Mercedes-Benz SL • 1970 • 100,000 km

This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL was sold new in Los Angeles and was acquired in 1975. Power is provided by a fuel-injected 2.8L inline-six paired with a 4-speed manual transmission, and the car has been repainted in the original Silver Metallic over a black interior. It was stored for approximately 15 years and recently returned to the shop which has serviced it for most of its life for an inspection, new battery, power steering fluid, fuel pump, brake master cylinder and an oil and filter change. It is VERY hard to find clean unrestored 280SL, especially 4 speed cars. This car has had about 300 miles put on since coming out of storage and is ready to either enjoy as a wonderful unrestored car, or an excellent base for a restoration. The car was repainted in the original Silver Metallic at some point in the 1990s. Pitting of the chrome is noted principally on the factory removable hardtop, with some shown on the bumpers and grille trim. The hardtop weather seals are older. The body has not had any metal work done since 1975 and has original spot welds in front fenders, front bumper and rear. Pinch welds on the underside of the hood and inner fenders are shown in the gallery below. The convertible top is solid but old and shows some wear. The soft top window is discolored, the soft top fabric should likely be replaced. The 14″ wheels wear color-matched covers and an older set of Michelin Primacy MX4 tires. The cabin is upholstered in its ORIGINAL black MB-Tex with gray carpets. Like the rest of the car, nearly all of the interior is original. Wear-through is shown in the driver’s footwell near the pedals and near the center of the passenger footwell. An aftermarket radio is installed in the factory location, and aftermarket speakers are positioned on the rear cargo shelf. The factory two-spoke steering wheel features a separate horn ring and fronts a suite of factory instrumentation which includes a 140-mph speedometer, 7k-rpm tachometer, and fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure gauges. 17k miles are shown, and the odometer has rolled over once. The 2.8-liter M130 inline-six features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and produced 168 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque when new. Drive is sent rearward via a 4-speed manual transmission. Engine starts right up, runs cool and drives great. Steering is tight, clutch is great, shifts are easy. There is some moisture from the driveline, with a few drips appearing if the car sits for an extended period. As the car has been driven more since storage, drips have seemed to lessen.