Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster In Desperate Need Of A Thorough Restoration

A 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster in desperate need of a thorough restoration is expected to sell for between $800,000 and $1 million when it’s auctioned off on October 26. The rare car is part of the Rudi Klein Collection that’s being sold by RM Sotheby’s.
 

Klein emigrated from Germany to the US and made his fortune scrapping and dealing with European classic cars, starting with the founding of Porsche Foreign Auto in 1967. He amassed a large personal collection of cars, and despite passing away in 2001, his family kept the cars away from prying eyes for more than twenty years. Several are in a horrible state of disrepair, but this 300 SL Roadster isn’t beyond saving.
 

The car is chassis number 7500173 and is one of 554 SL Roadsters built during the 1957 model year. It was originally painted in Fire Engine Red, not that you can tell, as the original paint has been completely worn away, leaving nothing but the exposed metal parts. Making Klein’s car particularly desirable is the fact it’s one of just 30 examples fitted with Rudge wheels from the factory and also has a longer 1:3.42-ratio rear axle.
 
RM Sotheby’s says the car left the factory in September of 1957 and was delivered to its original owner in Kitzingen, Germany. Limited other details are known about its ownership history but it does retain its numbers-matching engine, body, rear axle, and front axle. The gearbox appears to have been replaced, and the odometer reads 17,873 km (~11,106 miles).
 

Restoring the car won’t be cheap but is definitely possible. The bodywork is mostly straight and could be refinished. The cabin retains all of its original parts but is also in desperate need of some TLC. Much of the interior is bathed in red leather but it’s badly deteriorated over the decades and a set of new or completely rebuilt seats are needed.
 
But if you always wanted a 300 SL project, this could very well be an exciting opportunity.