Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – Glen Clova, c. 1959
A wonderful glimpse into Ewart family life in the Scottish Highlands during the late 1950s.
Filmed during a family camping trip to Cortachy, in Glen Clova, Angus, Scotland, this rare colour footage features my mother, Janet Ewart (née Ogilvy), my father, Jack Ewart, and my elder brother, Richard, alongside their striking red Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing.
The footage is believed to date from approximately 1959. My brother, Richard Albert Cameron Ewart, was born in January 1957 and appears to be around two years old in the film. This estimate is supported by our other surviving Ewart family films from the same period.
Richard’s initials — R.A.C.E. — were surely no coincidence, given our father Jack’s lifelong passion for cars and motor racing. A delightful detail that speaks volumes about Dad’s enthusiasm for all things automotive.
The location also holds particular family significance, being close to the area where my mother Janet grew up in Cortachy.
Beyond its personal memories, the film captures a fascinating moment in motoring history, featuring one of the most distinctive sports cars of the 1950s against the beautiful Angus countryside.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing coupé was manufactured between 1954 and 1957, meaning that my father’s example would have been approximately two to five years old when this film was recorded. All 1,400 Gullwing coupés produced were left-hand drive, and just 29 featured lightweight aluminium body construction instead of the standard steel bodyshell.
My father Jack owned two Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings, the other being silver. I intend to share another family film featuring the silver car in due course. According to my brother Barrie, the red Gullwing featured in this footage subsequently found its way into the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, although I have yet to independently verify this fascinating detail of its history.
From the Ewart family film archive, preserved and presented by Ramsay Allan.