Mercedes 300SL Gullwing head on crash

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mark0006

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The pain I am feeling to see this is beyond explanation.



From the article:
The accident happened yesterday morning in Tuscia, Italy and involved a black Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing which was participating in this year's reenactment of the open-road Mille Miglia endurance race (1927-1957). The classic 300SL frontally collided with a BMW 1-Series that was heading to Rome, but the cause of the crash is still unknown at the moment.

Pictures, video, and article

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Thankfully , the report states that , although both drivers were taken to hospital , injuries were not serious .

While it is always sad to see a rare and valuable car such as this one badly damaged , it does at least look repairable - the big question is whether the space frame chassis has been distorted .

There was a club member who had a very similar incident in his Ponton saloon ( it may even have been on the same event , a number of years ago , and the damage looked very similar ) .Thankfully , in that case also , there was no serious injury . While the Ponton is of entirely different construction with rigid body , passenger safety cell and crumple zones front and rear ( the first Mercedes series to have this construction ) the damage looked very similar .

After an appeal through the club , parts were sourced and the car was repaired .

I'm not sure whether the 300SL's space frame construction will make repairs harder or easier ?
 
The Roadster , to my eyes , is such a much nicer car than the Gullwing Coupe .
 
If he had any sense he'd be on the phone to Lloyd - a heck of a lot cheaper than these over priced European restorers and has already been acknowledged as the best outside of MB themselves. Currently restoring a roadster and Sir Sterling Moss's Aluminium bodied Gullwing. :):)
 
as the Merc seems to be on the correct side of the road, it looks as if the mini lost control and went over the central white line on the bend into the opposite lane.
 
as the Merc seems to be on the correct side of the road, it looks as if the mini lost control and went over the central white line on the bend into the opposite lane.

Mini? I thought it was hit by a 1 series. Where the cars end up is not necessarily where the collision occurred.
 
This makes my stomach churn... Its really upsetting to see such a historic car get ruined... It will never be the same again.

I know the guys who own it are super rich but still, got to feel for them..

Would be a dream come true for me to own one of these someday...
 
Surely Kienle Automobiltechnik GmbH are the only ones you would want to do the restoration on that. I thought the boss was an old boy from MB who bought the original manufacturing jigs when Merc offloaded them?
 
Better picture of the BMW here-- BILD---- the BMW driver was evidently a French volleyball coach
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Must have rolled by the look of it?[YOUTUBE]ZxmW-REYNfw[/YOUTUBE]
 
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Can you imagine if it was a BMW 507 crashing into the Gullwing :(
 

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