TEAMS EVENT

The hotly contested Teams Event — generally limited to eight teams — is judged to the same rules as the Masters Class. Each club entry consists of two cars — clubs can enter more than one team — and the winning team earns the right to host the following year’s event.

With nine teams entered this year, it was always going to be close. Fortunately, the teams of judges were able to perform their duties under cover as they methodically worked their way through their areas of expertise.

At the end of the day, and after a long and challenging judging session, Garry Boyce emerged as the winner, with his two superbly presented Mercedes-benz 300 SL Roadsters, which earned a combined total score of 1117 out of a possible 1180 points.

World first

The Mercedes-benz 300 SL Roadster was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1957. It is acknowledged by many to be the first of the supercars. From new, most were capable of an estimated 247kph. Many features were automotive firsts, including direct-into-the-cylinder fuel injection and a multi-tube space-frame chassis.

The shape and form are quintessential 1950s, and defy their 60-year age. Many of the classic styling elements introduced in the 300 SL are still being incorporated into their modern-day counterparts.

The Mercedes-benz Club Auckland celebrated the 60th anniversary of the vehicle by entering Garry Boyce’s identical pair of 1957 300 SL Roadsters in this year’s Teams Event — the first time worldwide that a pair of fully restored identical 300 SL Roadsters have been judged in competition together.

Both cars were built in 1957 and delivered later that year — chassis No. 7500154 on November 6, 1957 and chassis No. 7500326 on December 17, 1957. The pair were assembled 172 cars apart.

Finished identically with DB180 metallic grey paintwork and DB 201 black leather trim, the cars were both fully restored in New Zealand, from a distressed and abandoned condition, by Mercedes-benz specialist Lloyd Marx.

Car No. 154

Garry found car No. 154 — plate number ‘1957SL’ — in the Netherlands in 2003, and the restoration was completed in late 2007. It was entered in the Masters Class at this event in 2008, and achieved the highest points ever awarded at that time: 565 out of a possible 590 points.

The car was subsequently taken to the US and won Best Show Roadster and Best of Show at the Gull Wing Group International Convention in Sonoma, California. In the past 10 years, the car has been extensively used in both the US and New Zealand, covering about 25,000km. Over the past two months, it has been meticulously refreshed and prepared for concours judging.

Car No. 326

Garry discovered this classic barn find on a farm 12km out of Te Kuiti. Car No. 326 — plate ‘300SLR’ — was being used as a donor car for the rebuild of a 1956 300 SL Gullwing. The ex-uk car was in bad shape, with extensive corrosion, and 90 per cent of the steel bodyshell needed to be replaced during the restoration process. The aluminium boot lid, bonnet, and doors are original. The full restoration of this car was completed just prior to the Ellerslie Classic Car Show.