during the exhibition, with the serial identification number 198 040 6500024. From that day and till now, the “gullwings” have always been present in my life. In the meantime, I acquired 30 of these cars, renovated them and then sold them, usually to acquaintances. But more and more often I encountered the same questions about the origin, the equipment and the possible “criminal history” of the car. I decided then, in 1978, to gather all the informations necessary to the creation of a register from the motor clubs, dealers and car owners. With a lot of patience and hard work, I finally published a concise and precise register in 1981. Now, after 26 years, many of the cars have new owners. There is a huge amount of information waiting to be filed but I don’t want to carry out this task a second time. I was therefore very happy when Eric Le Moine called me last year to announce that he intended to elaborate an up-to-date register. Of course, when we met later on, I gave him all the current information in my possession.

Now, we are all very excited to see the new version of the register.

I wish Eric a lot of success.
Hans Hürlimann from Switzerland

Dear readers and passionate admirers of the Mercedes-Benz W 198 Coupe

Having collected and compiled documents and photographs on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL for over 25 years, I decided to have over 15'000 pages of my archives printed by my faithful LUKAS (NMF Factory, Basel). With these I am overjoyed to present the last issue of my “Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Register Nº3 / FINAL EDITION”. With humility I do not consider myself an expert, although I did have the privilege to see almost 500 models of the Gullwing Coupe all over Europe and the United States over the last 28 years, and was able to localise 95% of all manufactured vehicles.

This compilation remains unfinished on the history of this iconic car, and details on the originality of some cars may please or displease the reader.

Flashback to 2004-2005 to give particular homage to the Swiss collector who initiated this project, Hans HUERLIMANN.

Hans H. is the major and most important collector of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL I have had the honour of meeting; his impressive collection includes over 30 cars, starting with the one his father acquired directly from the Mercedes-Benz stand at the 1956 Salon de l’Automobile in Geneva.

It was Hans who decided to record, as far as possible, data on all 1’400 manufactured vehicles and to edit the first Register, published in 100 copies.

Access to part of his archives enabled me to publish my first “Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Register”, thus continuing his work.

Then, in 2012, the second edition was widely improved. For the first time numerous photos of individual cars were included. Mercedes-Benz Classic contributed an introductory text, contemporary photos and general information such as a list of modifications and plates of paintwork and upholstery. Along with an introduction on the racing history of the W 198, this general information from Mercedes- Benz Classic was also included in the third - and last - edition of the Register. Otherwise it is again different from the previous ones. Finding it impossible to print the entire documentation in my archives, I have selected more than one thousand previously unpublished data sheets, as well as photographs not included in earlier editions of the “Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Register”. This underscores the importance of the data published in the second edition, and which you will not find again in the third.

Some of the people I’d also like to mention are less well known:

Rudolf UHLENHAUT, head of development for model W 198, therefore its starting point and creator. Maximilian Edwin HOFFMANN, jeweller in New York, creates “HOFFMAN MOTOR COMPANY” in 1947 and imports the cars manufactured by Ferry PORSCHE from 1951 onwards; 32 vehicles in that first year alone. Mercedes-Benz victories at Le Mans and at the “Carrera Panamericana” in 1952 draw HOFFMANN’s attention to the company. He orders more than a thousand cars at once, making a substantial down payment in the process. Imagine, without M. HOFFMANN’s financial contribution the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL might never have gone into production! (Please note that the family name is spelled with two ‘n’ whereas the company name is spelled with one). More than 1’000 of the 1’400 manufactured vehicles cross the Atlantic Ocean and make this model a success overseas.

Friedrich GEIGER, head of the Mercedes-Benz design department, signs this iconic model from 1953 onwards.

A 1999 jury selects the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL as the most iconic 20th century sports car. In 1954, sales are in full swing, and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL performance brings numerous racing victories and superb driving exploits. From the famous Mille Miglia in Italy (“La corsa più bella del Mondo”) to all racing courses in Europe, South and North America, Africa and Asia, some 800 cars are entered by the greatest racing names of the era: Olivier Gendebien, Willy Mairesse, Jo Schlesser, Werner Engel, Walter Schock, Stirling Moss, Paul O’Shea in the US, and other “Gentleman drivers”; but also by women, most notably Gilberte Thirion in a rare model with aluminium bodywork. This list is non-exhaustive and endless…

I like to remember how Portugal imported 18 new cars - of which 17 went on to make racing history, one of them at the Grand Prix of Angola. And to keep an eye on Nicolas Jambon Bruguier, Classic Sport Leicht in Paris, who has spent years keeping track of 4 particular “works” cars all with above average racing histories. Many thanks for sharing his data. My passion knows no limits, because each car has her own history… her first owner, her racing history, her engine configuration or a unique colour - or simply her overall state after 65 years of existence. One can only compliment the manufacturer on his choice of superior materials.

“Museo Mille Miglia” in Brescia has supplied incredibly relevant documents, in particular the list of all Mercedes-Benz 300 SL who took part in the race between 1955 and 1957. Very special thanks to Fabio FEDI and Emanuela.

As part of my endeavour to best define this car, you will be able to view a rare document, the first press statement typed for journalists on the occasion of the initial presentation of the model at the New York International Auto Show, held in February 1954.

I am especially grateful to all who have enabled me to make available to you my passionate research into a car that has made its undisputed place in automotive history. Without for a moment forgetting all the owners of these wonderful cars, those members of the world of automobile collectors who have accompanied me in this adventure. To all, my heartfelt thanks.

Enjoy your reading.
Thank you for sharing my passion.

ERIC LE MOINE
November 2019

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