1981 Mercedes 280SL

Rare Euro-Spec SL
Getrag 4 speed manual
Excellent on the road

Here up for bids is this very sharp Mercedes 280SL. This car was imported into Vancouver Canada with its original owner in 1995, and remained local to that area until I bought it last February. I got a one-way flight into Vancouver and drove the car the 7 hours back to Portland, it performed brilliantly the entire way. Part of the reason for making the trip up there was the car's rare manual transmission. When Mercedes transitioned from the W113 model to the new R107 they left US customers without the option of a manual gearbox. The manual transmission in the Euro models adds a simplicity to this model that hearkens back to the W113 cars, while still featuring the modern safety features that defined the R107 series - kind of the best of both worlds.
The car has 205,275 original kilometers, which equals about 127,550 miles. You can tell right away that this car has been well cared for, always garaged, and still running beautifully after 35 years. The car passed US Customs and now carries a clear Oregon title in my name.
Click to enlarge any of the images, OR click here to view a slideshow of all of the enlarged images.

Finished in Champagne Metallic (DB473), the paint appears to be all original and still looks terrific. All body panels are super straight and the reflections off of them are almost optical quality. On close inspection you'll find a few small rock chips here and there, and one or two light scratches, overall the paint finish stands tall in spite of these real world flaws.
Tire are quality Michelin Symmetry's paired with stock 14" Bundts. The wheels have been refinished with 3-stage powder coating, they're flawless and that's a word I don't use freely.

Excellent lights and lenses front and back. Bumpers show good chrome, the rubber insert is in great shape as well.

The European lights feature the low wattage mode shown in the 2nd photo below, a great look at dawn or dusk. The grill and lower air dam are both clean and straight.

Emblems and badging are all in good shape, rear valance has no dents or damage. The car has a factory branded MB exhaust from front to rear.

The hardtop shows some edge fogging on the rear glass, otherwise it's in good condition. Headliner, weatherstripping and side glass all look terrific.

The soft top has good fit and opens and closes easily. No rips or tears, and the back window is clear and pliable. The storage well is rust free.

The area around where the hard top mounts shows a couple minor scratches but no dents.
The windshield has a few little nicks but no chips or stars. The wiper arms are the original Bosch units from new, oftentimes missing on these cars.

Clean trunk with original spare, jacking equipment and safety triangle.

The MB-Tex seats are all original and still in nice condition. Sill plates, weatherstripping, wood - all nicely preserved.

All switchgear is in good shape; the wipers, horn, signals, etc all work as they should. Both of the integrated speaker grills are in great shape. All gauges are working correctly and the clock keeps perfect time. The radio is not operable and I haven't looked into why. The heater, fan and ventilation controls work properly. Sorry, no AC. The car has not been smoked in, ashtray and lighter are unused.

The dash pad is in perfect condition with no cracks, splits or warping. Door panels are nice as well, most of these developed heat warping at the tops, especially the dark colored ones. The vacuum locking functions correctly and the power windows move smoothly. Rear cargo area looks as nice as the rest of the interior.

The car drives excellent. Starts instantly and runs strongly with no smoke, you'll like the way this car drives. Ride quality is super, steering and suspension are tight, the car handles very well. It shifts flawlessly, brakes well and performs reliably with no drama or problems. The DOHC Six has an altogether different feel from the V8's - somewhat more light and sporting. On the 7 hour drive from Vancouver BC to Portland the car was simply outstanding. The stretch of I-5 after Tacoma and Olympia opens up and the traffic there flows between 80 and 90mph. This SL kept pace easily, solid and square on the road without a squeak or rattle.

No leaks, this car will not drip on your garage floor. The undercarriage shows no sign of rust or accident history, the jack ports and rocker panels are perfect from front to back. Altogether a well preserved R107 with a transmission that you're unlikely to find in the US.

Click here for a slideshow of all of the enlarged images.

About the reserve price:
Out of fairness to all bidders the reserve is held in confidence, please just bid at the level that you'd want to pay. This auction ends Monday, June 20th at 9AM Pacific Time