This isn’t your average factory-fresh classic; what you’re looking at is a remarkable rebirth. Who would have imagined that stripping away a windscreen and letting eight years of neglect gather on a vintage Mercedes could lead to such an extraordinary transformation?
Ted Gushue: How did this incredible find come into your life?
Michael Potiker: It started with a simple walk in my neighborhood with my father. I noticed a garage door slightly ajar at a house that looked rather untouched. Peeking in, I saw a car hidden under a custom cover, just a hint of chrome peeking out. The location was right by the ocean, and years of coastal weather had layered it with clay and dirt. It was clear someone knew it was something special because of the cover, but it looked forgotten. The image stuck with me, and the next day I went back and knocked on the door. A nurse answered, and that’s when the story really began to unfold.
I asked if I could just lift the cover a bit, and she cautiously agreed, “Just the front.” As I raised the cover, the iconic Mercedes Tri-Star emblem was revealed, and my immediate thought was, “Wow! Is this a 300?” Playing it cool, I turned to the nurse and remarked, “This must be some old Mercedes or something. I don’t really know much about these old cars.” Then, quickly replaced the cover and left. Determined, I found the house phone number through a neighbor and called the next day.
I inquired about speaking with the car’s owner and learned he was in palliative care and unable to communicate. Persistently but respectfully, I was eventually connected with the trustee of his estate and his attorney. This led to negotiations to purchase the car, which by then I realized was a 190 Sl Mercedes Benz. Apparently, my interest stirred up others who had also been eyeing the car, but through sheer luck, I managed to secure it.
The 190 SL had been sitting untouched for perhaps 8 to 10 years. The hardtop was on, but the windows were down under the cover, creating an open invitation for the elements and local wildlife. Rodents had made it their home, leaving droppings everywhere. According to the nurse, a dog had even resided in the car at some point.
TG: What gave it away that a dog had been living inside?
MP: Judging by the sheer amount of shed hair and the overall state of the interior, it had to be a dog, and likely one that shed quite a bit (laughs). The condition was truly appalling. To tackle the cleanup, I suited up in a full Tyvek painting suit, complete with booties and a hood, and started vacuuming. However, it quickly became clear that a more drastic approach was needed. I ended up using a razor blade to cut out the entire interior of the car. Beneath the carpet, I discovered tiles affixed with duct tape and nails directly to the floor. These were definitely not factory standard and were concealing the condition of the underlying metal. Trying to assess the rust situation, I placed a screwdriver against a tile and hit it with a hammer. Orange dust billowed out, and the realization hit me – asbestos tiles. This made a strange kind of sense, considering the pair of flip-flops I found in the back; the previous owner clearly enjoyed barefoot driving.
TG: Asbestos tiles? What was the rationale behind using those in a car? Was there a period where asbestos was considered for automotive fireproofing?
MP: Asbestos tiles are indeed fire and heat resistant, but their use as flooring in a car is completely inappropriate. It seems the previous owner, possibly in the 1970s, had some leftover tiles from a home project and decided to use them to address the issue of hot feet while driving on the beach. His solution was to simply tack asbestos tiles to the floor of the 190 SL and cover them with carpet. This was just one example of the unorthodox repairs I uncovered. There was a woman’s brass bangle clamped onto a hose with a hose clamp, and copious amounts of Bondo filler on the floor, even a piece of residential window screen used as a patch. Fortunately, the body itself was completely original and had never been in an accident, saving us from major bodywork.
The extent of the floor damage necessitated a complete replacement. I entrusted the car to Hjeltness Restorations, renowned specialists in Mercedes-Benz Gullwing models. Their metalwork experts meticulously cut out the entire original floor and fabricated and installed a brand new one. Incredibly, despite its years of neglect, the engine showed signs of life. Once we got the 190 SL Mercedes Benz home, we connected a new battery and a makeshift fuel supply and, after some cranking, it actually started. It wasn’t running smoothly, but it was running.
I had Hjeltness rebuild the carburetors, but remarkably, the engine is completely original, with matching numbers. Adding to its unique history, this particular 190 SL was a special export model to Japan, reflecting the original owner’s time in the Marines. It has a unique plaque on the engine block common to some Japanese export models. As the second owner, I’m absolutely captivated by this car. It’s simply the most enjoyable vehicle I’ve ever owned.
TG: Do you know the official name of that stunning paint color?
MP: Yes, it’s Mercedes DB190, known as Dolphin Grey. The original interior was Parchment, but the restoration shop presented me with this vibrant red interior, and it was simply too good to refuse. It came from a Concours-quality 190 SL that had an incorrect interior color for its specification. The owner of that car wanted to restore it to complete originality, so I gladly adopted his practically new red interior and had it installed in my car.
TG: Beyond the interior and floor, what other modifications have you incorporated into this 190 SL Mercedes Benz?
MP: The wheels are an interesting story themselves. They are actually space-saver spare wheels sourced from a Volkswagen Rabbit, meticulously drilled to fit the Mercedes hub correctly and then painted in DB190 to match the body. For lighting, I opted for New-Old-Stock French selective yellow headlights equipped with modern halogen bulbs. To handle the increased power demand, a heavy-duty lighting relay was installed under the dash. Complementing these are Cibié 9″ Super Oscar driving lights, incredibly powerful units rated for daylight visibility at a mile’s distance. The leather straps on the trunk were initially added for aesthetic appeal, but I ended up rebuilding the trunk mechanism anyway, so they remain purely decorative.
The small windscreen is a key modification, being an exact replica of the RennSport screen that Mercedes-Benz offered to customers who wanted a sportier feel for their 190 SL. To integrate this windscreen seamlessly, the dash was extended upwards by two or three inches, creating a fairing for the tonneau cover to nest into, complete with push-to-fit connectors.
Performance-wise, the car is fitted with a very capable set of coilovers, adjusted for rally-style damping. This setup provides a smooth ride even over speed bumps and rough surfaces, while still offering excellent grip in corners. A more aggressive sway bar from the 190 SL club, custom-made to their specifications, further enhances handling. Starting is improved with a new gear reduction starter, and an alternator from the same club ensures reliable power. The engine breathes through Weber carburetors. Originally, 190 SL models came with Solex carburetors, but the Webers are said to add around 35 to 40 horsepower. These were installed by the previous owner, and I had them completely rebuilt. The exhaust system was also completely rusted out, so it has been replaced with a straight-through stainless steel system.
Eric Hjeltness has been a valuable source of ideas throughout the project, and we are currently working on a custom Weber linkage and planning to install new racing-style bucket seats for better lateral support. Interestingly, I haven’t rebuilt the transmission or the engine itself, and I feel incredibly fortunate that it has been running so reliably.
TG: Why the decision not to rebuild those major components preemptively?
MP: (Laughs) Well, the engine was running surprisingly well after sitting for so long. My philosophy was, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and to enjoy it until something major gives way. The 190 SL Mercedes Benz, in this barchetta form, is just a fantastic little car. It’s incredibly fun to drive, and it’s impossible to drive it without bringing smiles to people’s faces. You instantly become everyone’s best friend when you’re cruising around in this thing.
