For a hot minute a few months ago, I considered making a run at a gray market Mercedes-Benz 300SL, otherwise known as an R107. The trouble is, while some low-mileage examples have sold for good money, it was hard to justify at the seller’s asking price considering how needy these can get in a hurry. This 1973 450SL here on eBay is located in Connecticut but the seller claims it is a California car that’s been stored indoors since making the move eastward.
The 450SL has had an interesting history: it was stolen in the 1980s in California and recovered, at which point it was given a replacement VIN number. The seller isn’t sure whether the slim bumpers indicate this to be a Euro-spec car, but I believe all 73’s got the desirable chrome units. The paint looks tired, or perhaps just dusty, but the body looks straight and rust-free as the seller promised.
The interior looks better than expected, but the seat covers prevent us from getting the full story. Since the seller mentions new leather covers are included in the sale, I’m guessing the seating surfaces are tired. The dash looks nice although there’s some evidence of cracking. The JVC tape unit isn’t original and an OEM replacement would do wonders for the interior.
The seller mentions the Mercedes runs rough and has a transmission leak. The latter could be as simple as a shaft seal or indicative of a larger problem necessitating transmission rebuild or replacement. Rough running can be tied to so many different causes, especially in cars laden with tons of vacuum lines like this one. A “non-original” hardtop is included, and while the asking price isn’t awful, I’d feel much better making a lower offer on a project like this R107.
In my experience these ’70s – ’80s SLs are luxury vehicles with very solid chassis that feel like they were made from a single chunk of steel that never flexes no matter what the road is like.
The downside for me and probably other performance car fans is that they ride very soft on the road, the opposite of what you expect of a performance car.
It seems that the original 300SL set a performance tone in the 1950s, but then SLs were marketed to our elders, who wanted a luxurious cushioned ride….until recent times, when M-B bought AMG and went back to their original performance roots for their SL line so they could better compete with BMW an VW Group.
They changed the bumpers in ’74.
this is a North American version – Given the potential cost of repairs including replacing the dash, it will be cheaper to find a good one than to start with this. Good ones can be found for under $10k all over the country. I currently own two 560SL’s and have owned many others. As the saying goes – buy the best one you can afford and then maintain it properly. These are great cars and I’ve seen beautiful examples with more than 200k miles on them
I would like to bid on this car, but I am a little cautious! I would love to see under it! I have always loved and wanted one of these, but I am unsure about the price!
Wrong Way,
Depending on where an older SL spent most of it’s life, these can be incredibly rusted, to the point where the doors won’t close if you open both at the same time.
I’ve bought several Theft Recovery cars over the years and each one came with a new clear title using the original VIN. If they issued a new VIN, that means ALL of the public and hidden VINs were removed or defaced to the point the original number could no longer be recognized. Probably the same situation with the engine block number. This could present a problem when ordering parts for the car, as the M/B factory requires a VIN & motor number for many parts.
Actually, they issue replacement vins if the visible vins have been replaced and the new vin will be linked to the original confidential vin that will still be found. The way it would be found out to be stolen is that the vin on the dash would be checked against the hidden vin. Once it was determined to be “tagged” the the insurance company would have to have the DMV revin it before they could sell it on, since one cannot replace Vins at all.
Mitch,
there are cases where a state will replace a VIN with their own number. I had a 1938 Packard 120 Eight. In 1938 ONLY, Packard did a stupid thing by using printed acetate plastic decals on the firewall, with a rubber stamped VIN. NONE of the 1938 Packard production cars have a surviving serial number decal because the acetate degrades with age. The firewall number is the only place on the car with the VIN.
So even with the correct title, because the car didn’t have an attached correct surviving VIN, the state of Maryland, in it’s infinite wisdom [or lack thereof], insisted on putting it’s own VIN plate on the firewall, even drilling 2 holes in the firewall [in the wrong location] and permanently mounting it, issuing a matching title. They wouldn’t even let me register the VIN using the Engine number.