What makes a classic car desirable? To many, beauty and desirability are simply in the eye of the beholder, but in today’s market, a number of important factors can make one spectacular car stand out from its peers, even in the very best of company. Four distinct factors come to mind, and each is evident in the case of this spectacular 300 SL Alloy Gullwing.

RARITY

A car which needs no introduction, the 300 SL Gullwing is unquestionably Mercedes-Benz’s most iconic vehicle. Groundbreaking in terms of style and performance when new, it was the benchmark all other sports cars were measured against, and it remains a bona-fide blue-chip collectible to this day.

However, not all Gullwings were created equal. Within the regular production run, twenty-nine cars were fitted with aluminum bodywork, as opposed to the standard steel bodywork utilized on the remaining 1,371 production Gullwings.

PERFORMANCE

In addition to the bodywork, all cabin windows (except for the windshield) utilized Plexiglas, which helped to reduce 209 pounds of weight over its steel-bodied cousin. For those that have been privileged enough to drive both steel- and aluminum-bodied Gullwings, the difference is as plain as day from weight savings alone.

However, the changes to the Alloy Gullwings were more than skin deep. Further modifications to improve their performance included the fitment of the NSL-spec engine, utilizing a competition camshaft, higher compression, unique butterfly throttle valve, and recalibrated fuel distributor to deliver in excess of 215 horsepower. Rudge wheels, optional on steel-bodied 300 SL Gullwings, were fitted as standard, alongside special ventilated front brake drums. Modifications were also done to the suspension with new springs and shocks to provide better high-speed handling. On top of an already steep list price, these modifications cost the buyer an additional 5,000 DM.

PROVENANCE

In the eyes of their current custodians and automotive historians, each Alloy 300 SL would not only be defined by how it left the factory, but by how they lived their lives thereafter. A key part of what separates this car from its peers is its history and provenance, and the history of this particular example stands apart as unique from all the others from the very beginning.

Chassis number 198.043.5500332 was completed in May of 1955 as one of only two Alloy Gullwings completed that month. Fascinatingly, this car would not be delivered to the usual markets of Europe or the United States, but was ordered by Joesph F. Weckerlé of Casablanca, Morocco, the official Mercedes-Benz agent in Casablanca, making it the only Alloy Gullwing delivered new to Africa. Finished in attractive Silver Gray Metallic (DB 180) over a blue vinyl/blue gabardine fabric interior (L1), it was handsomely outfitted from the factory with the high-speed 3.42 rear axle, an uprated metric 270 km/h speedometer, lightweight plexiglass windows, and Becker Radio.

By 1962, 5500332 had immigrated to the United States and was in the ownership of Mercer D. Helms of Montgomery, Alabama. In 1975, Helms sold the Gullwing to Jack F. Bryan Jr. of Dallas, Texas. At a time before Gullwings had achieved true “classic” status, Bryan clearly saw the importance and significance of the car, and decided to have it fully restored. The company he chose was the Gullwing Service Company of Topsfield, Massachusetts, which would later become Paul Russell and Company. A restoration shop considered one of the very best in the business today, Russell’s specialty, both today and in the days of the Gullwing Service Company, was, of course, Mercedes-Benzes, and 300 SLs especially. An accompanying photo album illustrates the progress of Russell’s masterful team upon the body and mechanical components. This restoration work was completed in late 1979; handwritten work orders on file show a then-astronomical $45,000 ($191,000 in 2024 dollars) spent in returning this special Gullwing to roadgoing perfection. With the 300 SL refinished in its factory original color combination, Bryan collected the car in Massachusetts personally, and rather than transport it home, drove it straight back to Dallas himself!

An active member of the Gullwing Group, Bryan took his 300 SL Alloy to the Gullwing Group’s 1980 National Meeting, and as it was in such immaculate condition following its restoration, it was no surprise that received a tremendous amount of attention once it was seen by fellow Gullwing enthusiasts. Speaking to its quality, the car caught the eye of Hyatt Cheek, who was, at that time, president of the Gullwing Group. Both Cheek and Bryan were already well acquainted, both hailing from Dallas and clients of Paul Russell from the Gullwing Service Company.

Hyatt Cheek purchased 5500332 from Jack Bryan in 1982, and, two years later, he was elected to be president of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Despite owning a fabulous collection of Mercedes-Benzes and the car’s incredible condition, he did not hesitate in driving the car regularly on MBCA and Gullwing Group events across the country, as well as on the Colorado 1000 and Texas 1000. Many of the car’s driving exploits with Cheek are covered by regular mentions in the member publications of each respective club. Considering how often it was driven, it should come as no surprise that maintenance was not overlooked. Invoices on file show regular routine maintenance expenditures with Paul Russell and other marque specialists.

Following three decades in Hyatt Cheek’s ownership, the Alloy Gullwing was purchased by its most recent previous owner in March of 2013, a collector from Vancouver, Canada, who kept the car in the United States, becoming the centerpiece of an outstanding collection. In 2021, the Alloy Gullwing was returned to Paul Russell for an inspection and test drive prior to being sent to the factory-owned Mercedes-Benz Classic Center for a comprehensive inspection to validate the authenticity and originality of the car. Upon inspecting the car, Michael Kunz (Director of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center for over twenty years) commented that “this is absolutely one of the finest Alloy Gullwings, and it would fall in the top 10-20% of all Alloy Gullwings”.

Since the consignor’s acquisition in early 2022, every effort has been made to ensure all “house-keeping” items in that report were brought up to the highest possible standard. It was proudly displayed at the 2023 Gullwing Group convention in Quebec City, Canada, where it was driven from Maine to Quebec alongside numerous other Gullwings.

Finding an Alloy Gullwing that has no question marks regarding its provenance is becoming increasingly difficult, and this example has been exceptionally documented throughout its life. It is accompanied by a large history file consisting of multiple binders chronicling its history in both documentation and photographs, a testament to the devotion towards and adoration of this Gullwing by its past caretaker over the past seven decades.

ORIGINALITY

As a result of its spectacular provenance, in terms of its restoration, subsequent service work, and custodianship, it should come as no surprise that 5500332 is amongst the finest 300 SL Alloy Gullwings in existence.

Industry veterans will know that the trade-off of the 300 SL Alloy’s lightweight nature and additional performance is the fragility of the bodywork. As most were raced in period, many sustained damage in addition to the bodywork deteriorating at the mounting points where the aluminum bodywork meets the steel chassis. As of today, almost all lightweight examples have been reskinned or repaired at some point in their past. Notes on file from this car’s restoration with the Gullwing Service Company illustrate only minor aluminum stress repairs inside the engine bay, commending its purity.

As it sits today, the car retains its original chassis, engine, bodywork, rear axle, and front kingpins. The gearbox, although not original to the car, is a correct-type replacement unit, dated 1957. This was replaced by Paul Russell during the car’s restoration in 1979, and a letter in the car’s history file confirms this. This level of originality puts it within a category of its own within the hierarchy of 300 SL Alloy Gullwings. Further separating it from the pack, which cannot be understated, is its near exclusive record of maintenance from Paul Russell’s famous workshop since 1975. Aside from this car’s rarity as an alloy-bodied Gullwing, its association with this restoration facility is a point of pride and desirability all its own.

AN UNRIVALED OPPORTUNITY

Intrinsically, the 300 SL Alloy Gullwings’ rarity and increased performance over its steel-bodied brethren are what separate these cars in terms of value and significance. In the case of this particular example, it is its provenance and originality that separate it from its peers further still. Having been spared from the crucible of motorsport in its early years and residing with passionate individuals over the following decades who understood its significance showcases exactly why it is in such extraordinary condition today. All this Alloy Gullwing needs is an equally enthusiastic new owner that will continue to preserve and enjoy one of Mercedes-Benz’s most spectacular automobiles for decades to come.