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Films: Modified Yet Period-Correct, This Mercedes-Benz 190SL Is Displaced In Time
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Made To Drive | S10 E02

Modified Yet Period-Correct, This Mercedes-Benz 190SL Is Displaced In Time

Opening a portal into '50s and '60s roadster racing, this Benz is the business.
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Made To Drive
Mercedes 300SL Gullwing At Bonneville Gives Us Salt Fever
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SEASON 03: EPISODE 00
Mercedes 300SL Gullwing At Bonneville Gives Us Salt Fever
There are many ways to enjoy your toys, from driving, to racing, to keeping them in a collection, there are various avenues to gaining pleasure from what you own. For Bob Sirna, this comes from racing at the salt flats of Bonneville. Many different types of cars run at Bonneville, but Bob chooses a car that you wouldn't ever expect to be racing, let alone down a strip of metal-eating salt: a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. Now fetching over a million dollars, the 300SL is a car that you mainly see at a concourse or in a museum—not trying to break land speed records at Speed Week. For the last 12 years Bob has been bringing his Gullwing to the salt in an effort to break records and cure his "salt fever." Bob likes to say, "Enjoy your toys," and this is a motto we can stand behind.
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Edward MansonRobert in LABohemianracerPeter JimenezAlexandre Goncalves Recent comment authors
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Bohemianracer
Bohemianracer

WOW !!!!! You guys did it again. Excellent video on a super cool and beautiful car.

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2 years ago
Alexandre Goncalves
Alexandre Goncalves

Nice to see a 190 (that, in any other part of the world, would be shinning as if had left the showrom, and as far away as possible from dirt or speed), get this “hot-rod” treatment!

I love how it’s far from perfect – the engine bay, the chromes, the paint, all of it! This guy, reaaly gets it!

And how about those leopard loafers!? Yeah!

As to the music – very well chosen! Especially the one with that drum intro Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich style!

Nice way to kick off my weekend!

Thanks Petrolicious and thanks Michael!

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2 years ago
Robert in LA
Robert in LA

You know, the leopard slippers are great. They really are. I use a slipper like shoe with a round heel, for the rare instances in which I heel and toe my car into a canyon turn. But the cosplay helmet and googles, if I start sporting those around town, do me a favor and push me off Santa Monica Pier.

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2 years ago
Jason
Jason

Beautifully created piece of work that reminds me what seduced me into Classic Cars in the first place.

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2 years ago
Vic
Vic

This is the kind of video that keeps me coming here.

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2 years ago
Robert in LA
Robert in LA

Lovely car. Interesting to know that there were rennsport lightweight & cutdown doors for the 190SL and the minimal windscreen. I have always admired the entire 190 series, including the sedans and coupes. The 190s seemed to me to be one of the very best that MBZ ever built. The components were modular, in a way that other makes were not, and that made them a joy to service. The 190s were in and out of the New England shops where I worked during the 1970s.

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2 years ago
marc
marc

Beautiful car but I think those Webers are in need of some calibration/adjusting/balancing/revision

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2 years ago
AndrewAllred
AndrewAllred

Great to see the San Diego car scene represented. Keepin my eyes peeled for this benz.

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2 years ago
Paul Duesler
Paul Duesler

I’m in love with that car, it’s face rules, the dried milk shift knob reminds me of my 62 bug. What a beautiful German machine. The alum overhead cam cover is gorgeous. The videography is artistic, inviting, and flat out genius. Southern California at night in this German time machine looks like heaven. The dude totally gets his machine, and finding it in his grandparents neighborhood on a walk with his dad is so cool. Agree with folks, music is perfect.

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2 years ago
madmax77
madmax77

Awesome videoand ever more awesome music.
The song around 1:20 is fantastic. Can yoy guys tell the name and artist of that.
Fantastic soundyrack to cruise in my classic BMW.

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2 years ago
Bryan Dickerson
Bryan Dickerson

Yes indeed, excellent! The music, the story, the aesthetic, it all works for me. Nice job everybody!
My older brother had a 190 the I drove surreptitiously when everyone else was out of town. Stock, it wasn’t that sporty but man was it delicious. All the controls so delicate and refined.

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2 years ago
Jack Chesnutt
Jack Chesnutt

What a hoot! Great to see some hotrodding on an old MB. Tiny windscreen? Low-rise doors? No convert-a-top? Fugget-aboudit! You’re in SoCal! Let the traditionalists tut-tut. Put on the helmet and those dancing’ shoes and drive the thing!

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2 years ago
CruiseMulholland
CruiseMulholland

Not my kind of motor but a joy to watch! Beautifully lensed + well edited!
This glove thing however … are you all using those?? I know Grace Kelly did.

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2 years ago
Kurt Uzbay
Kurt Uzbay

One of the best in a long while…
Michael- you’ve done wonderful things to your car.. congrats..
HOWEVER- now its time to drive it, but not just on the roads of SoCal, but on the TRACKS as well…
The car is perfect for all the historic/vintage race series’. VSCCA. HSR. HRG. SVRA. etc etc…
Like you said- it IS a racecar, so use it accordingly.. and then you’ll have a real reason to wear a helmet 😉
Best and congrats again- Kurt

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2 years ago
Michael Potiker
Michael Potiker

Kurt, thank you so much! I’ve actually thought about VSCCA but I don’t think the old girl could take it. There’s also the delicate issue of how to get a roll-cage done without forever converting the car over.

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2 years ago
Kurt Uzbay
Kurt Uzbay

I hear you, Michael.. and the roll cage does indeed need to be structurally permanent in order to pass tech inspection .
How confounding … what to do,,, hmmmm ,…. wait …. I know ! …..
DO IT !!!!!!!
😉

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2 years ago
Arri Gaffer (Patrick Donnelly)
Arri Gaffer (Patrick Donnelly)

Gorgeous bit of film work, Wonderful car and cool cat owner. Loved the costume and the having of fun! The only problem I had was the shoddy state of tune the Webers. Those are very tunable carbs. I know you must be able to find someone in So Cal that still knows how to get them right and have perfect drivability. We did it for our customers. Although there is some novelty to it only running well on the mains, hence the full throttle aspect, I think you will enjoy the car a LOT more when it has proper throttle… Read more »

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2 years ago
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange

The best Petrolicious video so far this year. Really enjoyed it especially the night shots in L.A.

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2 years ago
PorkChopExpress
PorkChopExpress

So, he chopped the windscreen??? and added new doors?? Whoa, I would have thought such a Merc would be untouchable in the custom world.

Hey Petrolicious, you do amazing work. A suggestion: Some vids of racing cars with an interesting history? Like, maybe the Calsonic GTR in Japan or similar from around the world.

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2 years ago
Robert in LA
Robert in LA

The cut down doors and low profile windscreen seem to be Mercedes dealer options, from their ‘rennsport’ series of part.

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2 years ago
JT P
JT P

Beautiful car, beautiful music but give me a break w: the helmet. Nice job overall.

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2 years ago
Dr. Verringer
Dr. Verringer

The good thing is that this guy is not using Turtle Wax 🙂

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2 years ago
Afshin Behnia
Afshin Behnia

Are you absolutely sure? 🙂

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2 years ago
Jonathan WC Mills
Jonathan WC Mills

I’ve been waiting for Potiker’s film ever since I saw this car. Awesome ride and cool owner. Fantastic, unique, passionate. What this hobby, and Petrolicious…is all about.

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2 years ago
Alex G
Alex G

The quality of this video was one of your best. What an owner! He captures why after a while we come to truly love our cars and the role they play in our lives. Someone introduce this guy to a good detailer though, for an epicly beautiful car, and a solid chap, that paint was in rough shape. Nothing 4 hours, a rotary buffer, some polish, and a high quality wax couldn’t fix though.

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2 years ago
Christer Lundem
Christer Lundem

This 190 SL is the twin soul of my Alfa hot rod Duetto. Almost same colour as mine, low windscreen, double Webers etc . Both with nod to history and made with love! Great video and great car!

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2 years ago
Afshin Behnia
Afshin Behnia

Christer, didn’t know you had that. Looks like so much fun!

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2 years ago
Christer Lundem
Christer Lundem

Hi Afshin, I always have somethings up my sleeve. Built it a year ago. More photos on my insta account. It is great fun with about 175 hp and ca 900 kg. If you are in Norway you are welcome to try it!

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2 years ago
Michael Potiker
Michael Potiker

Christer, your car is absolutely fantastic. Where’re you based out of/are you on instagram?

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2 years ago
Christer Lundem
Christer Lundem

Hi Michael, we seem to have the same taste (in cars and other things it seems) I am from Norway. I like the whole look and feel of your 190 SL a lot. Great work! My Insta account is: https://www.instagram.com/benzinacars/

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2 years ago
Tim
Tim

Hi Petrolicious,
I really like your Videos! What Soundtrack is it at 1:18?

Greetings from Germany
Tim

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2 years ago
Nzo
Nzo

Yes the comments on youtube are piling up, what is this music?

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2 years ago
Peter Jimenez
Peter Jimenez

For Pete’s Sake…..I need to know the name of that song. Please Petrolicious!!!!!

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2 years ago
Edward Manson
Edward Manson

From ‘Milan Spasic’ on YouTube, ‘It’s a song from the De Wolfe production music catalog, not available commercially. The artists are Robert Hermel and Yves Allain, the song is called “Visage De Sable”‘.

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2 years ago
John Baker
John Baker

Starting with the tires, and ending with the rubber rat in the engine bay, not exactly “period-correct to a T.” However, there is no denying the owners “passion” for his automobile. Rocking the 50’s driving helmet, gloves, and leopard slippers…in the middle of downtown. You sir, are my American of the day. Thank you.

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2 years ago
Michael Potiker
Michael Potiker

Thanks John! I’ve actually got correct wheels and tires that I show the car on, I just didn’t feel comfortable doing the 30+ minute highway trips between shooting locations on them as a blowout at speed would’ve been horrible.

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2 years ago
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger

Ahhh … ya just gotta love a very mild well done tasteful resto mod ! And this is definitely one of them ! Somewhat period correct … but who cares .. its a gem thats obvious being used rather than stuffed away in some garage/collection . I would take issue with one comment the owner makes though . In reality in So Cal sports car racing a Mercedes such as this would of been much more extensively modified going way beyond any RennSport kit Mercedes would of had on offer . A little more in depth research as well as… Read more »

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2 years ago