Chassis Number: 1880135500007
The elegant 300Sc cabriolet presented here was dispatched to the New York Mercedes-Benz distributorship in early 1956 and, according to a copy of its factory build record, was finished in dark brown with a beige leather interior. While little has been documented about its earlier years, in about 2001, the car was discovered in Ohio on the showroom floor of an independent repair shop owned by a marque specialist. Well-known Mercedes-Benz restorer and historian Rudi Koniczek of Victoria, B.C., Canada, with his business partner, negotiated the Scโs purchase via Mercedes-Benz authority Peter Thomas of Arizona. A closer inspection revealed to Mr. Koniczek that, though the color had been changed to cream, the car was a particularly intact example. It showed just over 60,000 miles, and the engine number, stamped on the driverโs side of the block, matched the factory build record. After years of further conservatorship, the cabriolet was sold in 2015 to a collector who retained Mr. Koniczekโs shop, Rudi & Company, to perform a major mechanical and cosmetic recommissioning at a cost of over $345,000 Canadian. The work included a bare-metal respray in the original dark brown, retrimming of the interior and canvas top, and considerable mechanical work as necessary throughout the car. In all, over 1,800 hours of labor were devoted to the refurbishment, which concluded in 2017. The 300Sc continues to present today as an extremely attractive, driver-quality example. Accompanied by an ownerโs manual and jack, the 300Sc features three matched pieces of extremely rare factory Karl Baisch fitted luggage. As beautiful and scarce as it is drivable and enjoyable, this hand-built post-war Mercedes-Benz flagship represents the epitome of the Mercedes-Benz marque at a time when cost was no object.
