Description
Offered for sale is an absolutely stunning restored late production example of a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pagoda. Produced in early September 1966, the car was imported, sold and first titled in 1967, which is as it appears on the car’s title. Finished in extremely rare and eternally sophisticated DB162 Blaugrau (Blue-Grey) over cream leather, the car is truly stunning, thanks to the second owner having recently spent over $27,000 towards its meticulous restoration with a highly reputable Mercedes restoration specialist.
As such, the car is virtually flawless. Stripped to bare metal, the car was painstakingly disassembled and painted in its factory correct original color. Concurrently, the chrome was professionally refinished and all the rubber was replaced. The car’s exterior has no flaws, save for a couple of pencil-tip sized imperfections that occurred during the last year’s worth of careful Sunday outings. These imperfections, of course, are far too small to show up in any of the pictures and in no way detract from the car’s gorgeous overall appearance. The glass is free of chips, scratches or cracks, and all of the trim pieces are unmarred. The car’s original wheels and color-matched hubcaps are wrapped in white-wall tires with plenty of tread left (currently rotated in for even wear). Both soft and hard tops are flawless, the gorgeous blue soft top recently replaced with the correct German canvas.
The interior is also completely restored and free of imperfections. The contrasting cream leather seats and panels were replaced in the correct materials during the restoration and the blue German square weave carpets are free of wear and compliment the cream leather perfectly. The headliners on the both the hard and soft tops are new and the dash is free of cracking or warping. The interior accent wood (on the dash pad, hard top rear window rim and center console) has been professionally refinished and is absolutely beautiful.
The car’s original, matching numbers engine starts without hesitation and idles consistently producing the W113’s trademark warbling tone. The car shifts and accelerates smoothly, brakes straight and is a true pleasure to drive, whether driving through town or cruising down the highway. While car did go through extensive restoration work, it was not an example of the proverbial “rust-bucket”. The panels, undercarriage and wheel wells are completely rust free and the car has always been accident free. The car is perfectly straight and the fits and gaps of its panels are consistent and correct. Having lived its entire, two-owner life in sunny Santa Barbara, it was always garaged and serviced carefully. It and has never been neglected; the second owner just wanted to return it to its gorgeous original condition, and the results of his efforts were worth the expense.
The first owner was a wealthy Santa Barbara business-man who special ordered the car and kept it for the better part of a decade before selling it to his friend, a U.S. Air Force General who owned the car in Santa Barbara until his recent death. As you can see from the pictures his Dept. of Defense sticker still remains in the bottom corner of the windshield, along with a “star” sticker indicating his General’s ranking. At this time I’m representing his family in the sale of the car and any inspection or showing must be made by advance appointment.
With its restored condition, provenance and exceedingly rare color scheme, this 230SL is undoubtedly one on the finest available on the market today. I’m sure the same pride that its prior owners had for the car will extend to its next owner for many years ahead.
