Description
Offered for sale is an absolutely striking, entirely solid, mechanically strong, numbers matching and very original 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL finished in incredibly rare, ceaselessly sophisticated and factory correct two tone Medium Blue (DB 350) with a Papyrus White (DB 717) hard top and hubcaps over a correctly reupholstered Blue leather interior. The car’s undercarriage is original and solid and the body and each of the body panels (including the stamped hood) are original and accident-free with original fenders that retain the telltale factory spot welds in the engine compartment and the notches on the headlamp pylons. The car also comes with all of the original books and manuals, including the original stamped service booklet.
The car was originally delivered new to Dr. Jordan Bloom, a dentist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Bloom would drive the car regularly throughout his ownership, eventually selling it to the second owner in the mid 1980s. A retired small town attorney in rural Pennsylvania, the second owner would keep the car for roughly fifteen years, at which point it was hardly getting any use, prompting him to gift it to his son-in-law. The technical third owner, he would own the car until earlier this year, nearly as long as his father-in-law. Each of the car’s owners always ensured that it was always garaged and never exposed to the elements, but 44 years has a way of wearing on even the best cared for examples and in 2004 the previous owner decided it was time for a cosmetic freshening. Consequently he had the interior reupholstered (using all of the correct German materials) and had the car professionally repainted in its factory correct original two tone color scheme, resulting in the beautiful example offered here today.
A rare factory color combination that we’ve never seen before, the two-tone Medium Blue and Papyrus White finish is an exceedingly tasteful and crisp livery, somehow managing to be timeless and era specific all at once. Having been used consistently as a weekend driver since its refurbishment in 2004, the car is not a show car, but it presents beautifully, marred only by a number of minor, touched-up imperfections, none of which are significant enough to appear in any of the pictures. All of the glass and chrome is in excellent original condition and the car’s original hubcapped wheels are free of any damage, wrapped in tires with plenty of remaining tread. The car’s interior is absolutely gorgeous, the Blue leather seats, German square weave carpets and interior panels all appearing virtually brand new. The wood trim has been refinished correctly and the car retains its original Becker Europa radio and Kangol seat belts. The car’s hardtop has spent a vast majority of its life in storage and is consequently in excellent original condition and the car’s soft-top was replaced in 2004, appearing nearly unused with no significant wear and a clear (albeit tinted) rear window.
The car is also excellent mechanically, the numbers matching engine firing up effortlessly, idling consistently and pulling strongly and smoothly through each of the original transmission’s gears with excellent, even compression across all cylinders. The car drives and brakes straight and true, the suspension is tight and the ride quality is entirely comfortable whether tooling through town, winding through the canyons or bombing down the highway.
The market has never been hotter for W113 Pagoda SLs and in terms of what collectors are looking for in investment grade cars, this exceedingly original, numbers matching, mechanically strong and cosmetically striking 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL checks all of the important boxes: a.) solid and original undercarriage, b.) entirely original and rust-free body (including original fenders with the requisite factory spot welds and headlamp notches), c.) strong numbers matching drivetrain, and d.) factory correct and tasteful livery with a beautifully reupholstered interior. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a wonderful example of a quickly appreciating, investment grade classic, one that will undoubtedly provide its next owner with years of trusty service and upside. Having watched the Pagoda SL market of late, we anticipate a high level of interest from potential buyers, so serious individuals or agents should contact us directly and perform their due diligence as early in the purchasing process as possible.
