We have a lot of experience with the 113-series Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ roadsters, both from selling several each year as well as doing major work on them in our restoration shop for decades.
The classic 280SL is the most popular variant and this one has both the factory hardtop and convertible top. (The soft top is edgy, but a new one is in the trunk!) Most 280SLs have clunky automatic transmissions, but this is one of the more-desirable manual 4-speeds.
Sold new in Albuquerque, NM, it comes to us out of 40-year single-family ownership and the file of past service records supports the 59,441 miles showing as likely original and accurate.
Typical for these now-collectable icons, back then it was used as a daily driver and picked up dings and flaws until being repainted decades ago in the original dark red color to a ‘commercially acceptable’ standard—meaning it has some issues.
Today, it's polished up and looks pretty good from a step back, but it’s definitely a ‘driver,’ not a show car.
The original Parchment MB tex needs replacing, but the door cards & dash are fine and the original dark red carpets are really nice.
A popular accessory in those days was adding a smaller Nardi wood-rim steering wheel (we have the original), both because it looks great but also provides more leg room with no extra effort due to the power steering.
The car has been in storage since 2017, but our shop has just completed a major tune and servicing, so it runs great and drives very well.
In its present condition, the car offers an enthusiast several options: he can drive it as-is with minimal extra effort and gradually improve it himself, or invest in having a professional strip & properly refinish the body to whatever level he prefers.
Seat cover kits are available in either Tex or leather, plus all the original chrome is still very nice.
A nicely-restored Pagoda SL is a $150,000 car today, and shabby ones with unknown history and big mileage are $50K.
This car offers NO RUST, and is a solid basis that runs & drives well that will return any further investment as time goes by.