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Most 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SLs that come to auction have been restored, re-restored, or restored and then quietly re-sold. This one hasn’t been touched in a very long time. A non-running 1957 190SL listed on Bring a Trailer was sold new in Miami, stayed with a single Florida owner until his death in 1997, and then went into storage until the selling dealer bought it in 2018. It has sat decommissioned since, and the auction ends Wednesday, October 21, at 3:49 p.m. ET.
A paper trail that starts in December 1956
The documentation is what lifts this car above the usual “dusty roadster” listing. According to the listing, the original December 1956 invoice from Waco Motors of Miami is included, and it lists the factory colors and engine number 121921-6503754, which matches an engine stamping pictured in the photo gallery. The sale also includes the 1956 Florida title, owner’s manuals, historical photos and registrations, and correspondence. One commenter even pointed to the numbers on the invoice, noting the roadster stickered for just over $5,000 with a trade-in on a ’54 Oldsmobile.
It is the kind of file that tells you who bought a car, where, and what they thought of it. Even the wood shift knob is engraved with the first owner’s initials.
What’s original, and what isn’t
This is a project, and the listing is upfront about it. The car shows 79,000 miles, does not run, and has a damaged left front bumper corner and a drilled-out trunk lock. But it reportedly retains its 1.9-liter M121 inline-four, four-speed manual, running gear, lighting, and an intact interior with Parchment leather seats and the body-color dash panel. The listing also points to early-production details such as fender-mounted mirrors and reflectors below the rear bumper that were dropped on later cars.
Is the paint original? The seller, a Florida dealer who has owned the car since 2018, says he believes most of it is and has posted paint-meter photos in a video for bidders to judge. That is the seller’s belief, not a certified finding, so anyone serious should inspect the car, and he says he’s available for calls and inspections. He has also been candid that the engine has not been turned over, saying it needs plugs removed and the cylinders oiled before any attempt, and that he believes it hasn’t run in decades.
Why it matters
The 190SL has long lived in the shadow of its big brother. If you want a closer look at the family tree, see our look at the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, a 1957 190SL Roadster we featured earlier, and a 1963 190SL from the end of the run. Cars like this one are the reason the market keeps paying attention: documented, complete, and unrestored enough that a new owner can choose whether to preserve it as a survivor or take it all the way back.
The seller’s own advice leans toward preservation: focus on the mechanicals, touch up the paint, redye the seats, and skip excessive plating. For another stored Mercedes SL coming back to life, check out this barn find 1969 280SL getting detailed.
The auction
At the time of writing, the bid stood at $15,000 with a few bids placed and hundreds of watchers. The listing is a dealer sale out of Ormond Beach, Florida, and runs through Wednesday afternoon. If you’re tempted, read the full gallery and comments and ask the seller about anything that matters to you before you bid. See the original Bring a Trailer listing here.
