1967 Mercedes-Benz 230SL

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Type: Used
Year: 1967
Make: Mercedes-Benz
Model: 230SL
Body: Convertible
Engine Size: 2308cc 6 cyl 170HP
Trans: Manual
Mileage: 104500
VIN: 11304210019182
Stock: 182
Ext Color: White
Int Color: Blue

West Coast Classics are proud to present an extremely rare barn find (garage really!) of this all stock and original 1967 Mercedes 230SL 'Pagoda' roadster in its original 'Papyrus White' (Color code 717G) color paint with a 'Dark Blue' all original interior with very desirable original factory options of the 4 speed manual transmission, power steering, original 'Becker Europa AM/FM' radio, factory clock, a new German matching 'Dark Blue' canvas soft top and original factory 'Papyrus White' hard top! The car also has all its original tools, handbooks, hard top garage hoist and dealer Protecto-plate.

 
Recently purchased from its long time recent family owners who had stored the car in their garage for the last couple of years and which we recently purchased and had serviced at our preferred independent Mercedes specialists, the renown 'Malibu Motors' of Santa Monica, CA. We had the camshaft and bearings and valves adjusted and re-torqued the cyclinder heads. All fluids were changed as were all drive belts, fan belts and the power steering pump return hose and the drag-link hard start and cold start valve relay were also replaced. The car now runs very well with no issues and is an absolute pleasure to drive. There are no signs of any accident damage and no rust.

The car also has records until 2014 showing many years of service previously at 'The Bavarian Autohause' of Exeter, CA showing that at no time was any expense spared on this particular car's preventive maintenance including recent work such as shifter bushings, ring bearings and washers replaced, top end engine rebuild including valve shims, lifters adjustment, rocker arms replaced, new timing chain & tensioners installed, new thermostat installed, new battery - all at 103,996 miles (less than some 500 miles ago) in February 2014. The car also had a new clutch slave cylinder at 127,981 miles. There are also further and extensive service records dating back to 1991. This means in essence that this car should need very little mechanical work for many years to come.


This particular example presents a wonderful opportunity for the Mercedes enthusiast to either collect and enjoy today as a superb example of a very original and stock Pagoda with desirable options or the perfect candidate to restore - regardless it is simply one of the finest examples available anywhere of one very original and great daily driving SL for any classic car lover - the original factory 'Papyrus White' (Code 717-G) color paint has been repainted in the same color at some point in the past and the car still sports its matching hubcaps and has only very minor imperfections or flaws in the paintwork. The chrome work is all excellent and the original interior is in exceptional shape for its age, all the gauges and switches and levers are in very good shape, the original dashboard and wood is all very good and the original seats and carpets show only very minor wear. The car also boasts its original 'Becker Europa' radio and clock! The car boasts a brand newly fitted 'Dark Blue' German canvas factory soft top and the hard top is as new.

By 1963 the 190SL (Super Light) and the 300SL Roadster were neither Super or Light and the 190SL was simply too heavy to compete with the likes of even the British MG or Triumph and completely underpowered compared to the Austin-Healeys or Jaguars. Mercedes had two choices, either return to the premise of the original 300SL and build another pure sports car or create a new grand touring sports car that would continue the reputation of the SL's as touring cars rather than super racing cars. Mercedes chose the latter with a compromise between the 190 and 300 with the introduction of the W113 platform 230SL which was a two-seat roadster/coupe, introduced at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show and the series was continued through 1971.

Like the Gullwing before it, the 230SL had a distinguishing feature which was its removable hardtop with a distinctive dip in its center to offer tall windows to create a better balanced side view and more headroom for passengers getting in and out while still maintaining a low sporty roofline from the front and rear and which earned the car the nickname 'Pagoda' roof. It also proved an efficient way to remove rainwater and channel it away from the car. Top speed was about 115mph which was better than the 190SL but not in the same class as the 300SL.

All models were equipped with an inline-six cylinder engine with multi-port fuel injection. The hood, trunk lid, door skins and tonneau cover were all made of aluminum to reduce weight. The comparatively short and wide chassis, combined with an excellent suspension, powerful brakes and radial tires gave the W113 superb handling for its time. The styling of the front, with its characteristic upright Bosch 'fishbowl' headlights and simple chrome grille, dominated by the large three-pointed star in the nose panel, paid tribute to the then already legendary 300 SL roadster.

The 280 SL was introduced in December 1967 and continued in production through 23 February 1971, when the W113 was replaced by its successor, the entirely new and substantially heavier R107 350 SL. Over the years, the W113 evolved from a sports car into a comfortable grand tourer and US models were by then usually equipped with the 4-speed automatic transmission and air conditioning. In Europe, manual transmissions without air conditioning were still the predominant choice.

You will look long and hard to find a finer all stock example of a Pagoda anywhere, or indeed one such well sorted mechanically, with recent full and comprehensive service history and boasting the desirable and true sports car correct 4 speed manual transmission, all original records, tools and manuals for the serious collector or ethusiast.


 

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