1966 Mercedes Benz 230SL 4 Speed W113

Make: Mercedes-Benz
Model: SL-Class
SubModel: SL
Type: Convertible
Trim: 230 SL Pagoda
Year: 1966
Mileage: 99176
VIN: 113-0421014609
Color: 181 Light Beige
Engine size: 2.8L
Number of cylinders: 6
Fuel: Gasoline
Transmission: 4 Speed Manual
Drive type: RWD
Interior color: Bamboo MB Tex
Drive side: Left-hand drive
Options: Convertible
Vehicle Title: Clear
Location: Portland, Oregon, United States

Description

It's been a fun car to own and drive, but is now time to move onto the next car on my list of "gotta haves" so I am ready to sell my 1966 Mercedes-Benz 230SL. This car is definitely a head turner, and always gets lots of attention at the local Cars and Coffee!
My 20 year Ebay rating is, and has always been excellent - I've worked hard to achieve this, and I want to keep it that way, so will try to describe as much of a complete and honest assessment of the car regarding what I am aware its needs. The mechanical work is done, and all that remains is pretty much cosmetics - and it's not that difficult - or relevant to the cost of restoring a classic Mercedes Benz, too expensive to correct. Instead of putting my dollars into making it look better, and since the appearance was already way above what an average car would be considered, I chose to go the route of mechanical fitness, wanting to make the car drive and ride as it was intended - which it does!I'm pretty particular when it comes to condition, and might seem a bit over critical compared to others out there, but this is the description of what I am aware the car needs condition-wise. I'll probably miss some things others would catch - if you are a serious bidder, I'm happy to meet with your inspector at my location.
This is a European-market example that was sold new in Germany in the fall of 1965, and imported to Washington State appx 1 year later. I have the original service booklet stamped, showing first few maintenanceintervals were performed in Germany. A fuel-injected 2.8-liter inline-six was installed in 1991 by L and M Motors in Los Angeles (Mercedes specialists), which I have the original receipts for. According to my Mercedes mechanic, this was somewhat common years ago. When an engine went bad, many SL owners used that as an opportunity to upgrade to the more powerful 2.8L engine. The individual I purchased the car from 6 1/2 years ago, had it resprayed in its original color a few years earlier, which is 181 Light Beige. Thankfully, the shop that did the re-spray had the knowledge of these cars to preserve both front fender notches. I would say the finish is still in overall very good condition, save for a small "quarter" sized section lifting on the front of the right front fender, likely due to improper paint prep in the particular area. There are a few dings on the deck lid, which may be able to be taken care of by a talented paintless dent repair person, and some paint over-sprayon some of the rubber (which should be replaced anyway). There is also a spot at the bottom of the right rear fender where an ill fitted muffler wore a small hole through - about the size of a dime. As I was also told by my Mercedes mechanic, this was also not uncommon, and would generally occur if the exhaust donuts dried up and broke loose, leaving little support. The realignment of the exhaust and muffler was the first thing I took care of after I purchased the car, and the issue was resolved. I would say for the most part, cosmetically, this car is a solid "5 footer". New - originalstyle brown square-weavecarpet was installed in May of 2016.
Since I've owned the car, I've had the king pins, upper control arms, motor mounts and tie rods replaced, plus much of the under-body rubber bushings. I recently had a brake inspection, flush and front end re-alignment, and I'm sure that over the course of 6+ years, there are also probably a few things I've done that I have forgotten about. The car accelerates, shifts and drives down the road smooth, and the brakes are strong. A complete new clutch kit including disc, throw-out bearing, and master cylinder plus all related parts were installed approximately 1,000 miles ago - at that time, all bushings and nylon bearings were replaced in the 4 speed shifting mechanism at the same time. A tune up was done about 1k miles ago.
The soft top is showing wear, and If I were to keep the car, I would definitelyreplace it - the top frame mechanism, and storage compartment are in great condition and operate as they should - the wood on the top of the dash needs to either be refinished or replaced. The chrome trim is all there - some is pitted a little - replacement pieces are available on eBay or through parts suppliers - some of it may just need to be cleaned up. I have quite a collection of service records from previous owners, plus the stamped maintenance booklet showing the first services performed in Germany, as well as many subsequent services. The matching Pagoda hardtop is included - the headliner should be replaced, which is a pretty simple operation. I would suggest freshening up the rubber door and trunk seals plus window channels, as they rattle as the doors close. New convertible and hardtop top seals plus front windshield gasket are included with the car - which I have not had installed,and are still in their original packaging.The Bamboo colored MB-Texseats and rear Kinder seat are all in very good condition - no rips, tears, or excess wear. The left heater vent and Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo are inoperable however, the lights on the radio do illuminate, so it could be that the speaker just doesn't work. I've never bothered to look into repairing it.The other 3 vents work just fine.The bumpers are the Euro style - without the overrides, and in pretty good condition. According to receipts I have, the original km/h speedometer was replaced with a US-spec unit in 1991, around the time the 2.8L motor was installed. When the engine was installed, power steering was also added. Original manuals, service records, and a stamped maintenance booklet accompany the car - Some of the photos show the blue Oregon license plates - they are not included in the sale. This has been a very fun and incredibly reliable car to own, and drive, and whenever I drive it, I always get compliments and smiles! It's actually sometimes embarrassingto have someone 3 lanes over yell "love your car!".
As mentioned above, I want to provide as complete and honest of an assessment as possible, and this car is just a few improvements away from being a 10. That doesn't mean it is in shabby condition - it's far from that! This 230SL is very attractive and drive-ableand can be enjoyed as is! The Vehicle is currently in a storage facility within my business, and is in an area that is easily accessiblefor a transporter to pick up. Although I am not able to help arrange transportation for you, I am - within reason, available to accommodate your transporter's schedule. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. *This vehicle is also being advertised outside of Ebay therefore, I reserve the right to end the auction at any time. Thank you,

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