During the production life of the W110/230 and the W111/230S, Mercedes-Benz did not produce a station wagon variant. However, if you had money to burn and had a real need for an estate, there was an option available to you. The result was a car known as the Universal, and that is what we are featuring here. It is a rare car in any context, but the owner claims that this is 1-of-3 examples of the 230 that was built in right-hand-drive form. If it appeals to you, then you will find it located in Wylie, Texas, and listed for sale here on eBay. The BIN price for the rare Merc has been set at $28,000.

The history of the Universal is an interesting one, as, during that period in time, Mercedes did not produce an estate version of either its W110 or W111 “Fintail” models. However, a Belgian coach-building company by the name of IMA (Société Anonyme pour l’Importation de Moteurs et d’Automobiles) was undertaking some European vehicle assembly work for Mercedes-Benz. They undertook the design and engineering of an estate version of the company’s Fintail, and these were built by IMA with the full approval of Mercedes. W110 and W111 saloons were shipped to Belgium minus the roof, but fitted with 15″ wheels and self-leveling suspension. IMA then fabricated and undertook the conversion work to produce the Universal, which was covered by the full Mercedes-Benz factory warranty. During 2-years of production, a total of 639 vehicles across the W110 and W111 models were treated to this conversion work. However, this is where we start to run into some confusion regarding the relative rarity of this particular car. The vast majority were built in left-hand-drive form due to their predominantly European target market. I have seen claims that only three examples of the W110, including this one, were built in RHD for. However, I have also seen the same claim for the W111 version, but I haven’t been able to positively confirm either set of claims.

The Mercedes is a relatively neat and tidy car that is finished in a color called Reddish Beige, with an Ivory top. I’m not sure if the paint is all original, as I can see some evidence of a repaint in some areas of the car. What I can’t see looking through the comprehensive set of photos provided by the owner are any signs of rust issues. The floors look like they were undersealed fairly early in the car’s life, and appear to be solid. One of the more rust-prone areas of the 230 is the front end of the rockers, and these also look quite good. Another area that is always worth checking is the bottoms of the door, and once again, I see no indications of problems there. The vast majority of the exterior trim and chrome looks to be in good condition, but there are a few pieces that are missing. The most obvious of these is the hood ornament, but finding a replacement should not be difficult. The Mercedes star and “230” badge are also missing off the tailgate, and the lack of any visible mounting holes for these is another indication that the car has received at least a partial repaint at some point.

The interior of the Universal is looking very tired, but the good news is that items such as door trims and seat covers are all standard Mercedes parts, so sourcing replacement trim pieces shouldn’t be that difficult. What might pose a challenge is the headliner because while the front half is common to the 230 sedan, the rear half was unique to the Universal. Given how severely damaged the headliner is, it might take the work of a competent upholsterer to produce a replacement. The same route may also need to be followed with some of the soft trim in the cargo area, along with the interior trim for the tailgate itself. The cargo area features a distinctive timber floor, and this hard-wearing surface looks like it is in good condition.

From a mechanical standpoint, there is no difference between a Mercedes 230 saloon and a Universal. What you get is a 2,308cc 6-cylinder engine. This produces 118hp, which is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. Performance figures for the Universal aren’t up there with the saloon version, as the conversion work added a not insignificant 200lbs to the 230’s overall weight. The engine in the Mercedes is said to start and run nicely, and the car even drives. However, it has been out of service for a number of years, so components such as the brakes, the exhaust, and some of the soft components such as hoses are going to require attention, and possibly, replacement. Once again, thanks to the fact that the Universal is identical to the saloon in all mechanical aspects, sourcing parts shouldn’t be difficult. One positive is the lack of any obvious sagging in the rear suspension, as rectifying problems in that area can prove to be an expensive proposition.

As a project car, this Mercedes-Benz 230 Universal is not the cheapest car in the market today, but it is one of the more unusual. It will require some work to return it to its best, but once this has been completed, there is a pretty decent chance that it would be a unique addition to a local Cars & Coffee. It should be no surprise to learn that these don’t come onto the market terribly often, and even the more common left-hand-drive versions will easily command prices in excess of $30,000 for a tidy example. If the rarity of this right-hand-drive vehicle can be confirmed, then I would expect its value to be significantly higher, and this has the potential to make it quite a solid investment vehicle.