Not only does it feel great to watch decades of filth be washed away, but it’s amazing to see a gorgeous car get the attention it deserves.
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is one of the most charming roadsters ever produced by the German automaker. And despite lacking the performance, glamour, and historical importance of its more prominent sibling, the 300 SL, it’s still one of the prettiest drop-tops you can buy if you’re in the market for a vintage toy. But first, you gotta find one.
The guys from the WD Detailing YouTube channel recently got lucky and discovered a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL hiding in rural Ohio. Unfortunately, the car was left to rot in a garage for decades. According to the video, the car may actually be the oldest living 190 SL, as its VIN plate claims it’s the eighth example ever produced of the roadster, which was in production from 1955 to 1963. If accurate, this barn find of sorts could actually have some historical significance.
However, if you’ve watched this crew’s videos, their main thing isn’t uncovering the next million-dollar barn find for a high-dollar auction, their schtick is washing and detailing old, dirty cars and taking you along every step of the way. And that’s exactly what they do with this Mercedes.
Enjoy the careful vacuuming that removes decades’ worth of debris accumulated in every nook and cranny of the car. Then the soaping, brushing, and rinsing of the wheels, tires, and hubcaps. Then there’s the engine bay, which is carefully prepped and clean so it can shine similar to how it did almost 70 years ago.
My favorite, however, is the process of wiping all the grime adhered to the body. As the host said, it’s likely that someone meant to repaint the car given that all of its trim had been removed. Still, the paint seems to be in decent condition given how old the car is and how it’s been stored all these years.
In the end, the little Mercedes looks pretty darn good all cleaned up. Sadly it’s still missing lots of trim and we don’t get to see it with its iconic three-pointed star grille, but that’s okay. Whatever is next in the roadster’s life will be much better than what’s in its rearview mirror.
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