Since the SLSHOP started out, we’ve been graced with an amazing variety of ownership stories, from customers turned friends who continue to inspire us today. We are grateful for these ownership stories, which is why we want to share their passion with the you and the world. 

Samuel Addison resides in the United States and owns a variety of Mercedes-Benz SL models, including the R107 and R129 models. Sam tells us how he came to own the R107 and how this has led to unexpected but deserved successes at stateside Mercedes-Benz Club shows.

Classic Mercedes’ have always interested me. After a casual 8 year search, I bought my first classic Mercedes sight unseen in 2015…a 1990 300GE imported from the Netherlands that I am never planning on selling. In February of 2017, my cousin, Daniel, called me about this 1985 380SL. He builds custom furniture, and was talking to a couple wanting a custom kitchen about 20 minutes from my house. 

Before moving forward with the project, they said they needed to sell the “old Mercedes in the garage” first.  Daniel immediately called me to see if I was interested, and knowing it was a R107, I was expecting it to be neglected like a lot of them have been. But, it was close to my house and I’m always up for seeing an old Mercedes. My girlfriend, Liz, and I went to go see the car and the gentleman selling the car opened the garage door and among the boxes and disused workout equipment was this immaculate Diamond Blue Metallic 380SL.   The gentleman bought the car almost 3 years earlier for his wife’s 50th birthday present…and she drove it once or twice in that time and it was on its second tank of (ethanol free) fuel since they had it. 

For the condition and 64,000 miles, the price was more than fair so just had to get it with the plan of fixing a few things and flipping it…and wanting to help my cousin get the job of course.  I drove my 6 speed Crossfire to see the SL, so without being able to drive a manual car, Liz had the honour of driving the SL back to my house. 

I got home and immediately wanted to drive it, deciding to go to my parents house to show them. The first thing my mother said (since she knew the plan was to flip it) was: “don’t name it or you will get attached to it”.  It was too late for that and within 24 hours, I named it Mary-Ann after my grandmother because class never goes out of style. We haven’t taken any really long journeys in it, but over the last 4 years, have used it to cruise the back roads in the mountains of North Carolina, and as Charles Morgan said of the R107, “lets you celebrate the landscape”.   Liz and I like taking it to the Mercedes club gathering at Shelton Vineyards where it has won top 12 two years in a row (covid canceled the show last year) and also was judged and received the Mercedes silver star preservation award. This spring, it was accepted to be shown at the Sandhills Motoring Festival Concours in Pinehurst on Memorial Day weekend. After the initial sorting (shocks, motor mounts, subframe mounts, etc), it has been completely reliable and feels like a special event every time I get behind the wheel.

Get in touch with your ownership stories – the more detailed the better. We want to hear about your endurance rallies, your first classic SL drive and even those cars you regret selling.