1970 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3: Gorgeous, Mechanically Strong, Heavily Documented

Offered for sale is a gorgeous, ell-cared-for, ery original, umbers matching, eavily documented 1970 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 finished in desirable and attractive Dark Green (DB 291) over Cognac leather. The 300SEL 6.3 started out as an auspicious personal project by company engineer and amateur racer Erich Waxenberger, ho was able to somehow squeeze the heralded 6.3L V8 M100 engine from the flagship 600 limousine into the popular Paul Bracq designed W109 body, hich until that point was offered only with a 6-cylinder engine. Seeing the opportunity to more comprehensively utilize the M100s production facilities, ercedes surprisingly decided to slate the car for production, eveloping Waxenberger's weekend project into the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing - an elegant and supremely comfortable sedan that provided performance similar to - if not better than - most of the dedicated sports cars of the era. Independent road tests confirmed an astonishing 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds (fittingly) and standing quarter mile time of 14.2 seconds.

This beautiful example was purchased new by Charles Becker, he owner of Charles G. Becker Mercedes-Benz, factory authorized dealership in Pittsburgh, ennsylvania. He used it as his personal car until the late 1970s, hen he sold the car to his friend and insurance agent. He kept the car until 1982 when he in turn sold it to his banker, lso of Pittsburgh. The third owner would keep the car for the ensuing 25 years until 2006, hen it was sold to the last and most recent owner, n attorney from Milwaukee, isconsin. In the nine years of his ownership the previous owner spent nearly $25k ensuring the car was as mechanically sound as possible, rimarily with Brooklyn Motoren Werke, nc., well-respected marque expert in Brooklyn, I. In addition to the most recent service receipts, he car also comes with a stamped service booklet and a thick stack of receipts going back to the 1970s, ocumenting the car's mileage as well as thorough and consistent care throughout the its ownership history.

Having had cosmetic refurbishments performed as needed rather than ever having been fully restored, he car remains quite original and exceedingly presentable. The desirable Dark Green finish has only a handful of minor imperfections, one of which are significant enough to appear in any of the photographs, nd the chrome and glass are in excellent original condition. Always properly garaged, he car's undercarriage is solid and original and the body is straight with consistent panel gaps and fits throughout. The interior is equally clean, he carpets, ash, ood accents, nterior panels, eadliner and rear seats all in excellent original condition and the front seats recently reupholstered in the correct material and pattern. Everything on the car works as it should, ncluding the power windows, ights, eat, riginal Becker Grand Prix radio and the air conditioning, hich has been converted to R134A.

The results of Brooklyn Motoren Werke's efforts are evident and the car is in excellent mechanical condition. The original engine starts easily, dles consistently and pulls strongly and smoothly through each of the transmission's gears. The car drives and brakes straight and the air suspension performs flawlessly, ree of any leaks. Rather than list all of the recent mechanical work, DF copies can be made available to qualified buyers upon request. The car leaves nothing to be desired from behind the wheel, he torquey M100 leaping to attention with grin-inducing force when asked, ut smooth and unobtrusive while merely cruising down the highway. The air suspension yields an incredibly comfortable ride quality making the car a joy to drive in any circumstance.

Whether as a serious collector or a weekend enthusiast, f you're in the market for a 6.3, his very original, ell-cared-for, echanically excellent, eavily documented example deserves your serious consideration. Values have more than doubled over the last seven years and, ith room for additional appreciation, car in this mechanical condition, ith this history and finished in these colors is a wise and thrilling investment.