47-Years-Owned 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL has spent the last 47 years with the same owner and was subject to an engine overhaul in 2000. Described as accident free and mechanically sound, a $6,500 service that touched the brakes and M130 single-cam inline-six was recently performed, and power is sent to the rear wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission. Finished in factory-offered Tunis Beige metallic over a black interior, this 280SL was repainted in its original color in 2002, is equipped with air conditioning, and is now offered for sale from its long-term owner. 

The Mercedes-Benz W113 SL earned the Pagoda nickname thanks to its concave roof design, and this example is from the second-to-last model year. Painted in factory-offered Tunis Beige metallic (462H), the current finish is described as a respray which was performed in 2002. Trim and other exterior appointments appear unchanged from stock and blue and yellow California plates are mounted front and rear. Per the seller, a new Stayfast Haartz tan canvas soft top will come with the car.

US-market equipment includes sealed-beam headlights and amber turn signal lenses, which remain in place. Newer 195/70 Kumho Solus tires are mounted on 14" wheels with color-matched hubcaps, and twin exhaust pipes in the factory configuration are visible beneath the rear bumper. A small dent is visible in the driver-side bumper per the seller, as is a crack in the turn signal portion of the passenger-side headlamp.

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The interior is lined with black upholstery on the seats and door panels which is punctuated by wood trim on the dash and center console. The steering wheel is the factory design but its rim has been wrapped in a leather cover. Sisal floor mats line the footwells and the original Becker Europa radio has been replaced by a unit with a vintage look and modern capability. The gauge cluster includes a 140-mph speedometer and and a 7,000-rpm tachometer with vertical scales in between them for fuel, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and level. The five-digit odometer displays 9,075 miles, which is believed to indicate 109,075.

An array of vents for the air conditioning system is mounted below the instrument panel and stretches from the passenger side to beneath the radio. The trunk is home to a full-size spare tire and jack. The seller reports the following issues: a small area of corrosion on the upper half of the driver-side of the trunk, which has been treated; the internal heater/defrost shutoff valve requires repair; tears in the vinyl boot lid cover, though a new leather boot lid cover will go with the car; the new non-functioning clock requires repair; and there are cracks in the steering wheel & dashboard. In addition, the seller notes that a German loop carpet kit in brown (L-909) will come with vehicle, if the buyer desires.

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More than half of W113 280SL production was sold in the U.S., and these cars were equipped with an M130 SOHC, 12-valve inline-six making 158 horsepower instead of the 168 for Europe and the rest of the world. This example runs a four-speed automatic transmission and was treated to an overhaul of its M130 2.8-liter power plant in 2000, with another recent service noted which touched the engine brakes at a cost of $6,500. 

Additional photos of the underside are available in the gallery.