As Europe’s leading SL specialist, we are fortunate to meet some great people through our work. Many of our customers have become friends, and Lee Craze is a prime example.
We were first introduced to Lee when he arrived for a health check in a recently purchased Mercedes-Benz R107 500SL in Signal Red. The car had come from another dealer, but Lee wanted a complete check of the vehicle. As we got to know more about Lee, it became obvious that this was a true petrol head, a man with a passion for Mercedes-Benz cars and the ambition to build a small collection.
The Health Check showed some significant areas of improvement for the car, including the all-important bulkhead. As the work commenced on Lee’s 500SL progressed, Lee’s visits to SLSHOP became more regular. Lee is a larger than life character, a booming personality that’s great fun to have around the showroom. Bruce, Sam and Lee formed a friendship over a shared passion for all things classic Benz.
During one if Lee’s visits to check on his car, he was drawn to an immaculate Signal Red 300SL in the showroom. The car had been completely restored by SLSHOP and was having the final checks ready to be offered for sale. Within an hour of spotting the car, Lee had bought it.
“I hadn’t planned to buy the car, it was just here in showroom and looked magnificent, all finished and all done.”
With plans to tour with the 500SL and cherish the 300SL, Lee knew his automotive collecting had begun.
Further conversations with Bruce moved onto the subject of a Pagoda, which one to have, what colour, what interior… it wasn’t long before Lee acquired a beautiful Anthracite Grey car, sourced by SLSHOP and given some significant improvements in our workshops.
Now with three SLs in the collection, Lee wanted to up the ante. With a 300SL and a 500SL to play with, Lee got curious about the SportLine. Combining the svelte characteristics of the 300SL with a manual gearbox and some clever tweaks to the suspension, the SportLine was just too exciting a proposition to ignore. Not long after driving it for the first time, our red 300SL SportLine took up permanent residence with Lee.
With an impressive collection of SLs developing, it was time for something a little different. This time it would be the wonderful 300SEL 6.3 that caught Lee’s attention.
With its gangster reputation and imposing looks, the big 6.3 suits Lee’s style and personality. All of the cars see regular use, but Lee particularly likes surprising people with the big saloon.
“I was filing her up at the petrol station and noticed some guys admiring the car. I overheard one of them say ‘I bet it’s not the 6.3’ before his mate went round to the back of the car to check for a badge…. Then I heard him yell ‘f*ck me it is a 6.3!’. That really made me smile!”
Lee drives the SportLine whenever he can, and kindly leant us cars from his collection to display at the Caffeine & Machine Day and our Open Day. If you saw the SportLine at our Open Day, it was because Lee loves to show it off!
Over the last few years we have enjoyed working with customers like Lee, helping source excellent and quite specific cars for people and going the extra mile to assist with the curation of collections. Lee isn’t the only customer we have sold multiple cars to. Anyone who has spent time with Bruce and Sam knows the dedication to the cars and the level of expertise that goes into building them.
Lee understands that when you buy an SLSHOP car, you’re buying into the family, and you’re buying the very best.
We’re confident that Lee will be back for another car in the not too distant future.
He hasn’t got an R129 in the collection just yet…
