Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Reconstitution à partir d'une 300 SL de 1955 The racing programme started in 1955 with the Mille Miglia. The 300 SLR was driven by Stirling Moss and navigated by Denis Jenkinson. Their victory made history (1 600 km at 157, 6 kph) without any trouble except refuelling and tyre-changing (but only the rear ones!). After the race, the engine was bench-tested again and it was found that it developed the same power than at the start i.e. 296 bhp at 7 400 rpm. In May at the Nürburgring, Fangio and Moss took the first two places. For Le Mans, three cars were built for Fangio/Moss, Kling/Simon and Levegh/Fitch with brand new engines and a new device : a rear mobile aero-flap to assist braking at the end of the Mulsanne straight. One knows how tragical had been the1955 Le Mans race when Levegh's car went off the track. Mercedes decided to retire the other two cars despite the fact that Moss/Fangio were leading the field by two laps. The 300 SLRs reappeared at the Swedish GP in August with Fangio finishing first and Moss second. On September 17 at the Tourist Trophy, the 300 SLRs scored 1-2-3 and in the Targa Florio in October Moss-Collins went home first ahead of Fangio/Kling in the same car. For the last event of the 1955 season, the Carrera Panamericana, two 300 SLRs were built with a coupé body on the 0007/55 and 0008/55 W 196 S chassis. The mechanical part was absolutely the same as the open cars' one but the interior was lavishly clothed in blue leather. Nevertheless it was still very noisy inside. But the race was cancelled as many other events late in the year 1955 and soon after Mercedes announced that the firm gave up all racing activities. Rudolf Uhlenhaut who did not matter to be sometimes seen as an eccentric used to drive at early hours one of these coupés as a daily transport and Stuttgart streets were often waked up by the fabulous sound of the 8-cylinders's free exhaust! One of these coupés is in the Mercedes Museum, the other in the Dönhoff Museum in Langenburg. As it is unthinkable to imagine that these museums would sell one of theses jewels, it is not surprising to know that Rolf Meyer bought out the foolish project of an enthusiast living in Los Angeles. This man had the idea to have an "Uhlenhaut" coupé made on the basis of his 300 SL. He commissioned the company "Scotts Restauration" for the job. A wooden model at the right sizes of the car taken on the original SLR kept in Stuttgart was built which was used to make the aluminium body, the construction of it lasting three years in England. Some adjustements had to be made and details had to be modified. Concerning the engine, the chassis and the Gullwing doors mechanism, the original measurements being different of those of the production 300 SL. The American amateur went bankrupt after having invested (according to the informations given by Scotts Restauration) more than 800 000 dollars! Rolf Meyer resumed the work after acquiring the Scotts Restauration project which was then completed up to 75 per cent. He also bought the wooden master model for his museum when he knew that the Gullwing Company wanted to buy it in view of building another example. The project is not completed yet and the electric harness, the interior and the finish are to be made. The model of the dashboard and that of the body are sold with the car. An important file of detailed photos of the 300 SLR Coupé kept in the Stuttgart Museum will be given to the Buyer along with the drawings of the 1955 8-cylinder SLR engine. European title € 100/120 000