This isn’t your average factory-fresh classic, but a stunning transformation born from decay and ingenuity. Who would have thought that neglecting a windscreen and letting a vintage Mercedes-Benz 190SL gather dust and, shall we say, organic debris for eight years could result in such an extraordinary machine?
Ted Gushue: So, Michael, take us back to the beginning. How did you stumble upon this remarkable 190sl Mercedes?
Michael Potiker: It was pure chance, really. I was walking with my father in our neighborhood when I noticed a garage door slightly ajar at a house that looked rather… forgotten. Peeking inside, I saw a car covered up, but a glint of chrome caught my eye. It was shrouded in dust and grime, clearly exposed to the elements – being so close to the ocean, it had accumulated layers of clay and dirt from the nearby cliffs over what must have been years. It was intriguing. The custom-fit car cover suggested someone knew it was something special, but it looked like it had been abandoned long ago. The image stuck with me, so 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 take a peek under the cover, and she agreed, but only “just the front.” As I lifted the edge, the large Mercedes Tri-Star badge was revealed, and my jaw dropped. My first thought was, “Wow! This must be a 300!” I turned to the nurse, trying to play it cool, and said something like, “This looks like a really old Mercedes or something. I don’t know much about these old cars.” Then, quickly, I put the cover back down and made my exit. I immediately got the house phone number from a neighbor and called the next day.
I asked to speak to the owner of the car, but I was told that he was in palliative care and unable to communicate. Persistently, but respectfully, I kept inquiring and was eventually connected with the trustee of his estate and his attorney. They allowed me to negotiate the purchase of the car, which by this point I had identified as a 190SL. Apparently, my interest sparked some competition from others within the estate who also had their eyes on the car, but through sheer luck, I managed to secure it.
It had been sitting there, untouched, for perhaps 8 to 10 years. The hardtop was on, but the windows were slightly open even under the cover. It had become a haven for rodents, with droppings everywhere. According to the nurse, a dog had even called the car home at some point.
TG: What kind of dog, if you could tell from the… remnants?
MP: (Laughs) Something that shed a lot, judging by the state of the interior! It was truly disgusting. My first step was to suit up in a Tyvek painting suit, complete with booties and a hood, and start vacuuming. But I quickly realized that the interior was beyond saving. I ended up taking a razor blade and just cutting the entire interior out of the car. Once the carpet was gone, I found these tiles on the floor, held down with duct tape and nails. They were completely out of place, and I was trying to get to the bare floor to assess the rust situation. I put a screwdriver to one of the tiles, gave it a tap with a hammer, and orange dust puffed out. That’s when it hit me – asbestos tiles! Which, in a bizarre way, made a strange kind of sense, especially when I found a pair of flip-flops in the back. Clearly, the previous owner enjoyed driving barefoot.
Unearthing Surprises and Period-Incorrect Repairs
TG: Asbestos tiles? That’s… unexpected. Was there ever a time when asbestos was considered for automotive fireproofing?
MP: Asbestos is indeed fire and heat-resistant, but using those tiles on a car floor is completely inappropriate. My guess is the previous owner had some leftover from a home project back in the 70s and decided his feet were getting too hot while cruising along the beach. His solution? Tack some asbestos tiles to the floor and cover it with carpet! And that was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to questionable repairs. I found a woman’s brass bangle being used as a hose clamp, secured with another hose clamp! There was an excessive amount of Bondo filler on the floor, and even a residential window screen employed in some bizarre fix. The silver lining was that the body itself was remarkably original and had never been in an accident, which meant we were spared any major bodywork.
A New Floor and a Fired-Up Engine
The entire floor of the 190SL had to be cut out and replaced. I entrusted the car to Hjeltness Restorations, renowned ‘Gullwing’ specialists. Their metalwork expert meticulously removed the corroded floor and fabricated and installed a completely new one. Incredibly, despite its years of neglect, the engine actually started up after we got it home. We hooked up a fresh battery, rigged a temporary fuel supply from a can, cranked it, and it sputtered to life! It didn’t run smoothly, but it ran.
I had Hjeltness rebuild the carburetors, but remarkably, the engine itself is original – everything is numbers-matching. Interestingly, this particular 190SL was a special export model to Japan, as the original owner was in the Marines. It even has a unique plaque on the engine that some Japanese export cars received. I’m only the second owner, and I am absolutely smitten with this car. It’s simply the most enjoyable thing in the world to drive.
Dolphin Grey and Devilish Details
TG: Do you happen to know the official name of that stunning paint color?
MP: Absolutely, it’s Mercedes DB190, a beautiful Dolphin Grey. The original interior was Parchment, but the restoration shop offered me this vibrant red interior, and I couldn’t resist. It was from a Concours-quality 190SL that had the wrong interior color for its original specification. The owner wanted to restore it to factory-correct condition, so I happily adopted his practically brand-new red interior, and they installed it in my car.
TG: Beyond the interior, what other modifications have you incorporated into your 190SL Mercedes?
MP: Well, the wheels are quite unique. They are actually space-saver spares from a Volkswagen Rabbit, cleverly drilled to fit the Mercedes hub. They are painted in DB190 to match the body. For lighting, I sourced New-Old-Stock French selective yellow headlights with modern halogen bulbs for improved visibility. To handle the extra power, there’s a heavy-duty lighting relay under the dash. And then there are the Cibié 9″ Super Oscar driving lights – they are incredibly bright, rated for daylight illumination at a mile away. The leather straps on the trunk were added for a touch of classic style, but I ended up rebuilding the trunk mechanism anyway, so they’re purely aesthetic now.
The small windscreen is a custom addition, meticulously replicating the RennSport screen that Mercedes offered as an option for the 190SL. The dash has been subtly extended upwards by a couple of inches to accommodate the tonneau cover, creating a seamless fairing and providing space for the push-to-fit connectors.
Rally-Inspired Ride and Performance Upgrades
Underneath, the 190SL rides on a highly capable set of coilovers, adjusted for rally driving. This setup allows it to handle rough roads and speed bumps smoothly while maintaining excellent grip in corners. There’s also a more aggressive sway bar, custom-made for the 190SL club, which further enhances handling. For improved reliability, it has a new gear reduction starter and an alternator, also sourced from the 190SL club. Performance-wise, the car now breathes through Weber carburetors. Originally, 190SLs were equipped with Solex carbs, but the Webers add a noticeable boost, around 35 to 40 horsepower. The Webers were installed by the previous owner, and I had them completely rebuilt. The exhaust system was completely rusted out, so I replaced it with a straight-through stainless steel system for a sportier sound and improved flow.
Eric Hjeltness has been a fantastic resource throughout the project, offering invaluable suggestions. We’re currently working on a custom Weber linkage and planning to install new racing-style bucket seats with better side bolstering for more support during spirited driving. Interestingly, I decided against rebuilding the transmission or the engine preemptively. I figured I’d run them as they were, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate that they have performed flawlessly so far.
TG: Why the decision not to rebuild the engine and transmission right away?
MP: (Laughs) Well, the fact that it started and ran at all after sitting for so long felt like a small miracle. I figured, why fix what isn’t broken? Let it run until it decides to give up the ghost spectacularly at some point. For now, it’s just an absolutely fantastic little car. It’s unbelievably fun to drive. You instantly become everyone’s friend when you’re cruising around in it.
