VIN: Rob Walker's first Mercedes-Benz W198 300 SL Gullwing chassis 198.040.4500141
History of chassis 198.040.4500141
Chassis 198.040.4500141 was the first customer Gullwing delivered to the UK.
It was ordered by racing team owner, Rob Walker, who specified Silver Grey paint, full red leather upholstery and Rudge wheels.
The second example shipped to the UK arrived a week later for wealthy industrialist and Aston Martin company owner, David Brown.
Rob Walker was the great grandson of John Walker who, in 1820, founded the Johnnie Walker brand of Scotch whisky. John Walker’s son and grandson (Alexander and Alexander II) were responsible for establishing Johnnie Walker on the international scene.
As heir to the Johnnie Walker fortune, Rob Walker was able to indulge his passion for fast cars and motor racing.
By the time of his 21st birthday in 1938, Walker had owned 21 cars. That year, he purchased a Delahaye Type 135 sports racing car from a showroom on Park Lane. He bought the Delahaye for £400, which was £60 more than his annual allowance.
Walker went on to race, sprint and hillclimb the Delahaye. In 1939, he joined up with Arthur Dobson to contest the 1939 Le Mans 24 Hours.
During World War 2, Walker served in the Fleet Air Arm.
The Rob Walker Racing Team was founded in 1953 and went on to achieve great success. The outfit initially ran a Connaught A-type with drivers such as Stirling Moss, Tony Rolt and Eric Thomson.
Walker’s cars nearly always appeared in the Scottish national colours of blue with a white noseband.
The steel-bodied Gullwing was delivered on January 31st 1954 to Mercedes-Benz distributor, Woking Motors. Rob Walker collected the car that day and returned to his home in Nunney, Somerset.
How long Rob Walker retained chassis ‘141’ is unclear. However, it is unlikely to have been more than a few months because, by mid 1955, Walker was in possession of a second Gullwing, this time a white alloy-bodied example (chassis 198.043.5500840).
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Mercedes-Benz - https://www.mercedes-benz.com
