1973 Mercedes 450SL Astral Silver Metallic with Navy Blue Leather

Price: -
Description:

1973 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

I am pleased to offer this gorgeous 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL finished in astral silver metallic exterior with navy blue leather interior. This car is presented with two tops, beautiful original condition and 2 owners from new.
Chassis Number: 107044-12-012281
This 1973 Mercedes-Benz R107 450SL is fantastic example of one of the most well-known Mercedes-Benz models produced and represents an era of engineering and performance that will never be seen again.
It is a very early 450 model that benefits from the small early bumper design. The optional fog lamps are also present and contribute to the overall look of the car.
The condition of this car is original and beautifully preserved. Everything is original and nearly untouched. The original hard top is included with the sale, having been removed from the car soon after delivery and never re-installed. I don’t believe that the soft top has ever been down since the hard top was removed when the car was new and the soft top raised. The current owner is the second owner from new.
BODY:
This 450SL wears its factory correct DB-735 Astral Silver paint, all of the body panels are ripple, dent, and rust free and don’t appear to have ever had any sort of body or accident damage.
The glass and seals are in excellent condition and there are no leaks evident. The windshield is original and also in very nice condition.
The body trim, including the stainless steel, chrome, and rubber, are all in excellent condition. Everything appears to be original.
The hard top is also original and as stated before, has really never been installed on the car. The paint, glass, headliner, and trim are all in beautiful original condition.
INTERIOR:
The navy blue leather interior was also the subject of intensive preservation. The seating areas are in beautiful preserved condition, with very little wear evident. The door panels are also in the same condition.
The carpet is also original to the car and in excellent overall condition, with very little wear or fading evident.
All of the accessories, including the air conditioning, are in perfect working condition. The original Becker radio is also in place and working.
The power windows roll up and down and work perfectly. The trunk is in stunning condition, the trunk covering is also in original condition with no missing pieces, and the spare tire, jack, and associated tools are accounted for and in very nice condition.
ENGINE and ENGINE COMPARTMENT:
The powerplant in this 450SL is the original V-8 engine. It has 79,000 original miles and has been meticulously cared for throughout its life. It is very well sorted with all maintenance being performed recently. All aspects of the motor are in perfect working order, and the compression on all cylinders is exactly where it should be.
The engine bay is in original condition, and as delivered from the factory with the exception of the polished air cleaner cover and valve covers. I don’t know if Mercedes ever offered these parts in polished condition when new, so I would have to guess the original owner had this performed after purchase to “dress up” the engine compartment.
All components in the engine compartment are in operational condition. Every detail of the engine compartment is “Mercedes-Benz correct” and beautifully presented. It would be difficult to find an engine compartment with a better presentation on an original car.
TRANSMISSION:
The 3-speed automatic transmission in this car is in perfect working order and functions as a low mile car should. It is the original transmission to the car.
TIRES, WHEELS, and BRAKES:
The tires are Michelin XWX and are new. They are the correct and original size replacement for the 1973 450SL with the correct load rating. The wheels are the slightly later style Mercedes 107 Bundt type, and were replaced by the current owner. The original steel wheels are no longer with the car, and were replaced with wire spoked wheels by the first owner. The wire spoke wheels will be included with the sale of the car, if the new owner would like them.
The entire braking system has been gone through recently to ensure every part works as it should.
UNDERCARRIAGE:
The undercarriage is, as seen in the photos, extremely clean, free from any type of rot and is original. The factory undercoating is actually still present in most areas. It is one of the cleanest undercarriages of a Mercedes of this vintage I have seen in a long time.
OVERALL DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:
This 450SL runs and drives as it should – It’s barely broken in! The 8-cylinder powerplant runs and accelerates smoothly and very quickly and the transmission shifts as it should.
The car drives around town and on the open road with no squeaks, creaks, or rattles. It needs absolutely nothing to drive, show, and enjoy. All of the mechanical aspects of the car work as they should.
PLEASE NOTE:
The originality and presentation of the car is what really sets it apart from other 107 models in this period. This 450SL still retains all of its original or N.O.S. components, with the exception of the wheels. This means the engine, transmission, rear end, etc. are original or correct to the car. All of the numbers, markings, etc., are correct. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY WAY. It is an original and very special car that, as evidenced by the low mileage and condition, has been driven very sparingly and properly cared for. If you’ve never owned or driven an R107 model of this period, you are in for a treat with this one!
If you are serious about purchasing this vehicle, I encourage you to come, take a look, and drive it. I can also provide you with additional photos of any specific part you have questions about.
You or your mechanic are also welcome to put the car on a lift, located where the car is stored, and perform any drivetrain inspection you wish, including a compression check.
If the photos appear distorted in this listing, please copy and paste the link below to see full undistorted photos:
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