This model was created to allow three-pointed star customers to access a spider that resembled the 300SL, without, however, incurring the astronomical cost of the latter.

Not that the 190SL was inexpensive by any means: in 1962, it cost twice as much as an Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider, which, despite having a smaller engine, was more agile and lively. However, in terms of construction, the two cars were on two different planets. If you’ve had the opportunity to see the bare bodies of both cars, you would realize how much more metal had been used on the German car, which, not surprisingly, didn’t rust in the garage as the Italian car did.

The flip side is that while restoring a Giulia Spider to a high level nowadays easily requires $100,000, the budget required for a 190SL is considerably higher, especially because there aren’t many available spare parts on the market, often needing to be ordered directly from the manufacturer. This particular specimen has seen better days and requires, as mentioned, a complete restoration. However, it seems fairly complete with all its parts (but it’s missing the Solex carburetors, not quite cheap), which is very important before considering the purchase. The seller states that this model, when restored, is worth up to $150,000; we would add that it’s worth even more, but the road to achieving a show-quality restoration is long and expensive. Find it for sale at $47,000 here in Oakland, CA.