This isn’t your average factory-fresh classic. What you’re looking at is a Mercedes-benz 190 Sl reborn, a testament to vision and a little bit of daring. Who would have thought that neglecting a windscreen and letting time etch its mark could result in such a captivating machine?
Ted Gushue, in conversation with the car’s owner, Michael Potiker, uncovers the story behind this exceptional 190 SL.
Ted Gushue: So, how did this remarkable Mercedes-Benz 190 SL come into your life?
Michael Potiker: It was quite serendipitous. I was taking a walk with my father in our neighborhood when I noticed an open garage door at a house that looked rather neglected. Under a car cover, I spotted a sliver of chrome peeking out. The rest was shrouded in layers of dust and grime, accumulated from years of ocean air and cliffside clay. It piqued my interest. The custom car cover suggested someone knew it was something special, but it looked like it had been forgotten for years. I went home, couldn’t shake the image, and returned the next day, knocking on the door. A nurse answered, and that’s where the story truly began.
I asked if I could take a peek under the cover, and she hesitantly agreed, but only at the front. Lifting the edge, the large Mercedes Tri-Star badge was revealed, and my initial thought was, “Wow! Is this a 300?” I turned to the nurse, feigning ignorance, “This must be some old Mercedes or something. I don’t know much about these old cars.” Then, quickly, I replaced the cover and left. Driven by curiosity, I tracked down the house phone number through a neighbor and called the next day.
I inquired about speaking with the car’s owner, and I learned he was in palliative care and unable to communicate. Persistently, but respectfully, I inquired further and was eventually connected with the trustee of his estate and his attorney. They allowed me to negotiate the purchase of what I then realized was a 190SL. Apparently, my interest stirred up others within the estate who also had their eyes on the car, but through sheer luck, I managed to secure it.
The car had been sitting untouched for an estimated 8 to 10 years. Although the hardtop was on, the windows were left open beneath the cover. The interior had become a haven for rodents, with droppings scattered everywhere. According to the nurse, a dog had also, at some point, called the car home.
TG: What breed of dog are we talking about?
MP: Something that shed profusely, judging by the state of the interior! (laughs). It was utterly revolting. Donning a full Tyvek painting suit, complete with booties and hood, I began the initial cleanup with a vacuum. However, I quickly realized the extent of the issue and decided the only way forward was radical: I used a razor blade to cut out the entire interior. Beneath the carpet, I discovered tiles affixed with duct tape and nails directly to the floor. These were clearly not factory additions. My goal was to assess the floor pan’s rust damage. When I tapped a screwdriver against a tile with a hammer, orange dust billowed out, and the realization hit me – asbestos tiles. In retrospect, it made a strange kind of sense, as there were flip-flops in the back of the car, suggesting the previous owner enjoyed barefoot driving.
TG: Asbestos tiles? What was the rationale behind using those in a car? Was there ever a period where they were considered for fireproofing in automotive applications?
MP: Asbestos tiles are indeed fire and heat resistant, but their use in a car floor is completely inappropriate and unorthodox. The previous owner must have had them lying around from a home renovation in the 70s and, bothered by hot feet while driving on the beach, decided to improvise. His logic, it seems, was to simply tack asbestos tiles to the floor and cover them with the carpet. There were numerous such peculiar repairs throughout the car. A woman’s brass bangle, secured with a hose clamp, was used to mend a hose. Bondo was liberally applied to the floor, and even a residential window screen had been repurposed somewhere. Fortunately, the body itself was completely original and undamaged, meaning no bodywork was needed.
The entire floor of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL had to be cut out and replaced. I entrusted the car to Hjeltness Restorations, renowned specialists in ‘Gullwing’ Mercedes. Their metalwork experts meticulously removed the old floor and fabricated and installed a completely new one. Incredibly, despite its years of neglect, the engine showed signs of life. Once we got the car home, we connected a new battery, rigged a fuel line from a can, and after some cranking, it actually started. It ran rough, but it ran.
I had Hjeltness rebuild the carburetors, but remarkably, the engine is original and numbers-matching. It was a special export model to Japan, as the original owner was in the Marines. It even has a unique plaque on the engine, characteristic of some Japanese market cars. I am only the second owner, and I’m absolutely captivated by this car. It’s pure, unadulterated fun to drive.
TG: Do you happen to know the official name of that stunning paint color?
MP: Yes, it’s Mercedes DB190, a beautiful dolphin grey. The original interior was parchment, but the restoration shop presented me with this vibrant red interior, and I simply couldn’t resist. It was from a concours-quality 190 SL that had the ‘wrong’ interior color for its purist owner, so I happily adopted it.
TG: Beyond the interior, what other modifications have you incorporated?
MP: The wheels are actually cleverly disguised space-saver spares from a Volkswagen Rabbit, carefully drilled to fit the Mercedes hub and painted in DB190 to match the body. I added New-Old-Stock French selective yellow headlights with modern halogen bulbs for improved visibility and a classic European touch. To manage the power draw of these lights, there’s a substantial lighting relay discreetly installed under the dash. And then there are the Cibié 9″ Super Oscar driving lights, incredibly bright units rated for daylight visibility even at a mile away. The leather straps on the trunk were initially an aesthetic touch, but I ended up rebuilding the trunk mechanism anyway, so they remain purely decorative.
The diminutive windshield is a custom-made replica of the RennSport screen that Mercedes offered for the 190 SL, intended for a sportier, open-air feel. The dashboard has been subtly extended upwards by a couple of inches to allow the tonneau cover to integrate smoothly and provide space for the push-to-fit connectors.
The suspension has been upgraded with a very capable set of coilovers, tuned for rally-style damping. It handles rough roads and speed bumps with surprising smoothness while maintaining excellent grip. A more aggressive sway bar, sourced from the 190 SL club, further enhances handling. It also features a new gear reduction starter and an alternator, also from the 190 SL club. The original Solex carburetors have been replaced with Webers, adding a noticeable boost of around 35 to 40 horsepower. The Webers were a modification by the previous owner, and I had them completely rebuilt. The exhaust system was completely rusted through, so it has been replaced with a straight-through stainless steel system.
Eric Hjeltness has been a fantastic source of ideas, and we are currently working on a Weber linkage and planning to install new racing bucket seats for improved lateral support. I haven’t rebuilt the engine or transmission yet, and I feel incredibly fortunate that they are performing so reliably.
TG: Why preemptively rebuild them if they are running so well?
MP: Exactly! The fact that it runs so well after sitting for so long is remarkable. I’ll wait until it decides to give up the ghost spectacularly. It’s simply a fantastic little car, and an absolute joy to drive. Driving it around, you instantly become everyone’s friend.
