1973 Mercedes 450SL R107 Convertible Roadster - 40 Pics of Rust-Free CA Original

car Beauty before DOT Bumpers . European cars have always been very special when it comes to distinctive designs and performance. Creations by German car makers such as VOLKSWAGEN. the non-plus-ultra sports car marquee PORSCHE as well as the European standard of luxury and elegance set by cars built by MERCEDES-BENZ enjoy a very special status among collectors and aficionados alike. But there is one two-seater sports car that is being built for about 6 decades. currently in its 6th generation. that has maintained an appeal unlike any other; . the MERCEDES-BENZ SL convertible! In 1971 production of the 2nd generation SL (such as the one to be seen in the picture below !) was halted with the production of the 'Pagoda Mercedes'. a six cylinder propelled 280 SL. Prime examples of these second generation SLs do already fetch north of $ 100k at top auction sales nationwide these days. but luckily you will not have to prepare yourself to pay anywhere near that kind of money for its successor. which is offered here. - YET . !!A new modern design roadster was envisioned by Mercedes' designers in the late 60s. and what was presented in 1972 surely hit the spot. The R107 called roadsters became a creation of such timeless design. that it lasted almost unchanged for 2 decades before it was retired to give way for the 4th generation in 1990. In the 18 years it was produced it became one of the most popular SLs to date. These last of the real bumper SLs. did start out in 1972 with the 350SL. employing a V8 engine. a big change in comparison to the previously employed six cylinder engines. In its early years the body of the R107 still looked almost identical to the European SLs. with bumpers tucked tight to the body. and just small bumperettes added to the US bound vehicles. The Mercedes SL offered in this auction listing is such early model. and best yet. it is a car that was always operated in the dry climates of Southern California. proof bearing the early 1970s assigned blue with yellow CA license plate. in addition to the overall rust-free condition. a status that can only be maintained in a desert climate like ours here down south. This 1973 produced car features the newly introduced 4. 5 litre engine for that year that made it the 450SL for the years to come. but already in 1974 all the beauty was gone on the 450s. as DOT prescribed bumpers changed the looks of this beautiful sports car dramatically. The low impact absorbent bumpers should remain in place until the R107s retirement in 1989. rendering the very first two years of production the only R107 SLs with the tucked-in bumpers sold here in the US. and the 1973 pre-smog model the only one of that kind with the more powerful 4. 5 litre V8. (Click the above picture for a closer look)After being in production for over 18 years. the last of the fabled R107 SLs rolled off the assembly line in Stuttgart with just over 300k vehicles being built in all. and sold worldwide. but only about 50% of were exported to and sold in the United States. Production for the year 1973 was a total of 8600 SLs. approx. half of those for the US market. How many do you think remain around in such remarkable condition stateside? (Click the above picture to see the car with the soft-top up)The R107 series still features the old-world craftsmanship that is so very desirable. and for good reasons a well-kept early example of the model is highly sought after already today. since its predecessor W113 reaches record results in sales worldwide. The R107 MBZ Roadster with VIN *107044-12-009278* offered here in this auction listing not only is such a rare specimen. it also sports one of the most elegant factory color combinations available at the time. . . golden "Tunis Beige Metallic" (code 462). as indicated on the factory applied data plate. the reference data plaque bearing coded information to some of the vehicle's equipment package. The vehicle has been refinished once in its original color many years ago. before my time. Over the years it received a fair amount of bumps and bruises. resulting in some nicks and scratches. all of which had been attended by touch-ups. so that none of them really take away from the car's overall stunning appearance. I myself never deemed it necessary to look into another refinish. as the car still carries a overall satisfying shine on its finish everywhere. (Click the above picture to take a look from the right side) Back in the days considered pure luxury by definition. the vehicle offered in this listing features all the amenities that you came to expect from a fine Mercedes convertible of the day. among them: 4-speed automatic transmission 4-wheel disc brakes Power Steering Power Brakes Power windows Air Condition Removable Hardtop Rear Window defogger on hardtop Stereo Sound system Fog lights Aluminum alloy wheels Even after 40+ years the interior of the BENZ is still very presentable. as the vehicle has always been garaged and kept well maintained. In comparison to the W113 the redesigned seats became height adjustable and provide much more lateral support than those of the previous models. There are no splits in the seats. the dash has a few visible cracks near the vents. and the carpet is still in good shape all round. certainly a car that you can be proud of to own! (Click the above picture to take a look from the right side)Bird's eye view of roomy Roadster interior confirms its luxurious layout and well taken care of condition . The two-tone palomino interior in combination with the golden metallic exterior radiates a sense of luxury and elegance that is hard to describe. best characterized by the enthusiastic response of everyone who encounters you in this über - car !The dark brown canvas convertible top is still in good. pliable condition. and has a clean and clear rear window. If it wouldn't be for two small pinches that most likely occurred when folded without enough care into the designated compartment. you would consider this top to be in near perfect condition. The soft-top can be manually raised or lowered in no time. Once the horseshoe shape cover behind the passenger compartment is raised the top vanishes in the designated convertible soft-top storage compartment. Very often this storage compartment presents itself in poor shape. particularly on vehicles that were operated in a wet or humid climate. Not so on this all original California car. - it is still dry and clean and as rust free as can be. (Click on the above picture for a close-up from the other side) The 450SL combines the best elements of a luxurious tourer and an exhilarating sports car. Its versatility is unrivalled. since all R107 models came factory-equipped with 2 tops. (Click on the above picture for a close-up of the hard top)The hard top with its standard heated rear window permits year-round driving. even in inclement weather conditions. It can be removed within minutes and the car is transformed into a true Roadster. Not surprisingly. the SL has always been a favorite among those who could afford the best. The car for auction here proves the point. It runs quiet and smooth. yet it pulls strongly from idle to its 6000 rpm redline. Such performance is well suited to the SL's status as one of the most prestigious automotive symbols of achievement. As per the instruments on this fine motorcar. the vehicle appears to have covered just over 102. 00 miles since new. which would translate to only about 2. 00 miles annually. on average. Can this possibly be the true miles on this car ??While I cannot be certain. as I am not in possession of documentation that proves the point I can judge the overall condition of the vehicle. and am certain you will agree. the miles shown on the odometer appear quite plausible taken all evidence into consideration. What I am able to provide with the car is a full set of manuals. as seen in the picture below. I purchased the vehicle in the summer of 2012 locally here in the Southern California desert region. The color and the European look appealed to me. as did the fact. that it is an all time California car without any structural integrity issues by rust. The previous owner sold it due to lack of use. I end up in the same situation. whereas I do have more vehicles and projects to work on than time to take automobiles out for a ride as often as I like. The car comes with an indoor cotton cover and a wind deflector that can be mounted behind the passenger compartment. to divert the wind while driving open. all which can be easily stored in the spacious trunk. (Click on the above picture for a look with the trunk mat removed)During my time of ownership I did not have to attend many issues. as this well built machine performed admirable. Other than regular maintenance (oil change and such) a new muffler was needed. and the battery was just replaced very recently. which is pretty much the price you pay when a vehicle sits more than it runs. But were it sat. there were no leaks to speak of. everything is clean. the rockers and floorpans are rust free. and the vehicle does not show any visible damage underneath either. as you can see in the pictures posted. (Click on the above picture for another look at the undercarriage)It is easy to see that the Mercedes Benz 450SL is at once more poised and more powerful than any Rolls Royce Corniche. less of a poseur's car than a Porsche 911 Cabriolet. and certainly more prestigious than a Jaguar. while being more practical than a Ferrari or Maserati. With prices for well-kept Mercedes R107 models on the rise in recent years. already reaching $40k territory for choice examples. a purchase will be a wise investment any way you look at it. Without doubt this is partly due to the fact. that the 107 SLs are the last of the hand-built cars featuring the steel bumpers in the classic design. while they are certainly the most driveable roadsters of their kind. even in today's dense traffic. Parts availability for continued maintenance is no issue. with parts for classic Mercedes' being available worldwide. unequalled in the classic car field. Bidding for this beautiful roadster starts at only $19. 73. a reasonable reserve. reflecting the condition of this vehicle. has been set. Please read my terms of sale ! I do my best to accurately describe my vehicle for sale. If you still have any questions remaining that are not answered by the description and the pictures above. I invite you to email me at Axelbee-at-EuropeanClassix-dot-Com before you place your bid. Please understand that. as nice as the car may be. you are bidding on a 40+ year old "USED CAR". and as such it surely will not measure up to any new vehicle. You most certainly will find flaws consistent with its age and usage. and if you are an overly picky buyer. who never purchased a vehicle online before. it might not be suitable for you to purchase a vehicle through this online auction. If you are someone who wants to save a lot of money on a good car. as it is possible in an online auction. you may have to consider putting a small portion of those savings back into the vehicle to make it as perfect as possible in your own opinion. The car is in remarkable condition. but it is still a used car. and as such we cannot be held responsible for things that happen after a sale. therefore it is being sold AS-IS with no implied warranty. Please place a bid only if you are serious about owning the car and have the necessary funds readily available to pay for it. International buyers. please make sure you familiarize yourself with your country's import + customs laws BEFORE bidding and therefore buying. After the lsiting ended I do expect payment in full within 7 days. any other arrangemnt cna be discussed. i am willing to work with you if circumstances require more time. Be advsied though. I am a private individual. and as such I will not be able nor willing to assist in financing. I accept your payment in US funds only. this by means of Cash. Cashier's Check. or bank Wire Transfer. I will certainly work with you on any arrangement to have the car picked up or shipped at a later time. payment terms still need to be met as sated. While I gladly assist with any shipping arrangements of the car to be shipped to any location in the world. any additional costs for transportation and preparation will be solemnly the high bidder's responsibility in addition to the final high bid price. If you do not agree with all of the terms above. then please. do not bid on this vehicle. Once the auction ended and you had successfully become the high bidder. you have accepted a legal and binding contract. as outlined in eBay's rules and regulation. to purchase the car offered in this auction with no room for further negotiations. Thank you for stopping by and your interest in our auction. If you are interested what else we will offer here on eBay in the near future. click on the link provided on our About page to see what's currently in preparation. In compliance with eBay's Rules & Regulations no part of this presentation may be reproduced without permission of the author + designer at EuropeanClassix. com. Please E-mail any inquiries about use of the photos and the written material to Axel @ europeanclassix. com.