Join the Family

Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter featuring the very latest from Petrolicious. Don’t be left out—join the ranks of those who Drive Tastefully.

Already a member?

How was the drive?

We're glad you're back.

Not a member yet?

Forgot your password?

Reset Your Password

We'll get you back on track.

Films: Mercedes 300SL Gullwing At Bonneville Gives Us Salt Fever
5
UP NEXT
Made To Drive | S3 E1
The Martini Mustang Is Loud & Fast Art
Become a Member,
Watch the Full Episode

Become a Petrolicious Member to access exclusive content, our new printed magazine - Drive Tastefully Quarterly, member pricing in the P Shop, access to events and more.

Learn more
Made To Drive | S03 E02

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.
21
View Comments
Up Next
The Martini Mustang Is Loud & Fast Art
UP NEXT
Play
Made To Drive
The Martini Mustang Is Loud & Fast Art
For Steve Strope of Pure Vision, turning his idea into loud and fast art is something very few fabricators can dedicate themselves to. His concept was created from a “what if” moment, where he imagined Ford and Martini Racing teaming up to dominate rally races across Europe. Powered by a 1966 Ford/Lotus Indy Car motor, this fastback Mustang is serious business when it comes to performance. Much like a watchmaker who knows the purpose of each moving part, Steve’s design signature can be found hidden in the car’s details. As enthusiasts spend hours discovering new pieces crafted for his Mustang, Steve smiles from ear to ear and is envigorated to start his next project. Nothing has been left untouched and everything on this Mustang is meant to set your imagination on fire.
Made To Drive
VIEW ALL
Mercedes-Benz
0 0 votes
Article Rating
21 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
trackback
Opinion: When does the MX-5 become sacred? - MX-5 Owners Club
3 years ago

[…] Icon and their reengineered Land Cruisers, and that special breed of guys who turn Ferrari F40s and Mercedes 300SL Gullwings into salt flat racers are especially adept at raising the blood pressure of the purists, and long may they continue. We […]

0
Brian Gillespie
Brian Gillespie(@brian_at_hasport)
7 years ago

We pitted next to him at Bonneville. It was fun talking to him. The video doesn’t do justice to car. It is absolutely georgeous in every tiny detail.

1
Ric Johnson
Ric Johnson(@ericjohnson)
8 years ago

This is the Gullwing John Fitch drove at Bonneville when he was 87! There is an even more beautiful video than the one above that chronicles that attempt , “A Gullwing at Twilight: The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch”. It’s a gorgeous, poignant DVD that is one of my all time favorites. If you enjoyed the clip above you’ll be blown away by the documentary, and if you don’t know who John Fitch was this will fill that gap in your petrol head knowledge. Suffice it to say that he was a true American hero as a WWII fighter pilot, racer, team leader and inventor. You can buy it directly from the DVD’s producer, Chris Szwedo at http://www.szwedo.com . You absolutely will not regret it!

0
David P
David P(@secablue)
8 years ago

Great vid – great car.

Can someone tell me what the music is please?

Thanks,

SB

0
Mark Sullivan
Mark Sullivan(@theswerve)
8 years ago

Bob you are so right, I’ve watched this video so many times over, the most profound statement ever “your only hear once and you can’t take it with you” followed by the ultimate “put it away wet and wear it out”, fantastic well done !!

0
Michael Squeo
Michael Squeo(@enzobindo)
8 years ago

Didn’t John Fitch also run a Gullwing at Bonneville?

0
Adam Holter
Adam Holter(@aholter90)
8 years ago

Lovely video! What a great car, and a great relationship to his car. Hats off for beating the piss out of it!

0
Rodney Wren
Rodney Wren(@wren)
8 years ago

Great video as always. Would love to see and hear this car at full song on the flats.

0
Nuno Relha Vaz
Nuno Relha Vaz(@nrv)
8 years ago

To have fun, drive or even race with it, couldn’t agree more! Now, if you are talking about opening holes in that car – that is a crime! drive tastefully, is that tastefully??? No it’s not

0
Son of stig
Son of stig(@sonofstig)
8 years ago

how about some more details about the car itself

0
Brian Fowler
Brian Fowler(@motronicbrain)
8 years ago

Inspirational. Will be driving the fun car to work tomorrow now:)

0
Adam
Adam(@pib84)
8 years ago

I couldn’t agree more. All the collectors that just buy all those cars that the true petrolhead worships just to speculate with money they should all just go and f themselves. Go buy some painted red squares for millions and leave cars to those who love them.

0
Brian Cohen
Brian Cohen(@typ356)
8 years ago

I agree. Drive it!

0
Niklaus Gingro
Niklaus Gingro(@kingcrowing)
8 years ago

Love the car & love that he’s driving it. But it’s a bit too bad that it’s a landspeed car rather than an autox or pro touring sort of car because he can’t drive this on the road, in fact he can’t even start the car without a push. Still, more power to him!

0
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange(@365daytonafan)
8 years ago

Brilliant, cool car, cool owner. In the banner picture the car is shown with red wheel covers which don’t appear in the video. I assume the are for aerodynamics? Do they make much difference?

0
Ben Lamboeuf
Ben Lamboeuf(@ducbeak)
8 years ago

Couldn’t agree more. I’ve enjoyed driving my ’67 Mustang Fastback since 1996; I should know what playing with your toys means. Nothing beats this man’s view on life.

0
Future Doc
Future Doc(@futuredoc)
8 years ago

Another great video petrolicious

0
kevin doleshal
kevin doleshal(@kcpig2170)
8 years ago

Smart man….Great car….

0
Flyinglotus
Flyinglotus(@flyinglotus)
8 years ago

ahh that sound 😮

Could you guys please make a video, with only engine sounds, just like that last shot? 🙂

0
Inigo Loy Colmenar
Inigo Loy Colmenar(@fb_758048858)
8 years ago

AMEN!!

0
Denis Markus
Denis Markus(@dmarkus)
8 years ago

I love this man’s philosophy. Great car too.

0