Second Mercedes SL ever, restored
Celebrating 60 years, Mercedes revives SL number 2
By Shahzad Sheikh
This car is 60 years-old, except that it’s kinda brand new. It’s the second SL built and now it’s back to its former glory thanks to an extraordinary effort by Mercedes. Why not rebuild the first car you might ask, well because it was scrapped.
This one is the second car built, chassis number 194 010 00002/52. It’s been with the company since 1951, and now they’ve painstakingly restored it to mark 60th anniversary of the SL (timely as it heralds the launch of the latest generation Merc roadster).
The Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre in Fellbach, near Stuttgart conducted a full strip-down restoration. The body was the toughest bit as it’s made from very thin aluminium/magnesium sheet metal. It took them six months to restore that. The car itself took a total of ten months.
Apparently it’s all good now and, claims Merc, is still good for 230kph, which is what made it one of the most successful racers of its day.
Spec
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (model series W 194)
Year of construction: 1952
Units built: 10
Engine: six-cylinder in-line engine, overhead camshaft, three Solex twin carburettors, dry sump lubrication
Displacement: 2995 cc
Output: 170bhp @ 5200 rpm
Kerb weight: approx 1060 kg
Top speed: 230kph
