We’ve written favorably about Mercedes’ entry-level sedan sporting the classic fintail rear end, and this 1967 230 example is made more appealing by virtue of its six-cylinder powerplant. The 230 is said to be a clean project without any major rust and last fired up about a year ago. These aren’t terribly valuable but they are usable classics you can drive every day. Find this one here on craigslist in Virginia for just $2,750, and go here if the ad disappears. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ian C. for the find.
Mercedes’ heckflosse sedans on the W110 platform were the company’s entry-level cars, much like the C- and A-Classes are today. This example was built towards the end of the model’s production cycle, part of the second series which wrapped up in 1968. Not much in the way of physical changes occurred, aside from some mild styling tweaks between the two generations, but the 230 did incorporate reclining front seats as a standard feature. The interior on this car appears to be quite nice.
The seller says the M180 inline-six was last fired up about a year ago. The car will also need fresh brakes if it’s to leave town on anything but a trailer. Interestingly, out of the three engine/model options, the gas-fired six cylinder saw the most limited production, with the diesel and four-cylinder mills outpacing it. Under hood looks quite clean, and while the unconfirmed running condition is a bummer, Mercedes of this generation tend to be fairly robust and simple to diagnose.
The rear quarters are what get most people excited about these cars, as it represented Mercedes’ muted attempt to mimic some of the wild fins gracing many American coupes and sedans. This particular car looks like it may even retain its original paint, as it seems to match under hood and be evenly aged from end to end. Combined with the nicely preserved interior, original hubcaps and decent chrome bumpers, this fintail may be close to road ready if the engine turns out to be in good health and just need minor coaxing to fire again.
You know what is really interesting? Just how close, dimensionally, these six-cylinder Fintails are to the 1963-1964 Rambler Classics and Ambassadors, like the one Scotty Gilbertson posted yesterday here on Barn Finds.
Do a side-by-side comparison to see what I mean.
Both are simple, straight-six-powered four-door sedans with timeless styling.
https://barnfinds.com/all-original-with-287-v8-1963-rambler-classic-660/
Compare with the 58-59-60 and the similarities are even more marked.
Especially the fins
http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/AMC/1958_AMC/1958_Rambler_Brochure/1958%20Rambler-05.html
Just drive one then the other – the Mercedes so precise, solid well made, crisp “click-click-click” shifting, doors that close like a bank vault, handling that rivals most true sports cars then drive the Rambler – I think you’ll see the similarities are most illusory
Maybe dimensionally but the Benz is a far better looking classic than the Rambler IMHO.
I respectfully disagree Karl. Both are classic and timeless in their own way. And the Ambassador V-8 models are especially well-trimmed.
This two-door example was once owned by George Romney.
http://www.motortrend.com/news/driving-george-romney-1964-rambler-classic-550/
At this price, flip it to some hipster doofus for a lot more money!
Lower it. Wheels. Later model 4.5 V8.
Drove one of these to Texas from CT in 1966, and back, at 80 mph much of the way once south of IL, blew a new non-radial Cooper tire, began to run rough in Arkansas, 500 miles from a dealer in all directions back then, engine smoothed out, good old boy, sizeable, at gas station, put the can of oil on the front fender and jammed the spout down into it, putting two semi circular dents in the fender. (The was the middle of the civil rights problems when having plates from New England, let alone in a fancy foreign car, would provoke real antagonism from some, since white northerners were down South stirring up “trouble”.) We, two white guys, looked at each other, agreed quickly not to notice it, paid, and got out of there. The car was, at that point, the most solid, and most comfortable car I had ever driven.
Greetings All,
I could be wrong, but a 230 six cylinder should have 4 headlights not 2?
I thought the single headlight fenders were also shorter by 4″ which was because these were for the four cylinder?
This is most likely an MB Tex upholstered car as there is no bright work on the top of the fin extending and ending about 6″ into the rear door.
My 1967 230 had only two headlights, one per fender.
The 230s has the quad headlights
Heck, Flossy…….I had a ’67 200 in college. Sold it to a friend and he drove it to Fort Collins Colorado from New Orleans around 1975? Now I know its been forty plus years but if any BF’rs see a maroon ’67 200 with a column shift hanging around Fort Collins, it was mine!
These are terrifically sturdy mobiles. You just feel like a very practical upstanding citizen when you own one..even if you’re not :)