Ravaged by the elements, this 190sl was saved promptly
embarked on a mission to restore it
Looked at logically, sometimes you really do have to wonder
why anyone bothers with classic _ cars, which can be I endlessly problematic
and expensive to run. But people do, and that cannot truly be understood until
you get behind the wheel of one and deep emotional responses are triggered by
the smell of a real leather interior, the feel of a chrome switch in your hand,
or the sound of a rigorously old school engine bursting into life.
Find a classic car that behaves itself for the majority of
the time, usually due to the preventative and prescriptive work of a diligent
owner, and the joys can be positively addictive, as Adrian Timothy, the owner
of this beautiful WL21 190SL Roadster explains when we meet near his home in South
London.
Find a classic car
that behaves itself for the majority of the time, usually due to the
preventative and prescriptive work of a diligent owner, and the joys can be
positively addictive, as Adrian Timothy, the owner of this beautiful WL21 190SL
Roadster explains when we meet near his home in South London.
“I bought my first 190SLabout 10 years ago,” he begins, “and
we used it for many years and must have covered about 25,000 miles in it. Most
of that was on the Continent,” he adds. “The 190SL is such a beautiful touring
car. Firstly it looks nice, but it can also keep up with modern traffic, which
makes the whole driving experience far less stressful.”
Roadster revisited
Designed by Karl Wilfert and Walter Hacker, the 190SL’s
sleek and low slung form suggests real sporting potential, and the fact it
takes styling cues from its big brother, the mighty 300SL Gullwing, does little
to discourage that impression. But what lies beneath the W121 body is a
collection of components drawn from Mercedes saloons of the time.
But what lies
beneath the W121 body is a collection of components drawn from Mercedes saloons
of the time.
The space frame construction of the 300SL was eschewed in
favour of a shortened W120 180 Ponton chassis, due to the more restrained
performance of the then newly developed M121, overhead cam, four-cylinder unit,
which delivers a reasonable 104bhp with 105lb ft of twisting force at 3,200rpm,
making the car better suited to cruising.
> Utilising the tried and tested rear
swing-axle from a 220 Ponton, and the front axle and sub frame arrangement from
the 180 Ponton, handling was safe and secure, and was warmly welcomed by the
press and public alike. For Adrian though, an offer for his first 190SL -
received from a collector in Hong Kong - was simply too good to resist, so the
car was sold.
A second chance
But those good times behind the wheel were
so deeply ingrained in his conscience that he needed to revisit the model,
sourcing the car you see here in 2011 for just $28142. The condition of the car
was, unsurprisingly, somewhat different back then. “It was in a terrible state
- it was just a wreck really,” says Adrian with a laugh. “There were holes in
everything. Every panel needed work, the floors, the sills the inner and outer
wings - absolutely everything. I only purchased the car after
The rebuilt engine belief its from a
camshaft from a slightly later car, which offers a smoother power Delivery long
discussions with Brian Gunney at Red castle Classics, who had refurbished and
maintained my first SL. Brian reassured me that it would be possible to restore
the car, despite its appearance.”
Brian
reassured me that it would be possible to restore the car, despite its
appearance.”
Looking through the picture album that
documents the car’s restoration, it is apparent that 4 28142 doesn’t exactly
buy a lot of metal, with images of the shot blasted body shell revealing
substantial perforations in most panels. As usual, those dirt traps between
panels, manufactured during a time when anti corrosion treatment consisted of a
layer of paint and a prayer for dry weather, have taken the brunt of the attack
from the elements. An image of the rear inner wing reveals the bracing has
clearly harboured dirt and water over the years, and as a result has completely
rotted out.
