This 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL is the kind of car you want to buy if you’re looking for a survivor to restore. Not only has it been in longtime, one-family ownership, it is equipped with the desirable manual transmission and is said to be incredibly original. After a modest parking lot fender-bender put the car on the backburner for a mild refresh, it remained standing in the garage of the original owners until their transition to assisted living. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $15K.
The seller does a nice job telling the story of how this 230SL “Pagoda” was the couple’s pride and joy, but one of member of the duo had trouble navigating tight spaces. A hit-and-run in a parking lot caused the damage you see here, which was never fixed after striking out on finding a competent body shop to make the repairs. The 230SL remained garage-bound for decades until a house fire forced the owners to move and move along the pretty Mercedes convertible.
With an excellent color combination and the aforementioned manual transmission, the Pagoda is quite desirable just based on its options alone. Factor in the high levels of originality and the lack of rust and you have a desirable combination for a car to auction – if you’re the seller! I suspect the price on this one will easily clear $25K, even if the market for this soft-top Mercedes has cooled a bit from a few years ago.
The seller is a British repair shop and they admit they’re not the ones to attempt restoring this car; hence, it has not been started or had any work done other than four used tires installed. The engine bay looks tired, and I’m sure there’s years of deferred maintenance to tackle. But these cars are getting harder to find in honest condition like this one, and the third pedal puts it over the top for me.
“Modest parking lot fender bender”? I think that more than one body panel and paint takes it out of the “modest” range. I also question the “no rust” claim. look closely. As much as I am charmed by its green interior and third pedal, I would proceed with caution.
I don’t care what the seller says, this car does not look pampered. It looks like it was “… ridden hard and put away wet”
These were rusters and where there’s smoke there’s fire that’s not to say that it can’t be repaired it can but by the time your done with this you will have spent a truck load of cash on it. A don’t think it was driven though it looks like a key high milage car that’s had 40 years of neglect. When you add in the body damage this is not $24k + car and even though the interior looks pretty good as soon as you star using it it will start to fall apart. So you might get a year or so out of it then more work will be needed. Unless it just going to be a trailer queen from here on out. As for rust once it starts it can’t be easily stopped and unless it’s cut out it will be back.
It’s already over 50,000 bid on it! I am amazed!
….never underestimate the power of a green interior…
My ebay link still says 23k. Are we looking at the same car?
“rust at the bottom of the rear fenders” represents a sizeable investment to correct, and I would be surprised if the driver’s door opens without some resistance with the modest damage. This was hung up wet, as expressed earlier. Requires an entry-level price in order to be given some TLC again.
The prior owners weren’t able to find a competent repair shop to take on the repairs to their beloved Mercedes? Even if there weren’t any independent garages specializing in Euro cars, they could have taken it to the nearest M-B dealer [whom better to get your pride & joy back to looking her best?]