Join Hilton & Moss for the story of one of their proudest bare-metal restorations of an iconic Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.
Our friends at Hilton & Moss are known for their high-end restorations, and when we featured their top five recently, we put out a poll on our WhatsApp community to find out your favourite. The slam-dunk winner was the 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, so the Hilton & Moss team have kindly taken us for a deep dive into that car's journey.
We are delighted to share this significant restoration completed by the Hilton & Moss team. After three years and more than 4,000 hours of meticulous craftsmanship, our team has finished a full concours-level nut and bolt restoration of a 1956 Mercedes-Benz W198 300SL Gullwing. This remarkable car, long regarded as one of the most iconic sports cars ever built, arrived with us after spending more than 25 years in storage. Bringing it back to life has been a privilege and a true showcase of the expertise within our workshops.
Every stage of the restoration was carried out in-house, from metalwork to engine and running gear rebuild, paint, electrical systems and interior trimming. This Gullwing is an exceptionally original example. Retaining its factory metalwork on both body and chassis is extremely rare and something our team worked hard to preserve. We finished the car in its correct DB180G Silver-Grey Metallic with 1079 Red leather, a colour combination that captures the spirit and elegance of the 1950s.
We are delighted to share this significant restoration completed by the Hilton & Moss team. After three years and more than 4,000 hours of meticulous craftsmanship, our team has finished a full concours-level nut and bolt restoration of a 1956 Mercedes-Benz W198 300SL Gullwing. This remarkable car, long regarded as one of the most iconic sports cars ever built, arrived with us after spending more than 25 years in storage. Bringing it back to life has been a privilege and a true showcase of the expertise within our workshops.
Every stage of the restoration was carried out in-house, from metalwork to engine and running gear rebuild, paint, electrical systems and interior trimming. This Gullwing is an exceptionally original example. Retaining its factory metalwork on both body and chassis is extremely rare and something our team worked hard to preserve. We finished the car in its correct DB180G Silver-Grey Metallic with 1079 Red leather, a colour combination that captures the spirit and elegance of the 1950s.
We preserved original hammer marks and body stamps, ensuring the car’s handcrafted character remained untouched. Even the floor tubs were refinished in the correct brown-green shade that Mercedes originally applied using surplus WWII military paint. The car also features desirable Rudge knock-off wheels and a matching set of red leather luggage. For this project we created two bespoke lightweight carry bags in the same leather, adding a personalised touch that remains sympathetic to the car’s provenance.
"The Gullwing is a masterpiece of engineering and design. Restoring it has been a privilege for the team. Every detail has been completed with care and respect for the marque."
— William Garrett, General Manager, Hilton & Moss
This restoration reinforces our position as one of the UK’s leading specialists in classic car restoration. With more than 40 years of experience working with the world’s most celebrated marques, we take great pride in delivering work that honours heritage and exceeds expectations.
