Bidding ends later today for this rare C107 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC, the fixed roof version of its classic roadster. I’ve always had a thing for making a coupe out of a car traditionally only seen as a convertible, like the BMW Z3 converted to a “clown shoe” or the Ferrari 250 GTO modified into a breadvan, and who can forget the early Mazda Miata NA concept car with a solid roof conversion. The Mercedes shown here on eBay never reached that same level of rarity, but this one sounds like it was cherished by a family member who left it to his heirs.
To me, it was simply a better-looking car than the R107 ever was. And when Mercedes decided to go rallying, and built the highly limited 500SLC and 450SLC 5.0, they created an instant collector’s item that’s near impossible to find today. The 450SLC isn’t nearly the same beast as those cars from a performance standpoint, especially here in the U.S. where we got a heavily de-tuned version of the corporate V8. Overseas, this same car produced 222 b.h.p. and 279 lb.-ft. of torque. Stateside, we got whacked down to 180 b.h.p. and 220 lb.-ft. of torque.
That made a big difference in a somewhat heavy car that also was equipped almost exclusively with a lazy shifting automatic transmission. But for most buyers, they didn’t car – it was all about the prestige factor. Normally, a long-dormant R107/C107 isn’t anything to hold out much hope for, but this car has some encouraging signs. I’ve been around Mercedes products long enough to recognize that the seat covers have likely done an excellent job of preserving the leather and the custom floor mats the old-school cell phone mount suggest there was an owner along the way who truly enjoyed driving and caring for this vintage coupe.
The listing description notes that the 450SLC was inherited after being stored for an extended period under cover and in a garage. It certainly reads like a loved one passed away and the car went straight to a son or daughter. The listing notes that it cranks but will not run and that the usual assortment of deferred maintenance will be required, including a full fuel system clean-out and all other basic start-up repairs. It has 175,000 miles on the clock, which I actually see as encouraging because it was actually driven. The seller has listed it with a suggested opening bid of $5,000 and there’s no action yet.
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