I sold this person an old radio from my 914 parts car and found this story while exchanging emails:
"I used to live in Sacramento, over thirty years ago.
While living there, I had a cousin in Alameda, closer to you. One day he called me, because I had bragged that someday I'd own a Mercedes Gullwing. He had found one for sale, in Alameda that was in rough condition, but it ran. It looked like Black Beauty after pulling the milk wagon and no one wanted it, so the price was cheap. Years later after I bought it we found out it was a lightened body by the factory and a one of a kind. I'm still pouring cash into it, trying to get it like new, but it's worth it."

After I asked about sharing this story:
"I'm taking my time restoring the 300 SL as everything costs more than you can imagine, and I'm a stickler for exact details. All of this takes time and money. If you want to tell the story I'd ask you to emphasize the fact the car is not together. There are a lot of crazies out there, and if they think it's in one piece they might come looking for either me, or the car. It's still years away from being complete again. But, she is like an old friend, and I'm going to make sure it's just right. I only wish I could find out why she was made special this way."

A Gullwing is a wet dream on wheels. The guy in Novato who sold me my sixer about 4 years ago has an unrestored Gullwing in his garage - white with red interior. It's definitely on my top 5 list of cars I'd like to own. Possibly number 1.

I saw my first one in person at Concorso Italiano last year. Awesome!

there was one at the NYC auto show last year

and oh yeah

You want to hear a sick story,
A friend of mine got a 53 190 CONVERTABLE given to him, from a relitive. We were 18 years old, full of booze and herb....took a summer to destroy it, and after he sold it for about 5000$. today, what, $30000+. but this was 20 years ago
Regards
Joe

Last summer Mercedes Benz invited journalists & photographers to the NW to drive the new "pre production" SLK. They used my place as a driver change. As fate would have it, a friend of mine has a 56 Gullwing, that we brought down for display. It hasn't been started in 20 years. He bought it from Pat Boone in 1956. It stole the show, and naturally everyone wanted to buy it.
Not for sale.

Thats patina!

Here's a car that was parked next to my hair stylist when I went to get my hair cut... '57 190 Sl

Come to find out, the owner of the car also owned the building that the stylist has her shop in. After I got finished with the hair cut, the owner of the car walked up to me, in my Miata, and we started talking.

BTW, this hair saloon is in a very small town between Tampa and Lakeland....

ljss

lksdf

^ THAT is how they should make Mercedezs nowdays.

Two Gull Wings are at a local shop...one is a daily driver the other is a garage queen.....I sat in both and went vrooom, vrooom....farted and left....

QUOTE (Brando @ Apr 10 2005, 05:50 PM)

^ THAT is how they should make Mercedezs nowdays.

Anything later than 1990 is crap. Especially for what they cost. They started building too many different models in the 90s and quality control has coasted down hill. My fear is Porsche is headed the same direction. Well, who gives a rats ass, I can't afford a new one anyway.
cheers, Elliot

QUOTE

BTW, this hair saloon is in a very small town between Tampa and Lakeland....

Hey watsonrx13,

I saw my first 300SL Gullwing when I was in a little town not far from you - Riverview. There were a bunch of carnies from Gibsonton getting gas at a local station in their Gullwing. I was about 8 years old at the time. I've been a fan of those cars ever since.

I took this picture last year at the Crystal Cove car show in orange county.

At the LA All Euro Swap a couple months ago...

I got my first taste of a 300SL Gullwing when I was 6 years old. I still remember the day ... vividly. Climbing over the wide door sill, white with red interior, the huge steering wheel, and the fitted red leather luggage with the circular tops to match the rear bulkhead … simply magical!

The car was owned by a family friend. He offered to sell it to my uncle who was heading off to graduate school. I still remember the reaction: “$4,000! How can you ask $4,000 for a car that doesn’t even have hubcaps?”

Of course my uncle rejected the offer and bought a new 1964 Ford Falcon instead … and saved a couple of thousand bucks … “Penny wise and pound foolish”.