There comes a time with a restoration project where you have to either put up or shut up, especially for those of us who don’t have the luxury of boundless budgets. You have to weigh whether pursuing the path you’re on makes sense both financially and lifestyle-wise, or if it’s simply not worth going any further. The seller of this 1967 Mercedes-Benz 230SL listed here on eBay has a desirable project in his garage, but is making the judgement call that time is not on his side. The current bid is $7,677 with the reserve unmet.
I will freely admit there was a time a few years ago when my junkyard find Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 was becoming more of a burden than I care to admit. Money, time, labor – all of it being consumed rapidly and still feeling no closer to a finished project. I knew there was a time wherein I could sell the car for parts and still make a small profit, but I ignored that temptation and pressed onwards. The seller of this 230SL doesn’t wish to do that, acknowledging that he’s been working on it for over four years and doesn’t expect he’ll finish it any time soon.
That’s what’s so tricky about long-term projects like these: there are multiple opportunities to either go all-in or pull back and hits the brakes entirely. That’s a distinct memory I have of my Cosworth project, knowing if I stopped, I’d recoup my money and then some, but that if I kept going, it would be straight on ’til morning. Point of no return. The seller of this project Pagoda may be recognizing his passion is not there, and passion is required to bring an incomplete project like this back to life.
Yes, incomplete – he acknowledges there are numerous parts missing, but that he’s also tracked down plenty of OEM components that are still new in the bag. The W113 chassis cars are certainly worth investing in, but it will be many years before you recoup your money on a car like this, should ROI be a concern. The seller may some day regret having sold this car, but if he’s able to park a convertible in the garage he can actually use, the sting may not actually be that strong.
Just a few thousand dollars and you’ll have a
finished car,right?
This one will require someone with considerable time, tools and skills in auto body repair that I do NOT possess. The problem with a Mercedes isn’t parts availability, since Mercedes supports pretty much anything they’ve ever made for decades, but the cost of those parts! The cost of the parts to complete this restoration might rival the annual budget of a small African Nation, LOL! So unless you have a checkbook with a seven-figure balance, you may be hard-pressed to afford the cost of the parts you need to finish this car.
I bought my 190sl in pretty much this condition. I was looking for a 230sl when I came across it. If I had to, I think I could sell the 190sl for more than what I have in it if I don’t count the labor. That’s mostly due to the market appreciation.
I’d consider jumping on this 230sl if it had a manual transmission (preferably the rare 5 speed).
I’ve owned a couple 280sl cars, including the rare Californian Special without a folding top. We’ve also restored a few more 230/50/80sl cars in my shop over the years.
If I owned this car I would start by sourcing a basically complete but VERY rusty car, perhaps one that was brought over to North America years ago, and equipped with the manual gearbox. The 230sl is really slow when equipped with the automatic gearbox when compared with the 250 and 280 versions.
Potential buyers should check panel gaps very closely, as well as check original body/chassis measurements to ensure the structural metal repairs were done correctly.
Because of all the missing parts and the small engine with the auto trans, this could be used as a start for a street rod project.